Sling Your Baby! The benefits of babywearing

When I talked to a friend the other day about “babywearing” she was completely confused as to what I meant – she thought perhaps I was suggesting she use her little darling as a hat.

However, when renowned paediatrician, Dr William Sears invented the term babywearing in the 1980s, I’m fairly sure he meant it to mean “all the methods of carrying a baby”, and not “wearing babies as a fashion accessory” (at least we hope so!)

In all fairness to the human race, Dr Sears only came up with the name for something that had been going on since… well, since the first human mummy stood up, looked around and said, “Now, where did I put Baby?” Even before that, our simian ancestors did (and still do) carry their offspring in a variety of ways attached to the fur of different parts of their bodies.

Of course, in less developed countries it is still regarded as the best way of getting your kids around before they can keep up, so you will find African, Asian and South American varieties. It even used to be popular in the “developed” west before the Georgian and Victorian aristocracy persuaded everyone that children should be kept as far away from their parents as possible, handing them to nannies to be genteelly wheeled around in their wonderful little perambulators.

As well as the name, Dr Sears came up with some other interesting facts, for instance, did you know that carrying your baby upright can reduce the effects of colic and reflux – definitely worth considering if you have a colicky baby (and if you do, you will try anything…I did!). Babies who are carried learn more quickly, as they spend their time being involved in your world, not just watching, but participating; developing a brain that is learning to learn.

Some people suggest that having your baby in a sling will make him clingy. Doesn’t it? Exactly the opposite, actually. Your baby will become more emotionally secure and independent as he knows you are around as a safe base from which to explore.

There are a huge variety of baby carriers around, and every “Babywearer” has their own personal favourite, although some people switch between different styles.

My own favourite is the Mei Tai baby carrier, which is basically a square of fabric with straps at each corner. Because of its simple design it can be used in a variety of different positions. Simply put though, the bottom straps are tied around your waist, and the top straps go over your shoulders and wrap around you, and are then knotted, securely strapping your baby to your body.

They are very easy – you can go up stairs, through narrow doorways or for a pleasant summer walk. And you don’t have to push an empty one round town when junior decides he would rather walk. Not only that, but they’re light and fold up small – can you get a pushchair in your handbag? More importantly, can you afford a pushchair to go with every outfit!?

Having said all that, the main benefit for me, at least to start with, was that I regained the use of my hands after months of trying to make lunch, hoover, iron and just about anything else you care to think of, all whilst holding on to my dear son. So, slings, carriers, mei tais, call them whatever you like, are starting to sound like a good idea, aren’t they? I have to admit, I got in to babywearing through necessity rather than choice, but I do love it, and so does my now rather chunky 26 month old son. The only difficulty now is choosing which fabric for the next one…

Claire Willis, is mum to two children, and the owner of SnugBaby. After the birth of her second son, she discovered babywearing and, decided to design and make her own brand of baby slings, which she now sells through her website, www.snugbaby.co.uk.

Father’s Day

Steve Hampton’s birthday is on 21st June. Unremarkable you might think, but it means that every year his birthday falls on or around Father’s Day. Now, Steve knows that people born in late December probably have the most reason to grumble, but he is a family man at heart, and quite often the Father’s Day celebrations are passed over in favour of his birthday. Not that he’s complaining you understand, but birthday presents of socks and books just don’t have the same special resonance that carefully thought out Father’s Day gifts carry.

What this means is that the special personalised gifts he does get, when the dates fall right or his family find that certain something, are even more special to him. Like the fingerprint cufflinks he got when his daughter was born, which are made of a special silver clay but are more precious than the finest gold to Steve.

Mind you, perhaps he’s being unfair to his nearest and dearest. Last year, he received a handprint mug with Charlie’s chubby little hand printed on it in finest technicolour. His manager was so impressed, watching Steve drink his mid-morning coffee in it, that she ordered one for herself and a grandfather one for her own Dad. And Steve got that promotion he was after. Coincidence? Perhaps.

This year, Steve is hoping for a personalised Keepsake fingerprint keyring, because, following the twins’ arrival, he doesn’t have enough arms to wear the extra cufflinks. Instead, he can get individual charms made so that he can carry all of the children with him everywhere. Something so tactile is especially important when he has to work away, as being able to touch something that is so personal to each child really makes a difference.

And if he gets the keyring and charms, he could start a fine collection. Steve figures he could father at least another 6 children before he starts running out of room. He just has to clear it with his wife first…

Grandmother’s Keepsakes

Alice Evans has recently welcomed her sixth grandchild, Emily, into the world. When Alice was young, money was tight, and sentimentalism, as her mother called it, was scrubbed out of her hair and washed down the plughole every week. All this means that, bar a few faded photographs, Alice doesn’t have much in the way of keepsakes from the time her own children were babies. Now she has to rely on her memory, which is starting to fog around the edges. Sometimes she can’t even tell which of her children is which from her baby photographs.

However, Alice is not making the same mistake twice. When her first grandson, Billy, was born, Billy’s mother gave Alice a baby gift of a hand and footprint cast that she had made from a do-it-yourself  kit, which soon took pride of place on Alice’s mantelpiece. As baby sisters and cousins came along to join Billy, Alice’s collection of baby keepsakes grew and grew.

What Alice found most amazing was the rate at which the children grew from babies, into toddlers and then into precocious schoolchildren. Not seeing them every day, each visit was a revelation in achievements, milestones and new shoes. Alice decided she needed a way to keep an eye on the little seedlings before they grew too much.

Although in her eighties, Alice is a proud silver surfer which gives her access to a whole world far beyond the limited resources available in her local village. Harking back to the old biro line on the kitchen wall, Alice decided she wanted to keep a record, and she found out that she could buy impression kits from The Keepsake Company online. Then, every birthday she could send it to the children’s mothers and receive a personalised imprint of each child’s hands and feet to add to her collection. Of course, Billy’s hands and feet barely fit in the same picture anymore, and with Emily’s arrival, Alice’s wall is going to get considerably fuller, but she doesn’t mind.

It is Emily’s mother’s milestone birthday in a few weeks, and Alice has some baby fingerprint jewellery in mind as a gift. The DIY kits are supposed to be very easy to use, but even so, Alice isn’t sure she can trust her son to manage it, so she is planning to ask a Keepsake Company consultant to take the prints professionally. And maybe Alice will order herself a charm bracelet at the same time, so everyone can buy her a charm for her next birthday…