Ethnic babywearing.

[kiskidee]

Women all around the world carrying their babies.

[ilovemydog]

how beautiful.. loved the little girl carrying her doll. sweet

[teafortwo]

lovely. Thanks.

[MarsLady]

gorgeous! Thanks

[kiskidee]

bump

[missmama]

Now you see, I love the baby in the shopping basket. Why cant I do that

[belgo]

how lovely!

It's interesting though to remember that as western women we can choose to babywear or not, depending on what we fancy.

I'm reminded of a local indian woman I saw in Bolivia who was carrying her grown up son on her back. Her son obviously had very severe special needs, and I imagine she had been carrying him his whole life.

When we crossed the border into Chile we were struck by how may prams we saw.

[EyeballsintheSky]

Makes buggies look very cumbersome and a bit ridiculous, doesn't it?

I was always fascinated by the fact that the majority of women were carrying their babies on their back, which seemed very awkward and inaccessible to me. I work in Lambeth where there is a large black community and I often see women carrying babies like this. One day, as I was walking to work I saw a woman undo hers and redo it and she did it in the blink of an eye, far far quicker than I could do my hugabub or baby bjorn or even strap DD into the buggy!

[FAQ]

yes - but did you know that you can't just start carrying an older baby on your back like many ethnic groups do?

I only learned this last year staying with SIL who ended up carrying DS3 in his Tommy baby carrier on her front as apparently their hips are pulled into an awkward position and for a baby that hasn't been carried like that since they were small it can be really painful (was a bit disappointed really as I'd loved to have seen one of my DC being carried like that)

[belgo]

eyeballs - it took me ages to learn how to put dd2 onto my back to carry her! I never ever dropped her, never even close to dropping her, but I sometimes had well meaning strangers rush up to me to 'help' me put her onto my back - they mean well but it was very disconcerting as they would often effect my balance and make it even more difficult!

[theSuburbanDryad]

When i had ds in the EllaRoo on my front (never got the hang of a back carry, sadly) he used to like to hang his head back so he could look at clouds and trees and such like. I had several twats with nothing better to do well-meaning strangers rush up and push his head back, or shriek dramatically, "He's not safe in there!!"

[belgo]

SD - I've posted this previously on mumsnet but it's a funny story - I once had dd2 on my back on the bus, I was also with my mother and dd1. A women whacked my mother on the arm and started loudly proclaiming how I was suffocating my child! She was saying this in flemish, and as we were speaking english she then said 'I can say what I like, they don't understand', to which I replied in flemish that I do understand

[AnnVan]

Belgo - that's funny!
Those pics remind me of growing up in South Africa. You never see a Zulu lady with a pram - the baby is always strapped on the back with an old blanket. You even see ladies working in the fields with babies on their backs.

[AnnVan]

Oh btw Babywearing ladies - DC1 due on saturday - and I'm still trying to decide what sling to get. I know I don't want a 'carrier' style one, but a proper sling. Have been considering a wrap (maybe a Storchenwiege?) but can't make up mymind - a little help?? What would you recommend??

[BabiesEverywhere]

I do/did babywear my DD and wore her thoughout my pregnancy.

Due to my CS I am limited in carrying my DS, but outside the house I have used a fleece pouch on my front just for 15 minutes or so.

Re. Back carries. I always watch out for well meaning interferring people, who have nearly cause me to drop dd help me wrap DD. I can tie her on in half a minute but make sure I won't be helped.

Back carries allow you to carry a baby/toddler for hours without discomfort. Plus it is much easier for you to do housework, iron or cook whilst carrying your baby (When you have a velcro baby which NEEDS carrying all the time)

I have had many positive and negative comments about carrying DD. The worse one was an old man, who was sharing a lift with me and told me uninvited that I was "going to kill my baby carrying it in that thing". I was gobsmacked and asked him, if he was going to tell that mother (pointing to a mother who was carrying her babe in her arms and pushing an empty pram) the same thing...idiot.

But overall I get positive 'doesn't he/she look happy there' comments

[BabiesEverywhere]

Annvan, Pouches are nice and simple to use for a newborn but need to be fitted properly.

Wraps have a learning curve but can be used from baby to toddler in a variety of carries. Some mums prefer stretchy wraps for newborns and woven (storch, didy) wraps for older babies/toddlers.

I like mei tai/obi/pods as they are super easy to tie and have a lot less fabric than wraps.

Recommend contacting your local sling meet They can help you find your perfect sling.

And/or reviews on various slings on here

Second hand UK sling site here

HTH

[SoupDragon]

I'm fascinated at the women who are carrying the baby on their back wih the sling only tied above their breasts. How does it stay secure? Surely it keeps slipping...?

I made an emergency sling for BabyDragon (2.6) out of a sarong on holiday this year. I was rather proud of myself

[BabiesEverywhere]

SoupDragon, It works the same way as rolling a towel at the top will keep a towel securely wrapped around you. As long as it is tied closely it works. I have done this carry with a wrap and a wide pod and it is just a matter of practice (though it properly doesn't hurt that I have big breasts)

[BlueberryBeret]

My fave photo of me n DS is him on my back with a sling we made out of a blanket the day we forgot the pushchair on a dog walk.

Spent all weekend with him on my back in an Ergo - I am in LOVE with that carrier!

[Inkspot]

oh lovely! I really enjoyed looking at that

[ajm200]

If you go onto youtube and look for baby sling videos, there are videos of people trying toddlers into slings on their backs. They make it look so easy. I tried tying my son into a sling on front a few weeks ago and found it so difficult. I was 30 weeks pregnant at the time though.

[SoupDragon]

"It works the same way as rolling a towel at the top will keep a towel securely wrapped around you"

Since my towels always fall down, I'm not sure I'd trust BabyDragon in a sling tied like that

[theSuburbanDryad]

I've been promised the use of a Didymos and have a fabric ring sling but I'm wondering if i want a Mei Tai sling as well.

Hmm....ponders....

[SoupDragon]

Make your own and have the lot

[theSuburbanDryad]

I'd be scared of mucking it up and having dc2 slither to the floor in a heap though Soupy!