The joys of babywearing

'Wearing' a baby is nothing new to south east Asian societies - the Japanese seem to have very nicely made traditional and more 'scientific' baby carriers, and the Chinese equally have the 'mei tai', which I am personal fond of due to childhood memories.

As Bump One gets older and more independent, he can choose to walk away from mummy anytime towards his preferred toys and these days I am more and more keenly aware of the growing physical distance between me and him. Now that my body is preparing for the arrival of Bump Two, Bump One no longer has the privilege of my breastmilk due to its changed taste and depleted reserves. Gone are the days when he could snuggle up beside me in the double bed early in the morning for a little feed before the day began. Now touching and being in physical contact with this little tod is more difficult than ever before. Oh how I miss carrying him in a baby carrier!

If my bump hadn't been growing steadily I would probably still be carrying Bump One with my truly well-loved Ergo baby carrier, able to take children from birth (with an extra infant insert) until 3 years of age. I still have recollection of being carried by my grandmother, traditional Chinese mum and community matriarch that she was, on her back in a 'mei tai' to the Chinese market filled with smells of fresh, raw meat, preserved salted fish and chickens waiting to meet their certain fate - being able to see what adults could see and offered the same view at adults' height; being offered a bit of Chinese roast pork ('char siu') by the deli vendor on a frequent basis as I was easily within the reach of his arm. Not to mention the impracticality that it would have been for her to carry me 3 floors up/down the Chinese pre-WW2 residential building that was her home to get the daily family food supplies, had it involved any other forms of baby transport.

However, babywearing to me is not just about nostalgia, but sheer practicality to the mum/dad whose life might well have been turned upsidedown in many aspects on the baba's arrival. More to follow on different slings and baby carriers from personal experience.