Carrying my daughter was one of the things that was
important to me as a pregnant mum- I am not entirely sure what inspired me
other than I felt it made sense to have her near me and more practical than
lugging a pram around. I first put my daughter in my sling of choice when she
was 5 days old- it felt good and brought a warm glow to my heart- I felt very
proud carrying her.
Our early babywearing days
11 months down the line I was beginning to find we were not
quite so comfortable but the manufactures instructions said the carrier was
suitable up to 15kg so how could it not be working for us? Luckily at this
point in time fate intervened and my path crossed with Lorette from Sling a
Baby, a babywearing consultant, who asked if she could show me how I should be
using my sling. The difference was phenomenal. She then pointed me in the
direction of my local sling meet and as they say I have not looked back.
I feel lucky that I did have this intervention, which means I have
been able to continue enjoying carrying my daughter. However many parents are
put off by carriers/slings that are either uncomfortable, they do not feel
confident using, become less supportive as baby grows or simply do not feel
safe and secure. There are some key guidelines that can enable parents to
ensure they are carrying their babies safely and comfortably. There has been
significant research into the best way to position babies so as to respect
their physiology and enhance the development of the spine and hips that is not
recognised by all baby carrier manufactures- meaning some carriers do not
enable this positioning and others do not have comprehensive enough
instructions or in the instance of some wraps suggest carries that are no
longer considered safe. The instructions to the sling I had did not clearly explain
this, it recommended positions/carries that are not safe and do not respect the
physiology of a baby and it also was not supportive enough for my growing
daughter. It is disappointing that these products, which we use to carry our
vulnerable, precious babies in, are giving incorrect and dangerous information.
My daughter is fine but I still wish I had accessed this important information
before starting my babywearing journey.
An optimum position for babies to be carried in is with limbs bent and close to their centre of gravity, in a deep seated position with their back rounded.
I have chosen to train to become a Babywearing Consultant so that I feel confident and safe in helping other parents get access to this information and giving them the tools that will help them carry confidently, safely and comfortably.
I often ask myself, would I have gone to a Babywearing
Consultant had I known about them? I would certainly now advise myself to! I
think I would have been interested in an ‘Introduction to Babywearing’
workshop, which is an inexpensive way to get an overview of what there is to
consider when purchasing a carrier, learning about some of the benefits,
understanding the importance of how baby is positioned and finding out more
about the wide range of products on the market. I know I was overwhelmed by the
choice on the market and had a feeling that not all the carriers being marketed
to me were necessarily good. It was also hard to know what would be best for me
and my requirements. It is great to get independent information on the pros and
cons of different carriers.
Which sling/carrier to choose?
I think from there I would have wanted to get all I could
from carrying my baby and so would have invested in one or two consultations so
I could feel confident in using my sling of choice. There are other ways to
learn though. The internet has a wealth of information, including Youtube
videos, some of it is great and some not so great so you do need to be
discerning as to what is reliable information. There are also sling meets and
sling libraries, which are brilliant resources as you can try before you buy
and get mother to mother support and help.
What you decide to do does depend on what you want to get out of
carrying your little one and what is right for you. For me it is how I transport my little one
and an important part of our daily life so I am keen to learn about this vital
tool in my life. Consultations have provided me with the chance to get one to
one tuition, to flatten my learning curve, to learn those key tips that can
make the difference between being safe and comfortable and not and enabled me
to carry my daughter in the way I want to.
As a consultant I want to help parents get the most out of
carrying their little ones. They are little for such a short time, it seems
important to make the most of these early days and so much can be gained from
having them close to you. I really want to share what I have learnt and to
share what I love. The more the word is spread about the importance of a good
carrier and the best positioning for baby, the more people who will know and the less parents who
will be put off carrying their babies due to uncomfortable carriers, distressed
babies who are not comfortable, or just because they do not feel confident in
using their chosen carrier. As I say it does not have to be overwhelming and it
is not just for those quirkier parents but for everyone, however they choose to
incorporate it into their daily life. It is not only a great way of being close
to your little one but very practical.
I believe Babywearing is an art and it is highly individual- every
baby and parent is unique, but when you get it right it is magical. I hope that
I can share a little babywearing magic with others.
Useful links
Great website providing information on the benefits, the
different types of carriers, instructions on how to use and where to buy.
If you are interested in a consultation look up a consultant
near you.
Look up to see if there is a sling meet/sling library near you.
For reliable, excellent quality videos on various carriers
by SlingaBaby
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