Celebrate IBW 2013 - Babywearing through the Seasons

This week we celebrate International Babywearing Week 2013.  This year's theme is "Get Carried Away!"  In today's post, Pamm tells us how you can Get Carried Away no matter the season.

 

Babywearing makes loads of sense in the mild climates of fall and spring, but some parents ask if it is too hot to wear baby during the summer, and the answer is no! Babywearing can actually help you stay in more tune with baby’s temperature and hydration needs than other methods.

 

This past summer, babywearing helped us brave the crowds during a busy 4th of July Parade, and made a cozy nap spot in the midst of a lot of stimulation.

 

Babywearing kept us hands-free everywhere from the public bus in Virginia Beach to flying kites on the Jockey Ridge dunes in North Carolina.

 

On the beach, the Wrapsody Water Carrier (borrowed from the BWI library) helped me get baby fed and napped without leaving the fun of the shore.

 

We wrapped up our summer adventures with a morning harvesting potatoes at Great Country Farm where, once again, the ability to get one or the other (or both) of the kids up saved the day and kept the fun going.

 

Now that fall is in full swing, we love wearing our boys on evening walks, to pumpkin patches, and during yard work.

 

When winter hits, there is no need to stop babywearing. Wearing is a great way to keep baby warm and cozy and to closely monitor baby's temperature and needs. 

 

When baby is in a front carry, a large winter coat or maternity coat can fit over both wearer and child.

 

 

In a back carry, each person can wear their own coat or you can share a special babywearing coat. (We have a Suse’s Kindecoat.) Such coats are even great for spring showers, when the seasons change yet again.

 

 

 

Posted by Pamm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why wear instead of carry?

I'll often hear from a concerned mom that her husband won't try using their carriers and that he would prefer to just carry the baby.  Well, the goal of babywearing is to promote in-arms parenting, so the question then comes, does it matter if he carries instead of wears?  Well, no, not really, except for those times when he wants or needs his hands free.  Let's take a look at some of the things dads can do while wearing that might be a challenge or impossible while holding.

 

Chores/ Homemaking/ Honey-Do List

This baby's mama mentioned to her husband that wearing skin to skin could help a
sick baby with temperature regulation.  She went out and came home to daddy having
put a feverish baby on his back while he washed dishes.

A man can cook breakfast with a baby on his back, it's difficult and potentially

dangerous to use the stove with a baby in your arms.

 

This man right here is mommy-porn.  He's feeding the baby AND vacuuming!  A hero among men.

 

You can change a toddler while wearing your newborn.

 

 

You can also repair the air purifier that the kids broke

 (that's a good strategy, blaming it on the kids, I'm pretty sure my kids have

learned from this dad).



 

Or you can get some yard work done.  A little sunshine and raking.

 . 

 

Or even a little mowing (we highly recommend ear protection for

 baby if you are using power tools near him, and always exercise good judgment about the likelihood of something kicking back and injuring your child)

 

But maybe you're thinking to yourself, "but if I'm holding the baby, I CAN'T do chores, this is genius!  I won't have to do any of those boring tasks!" (my husband would give his right arm to avoid yard work)  But maybe there are a few things you would LIKE to do, but can't because of your habit of holding the baby in your arms.

Work from Home; or you know, Play Video Games

 

Some of these dads are working, and some are playing.  I'll let you decide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sightseeing/ Exploring

A short jaunt out with baby can be done carrying baby in arms, but an adventure out of the house for hours can quickly exhaust even the strongest arm muscles.  With baby in a carrier, you can:

Explore Russian cathedrals.

 

Climb Dunes on a beach hike (I spot 2 babywearing dads here)

 

Take all of the kids for a hike on Mt. Olympia

 

Or head out for a more local hike with other babywearing parents

 

Take photographs from the famous observatory in LA



 

 

You can also get to those places for exploring by public transportation more easily when a baby is worn.  Strollers are cumbersome and difficult to navigate on most public transportation, and a baby in arms makes holding the handrails difficult for you.

You can hang on and show baby the fun sights you pass on the train.

 

 Until you go underground, then baby might steal your iPhone.

 

 But you'll be able to get all of the kids up the escalator safely and have

your hands free to operate the card reader at the exit.

 

 

Play Time

 





You can take the kids to the playground, and swing with the baby,

or just push the preschooler on the swings while you wear the baby.

 

You can teach your big boy how to ride a bike while you keep the little one safe and cozy.

 

 

Shopping

 

Okay, shopping might not be every guy's favorite "guy" activity, but sometimes it is necessary.  It goes a lot faster if you have your hands free to collect your merchandise or carry bags.

 

 Grocery (and wine) shopping is much easier with baby in a carrier.  Placing the car seat on the cart is dangerous, and carrying a baby in arms makes it difficult to get items from shelves, and we won't even consider the ridiculous proposition of pushing a stroller AND a cart.

 

Your wife will adore you for wearing the sleepy baby while she tries on clothing. 

You have no idea how difficult it is to buy clothing after you have a baby.

 

And then of course, there is always the male bonding trip to the home improvement store.



 

 

Party time

 

And once you've finished all of your must-do tasks, it might be time to relax and enjoy time with family, friends, or on your own.  You could

 

Watch a game or Dr. Who on TV (and have hands free for the clicker, and maybe a snack).

 

Get all of the kids in to the game in time for the opening pitch. 

 

Have a hand to hold your beer at the family barbeque

 

Have 2 hands for getting beer for yourself AND your wife at Octoberfest.

 

Take a look at the map to find the best place to find a beer in Germany

(seriously, that's what his wife says is going on here).



 Or, you could just make your own beer!

  Hmm, that's a lot of beer.  Reminder, always drink responsibly when caring for children. 

Especially if wearing them.  A beer is fine, getting sloshed is not.

 





So, as we can see, while there are lots of things you can do with a baby in arms, sometimes a carrier really allows for activities and outings you couldn't do with baby otherwise.  Give it a try, you might like it!

 

 

Thanks to all of the BWI of DC-MD-VA families who provided pictures for this post.

Spontaneous Family Time

One of my favorite things about babywearing is how quickly a baby can be added to any family excursion.  Yesterday, a late nap meant there was no way my 3yr old was going to bed immediately after dinner.  It had been raining, so the playground was out, but the rain had just stopped, so I suggested an impromptu family walk.  Now, when we used a stroller almost exclusively with my oldest, this was the kind of walk we never took.  Dragging the stroller out of the car, having the wheels run through muddy puddles and covered with leaves?  That was a situation to avoid.  But last night, my husband put the baby on his back and off we went.  I brought my camera to try and catch a few good pictures.

Daddy showed the girls a tree that had broken in half and now looked like a tree growing upside-down

We discovered that the creek near our house swells after the rain.

We found our reflections in the puddles.

We enjoyed some quiet time as a family.  And at the end of our walk, the girls asked if we could take a family walk every day.  Sometimes babywearing makes family time easier to accomplish.  And when I see my 3 girls walking along with their dad, I remember walks with my dad when I was a girl.  I hope these are the times my children think of fondly when they are grown.

What does your family do together while babywearing?