With Kieran I didn’t get the whole babywearing thing. We had a carrier from a top brand which was all plastic bits and adjustable straps and quite frankly a faff! Slings and whatnot seemed a bit hippy-ish so I veered away and can’t say I felt like I missed out.
Perhaps because I am older and Taylor is my second child, I wanted to try again. When Claire from Snugbaby offered to send me a baby sling I thought “Why not” and before I knew it, it was here. Now what? I have this beautiful plastic-less sling and a baby. Simple one would think but I just couldn’t get going with it. It was the weather you see, Taylor was so young he needed to be wrapped up and encased in his pram, then it was his snowsuit – it made the sling hard to put on because he was too bulky. All excuses. It was more about confidence or my lack of confidence. I decided to stop piddling about and give it a go. With the sling came a wealth of information on safe use and how to use the sling and a handy video shows you step by step how to tie it.
I gave it a tentative go… I liked it! And more to the point, so did Taylor! Outside, no raincover, close to me but still able to see around. I got to the end of my drive, past the end of the street and home. It just didn’t feel “right”. Back inside I took some pictures and emailed Claire with them and my worries. Very quickly I received an indepth reply, with handy hints for making sure baby was secure, that I was comfy etc and following these tips, and with a few practices in front of a mirror I was ready.
First trip was the mile long walk to Roy’s walk on the first lovely spring day we had to “pick him up”, Kieran and I
strolled hand in hand, talking about his day at school and what he’d done whilst Taylor, wide eyed, coo’ed and smiled. It was fantastic – a mile there and a mile back and because of the way the sling supports Taylor and me, I didn’t feel like I’d been carrying any weight if that makes sense? Two mile endurance trip – easy!
The second real test was the scariest – the school run! Anyone who has ever done a school run knows how self-conscience you can feel! So going with Taylor in a sling (I haven’t ever seen anyone carrying on the school run before) was pretty scary but I enjoyed it so much on our walk out that I decided to stop being a wimp, Taylor snuggled and my head high off I went. I got a lot of attention, but not the kind I was half expected. No “You’ve tied that wrong” or “That doesn’t look right” but “That is gorgeous! Where did you get it?”, “How lovely to see Taylor up and awake, he is usually asleep in his pram!” and “That looks so much nicer than the X branded one I got which was all plastic connectors and what not – is it comfy?”. So many questions and positive remarks. I found myself, in the school yard, yammering away about the benefits of babywearing, how to use the sling and how much we both enjoy it. Victory!!!
Now I realise I’ve wasted precious babywearing time, but no more! When the weather permits we will be out and about, Taylor upright and soaking in all the sights and I can’t wait for the summer when we start walking again, up in the North Yorkshire Moors, having picnics and adventuring – because with the sling, I am free to go where I like.
Babywearing comes easy to some, it didn’t me, but seeing the fantastic pictures on snugbaby.co.uk and having the support of Claire to work through my niggles has been great and Taylor & I can enjoy our closeness, alongside the convenience that BW brings.
Thank you Claire and Snugbaby! You’ll all no doubt be hearing more about my BW adventures, so keep tuned, but in the meantime please check out the Snugbaby site for easy to understand info on the benefits of babywearing, slings and more.
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**Please note, I was sent a sling to try and keep, and review if I wanted to, if I decided not to I was given instructions for how to donate the sling to a baby charity. This is my honest and open representation of my experiences of Snugbaby & babywearing.
