Before I was a mom, I didn’t really understand stuff. Tons of things are clearer to me now in this state of life. I didn’t really understand God’s love for me until I experienced the love that a mother has for her child. I didn’t really understand why someone would go to the store with a smiley face stickers on their behind. I didn’t really understand why some of my friends could ALWAYS be late. But now I get it. I totally get it.
And now I totally understand why mothers babywear. First off, what is babywearing? Wikipedia says that “Babywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby in a sling or another form of carrier.” Stacy says that “Babywearing is the method by which a mommy gets stuff done without weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
I started babywearing when Annie was young, but I didn’t wear her enough. I started with Andy when he was less than a month old and I wear him VERY regularly. Today we’re going to talk about why. And don’t worry, this isn’t all “Let’s sit in a circle and talk about our feelings and then sing Kum Ba Ya.” I save that for camping activities. 😉
Here are my 4 reasons for babywearing.
Bonding
Yeah, yeah. I realize that’s all touchy, feely and I don’t normally go there. But I do enjoy having my babies close. Especially when they are little. It gives me a warm fuzzy.
I like being able to feel them breathe in and out. I like leaning down and kissing their head. I like having them close. Not only is it comforting to mama, it’s comforting to the baby. They’ve been INSIDE you for 9-10 months, so it only makes sense that they would enjoy being close to you.
It’s convenient
I’m not a huge fan of strollers. Yes, I have them…but I hate toting them with me. I hate storing them in the car. I hate rolling them through the mud and then getting mud in the car. And they can only go so many places.
On the other hand, I have my baby carriers. They can go with me anywhere I go…even to the bathroom. They don’t take up much space. It makes going places SO much easier. I don’t get as tired using a baby carrier – unlike if I’m trying to carry a baby on my hip for hours.
It keeps people away
Remember my post about dumb things people say about babies? Yes, well I don’t like a ton of people holding my new baby. I’m weird like that. However, I’ve found that if I have my baby in a carrier I don’t get asked that question…at all.
Not only do I get to avoid that question, but usually people won’t touch your child if they’re that close to you. Unlike if they’re in a car seat or stroller. And I’m such a germophobe that all I can think about is, “did they wash their hands when they left the bathroom?”
I realize this entire point makes me a weirdo. I’m cool with that.
I can get stuff done
When a baby is new, and sometimes even when they’re not new, they have bad days…don’t we all? It’s almost impossible to get anything done on those days – unless you have a baby carrier. I can strap Andy on and get things done around the house even when he’s having a fussy teething day. Being worn calms him and most of the time he’ll even go to sleep.
As soon as I could use back-carry for Andy, I would strap him on to cook dinner. I was too afraid to cook with him in the front as an infant because I’m just overly messy when cooking. I’m just overly messy in general…and that’s Barry saying “Amen” in the background.
So, those are my reasons. I know there are many more, but that’s why I babywear. It’s one of my favorite parts about being a mom – it definitely trumps those poopy diapers.
I have several different carriers and my friend Brandy has a few others. We’re going to talk about the 5 most popular types of carriers over the next 5 weeks. I will be including some instructional videos along with Brandy’s help. And guess what? I’m going to give some stuff away!!!!!!!! WOOOOO!!! The carriers we’ll cover are: Moby Wraps, woven wraps, ring slings, Ergo/Boba carriers, and Mei Tais.
On Thursday Brandy will talk about the pros of babywearing and then next week we’ll start talking about the different types of carriers.
Both mine hated to be ‘worn.’ My oldest would tolerate it just long enough to run the sweeper, but as soon as she was big enough for her jumper, she preferred it. My youngest screamed bloody murder until I would take her out of the sling/carrier. She wanted to be held constantly, with only mama’s arms. 😉
So far all three of mine have been BIG into babywearing. My 2 year old wants to get in the wrap when I have the infant in there. 🙂
I know this is a bit old, But I felt the need to comment. I babywear and I love it. It makes my life that much easier, which I think we all could use a little of, AND most imprtantly of course, it keeps my sanity intacted for the sake of my husband and child!
Anyways, I’ve carried her since she was a month old, she is 10 months old now. First I used the Moby which I loved….sort of. I totally didn’t love the moments when I was trying to get the stupid thing wrapped up while she was crying. Not my favortist moments everv. When I think of that, I try and hurry to remember looking down at her wrapped up, thinking, “how stinkin’ precious”. Moments I’ll never forget. Now that she much heavier than a newborn, still just as precious, she hangs out in there ergo. My back thanks me for the switch. I normally throw her in it on my hip because I like the closeness and I like being able to make sure that somehow she hasn’t grabbed a leaf from a tree we just past and decided well this looks quite yummy, I’m going to put this in my mouth. Yay, for the let’s put everything in my mouth….it drives me insane with worry! And the sad thing, I know her arms can’t exactly reach those leaves, even a small tree because of how she is positioned back there. Oh some of the crazy things mommies think of!
The best part of baby wearing? I can nurse her and love her all while sweeping the floor or folding the laundry or giving our poor dogs some much needed attention. Yay for multitasking! Thanks for the post, it was a fun read.
Multi-tasking is my very favorite thing!
I loved wearing my son, but he got so big so fast that I couldn’t wear him past about 3 months old 🙁 It was handy while it lasted, though!
Wow! They make carriers for up to 35 pounds. 🙂
I’m gonna be a first time mommy in october and I already plan on carrying my baby as much and long as possible. Always hated the idea of strollers. You only really need them for +3 toddlers that get tired after a long time on their feet and them getting tired. So how long is too long? When should you put your baby down and have him learn to crawl and walk?! And how do you convince hubby to carry baby in a sling?
Hubbys are usually on board when they realize that it’s easier to babywear than to carry a baby on the hip. 🙂 And most of them prefer a soft-formed carrier like an Ergo. I alternate between wearing and letting baby lay so she/he gets a good variety.
I’m really looking forward to this too! I am 23 weeks pg with my third. At 42 and 12 years since our last, (yikes!) boy have things changed! We are in a totally different place in life now and am looking forward to enjoying things differently – with more wisdom – this time.
🙂 I’m sure you’ll do great! Have fun wearing that new baby!
I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE BABYWEARING!!!!
I recently posted a picture of my littlest a sleep in a mei tai on my back while I made dinner!!!
Babywearing is the ONE bit of advice I give EVERY new mama I’ve met since I’ve had my first. When he was a baby, in the neck of the woods I was living in, not very many knew about it or heard about it. I told them it literally CHANGED MY LIFE (because I could hold the baby and have two arms free!!!), and wrote down everything I knew about it at the time. Where we live now, I’ll actually bump into other mamas wearing their babies in the grocery store!
This baby I discovered other wraps besides the moby. Honestly, at this juncture, the moby might be my least favorite because of how awkward it is to get on. Even with all the times I’ve done it, it takes more time. We also have a mei tai, but our favorite is the Baby K’Tan. It’s soft, made of fabric, and essentially works just like the moby (which are all the parts of the moby I like) but it’s sewn in such a way that I can get it on and him in it SO EASILY!!! It’s like the moby and the mei tai had a baby, and named it Baby K’Tan. It’s the only wrap I have that was a gift, and it’s our favorite!
If you’ve never used a Baby K’Tan, I really encourage you to try it out!!!
<3 my Mei Tai!
GREAT post! Your point about it “keeping people away” was not weird AT ALL! That is actually one of the things I am most happy about when it comes to baby wearing! We’re due in about 3ish weeks, and we’ll be doing a lot of baby wearing around here. 🙂
I’m glad – because I felt weird “saying” it out loud. Ha!
Im a total baby wearer and couldn’t be without. For the lady who said it hurts too much I had the same problem until I got an ergo. It’s now being used on my third child they are an investment and even Dad will wear it!
Baby carriers made mothering and life compatible for me!!
Carry on!
Yes, carry on mommy! 🙂
I started baby wearing with my second. I needed the extra hands. It started out as a way to get things done, but I loved it so much that when I found out I was pregnant with the 3rd and 4th it was the thing that I was looking forward to most. I love holding them close and brushing their fuzzy little heads agains my face! I have a ring sling for itty bitty ones and a Ergo for the little bigger ones. I love them!
I love my Ergo for back carry!
I like babywearing as well. A ring sling was the best thing when my daughter was a baby. She was soooo slingy and had to be held all the time. Put her down, and within just a few minutes she was crying. I learned how to wash dishes with one hand, but then I ordered a ring sling and my life got so much easier! She will be 3 in June and while she still loves Mama time, she got over her clinginess for the most part. 🙂
My baby on the other hand, loved the ring sling for the first few months. He is going to be 6 months on the 3rd and doesn’t like the sling anymore. He wants to either be down playing or be held so he can be facing out. I have a homemade version of Moby which I could use, but never got the hang of all that material, haha.
I’m going to do a Moby video. The Moby is actually my favorite carrier.
Thank you for sharing this..I also have issues about people wanting to get near my baby and I had never thought of this as a method to ward them off! It really makes sense though, and I think I will try it out myself 🙂
🙂 I’m glad you liked that point! I felt weird posting it. LOL
Yes to everything you said! I practically lived in my moby wrap (once I learned how to use it properly – took a mom of five to show me how) and once our Adam got bigger it was the backpack that I wore like crazy. I have no idea how I would have accomplished anything without wearing my baby. I never understand why people are so opposed to the whole babywearing thing.
Although I did catch alot of crap from my mother and sister in law because they felt my babywearing made the baby less accessible for them….ha! But they both are also opposed to any kind of “containment” when it comes to babies, so whatever. Sometimes you gotta stick the kid in the pack-n-play so you can pee in peace…it doesn’t mean he’s in JAIL…in means he’s SAFE! sheeesh.
Yes – let’s let our babies roam free while we pee so that they can eat books and stick their fingers in light sockets. :-/ lol
Simply beautifully said.
🙂 Thank you, Cynthia.
I was so excited about baby wearing before I had my first baby, and I have several different types of slings, but I hardly ever used any of them. I used my ergo a few times but it never seemed convenient. I saw people wearing babies at the grocery store but to me it seemed by the time I got the carrier on and the baby in it I could have been done with my shopping. Ah well.
Really? I feel like they are easy to put on…especially the Ergo – snap and go. When I wear my Moby, I put it on before I leave the house – then when I get somewhere I can just pop them out of the seat and straight into the wrap. 🙂
I had a wrap for baby #5 and we both loved it! Baby #6 either barely tolerates it or screams until I remove her and face her towards the great big world around her. At 3 months old she is a happy baby who coos and gurgles, makes eye contact and smiles…until I put her in my handy dandy wrap. I keep trying because, with SIX children, I need both hands working constantly.
Have you tried back carry?
I haven’t yet, but if I could figure out how to do it with my sleepywrap, I would. I have a back carrier, but it is for older kiddos. Her head still bobs like a little woodpecker so it would have to hold her body snuggled against me.
I really love back carry in my Ergo.
a note about moby wraps, if your shoulders slope downwards, it will not stay on you. it will slide down your shoulders all day long until you get so frustrated that you will throw it across the room. then you will purchase an ergo and the world will be beautiful again. birds might sing for you.
I do like my Ergo, but I really LOVE my Moby wrap. I have normal shoulders, but I find that if I don’t get it tight enough, it does come off. I think the key is getting the fit correct when you first tie it on – if it’s lose it’s not much good.
I have slope-y shoulders, but didn’t have that problem. I have the Moby and the Ergo and love them both very much, first the Moby and then a little later and for much longer, the Ergo. I think it is really about getting the things that work for you and trying them out if at all possible before buying. When it works it IS golden and birds do sing….or maybe you can just hear them because the baby calmed down and Mommy’s frustration is gone 🙂
When my 6-year old was a baby I wore her all the time. We live far from our family and I used to travel with her all the time, without my husband. 🙁 Wearing her was a lifesaver in airports and on planes. One time a flight attendant told me it was against FFA regulations to have her in the sling during take off because “if there is a problem you need your hands free.” What?!?!? How are your hands free if you are NOT wearing your baby??? I ignored her and put my baby back in the sling as soon as the attendant walked away. No other flight attendant ever told me that or said a word about it.
Isn’t the point of babywearing to be hands free? LOL Oh dear.
I didn’t baby wear as much as liked with my first 2, but definitely did with my 3rd and 4th. Especially after the incident in the grocery store with the older woman and my infant carrier. I was getting milk (the cart was right next to me) and had him in the infant carrier with a cover over him. So I thought he was good…until I turned around to find this woman touching my one month old. She had whipped off the cover so she could see my “adorable baby”, then tried to chastise me for leaving him covered and how mom’s today are too overprotective! Really?!? I was mortified and I never left home without my wrap again.
I can totally understand your mortification. I would have been the same way.
My boys are 8 & 10 but we feel God has another one in store for us in the near future. I like the idea of baby wearing but I’m worried about spoiling them by holding them all the time. That may sound silly but my sister held her son constantly for the first few months and when she was ready to put him down – he didn’t think so. Do you only wear him when he is fussy or when you need to get stuff done? Do you still put him down for naps? How much time daily do you wear him? Thanks for the info! I’ve enjoyed the baby topics you’ve covered – some things we didn’t do with our boys and some things I’ve just forgotten!
I don’t feel it spoils them at all…in fact, I feel like it makes them more secure. I wear Andy when I need to work and he’s fussy or if I need to be out in public. It’s easier than a stroller or carrying on your hip.
Andy goes to sleep in his bed for naps and for night. 🙂 No worries. Some days I’ll wear him for several hours and some days I won’t wear him at all – it all depends on what we’re doing and his mood. 🙂
i so wanted to baby-wear, but it was just not possible for me. i tried with my first, but she got so heavy, and my shoulders/back could not handle it. i have had back problems since a teenager. 🙁 it seriously effected my carrying the last two. but weawring does seem like the “awesome” route 🙂
I’m sorry to hear that. 🙁 I feel like babywearing is a lot easier on my back and shoulders than trying to carry a little one on my hip. Barry has back problems as well, so I know where you’re coming from.
I miss carrying Zach around. It was easy, yes, but I loved the closeness. But, I am a sap like that!
You and I aren’t sappy people, so I find it funny that we feel the same way. LOL
very exciting 🙂 expecting baby Hadassah in June and I got a carrier as a shower gift. I think I will turn out to be one of those moms who don’t let too many people hold her baby, so when I read that point, I turned to my husband and said… “guess I’ll be wearing her a lot!” That one point sold me
sad but true. 🙂
What kind of carrier did you get??
It is AMAZING how people do not mess with them when I have them snuggled in my Moby. They can touch the top of their head a little, but not much else and when they have to be that close to touching my engorged body parts they keep their hands to themselves and that makes me a happy mommy! I love babies like no one’s business, but seriously, WASH YOUR HANDS and ASK before grabbing my baby! And do NOT do as one complete stranger and try and put your finger in my baby’s mouth…even her friend was like “What are you doing?!!!?!?” You’ll love your wrap!
I cannot believe that – wait, yes I can. People will do ANYTHING.
Amen! I wish I’d known this for my first two children. My five-year-old is in a wheelchair, so I can”t lug around a car seat or push my newborn in a stroller while also pushing a wheelchair. Babywearing is the only way I’ll manage!
I use a woven wrap, but I don’t buy those crazy-expensive (yet beautiful) ones. I got a 50% off coupon for a fabric store, bought 6 yards of gauze fabric, and cut it lengthwise. Ta-da! Two wraps for $15 bucks each. Google “wrap your baby” to find my favorite site to learn how to wrap.
🙂 We’ll be talking about woven wraps too.
I used to love babywearing! I only tried the Moby, but we LOVED it. My daughter is still under the weight limit for it, but she quit letting me wear her when she was a year old. 🙁 I kinda wish I had tried a different carrier after that, and I’m still thinkin about getting a back carrier. She’s only 28 months, so we still carry her on our hips quite a bit. I can’t wait to read through this new series!
Moby is one of my top faves too – I’ll be hitting on it…and I’ll be showing some various back carries using other carriers. 🙂
An Ergo would still work. I carry my almost 3 year old in it when needed. Her little brother was in it at an aquarium and she was having major meltdowns…way past nap time. Switched it up, someone carried him and she went on my back. Instant change! She settled in and calmed down and never napped, but just relaxed and got some ‘quiet’ time on my back. I highly recommend the Ergo as I’ve got back problems and can still use it with my kids for extended carrying!
I am very excited about this series! Our first baby is due in September but I already have 2 types of carriers from babysitting so much. I have a sling carrier I haven’t tried out and one like a Moby that I used frequently and love.can’t wait to learn about different kinds as well!
We’ll be talking about ring slings and Mobys. 🙂
The sling I have does not have a ring on it. It is like a tube of fabric, would that work differently than a ring sling?
Yes – it’s very different. From talking to others and reading online, I think a ring sling seems to be easier to wear and get a good fit. I didn’t care for either of those, so Brandy will be posting on that. 🙂
I didn’t carry a lot, but we went on a long plane trip when my baby girl was 3 months old and wearing her through the airport (while carrying 3 carry on bags and keeping up with my 7 year old son was a lifesaver. We also had to tote her carseat, but it was easier to tote without her in it! I swear every airport that we had a layover at our connecting flight seemed like it was on the complete other side of the airport…I don’t know what I would have done without our sling (it was a baby balboa).
I’ve not traveled that way with me – but I can see that it would be ESSENTIAL!
We actually bought our boba originally because of the airport/travel last year, and I don’t regret it. Though by the time we started wearing him he was a bit older, so now he’s not into it. That’ll change next time around!
I didn’t wear Annie enough either. I’m fixing that this time around.
It’s retro Stacy and Annie before the hair clips! 😉 I look forward to sharing this series with you.
Which picture are you talking about? She’s wearing a hat in all of them – how can you tell she’s not wearing hair clips? LOL