5 Reasons why parents should ‘babywear’ & the 5 actual reasons why most parents do.

Parents interested in the theory about carrying their baby whether they’re new or not to the parenting club, will come across the same sort of information.

Without getting into a detailed bibliography, in a kind of readers digest style, it seems to come down to 5 main points why parents should carry their baby;

1) Creating a stronger bond with their child.

2) Carried babies will mature into empathic, selfless people who are completely intune and comfortable with their world.

3) Carried babies can develop a higher degree of emotional intelligence and develop social skills quicker than their ‘left alone’ counterparts.

4) Turns parents into their own ‘baby whisperers’ because parents don’t miss their baby’s cues.

5) Baby is far more settled, which in turn makes parents more confident, which in turn establishes a peaceful harmony of love, trust which in turn will lead to world peace, the end of all wars and life forever more will be a fantasmagorically wonderful Utopia.

OK, the last part of number 5 is a work in progress, but you get my drift? There are some truly wonderful benefits of ‘babywearing’,

Realistically though, I can guarantee you that  in any  home across the world where you find a new family, theory  is the last thing on that new parent’s mind. ‘Babywearing’ might have already been on the family plan in the beautiful bloom state of a first pregnancy, but once baby is born reality sets in.

It happens to be almost comical why most parents will get into ‘babywearing’ anyway.

The 5 real top reasons why parents ‘babywear’ anyway.

FIRST Reason

Babynoia – like paranoia, but at an entirely new level.

There’s no term in the medical encyclopaedia called Babynoia, but to all parents past & present, it is a very real phenomenon. The experience of thinking you hear your baby cry, even though you know baby is asleep, just as you want to do something important.

Take showering? Who hasn’t heard their baby cry the moment you step under the water? Or taking out the rubbish, checking the mailbox or while hanging up the washing.

If showering hasn’t messed with a new parent’s sanity, hanging out the washing will.

Particularly detrimental on the first timer, who may have checked on still sleeping baby a few times already, the ‘abandonment guilt’ side of Babynoia sets in.

Thoughts like ‘I know my baby is sleeping, but what happens if our pet cat/dog/hamster/mongoose lays across baby’s neck’ or ‘Did I leave the iron/heater/left the chips cooking and a fire is starting?’.

Who would have thought in their pre-baby days that hanging out the washing could be so stressful.

Most parents will eventually rationalise that anxiety by either,

* Ignoring it, but still hanging out the washing at Olympic gold medal speed,

* Deny it, what washing?

* Or chill it, by placing baby in the sling, hanging up the washing while swirling around, rocking & possibly singing made-up nursery rhymes about little singlets & cutesy clothes. Singing does amazing things for neighbour relations, if you have a good voice.

A curious thing happens after parents get a handle on the Babynoia, some go ahead and have another baby or few.

 The SECOND reason

Family Management - Why most parents go running to the cupboard to get their baby sling out of storage – more kids!

Life changes when there’s more than one. Parents might find themselves in similar situations like -

* Turn back on newborn & toddler for a split nanosecond only to hear a strange gurgling sound. Find baby in the pram choking on a mouthful of Smarties. Do all manner of panic induced Smartie extractions while toddler says “I was only sharing mummy”. Couple more incidences like that and you don’t need to be Einstein to figure out that new baby is much safer carried under your nose than left anywhere else for the time being.

* Toddlers have the uncanny knack of timing urgent toilet needs just as baby is about to be fed. Always happens.

Mums have to precariously hold baby on the breast with one hand, handle toddler clothing & potty placement with the other.  Or if bottle fed, have bottle wedged under chin. And not forgetting the wash hands war afterwards.

To outsmart toddler toilet timing, savvy parents have their baby already nestled in the sling just before feeding time.

This is what legends in feeding time are made of.  Breastfeeding mums have baby securely attached to the breast supported by the sling, can breeze through potty urgency with both hands free (bottle feeding parents can still have one hand free) like a cool, calm, ‘I have this nailed’ pro.

*Preschool drop off. Some older siblings are absolutely grateful to get a day away from a noisy baby at preschool. They almost can’t get into the school fast enough. I remember seeing one preschooler jump out of the car, race towards the entrance arms flapping in the air, screaming out “FREEDOM!”

OK, He might have been a happy freedom seeking chappy, yet some others, well… have adjustment or jealousy issues.

When this happens, it’s not the most pleasant part of the day for any parent. It can be very, very hard to walk, prise off leg & combat all the pulling & tugging & crying & screaming from an unwilling preschooler with a baby in one arm.  After a few ‘ground hog’ mornings like that, parents can have battle half won with baby in the sling, a few deep breathes & the resolve that this too shall pass.

The THIRD reason.

Vanity!

Chuckle all you like, but when it comes to hiding the post baby jelly belly, nothing hides it like a sling. One of the oldest vanity tricks in the book. To hide a plump belly, use a large tote bag, with new mums, it’s a sling.

By carrying baby in the sling out in public, attention goes straight to the baby and not on the new mum’s lack of Miranda Kerr post baby body.

In all my years of giving birth to my greatest creations, I have only ever seen one woman carrying baby out of hospital while wearing size 8 jeans. I would like to think that she was in fact a proud new aunty carrying baby out to the car for the new parents. There was far too much spring in her step to convince me she gave birth 48 hours ago.

Also, carrying baby, breastfeeding & eating right actually help to fast track baby weight loss anyway. Just not within 48 hours.

The FOURTH reason

Personal space.

And it is very personal. In regards to how much you care if every Tom, Dick, Harry, Nigel, toddler Timmy & dear old Edna touch your baby.

Well meaning people quite readily approach a pram or shopping trolley for  a peek at the most beautiful baby in that parents world, but they also inclined to start pinching baby’s cheeks, toes, while coughing &  spluttering without any thought sometimes.

When parents get to the point where they are sick of producing instant razor sharp talons while snarling out a matching Sabre tooth “STEP AWAY FROM THE BABY” roar, the sling becomes baby & public defender all in one. Almost newsworthy if you think of how a journalist would put the headline…. 

“Sling used as a diplomatic solution in a near hostile stand-off between a parent & a stranger’.

Having baby in a sling, people usually don’t cross the invisible boundary of

adult personal space; no more  unwanted touchy feelies or having to pin a sign on your baby’s chest that reads ‘Please do not touch the baby. Trespassers will be slapped’

The FIFTH reason

Mobility.

‘Have sling & go where no pram can go before you’

Sounds a bit Star Trekky, but all sling parents love this one. Impatient parents are empowered by the speed, often secretly snickering at parents encumbered by burdensome prams as they zoom past. Also on the travelling parents top priority list of must haves, not only is the sling a lightweight baby transporter, can be used as a change pad & a cover on dubious surfaces.

Use a sling, and you won’t be held at the back of the line for an elevator any more, even if you did get there first. How many able bodied people rudely slipping in just as the elevator door opens, does a pram burdened parent have to sneer at before realising a sling is far more practical to manoeuvre in a crowd. Pram rage can only get you so far. Not denying there is a certain amount of satisfaction in ramming ankles, but using a sling, a parent can slalom around the 2 legged ant populations with stealth.

How a baby sling can help you lose baby weight

During all the years I spent carrying my 5 children during their younger years in the sling, I managed to return to my pre pregnancy weight.

I was always on the go. Maybe that was it.
I put it down to our lifestyle, all that healthy eating, out & aboutness, pounding the pavement seeking new clients, running from not so willing prospective clients, chasing the parking- pick up the kids-get to uni deadline and the markets.

All with a baby in the sling, a suitcase and filled to the brim mother's bag.
All that accessory weight I was carrying around.
Other mums were going to the gym.
But I was never far from my size 8 jeans.


Shape? well maybe not so much... the boobs got bigger!

Almost 20 consecutive years of breastfeeding probably added to their size, but really, I have my mother's & grandmother's genetics to thank for that....Good on ya Mum!

When I inherited the nickname of Dolly Parton, I cut off my long blonde hair and dyed the last little bit red.
The strangest thing happened - my husband didn't notice that 12 inches of hair was missing, or that it was a completely different colour, but he did ask, "Are you wearing a new bra honey?"
He never did live that one down.

As much as no one, least of all my appreciative hubby, complains about the size of my voluptuous set of kahoonas, except for me, I'm proud of them & my tiger stripes (stretch marks) of courage too.
They've done some awesome work, truly awesome work.

Just as the kids are growing older, my body parts are sagging south too.

Whilst I've discovered the strangulating joys of shapewear, my size 8 jeans have been packed away.
For some time.

Its been a few years since I carried any of the kids around in the sling for hours on end daily.
Kids have this rather annoyingly bad habit of growing up.

Though I walk every morning, getting back before the family wakes up, which gives me my daily  pep boost, so that I can jiggy jig the Harlem Shake to an audience of none when making the families lunches in the kitchen.
But it hasn't stopped the weight from sneaking on like an uninvited party quest; no one likes those.

I know that going to the gym is like Brussels Sprouts; both are good for me
I don't like either, but I was doing both.
Until I had an accident that damaged my shoulder.

The type of accident you have when you stand on your husband's desk to install a new curtain rail.

An Ikea desk that hubby put together with a 'Mweh I don't need to connect the stabliser bar, it'll be right' after thought.
.
My life flashed before my eyes as the 2 computer monitors, printers, hard drives & all his other shiz coming crashing down on top of me at a furiously fast speed.
One chipped tooth, more bruises than Muhammed Ali after a few rounds and a left arm dangling uselessly later, I still managed to right hand text him 'You didn't put on the f%$King stabliser bar!"

My hubby had an idea once to make T-shirts that read "I can do anything, I survived Ikea instructions"
I'll add to that "I didn't survive my husband's Ikea project"

There went the daily gym visits, and much to my family's relief so did the awful  Brussels Sprout pie.

I had plenty of time to fill with extra bread, a Choc Top or few, a lot of sitting around and not much moving.

Summer hit and my size 12 shorts wouldn't do up.
I used up 2 boxes of tissues that morning.
My husband paled at every sob.

After 4 weeks of dieting, some weight started to shift, but not a lot.
I needed to do a type of exercise that my still recovering shoulder could handle.

Enter a personal trainer trainee from down the road who was dying to get in some experience & the hospital physiotherapist, they have me sorted.
But the weight wasn't showing much interest in budging, until I told the PT about my skinny years with the babes in the sling.

Her eyes struck open so wide I thought they'd pop.
"Of course, of course! the oldest weight loss trick in the book! carry the extra weight. The body works harder, burns more calories without the extra stress"

Since the beginning of February, PT has had me carrying a 10 kilo bag of potatoes in one of our discarded demo slings on my daily morning walks.

There's not a morning that goes past that I fear that one of the other regular walkers will want to stop to look at my 'baby'.
Its an odd thought I know, but there you have it.

But I did lose 7 kilos during February by using this technique, more than triple what I was losing before. My size 10 skinny jeans are little lose this morning, so I'm dancing the happy dance.
Actually I'm pirouetting between paragraphs.

Having spoken to PT further about this & our local Weight Watcher's team leader. By carrying around extra weight such as a baby/toddler in a sling or strapping on exercise weights and walking for at least 40- 45 minutes daily, will help you lose weight.
As long as your diet is a healthy eating one of course.

So get out & about, like our couple in the photo, or use the sling at home for the daily things that you do!

I'm off to find the trunk that holds my old favourite size 8 jeans.
I have a sneaking suspicion that it might be in the attic, and I haven't been in the attic since I watched The Grudge.......
Then again, there's always retail therapy to help with that!

When it comes to the Australian heat, baby sling fabrics are important

Australia is one really big spread of land.

There are climatic differences around the country, generally though, when our great Aussie summer hits, like it actually did this year....it's hot no matter where you live.


It's easy to add layers & rug up for the cold, but when you're down to just underwear, not much more can come off. It's important to keep baby & you cool too, especially when you're carrying them.


Bubba Moe Slings have always been very mindful of the heat factor, that's why we are so strict about the fabric we use.

The big difference between us and other brands is the fabric. Every print we use is specially selected to cater for the Aussie  heat, especially the top north end of Australia, where it's the hottest.

When it comes to searching for a baby carrier, the material it is made from is something that is often overlooked on the check list, unless you've had the previous unpleasant experience of a baby that has reacted to the synthetic carriers or overheated because the fabric was far too thick.

Really important to remember that when it comes to baby carriers & slings, they are like another layer of clothing on your baby.

100% cotton is always the best choice, but not all cottons are the best choice to use.
Many companies use Cotton Drill, which might be great for Europe, but far too thick for the Australian climate. A bit like wearing jeans on a summer's day, a bit sticky & sweaty.

We only use 100% lightweight aerated,  yet strong,  Supercale or Max cotton.

Supercale & Max cotton are like the Percale cotton used in good quality sheets, except it's a grade better; softer & cooler.

A set of real Supercale cotton sheets might cost you an arm, a leg & a small mortgage perhaps, but it's so worth the 'ahhhh' factor of bliss & comfort and the money invested.
There is nothing more heavenly than sliding into bed that has luxuriously soft sheets, and with Bubba Moe slings, baby gets that too.

Plus with these types of cottons, not only are they soft on baby's skin, they allow the air to move freely, which stops stale air from developing around baby.
Its a healthy mix all-round.

So when it comes to hot summer days, baby can be down to just wearing a nappy, when carrying them in the sling.

Enjoy wearing your baby this summer!

Let not Insomnia spoil a carefully planned Easter Egg Hunt

People who know me on a personal level, also know that I'm a raving insomniac.

Normally it doesn't interfere with my normal day to day stuff, except for the usual battiness, but I never knew it would make me miss out on one the most yearly treasured events a mother can partake in..... The Annual Chocfest! AKA the Easter Egg hunt.

*Wake @ 2.20am, roll around, toss & turn.

*Try to wake hubby - nothing happening there.

*Make Tea - successfully turn on Mac.

*Facebook says good morning.

*Finish 5 games on Words with Friends

Adzing isn't a real word, but it's a cool scrabble word - score 65 points.

*Stroll around the front yard. Finish lukewarm tea.

*Confuse the bejeesus out of the cat - move food bowl 2 feet to the left.

*Still dark - think about the places to put the little Easter eggs.

*Must remember to count hidden eggs - found some under a fern last month. Could have been there from last year or even the year before. 

*Still in good condition. Won't tell you if I ate them or not.

*FB friend suggest I read her new blog. She’s excited.

Read her blog. It had 2 lines – exhilarating stuff potentially, maybe.

Any story that starts with “This is my story so far. Share the journey with me as I take you………” has the mega movie deal potential attached to it.

*Sit on front porch again with 2^nd cup of tea- cat still looking for its food bowl.

*Discover possible money making venture - lady made millions on a book on how to lose weight by walking around her clothesline. Hmm, looks at own body, this could work.

Walk down path, across the front, up the driveway, across the porch - walk circuit 10 times - gets bored. Maybe not.

*Navigates house in complete darkness to retrieve hidden chocfest stash from bedroom -extra bodies on the couch - asleep. Envious.

*Is it light outside yet - no.

*Has argument with front door - finally closes.

*Sits down at desk, peruse all the funny parenting FB pages - laughs silently at copious posts.

*Front door opens again.....

***Sigh***

*Ignores door.

*Don super fantasmagorical earphones and let the poignant dulcet tones of Pete Murray caress my ears while losing as many Solitaire games I care to.

*Draft comes through front door to tap me on the shoulder as if to say “Hi remember me”

*Brrrrrr.

*Scoop up bag of little Easter eggs and torch.

*Place all 127 chocolate delights around the entire yard – comes inside wearing more cobwebs than intended.

*Sneak into couple of children’s rooms, place their personal Easter eggs on their pillow – older daughter rolls over, egg rolls down and conks her in the head. Exit quickly with the silent stealth of my orange octopus shoes (a must have for all insomniacs)

*Insomnia is a lonely time and I intend to keep it that way.

*6.30am – almost light

*3^rd cup of tea and a spot of predawn gardening.

*Succumb to a breakfast entrée of a lone solitary egg that was whispering “eat me, eat me”

*Is the total 126 eggs or 125 now?

*Cat has finally found his food bowl. Not the smartest feline in the street.

*Come inside – check FB again, just like my mind, it’s only half loading.

**Sigh**

*Feel something crawl on my back – eek!

*Do the hot potato clothes evacuation – almost naked.

Finds curled up dried leaf on floor - movement in corner of eye.

*Spots Little Miss Mischief standing at the entrance of the office – holding an Easter Bunny in one hand and a Judy Moody & the Not So Bummer Summer DVD in the other. Her mouth is wide open and her jaw is on the ground.

UM, um…..

“Watch this with me, I’ll make the tea” Her eyes have Oscar worthy drama.

*I let her - she makes awesome tea. 

*Snuggle up on couch together, watch the opening credits………..

*Eyes open to see 3 faces peering down at me over the back of the couch.

“She’s alive” Must be a shock to them.

*Look out the glass door to see beautiful warm sunshine - the clock is lying saying it is 12.30pm.

                                     Shite, shite, shite!

The Easter Egg hunt! - 

*Image appears - all the eggs melted into a mush that only the ants would adore.

“Don’t worry” says hubby triumphantly, “All ready been done”

*Little Miss Mischief holds up overused hot pink Barbie Easter Egg pail.

*Both have unbelievable cheesy grins.

“Wha……..t, it’s…… already……. done” whimpering meekly.

*A moment of epic mother disappointment; I have never missed an Easter Egg hunt in all of my 27 years of parenting.

*It’s my right of passage. I laid the eggs. I fought dangerous cobwebs. I tripped over backyard junk. I travelled bravely through the long dark fern alley yielding only a torch for guidance and security.

Fern alley - beautiful by day, terrifyingly spooky at both midnight and at 4am.

*Sudden onset of childcare mother syndrome – Crestfallen that someone else witnessed my child’s first steps.

*Little Miss Mischief disappears into the backyard – glimpse secret wink to dad.

*In the kitchen, Teenage Troll sets a new world record – How many eggs can fit in his mouth. Ghastly evidence on chin as his friend falls over from hysterical laughter.

*The coffee machine is blurring away competing with the sound of Missy Zip’s mobile phone.

*A playstation war game is trumpeting a cacophony of battles cries from The Chefs bedroom.

*The TV is blaring.

*The phone is ringing.

And I slept through all of that for the last 5.5 hours!

*Little Miss Mischief returns- drags me outside.

“Don’t cry mum” - I wasn’t crying.

*5 little golden eggs in my hand later – my mouth smiles but my stomach says, oh no!

I hope everyone has a had a wonderful & entertaining Easter as we did.

P.S.

Insomnia is not taking credit as it kept me awake, pointing the blame to Sleep instead. Sleep says "Hey, don't blame me, its not my fault you kept me waiting"

all photos gratefully sourced from Google images, because I'm a lousy photographer and cartoonist. 

Hands Off The Baby

Do you ever feel like putting an invisible force field around your baby when out & about?

In particular – The Supermarket!

Ah! The ‘My Baby has far too many Fans” situation.

The peril of every parent who has a beautiful, gorgeous baby that draws attention like a bee to honey, which makes around 99% of the entire baby population. No wonder celebrities get narky at times.

The other day, waiting in line at Michel’s Patisserie (who make the best shopping mall Chai Latte by the way) 

I was playing Peek-a-boo with a fractious baby while mum was trying to order a birthday cake and some other delectable items.

There she was, looking so sweet, so adorable, sitting in a grocery filled shopping trolley…. I just couldn’t help myself. 

Actually I thought I was helping her mum, while I was locked in waiting for my own Chai.

Well, she had stopped crying and started giggling so I thought I was doing mum a favour in those few seconds, till she scolded me 

“CAN YOU STOP TALKING TO MY BABY!”

Oops. Gulp.

Red faced, grab now finished Chai, exit promptly, baby returns to crying.

 I was one baby entertainer too many for her mum that day.

OK, as parents we do enjoy the ego boast that comes with the compliments and the attention, why not? don’t we love our children?

But when its every aisle, every stop to study products, at the register, it does get too much, especially when it involves staving off wondering hands.

Elderly shoppers tend to be the worst in my experience, followed close by clucky women and the ‘grandparents in waiting’ crowd.

‘It may take a couple to make a child but it takes a village to raise the child’ primal instinct going on here, but do they have to suck on my baby’s first, just because she is so delicious they could eat her! Ewwwwwww!

I warrant that type of experience is a little too ghastly for words!

I encountered this when my first daughter was 3 months old. There she was laying on the baby seat of a shopping trolley, looking all things perfectly angelic, a full mane of little black ringlets, a pristine white frilly dress, I was gushing with all the maternal pride & deep joy I’m totally entitled to, when an elderly man stopped us in the bread aisle.

Nothing unusual, she had already developed a fan club following from the previous 4 aisles.

She had curled her little fist around his finger, smiling up at him; he started to kiss her little fingers then by surprise, started to suck on her hand. Um, Um, Um……. Excuse me mister,…..um……could you let go of my baby please…um sir…mister please…

“HANDS OFF THE BABY” even with that outburst,  I still had to  literally wrench them apart!

Up until that point I admit, I enjoyed people complimenting me on my beautiful, darling, drop dead gorgeous baby girl. She was!

However, I did feel uncomfortable when strangers proceeded to pinch her cheeks, pull at her toes (I thought leather moccasins might have stopped this from happening), poke her chest, play with her ringlets, rub her head, tap her nose (sometimes a tad too hard) or kiss her adorable arms. I also wanted to get my groceries done.

There were times I felt I needed to add ‘personal bodyguard’ to the growing list of parenting duties.

There seems to be no personal space when it comes to children.

By the sounds of it, most parents I’ve spoken to, can recount at least an ‘odd moment or few’ from their experiences.

I remember one mum in a our playgroup wanted to pin a sign on her baby’s chest “Nice to Look, Not Nice to hold” or “Warning – Baby bites”

I stopped placing my babies in the shopping trolley seat, or the pram and used my Bubba Moe sling permanently out in public.

When it comes to the effectiveness of adult personal space, Slings take on a wonderful subliminal brilliance!

An invisible cocoon shoots up when babies are carried in a sling. Strangers very rarely cross the line of adult personal space, which stops the ’I must touchy-feely the irresistible baby’ habit dead in its tracks.

I’ve often noticed a finger head towards a baby then stop as if repelled by some unseen force field!  Works every time!

Basically, if you want to stop all that uninvited physical attention that your superstar baby draws, carry your precious cargo in a sling.

In managing your baby’s public appearances, positioning is very important also.

The 2 positions I recommend for baby’s public engagement is the Lap & Hip Position.

There are specific reasons why!

Babies from around 6 months and hitting a peak at around 9 months of age, babies become very aware of familiar & unfamiliar faces.

Having a baby locked in a full frontal forward position (like most upright carriers) can be very intimidating for baby at this stage. Your baby can feel you, but cant quite see you fully and this can cause quite a lot of distress. Babies will, when socially distressed, ‘push’ their backs to their parent’s chest, turn their heads and almost force their cheeks to their parents, like a vertical stiff plank, before they start to cry. Crying is the last resort emotional resort.

This is why the Lap & Hip positions shown here, is the most developmental ideal.

Babies can still be chest to chest with their parent, yet still look forward as their confidence allows them at their own pace. So in strange & unfamiliar places, baby will turn to their parent’s chest for comfort before facing forward again. 

They seek reassurance from mum or dad that everything is ok.

If baby becomes too distressed or overwhelmed, a quick slide from the Hip or Lap position will have baby in the Snuggle hold (chest to chest) within a few short seconds with out having to remove baby from the sling.

Snuggle hold is often called the ‘comfort hold’. Unfortunately this quick manoeuvring can’t be achieved at all with stagnant or stationary uprights such as the Baby Bjorn or Ergo carriers, which means parents should consider their lifestyle when choosing a baby carrier that will suit them best.

If parent’s lifestyle involves lots of people congestion, such regularly using public transport or many social events, the benefit of using a hammock sling such as a Bubba Moe Sling would be an ideal choice.

Enjoy!

all photos either gratefully sourced from the web or from Bubba Moe's own gallery.