There are so many reasons people chose to babywear, and they may even vary from child to child for the same person!
Initially, for me, babywearing was a matter of convenience. I had an older child I needed to walk to school across a muddy field and really didn’t relish the thought of cleaning those pram wheels!
I dug out the same close caboo carrier with my third baby, but this time round I really didn’t like it. I was wanting to use it more often and for longer periods of time as this time around I needed to babywear for a different reason; my husband was deployed and this baby would not be put down. I was so stressed, I felt like a failure – unable to calm my baby and also unable to give my older children the attention they needed. Add postnatal depression into the mix and we had a recipe for disaster. It was then that I found out about a sling libary and we managed to get an appointment, which was a game changer.
Babywearing helped me to feel less stressed as it enabled me to be hands free with the older children, whilst still fulfilling the needs of the baby to be held close to me.
One day I realised that actually I had felt less of a failure that day, and each day after that was an improvement. I finally felt like I was able to bond with my youngest and wearing her became something I enjoyed, rather than something that was an essential to getting through daily life. I was able to wean off of the antidepressents I was on and by the time my husband came home I was, dare I say it, doing well at the whole solo parenting thing! I even purchased a house whilst he was away!
By the time I had my fourth child babywearing was so ingrained into my parenting practice that it was a natural part of parenting for me. It was literally a lifesaver for us when she was diagnosed with severe reflux. Unless she was upright she was in so much pain and so much discomfort that she would just scream, thankfully the sling allowed her to get some much needed rest and relief from the pain. That child is now 4 and still enjoys a sling snuggle, especially on a long walk when her little legs become tired. Though she insists on a rainbow sling now, and nothing else will suffice!
By baby number 5 I had amassed a variety of slings and carriers, and even more reasons for babywearing! I love the fact that I can express myself through the wraps and carriers I chose and the fact that I am not limited on where I go – with babywearing the world is more accessible than with a pram!
So in summary – why might you babywear?
- To have your hands free for tasks or other children
- For practicality
- To bond or to enhance your bonding experience
- To help with your mental health
- To access areas that aren’t pram friendly
- To express yourself
- To help with a medical condition
- To be able to comfort a baby who needs you close whilst you need to do other things.
Most importantly, because it is what works for you and your little one!
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