Yesterday I read a blog, that 100% slated babywearing, and the parents who choose to do it. So I wanted to write a post about my experience with baby wearing, because I love it (I stress this is only my opinion, and I don't want to offend anyone!)
Before Poppy was born, Steve and I didn't really know much about baby wearing at all. I had bought a second hand Close Caboo (which turned out to be a god send for a colicy baby, who hated sleeping) but I wasn't set on using it too much. As it happened, when Poppy was a few weeks old, the Caboo was a life saver. I was a new mum, Steve had gone back to work, and for a good few hours a day, Poppy had to be held upright to soothe her, and I'm not very good at doing nothing... so having the Caboo meant I could hold her upright, and I had my hands free to keep busy! I found that I really enjoyed the closeness, and the extra cuddles, so I started looking into carriers a bit more at that point. But there are so many out there that I didn't really have a clue where to start, so I left it for a while.When Poppy was 5 weeks old, I met Julia, who is now a very close friend, who I love to pieces! She is a proper advocate for baby wearing, and a whiz with a wrap, so she showed me how to wrap, and let me borrow one of her Oschas. I was hooked. A week later I had my first wrap! She introduced me to Coventry Slings, who are great and hold regular meets for people to learn about slings / cariers and hire, so if you're interested, look them up on Facebook, I learned a lot from the meets.
Some people think babywearing is too expensive, and they're right in some ways, as it can be, but it doesn't have to be! I bought my wraps 2nd grade on sale, or second / third hand through trading groups on Facebook, and I won both of my ring slings (one, I won this morning!) So you can get bargains and deals, you just have to look for them, and be willing to wait for them. I found a great deal on a Caboo recently which I bought for a friend and her beautiful new daughter, I was thankful to be able to help someone else learn about babywearing.
It isn't for everyone, and that's fine. It doesn't have to be, I'm not trying to say that it should be, but it is for us. I am so glad we fell into it the way we did! I do still use pushchairs a lot, and have a couple to choose from too. It's just that, for me, wrapping Poppy and having her close is super special, and I love that we do it, and I will continue to do it until she doesn't enjoy it any more. As you can see from her face in the pictures, I don't think that time is coming just yet, thankfully. But it will come. There will come a time when she doesn't want to be up any more and when that happens, I will listen, and sadly, I will stop babywearing.
I want to say something in response to the blog I read yesterday. Because I choose to "wear" my baby, does not put me into a 'catergory' of parent, nothing should categorize parents or parenting full stop, but what I really don't appreciate is peoples assumptions about babywearing and the parents / carers who do it. You wouldn't tell someone their baby looked uncomfortable in a pushchair, so why do people do it when babies are in a wrap? Crazy. There should be no judgements, but for some reason some people think they have a right to judge. I just don't get it...I have and always will support any parenting method that keeps our precious little ones safe and healthy. I don't care if you breastfeed or bottle feed, co-sleep or put your baby in a cot, solely use slings or only use pushchairs, make your own food or buy baby jars, don't allow screen time or put your baby in front of the TV for a while. As long as you are doing what's right for your baby / toddler / child, and they are healthy and happy, that's all that's important!
