How common is babywearing by you?

[Cricket]

Just curious about how popular babywearing is in Australia, UK, or wherever else BB members find themselves. I just got a moby wrap (quite similar to HAB) and DH thinks its pretty weird. (Not that I mind, really. I think it will be a comfortable and easy way to keep my baby close and happy, while letting my hands be free to work and care for the girls.) But I am a little leary that that is the only response I will ever get on this thing - weird. Is it more common to use a baby wrap carrier where you are? Has it changed in the past few years? (so maybe it will catch on more here soon?) I have never seen anyone around here ever wear one. There are a few pouch sling mums, but even those are pretty rare. I had to order my wrap online, and the nearest place to buy one from an actual store is 3 hours away in Toronto.
So should I just get used to being "weird", or do you think it is a growing trend to baby-wear?

[Tracey]

I still see the majority of kids/babies in parms... But I do think baby wearing is becoming more popular, I wear Zy every day..

Who cares if others think your weird, maybe we all are!?

[MrsFabuloso]

I have seen quite alot of mums wearing their bubs around where I live since becoming a mum, probably cause I am a mum I have noticed it more. Wrap Baby slings are quite easy to buy and I have even seen the pouch slings in the generic stores like Target and Kmart, Baby Bjorn-type carriers are very easy to find here. I used to wear my bubba but now, at 8kgs, and with some back probs, she's just too heavy!
PS. I live in Aust!!

[nox]

I see a lot of mothers wearing their babies and it is something I like as well.

I have a number of different types of wraps given to me by my girlfriends who have finished wearing their babes. I am not sure why people would find it weird -- it is one of the most natural things to do, I would have thought.

I have a question though as well: I have a newborn (12 days!) and therefore he tends to just sleep eat sleep go crazy sleep eat etc. I would love to wear him more but so far have only worn him in the bjorn while quickly shopping and once or twice when he was grizzly. I have worm in a sling when he was inconsolable (last night!!). Do other people find that the slings are more for when they are older? I mean I shouldn't be putting him in the sling as opposed to the bassinet when I put him down after a feed should I?

[krisp]

I wore my DS in a sling evey day until he was too big to be comfortable and he and I loved it. He would be instantly calm and often just snooze on and off whilst I could get on with doing the shopping etc without the hassle of a pram. I intend on doing the same with our DD when she arrives.

[MantaRay]

I agree with Tracey, that it's becoming more common but there are still way more babies in prams. And I would say more than half of the "worn" babies are in baby-bjorn style carriers. I use a pocket sling which I love and I can still carry Tom quite comfortably in it (it's just harder to push a trolley with him in it), and he's turning 1 this month and at least 9kgs. I still carry him in front too - when Jack was this age I used the sling for the hip carry but just find it easier atm to have Tom in front.

[Cricket]

Well, I just had my sister and a friend over for tea, and they had a look at the wrap, and my sister tried her DD (7months) in it. It was GREAT! She said it was really comfortable, and she loved the hands free aspect. It was pretty easy to get on and off, and to get baby in and out of. (With practice I think that will get even easier.) So her friend (due two weeks before me) borrowed the wrap and instructions, to talk her DH into it. Maybe. So I might not be the only one in this tiny town with a "weird" wrap. Hurray!
As I said before, I don't really mind being weird. I will do it anyways. But it would be nice to have a couple other mums out there doing the same.

[MantaRay]

Oh well done Cricket. And I know exactly what you mean about not being the only weird one LOL!!

[Patooties]

Cricket - i haven't seen too many mums in my area wearing anything like the HAB - most wear something similar to the baby bjorn. When i wore my hab for the first time, alot of people were staring , but it could have been because Hannah just looked so snug and comfortable. You'll probably start a new trend over there in Canada

[Boo Boo]

Cricket, Rylee was born in Namibia, Africa, all the local women wore their babies on their backs. I had a pouch for Rylee and whenever I went out would wear it rather than put her in the pram - the apartment where we lived was not that pram-friendly so easier to put her in the pouch and walk down the street, I did this for the first couple of months then started to use the pram more as she got heavier. But they are great, most bubs seem to love them, being cuddled up close to their mums so would hopefully be more settled. I say go for it!!!
Laurin

[krysalyss]

I see heaps of ladies u here in Brisbane with them from the structured carriers to slings to habs (or home mades like mine. But when I was in Sydney for the weekend I didnt see anyone at all (Could have just been the suburb?) and got quite a bit of attention with mine.

[Willow]

I'm in Sydney and I see women all the time.

My DD lived in her baby bjorn when she was little but not so much as she got older (I have a bad shoulder and she just got too heavy for me). I never tried a sling or HAB etc because I was worried that my shoulder wouldn't be as supported.

[Rachel]

I have a HAB and used to use it all the time but not so much anymore, probably because DD is happy in the pram now. I have not seen anyone else wearing the HAB around here but have seen a few in the baby bjorn, again not that common though. Our local shopping centre is a swarm of prams! We always got stared at when we wore the HAB (especially my DH) but it wasn't a bad stare, it was more of curiosity I think. Another friend has a different kind of sling and she used to wear her DS everywhere (she doesn't drive so walks alot) and she finds it fantastic (and so did he). If people stare it's probably just because they are curious. If i didn't have the HAB when DD was little, life would have been a nightmare! Good luck.

[~Saram~]

When DS ws born I had a one shoulder ring sling and lived in Brissie then moved to Maryborough and yes everywhere I went people stared at me like I had two heads (which I guess I did really hehe) I had a few people in the shops stop to comment on my 'handbag' only to realise it had a sleeping newborn in it. Once DS was older and sat up in, we used to get a lot of smiles and surprisily a lot of older moithers and grandmothers commenting on what a fantastic idea it was. We progressed to a back carrier when DS was 6mths and got a lot of questions and interest esp at places like fetes, regional shows and places it's a pain to take a pram or toddlers.

This time round I have a HAB type sling which I made myself and have had soooo much interest. There are 3 sling sellers in town and 1 group which runs 'babywearing talks'. At the Natural baby expo held here recently at least 60% of people with babies under 1 year had them in a sling of some sort, mostly a HAB, some ring or ppouch slings and few baby bjorns and ergos. I recently travelled to Brissie with DD and got the stares in Brisbane shopping centres but I think most were out of interest. Both my mum and DH wore DD in her wrap and got heaps of questions. I think DH most of all ...hmmmm might not let him wear it again. Overall it was well received.

I love my slings and babywearing and wouldn't have things any other way. I esp love being ableto go into those shops where it seems they delibrately set out to make prams impossible. I love being able to put DD in and out so quickly on pre-school days rather than drag the whole pram out and I love going shopping and not having to a) juggle trolly and pram b) ster trolley with wobbly wheel while holding an unsettled bub c) use the much longer pram friendly aisle at the check out

[*charmalea*]

i love carrying nixon everywhere .... i think my pram is too bulky and i dont get the closeness ...

he is a busy body and when he is in the ergo , he is mine ..... every one looks ... and ppl point out that theres a baby on my back .....

i love it ... i feel so in tune with him and so earth motherly, the fact that just by carrying my bub (and kissing his head every second) is nourishing for him , it also settles me down too ....

[~kaos~]

So common here. I'd prefer to carry. It is good for me fitness wise (weight bearing exercise) and the kids love it. In this house, the Ergo and the ring sling are in constant use and I feel lost and inconvienced without them if I happen to forget them when I go out. I am getting a new carrier this weekend called the "Pikkolo" which is like an Ergo without the chunky waistband so I can wear it above my baby bump

[*charmalea*]

Kara .... have you got a pic of this "pokkolo "

id love to see what i looks like with out the chunky waist band !! i am really hippy (no not A hippy )
i have an hourglass figure and sometimes if i want to do my ergo up tight .. it looks like i have a tiny waist and big fat hips

[~kaos~]

Kara .... have you got a pic of this "pokkolo "

Ok, if your interested in having a look at the pikkolo, google the following
pikkolo catbirdbaby blogspot
The first hit should be a blog by catbirdbaby who make the pikkolo and there are heaps of good photos of it on there.

It looks really well made, comes in cool colours and fabrics, and is kinda a compromise between a baby bjorn and an ergo. The fabric reminds me of the Ergo, it doesn't have a chunky waistband. A cool feature is that it sninches in at the bottom to make is narrower so that when bub is younger, you can have their legs dangling out but not have their legs spread in a spilt. You can also have a front facing front carry. Like the new Ergo, you can also cross the shoulder/back straps.

The only thing is it is pretty hard to get them in Aus at the moment. I was lucky to bump into someone who could sell me one, and I got the last one. You can get them from the US and with the exchange rate being so good at the moment, you could probably get a good deal. Anyway, I've tried one on, and I pick mine up to keep this weekend or Monday, so if you have any questions, just ask