To help kick start the celebrations and of course educate on the subject I went on the Whole Mother Show this morning at 6:30 am with the host Pat Jones who is a local Houston midwife and founder of the BIRTH and the BIRTH Fair .

Here is the link to listen to my interview. I am not a great speaker but I do know about babywearing enough to talk about it for 25 minutes.

We started our babywearing journey when Kate was a newborn. She needed to be held and I needed to be able to get up to eat/pee/etc. She still is my child who needs me the most and we have this special bond. We lay in bed in the mornings and just stare at each other and smile as our eyes get ready to start the day.  She is and always will be our little girl.

first babywearing picture

This is our first picture of us babywearing her. You can see my tassled hair and the exhaustion in my eyes.

staring

There she was, tiny and scared. She was technically “overdue” but she was only 6 and a half pounds which makes me think that our dates were off. Thank goodness that I did not consider 40 weeks to be an eviction date for her as I really shudder to think of how teeny she would have been if I had done that… and possibly even sick.  We first wore her in a Moby Wrap because she wanted to be upright and did not like to be laying down. She also preferred to be tummy to tummy with me.  To me it also made it easier to nurse. She really did everything in the carrier at that point, she napped, explored, smiled, pooped, peed… I was thankful for good cloth diapers that protected me from her explosions.

I find this picture really interesting because she still looks like that when she falls asleep on us. Except for having more hair and being so tall that she doesnt fit through doors anymore easily when being carried laying down…

As she got older back carries really got to be our favorites. She could look around and be almost free and so could I. Yet she was still with me.

As she got older babywearing became a sort of security blanket for her. Her source of comfort. Except instead of her being comforted by a toy, or a blanket, or a pacifier she was being comforted by me.  This made it easier so that I did not have to carry around a comfort device because being worn was all she needed. After a while it didnt even have to be me doing the wearing because since others wore her too she became comfortable with Mike, my mother, even Mike’s father wearing her.

Is there anything cuter and sweeter than a babywearing grandpa? I dont think so. Nope, I dont.

I cannot say enough about how wonderful babywearing has been for us. If you need help babywearing please contact a local babywearers chapter. You can find them on yahoo groups and on MotheringDotCommunity’s finding your tribe section. Just go to your local area and ask!

A worn baby, is a happy baby.

Babywearing is a cause very near and dear to my heart because it is something that saved my sanity when Kate was a little girl.  With Calvin it has allowed me to mother two children under 2 at once and still get things done. Kate still loves being worn and Calvin asks for it when he needs me or knows that he needs to sleep.

Just in time for it Babywearing International put out a PSA.

What are you going to do to celebrate?

When Calvin was born I did not need more stuff so I havent bought a new babywearing device in ages. This Mother’s day I decided that I needed a really good supportive wrap for my big babies and decided to splurge on a good Didymos waves.

I didnt know if getting a woven wrap in the middle of the texas heat would be a good idea but I went for it. I have worn this wrap every time that I have needed a babywearing device since I got it.  Today is was over 90 degrees and hot as hell.

Here is Calvin hanging out in the new waves while at the park today. I am putting Kate in a swing and he is just chilling.

Here you can see Kate and Aidan walking hand in hand and Calvin’s head peeping out from the top of the waves while I carry two bags.

I am so in love with this wrap. It is cool and supportive. Soft and comfy. I really dont know how I lived so long without it.

Until they do, we think the safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib.

This comment is not at all true. Research has shown that cosleeping safely is safe, even safer than a child sleeping alone in a crib as it reduces the risk of SIDS. How many babies have died in cribs alone CR? Yeah, that number is pretty huge… so tell me again how cribs are safer? Come on.. I dare you.

Over the past five years, at least four babies died and there have been many reports of serious injury associated with the use of sling-type carriers.

How many have died in baby buckets? What were the cirmcumstances of these deaths? IF you are going to fear monger at least provide sufficient data that can help a parent make truly informed decisions Historyically babywearins has helped babies and children alike, even saved lives… if your baby is tied to you it wont get eaten by animals, it wont get left behind, and it wont attract predators… so this was a good idea in ancient times. In modern times it helps mothers who are suffering from post partum, it helps babies with colic, and it has been shown to help preemie babies thrive… so where do you get your genuis ideas to skip babywearing?

CR, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Since I work full time I had missed many of the playgroups and new mothers have been added to our group.  I didnt know who they all were and when I got there I knew that my usual buddies were not there yet (my friends are always late).

Until I saw this.

Seeing a mother wearing her baby made me feel at home and I walked up to her and started talking. I was wearing Calvin in a Mei Tai and she knew I was of her kind.

We talked and the kids started playing together, more showed up and soon enough we had our little group again and we talked about everything.

One of the regular moms has two girls who are very spirited and love dressing up…. here was one in her latest fashion statement.

We were there for around two hours. Digging in the mulch and playing in the grass. It was windy and slightly chilly but our kids were not bothered by it. Calvin slept in the carrier all the time we were there except for a few minutes where he woke up to nurse and bite me. Other moms were there with their nurslings and people who were not part of our group walked around us wondering what this cult of moms with exposed boobs was all about.

Why our children were so wild and free and enjoying the sunshine and hugging and kissing each other.

Why we were all so comfortable allowing them to run around us and be free.

Why we seemed to calm in our parenting and so calm with each other, with no bickering… each of us “parenting” the other mom’s kids if we saw them about to fall, or with a large stick, or they just needed a snack. The level of trust in this group is really what makes us. It is very exclusive and it honestly isnt for everyone… and those of us in it like it that way. We arent better or worse mothers… we just believe in the same fundemental principles of being a parent. Let your child be a child…

Here is Kate bossing around another one of the kiddos from the group. She likes to do that.

sweet huh?

This response to the Motrin Ad (which has since been taken down and an apology has resulted from it) has got one of the most condescending pieces of tripe I have seen in a while.

Between this post and the fact that I have received no response from Discovery Green about our incident yesterday where I was harrassed for feeding my son, I am about to blow a gasket.

Motrin’s manufacturers did put out a generic “Oops, my bad” on their website but more needs to be done.

Go here on facts about the ad and go here for the official response from Babywearing International to the campaign.

This week there were two things that pissed me off:

First one. The new Motrin Ad. Basically it is an ad in print and in video that says this:

Wearing your baby seems to be in fashion.

I mean, in theory it’s a great idea.

There’s the front baby carrier, sling, schwing, wrap, pouch.

And who knows what else they’ve come up with. Wear your baby on your side, your front, go hands free.

Supposedly, it’s a real bonding experience.

They say that babies carried close to the bod tend to cry less than others.

But what about me? Do moms that wear their babies cry more than those who don’t?

I sure do!

These things put a ton of strain on your back, your neck, your shoulders. Did I mention your back?!

I mean, I’ll put up with the pain because it’s a good kind of pain; it’s for my kid.

Plus, it totally makes me look like an official mom.

And so if I look tired and crazy, people will understand why.

As a mother and a babywearer I find this ad offensive, ignorant, and in poor taste. Babywearing is not supposed to be painful, if it is… then you are doing it wrong.  Letters were written to Motrin and a great deal of anger ensued by many people.  Blogs were fired up and they made emails fly and were sent to many a group. I sent a response and so did many angry women (maybe we should try Motrin to feel better… HA). Motrin is supposedly going to remove the ad. It is on their website still so feel free to see it for yourself. It infuriated me.

The second thing that pissed me off today was part of our International Babywearing Week event today. While there a couple of us nursed our children, well… you wont believe it but it stirred up a s$%^storm and I was told to cover up and stop. Repeatedly.

Lets begin with Exhibit A. Here is a picture of one of the evil breastfeeding offenses. Can you see the evil?

Evil Breastfeeder

Then… there is this little thing called the Texas Law.. that states:

Chapter 165. Breast-Feeding
Subchapter A. Breast-Feeding Rights and Policies
Sec. 165.001. Legislative Finding
The legislature finds that breast-feeding a baby is an important and basic act of nurture that must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health and family values. In compliance with the breast-feeding promotion program established under the Federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. section 1771 et seq.), the Legislature recognizes breast-feeding as the best method of infant nutrition.
Sec. 165.002. Right to Breast-Feed
A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be

I was told by the employee at Discovery Green that she was trying to keep people happy and that people had complained. Needless to say I have already started my own little one woman campaign to email everyone under the sun and call the media outlets to get this rectified. What’s worse… this has happened to other moms at this park. This supposedly family friendly and green park that was paid for with our tax dollars in part is violating our rights. My anger isnt really about me as much… I dont mind nursing in public. I have done it in many a country and many a place. I will do it anywhere that I please. No security guard will stop me from doing it. But for those moms who are afraid of it and who might be discouraged from breastfeeding because of this, this is who I am trying to get this changed for.  Actions like this continue to further the idea that breastfeeding is gross and unnatural and continue to make our culture not breastfeeding friendly.

On a happy note here are some pics from the event.

International Babywearing Week 2008

This is my all bundled up with my “refugee” look, as Mike likes to call it.

I am wearing a babywearing poncho, Olives and Applesauce Mei Tai, and a wool Greek fisherman hat.

Alma the Babywearing Refugee

Babies taste really good with Curry Ketchup.

Yum.