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Babywearing: A Dad's Experience

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As a first-time father, I was worried about feeling left out during the early months of Samuel's life due to the natural attachment between him and his mother. Babywearing helped me overcome that fear by allowing me to bond with... See more » As a first-time father, I was worried about feeling left out during the early months of Samuel's life due to the natural attachment between him and his mother. Babywearing helped me overcome that fear by allowing me to bond with him while caring for him at the same time. By wearing him any chance I had, I was able to soothe him during fussy times and put him to sleep without resorting to mommy's breasts. Watching him sleep while snuggled close to my body became my new favorite activity. Babywearing also enhanced my relationship with my wife, because she knew she could entrust me with the baby on my own. It helped me feel "empowered" as a dad. Babywearing is Practical, Convenient and Safe Babywearing also made parenting much less daunting than we had originally feared. It freed our hands to do other things without having to leave Samuel in the hands of some inanimate object. It allowed us to do both housework and office work with him attached. It gave my wife the convenience of hands-free nursing, and it saved our arms during those "needy" times (sickness, separation anxiety, etc.) when he wanted to be carried for hours. In the first 6 months, the sling even became Samuel's daytime "crib", as he refused to nap alone in his real crib. However, this had the added advantage of us being able to take him anywhere and knowing that he will not have to miss his naps (and us suffering the consequence!) as long as we brought a sling along. Darren and Tessa (21 mths) in an unpadded ring sling (Kangaroo Korner Solarveil) Although I was initially a bit hesitant about wearing Samuel outside, I finally decided that having a content baby is a lot more important than worrying about looking different. To my amusement, I received nothing but positive comments ("He looks really comfy in there", "I wish I had that when I had my baby", etc.) and adoring looks from strangers (mostly females, to my wife's chagrin) during my first babywearing outing. Jan cooking with Ella (2 mths) in an unpadded ring sling (Maya Wrap) Needless to say, we used the sling everywhere we went as we immediately realized that it was the most convenient option. We could eat in restaurants (no matter how small or crowded) and take public transportation without having to lug a heavy car seat or stroller. We could leave the house in a matter of seconds (just pop the baby in the sling and go) without worrying about strollers, extra blankets, etc. No flight of stairs or snow on the ground could slow us down. People often commented on how content and alert our son was; I believe it was because he could always observe the world around him at eye level while knowing that he's safely protected. A little gardening! I also found babywearing to be much safer compared to the alternative (my arms). In addition to the protection that the carrier already provides, I still have the use of my free hands to further safeguard the baby when necessary (e.g., when bending down, etc.). Thanks to our carriers, we were able to safely involve the baby in our daily chores (cooking, cleaning, gardening, etc.) from an early age. Dan and Sawyer (12 mths) in an unpadded ring sling (Maya Wrap) While a growing number of baby carriers are now available in stores, my experience is that many of these carriers often sacrifice versatility and comfort in favor of looks, and they are usually quite expensive. One great thing about babywearing is that it does not need to be expensive at all. There are free directions available on the Web to make your own carriers. You can even improvise one at a pinch using a bed sheet, scarf, or an inexpensive piece of fabric without knowing how to sew. In my quest for the "perfect" baby carrier, I was surprised to find quite a remarkable variety of them. Most of them are made by stay-at-home moms and are available only on the Internet, and many are derivatives of other traditional carriers from around the world. In general, they fall into two categories: those that are worn over one shoulder and those that can be worn over two shoulders. Dave and Nora (6 mths) in an adjustable See less »

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carry, dad, options, pouch, sling, summary, wrap

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From the list : Baby carrying - Sling by tajchiu

This is a very summary of the differences between all of the different baby wearing options.

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Babywearing: A Dad's Experience

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