My Personal Experience with Babywearing
We have seen a lot of you wondered
why and how my hubby and I carry our baby in that peice of cloth-- may it be the teal stretchy one, the black tie, the green ring sling, the brown cloth, etc. People
find it unique or in some sense, just plain weird. Reactions vary, some think
it's heavy and difficult for the parent, or too tight for the baby, too girly
(or so gay) for the dads/dudes, or just plain odd and that it's letting us "spoil" the baby, which the righteous people think that it is wrong (IMO, there's no such thing as "spoiling" a baby, babies naturally needs to be carried and not laid flat on their cribs, that will cause spinal damage and un-met emotional needs which may affect him psychologically even until adulthood, just a Psychology thingy). Here in our country (Philippines), although it has been gaining popularity, babywearing is not mainstream. You heard it right, that’s called BABYWEARING (or BW for short), which simply and obviously means “wearing your baby”. If you babywear here in our country, you're a head turner (I know, as an Attached Parent who babywears, I am experiencing that now.)
Well, that weird thing is what saved my
life as a no-nanny full-time mom-of-two wherein almost always, I need to be a superwoman, available to them all. Not to forget that I am also a wife and I am also just a girl (I
have mastered putting on make-up while BW. *teehee*) and of course, I am also a cloth-diapering labandera (laundry girl of the whole family). Instead of hiring a nanny
for P3.500 per month, we invested a one-time payment of not more than P2,000
for a couple of good BW carriers and that’s just it. Sulit & tipid for a young, non-rich, thrifty mama like me.
If you can't relate with my (pathetic) situation, BW also works for other BW-enthusiasts I know. those with a maginhawa life, making their lives more maginhawa. For the wealthier
moms, BW enabled them to enjoy their vacation travels without the hassles
of bringing along bulky strollers, babies are calmer on flights too. Some businesswomen or
employed moms can even bring along their babies to stores/offices without any
hassle. BW also made all other family and even friends get involved in child
care or mother-like-bonding with the baby the hands-free way-- the grannies loved to skip “arm carrying” their beloved grandkids by “wearing” them instead. My BW support group from The POD also enjoyed the benefits of BW, our babies are in a calm-type-of alert (& smart) state and are very happy babies too. I first discovered #babywearing on Instagram, a photo-sharing app and there I discovered a lot of foreigners BW while hiking, going to the beach or even while working & doing chores coz they usually don't have helpers or nannies there, right? So, babywearing-- it's you already! (haha Pinoy version of ikaw na talaga). Try it and find out if it works for you too.
Be Aware and then Baby Wear
BUT before trying BW and purchasing slings, equip yourself first with some knowledge about this new thing, just to be prepared. More and more
amazing stuffs about BW are yet to be
explored. You just have to make reading and researching a habit. If you are too
busy (or lazy) or just too clueless how to research and read about this strange thing, well, you have
found the right post coz I'll be featuring important reads and images from great links
from trusted BW organizations and blogs. So , read along! Read read also if there's time! (If
that's how to translate the Filipino term 'basa
basa din pag may time' in english. haha). It's time for you to open yourselves and be AWARE about Smart Parenting, Attachment Parenting and BW. So let me personally introduce
you to the beautiful and blissful world of BW which made parenting easier &
more fun! Plus, baby carriers are fun to collect! *wink*
What is Babywearing?
FROM babywearinginternational.org
"Babywearing"
simply means holding or carrying a baby or young child using a cloth baby
carrier. Holding babies is natural and universal; baby carriers make it easier
and more comfortable, allowing parents and caregivers to hold or carry their
children while attending to the daily tasks of living. Babywearing helps a new
dad put a fussy newborn to sleep. It allows a new mom use both hands to make a
sandwich. It lets an experienced parent or caregiver carry a baby on her back
and wash the dishes, do the laundry, take a hike, or weed the garden, all while
keeping the baby safe and content.
The Benefits of Babywearing
FROM lalecheleague.org
Baby wearing is
incredibly helpful in integrating baby into your daily life. You can interact
with your baby throughout the day, breastfeed frequently, and still play with
an older child and accomplish adult tasks. Babies benefit from spending time in
the rich learning environment of the adult world. Parents feel more confident
and less isolated. Baby wearing also makes the world more baby-friendly. As Bill and Martha Sears explain: "When adults wear babies, we let our children know that babies are important and that they belong with their parents. We teach our children...that big people care for little people and that babies are fun to be around." PLEASE READ MORE
HERE.
Babywearing & Healthy Hip Positioning
DID YOU KNOW? Some
types of baby carriers and other equipment may interfere with healthy hip
positioning. So please check out the International Hip Dysplasia Institute website because
they have series of drawings that demonstrate typical devices that allow
healthier hip positioning in comparison to those which do not, including Car
Seats, Baby Harnesses/Carriers, and Baby Slings.
Yes, again, there
are baby carriers NOT RECOMMENDED for carrying or wearing your baby. This image
from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute shows the importance of using a
carrier that places a baby in a seated position (one on the right), and not
hanging by their crotch (like that one on the left).
There are plenty of
carriers that place baby in the correct position, including but not limited to
ERGObaby (popular with celebs! But price is also so-celeb, at SM stores that’s
6k-8k pesos), Boba, Tula, K'tan, SaYa, as well as wraps (like Rai Tie, Maya
wrap) and ring slings (Sakura Bloom, Next9, and my own quality but affordable
ring slings that I'm selling within the Philippines. hehe, just email likhanisaosao@gmail.com for inquiries), as long as they are used correctly.
Baby Bjorn, Snuglis
and Infantino front packs (like that carrier on the left) are NOT
recommended, as well as those cheap-cost (below P500 baby harnesses) also
called "crotch-dangler" carriers available at the malls which are not
ergonomically structured for carrying a human baby. They make baby's body swaddle, dangle the legs or whatever that is really uncomfortable to both the
baby and the wearer. Because it's NOT TIGHT enough to secure the baby into
place (yes, BW has to be tight just right, not loose coz baby will
move/swaddle and that might damage the spine or cause falls, so it's just NOT
WEIRD if we carry our baby snuggly, that's the most frequent misconception I
received so far).
I have actually tried those cheap pre-made buckle carriers
with my firstborn, when my Smart Parenting skills are not yet activated and
Babywearing is an ALIEN word for me. And I just used it once. She had pilas on
her singit and I kept hugging her with my two hands coz she was swaddling,
moving to the sides, or whatever that's not helpful, as in!
But with the
recommended carriers and slings, I can even breastfeed while babywearing while
window shopping and strolling at the malls, I was able to eat properly on restaurants,
I can attend to my energetic firstborn child while being an attached parent to
my youngest, I can put on my make-up while not worrying my baby has crawled
down our stairs. It's a big help (again, emphasizing this) in my no-nanny full-time mom-of-two life. Thanks to
babywearing-recommended carriers!
Just for fun and
inspiration. Check out these Babywearing CELEBS!!! But note, not all celebs you
see over the internet wear their babies properly. But these examples I will
show you are my favorite, and I got them from this cool babywearing blog
(www.carrymeaway.com) where they offer suggestions and advices if ever they did
it incorrectly, tao lang po sila kahit
artista. So, get star-strucked now and be inspired to babywear too!
Eric Dane
Babywearing on Grey’s Anatomy
Watch the VIDEO CLIP here
Tisha Campbell Martin wearing a stretchy wrap
BABYWEARING "DADDY" CELEBS
Honestly, they're my inspiration. The daddy-child bonding is just so sweet,
and they are definitely HOT!
 |
| Orlando Bloom with son Flynn |
 |
| NBA star Steve Nash wears baby Matteo |
 |
Cam Gigandet with daughter Everleigh Ray
 |
Channing Tatum with OUR baby.
hahaha This is MY blog and I can do that! |
|
I hope you learned a
lot. Got more interested and still curious?
Remember, read read also if there's
time.. ;)
Informative articles
and answers to common babywearing questions from Dr. Sears.
Reasons why we need
(and love) to babywear explained by The Natural Child Project.
Peer reviewed
articles, scientific studies and analysis, historical precedent, cultural
influence, and more from TheBabyWearer.com
From “Don’t you ever
put that poor baby down?” to “My baby did just fine in a buggy”…here are some
lovely suggestions for gentle responses to negative comments.
PS: email likhanisaosao@gmail.com for inquiries
