Natural Familly World » Babywearing

Selendang Video Tutorial

Monica — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:31:40 +0000

I found this video on how to comforbably wear an Indonesian Selandang baby carrier on your back.

When Carlos was a baby I enjoyed wearing our Indonesian Selandang for short periods of time.

For me it’s a quick and easy carrier ideal for toddlers who constantly demand your arms for short periods, for nursing little babies or just any time you need an instant carrier.

Also, a Selandang is very lightweight that you can carry on your purse, just in case.

Wanna get one?

HUGS have a good selection of 100% cotton batik print.

HUGS (Help Us Give Slings) is a non-profit that provides baby slings to mothers living in Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Indonesia

Babywearing at the Olympic Games

Monica — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:10:39 +0000

About a year ago I made a phone call to an old friend from my short life as a mountaneer. She didn’t know I’d become a mom, so when she asked if I was still climbing mountains, my response was something like:

“well, I changed the backpack for my son. Literally, because I’ve carried him so much since he was a baby.”

Babywearing at the Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador

I don’t know what kind of babywearing mom I’d have been if I wouldn’t have had some experience backpacking and climbing with heavy luggage. Maybe I’d have seen the whole babywearing idea as a mothering task, who knows?

Back to my reality, I can say I have experienced our almost 4 years long babywearing journey as the most rewarding sport I’ve ever practiced. For the first time in my life I was receiving unconditional love and instant feedback on my performance. Isn’t it the perfect environment for practicing a sport?

From the first time I carried my baby inside an improvised cloth with a knot, I felt I wanted to achieve perfection, learn new techniques and try different “gear”. I kept learning. We kept learning until we became experts.

Soon we became a team when my little monkey got the hang of it. He’s always loved to ride a sling, and even enjoyed playing with me to invent new positions. We didn’t do this out of necessity, or in order to have him entertained. We played slinging because we enjoyed so much.

Back to the title of this post, I’m not suggesting that babywearing should be considered as a new olympic sport – Not that I think anyone would even find it worth considering.

What I mean is that we moms and dads, and all members of the big babywearing family, can choose to enjoy wearing our babies and even feel like elite sportsmen and women when doing so.

Want some after birth fun? Go get your gear (hey, it could be a bedsheet), learn good techniques, practice with safety and get your team partner comfortably attached to you. See you in London 2010!

Babywearing at the Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador. We're in black, at the right.

Breastfeeding in a Back Carry

Monica — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:06:21 +0000

Is it possible to nurse your baby or toddler while babywearing on your back? For some this might sound like impossible, but moms from different cultures around the world have found ways to quickly breastfeed without having to completely bring the baby to the front.

I can assure you that this doesn’t need to be that impressing as some pics you might have seen- those that would make you think it’s practically impossible for a western mom wearing standard clothes

This is not necessarily like that and I was able to quickly learn the technique from a Native Ecuadorian friend.

I’ve just published an article on the topic and attached a picture of the possition.

Do you know any other traditional or newly invented ways for breastfeeding while carrying the baby on the back? I think this is possible inside a Parka, but I’m not sure. Any thoughts?

How I discovered Babywearing

Monica — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 10:09:11 +0000

I lived for about 24 years in Ecuador before giving birth to my boy as a foreign student in Japan. I mean 24 years of almost daily contact with casual Babywearing images and I knew nothing about Babywearing.

I’d even been to the jungle and other traditional communities in the highlands, had studied Kuichua for 9 months (when it wasn’t popular to do so) and loved to make friends with indians and rural people. How comes I didn’t notice my country had lots to teach me on Babywearing?

Sure I know the answer: At the time I was not thinking as a mom.

So there I was in Japan, with a newborn baby in my arms, willing to wear him in any sort of baby sling and trying to remember what I’d sought for 24 years. That was frustrating but I was decided to make things work and started looking for information on the Internet.

I started researching about breastfeeding and quickly discovered lots of information (mostly in English) about what I was looking for. There even was an English word for this practice, which helped my status grow from old fashioned traditional mom to modern and informed woman

I was hooked to Babywearing from the moment I learnt the word (pretty much as with “homeschooling”). It was so amazing there were tons of information on how to wear your baby, the benefits, scientific research and lots of vendors offering different sorts of slings from a wide variety of qualities and prices.

I quickly decided to buy a sling and then another (and then another…). They all were so useful since I was having a busy life and was taking my baby with me everywhere.

I surprised myself with my short learning curve because I used to feel so afraid of holding babies , but this time I was becoming an confident babywearer so fast.

This is how I got to know this nurturing practice. The internet and a couple of DVDs were my teachers. I’d have chosen to have in person instructors but didn’t have the chance. However, I believe that the 24 years experience of daily exposure to natural babywearers were crucial on my decision to carry my baby.

An you, how did you fall in love with Babywearing?

Babywearing toddlers inside the house

Monica — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:57:42 +0000

My almost 4 yo was sick last week and I wore him *inside the house* after a long time. I’ve probably stopped wearing him at home after he turned 2 or even younger. Just don’t remember, but last week I offered him a ride on my back and he was so happy that his sick-boy-face turned into a bright-healthy-child smile
I should’ve taken a picture of him on my back. He didn’t have the look of not having eaten for a couple of days.

It was so fun for me as well and I got to do some housekeeping.
Until what age have you worn your kids *inside* the house?

In the picture I’m wearing my cousin’s son when he was 5. You see I’m pettite

Now it’s a once in a while pleasure, but we still love babywearing!