Wearing Our Baby–Can’t Beat It!
Until about a month after we found out we were expecting, neither of us had ever heard of baby wearing. Nobody but the two of us and the dentist (I used to always get the nitrous oxide during procedures…bad idea, with a baby) knew about the baby, since this was our first, and we didn’t want to go through the whole explanation, if the pregnancy didn’t make it to the three-month mark. We were at a wedding shower for a couple friends, and another friend had her newborn all wrapped up in a length of orange knit fabric.
We were fascinated! This mom had both hands free to be setting up for a party, her husband was off taking care of their older child, and her baby was perfectly content, all at the same time. Thankfully, newlyweds seem to be expected to show interest in babies, so even though no one knew we were already expecting a baby, no one seemed to notice my curiosity about the baby wrap.
Now, that day and that ignorance seems as though it was eons ago. Our coat tree no longer holds coats, now that we’re well into the summer weather, but it’s still full to overflowing. All the baby carriers and baby wraps that we have accumulated now fill its branches. If we were rich, there are still at least two more styles I would add to our collection–styles I found after we had been given and bought the ones we have.
For the most part, my husband uses only one of the carriers, one that he chose for on our baby registry, after considering all the options. He loves it for when he’s in charge of the baby but has a million and one things to get done. There are limits, for safety’s sake as well as logistics, but Daddy and Baby manage to get quite a bit done together, and the baby will stay perfectly content for hours at a time. She loves the front row seat!
Not only around the house, but even more outside the house, I love the security of having the baby in a carrier, rather than in a stroller or in a cart. Whether we’re sightseeing or shopping, if the two of us are alone, I like to be able to focus on what’s going on around us and how she is responding, without having to constantly worry about turning around and having someone snatch her. In this day and age, the paranoia could become overwhelming, without a whole lot of imagination.
Besides the security, there’s a great convenience in having the baby in a carrier, as opposed to carrying her. Grocery shopping is a whole lot easier with both hands free, and even though our baby is still young, a little bit of weight, without having it distributed, gets heavy pretty fast.
Now that our little girl is a little more independent, she doesn’t “hang out” in a carrier or wrap in the house, as much. When she’s sick or just not feeling good, though, nothing can settle her faster than bundling her into the wrap with me and keeping moving–all around the house, inside and out.
I know babywearing isn’t for everyone. In fact, it sounds a little hippie-ish, in a way. But, I believe it’s a great option for a lot of people who may have never considered it. For those who are physically capable, a properly-designed and -worn carrier or wrap can even enhance the mother’s exercise regime–she won’t need to bother with the free weights!