IBW2020: What Does Babywearing Mean To Me?

It’s International Babywearing Week! This year to celebrate our passion for babywearing with others around the world, we asked the Babipur community ‘What does babywearing mean to me?’. From far flung travels to keeping keeping them close, from mental wellbeing to practicality, babywearing means something special to each and every person.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this blog, it really is a heartwarming read.

Laura Davis – Travel anywhere

We love our adventures and letting our little ones see the big, wide world.

Babywearing allows you to travel anywhere! We love our adventures and letting our little ones see the big, wide world. No path is too steep or rocky and no mountain is too high when you can wear your little one! We still use a Toddler Tula and our youngest is nearly 3. She loves nothing more than to tackle a good hike but when her legs are doing three steps to our one, it’s inevitable she will sometimes need a little rest.

Tilly-Rose Bushby – Free to roam

My little one is 6 1/2 months and loves being able to look around and see what we’re doing.

Baby wearing is the only way we can go out the house without having to drive. There are no paths, suitable tracks or safe roads available to use a pram which is why baby wearing with a Tula exceeds our needs. My little one is 6 1/2 months and loves being able to look around and see what we’re doing. We’ve had many adventures and even take her fishing with us. The hills might be steep, but until she’s old enough the Tula it is.

Lauren Richards-Masterson – Mental wellbeing

It meant I could just walk for ages knowing that W was safe

Baby wearing helped me leave my house when I was super depressed and refusing to go out. It meant I could just walk for ages knowing that W was safe, and could go to sleep if needed.

Now I’m much better, and baby wearing is a happier and practical part of parenting both W, and his baby brother.

Siobhàn Danielle Draper Etherington – Hands free

It’s better for everyone that I have a hands free alternative to take them on adventures!!

I have worn all 3 of my small people. A very short spell with a pram with my first showed me just how appalling I am at steering and, with small aisles in shops and tall curbs on streets. Let’s just say it’s better for everyone that I have a hands free alternative to take them on adventures. 

Not to mention how useful those extra hands are when you’re chasing after 1 child, carrying snacks for another, and still able to breastfeed the smallest, undisturbed, and comfortable.

Rosie Burford – Get stuff done!

Babywearing has really been my absolute saviour

Babywearing means EVERYTHING to me! With my first it mostly meant spontaneous adventures and exploring were still possible with no thoughts about access being an issue. It was sometimes practical, a carrier is hands down the best thing to take with you when travelling – especially for flying!

My second however has been a Koala baby and still, at 1 year old, just wants to be held…all the time! So with her, babywearing has really been my absolute saviour. When she was a newborn, it allowed me to play at the soft play center / park / go for walks with my toddler. It even just allowed my hands to be free to sit and play on the floor with him. It meant he was still getting my attention and my time, and I really think it’s a big contribution to him not being jealous of her at all.

Babywearing means I can still cook dinner, do laundry, vacuum etc even when she is being needy. And it still means we can take on adventures and explore in the woods and along rocky paths. Babywearing just enables you to do stuff!

Sarah Ojar – Protection

When my son was born with Down syndrome, wearing him in the sling felt like a way of keeping him close and protecting him

I’ve loved babywearing all my children. I always use a stretchy wrap first and then move onto a Tula which is my favourite carrier. Babywearing has been a constant across my different experiences I’ve had.

When my son was born with Down syndrome, wearing him in the sling felt like a way of keeping him close and protecting him. I now have twins and love having my hands free by tandem wearing them!

Jo Worrall – It’s part of life

Now we have a Wompat carrier it is hands down one of the best purchases we have made

Baby wearing was actually my husband’s suggestion, living rural, a pram just wasn’t practical for out and about. A carrier just made a lot more sense.

We chose, with the help of the Babipur Hangout, a structured Tula carrier and it was so easy to use and we could wear it with a few simple adjustments.

We progressed to the Tula Toddler carrier, and now we have a Wompat carrier it is hands down one of the best purchases we have made. Wee legs still get tired on days out and during lockdown my smallest became a bit of a cling on so strapping him to my back for dinner became our normal!

It’s great to be able to keep them close, happy and both be comfy! Cannot recommend baby wearing enough.

@motherof.one – Connection

If he then dropped off to sleep, it was no matter, he was close, cosy and safe.

I think I started baby wearing “late”? around 9 months or something, at that stage for me it was just super convenient. I was mostly on my own, so it left me with hands free to get on with jobs, shopping etc.

It was as Small got older and older that it became more about our relationship for me. It still had its practical uses, when it wasn’t the situation for a buggy for example or you were hoping they would do a bit more walking for a change. You could just have this stuffed in a rucksack just in-case.

But I really loved that part of the day when you’d been out for a few hours on a nice walk, little legs were tired, and up he would go in the Tula. He’d hug me from behind and rest his head on my back but still be awake. He’d be high up and so could see the things that I could see, so we would talk quietly together about those things as I continued walking. He loved that it was the perfect position for me to stroke his feet too. And if he then dropped off to sleep, it was no matter he was close, cosy and safe.

I carried Small in his standard Tula right up until he was 5, if it wasn’t for my hEDs I would still be. He would always ask me to make sure I brought his Tula on walks and it was never because he envisaged being lazy or tired. He just enjoyed the closeness.

Jaime Johnson – Snug and safe

I’ve been able to breastfeed on the go, make my way to secluded beaches and attend huge events, knowing that my baby is snug against me and safe.

Baby-wearing my third baby has given me the freedom to continue to explore the rugged and the wild with my older children. I’ve been able to breastfeed on the go, make my way to secluded beaches and attend huge events knowing that my baby is snug against me and safe.

The Tula and Wompat carriers have been comfortable to wear even post c-section and with historic back issues, it’s so easy to get a good fit which balances the weight. As a busy mum the buckle carriers have been simple to use, even with all the adjustment options that they provide.

My husband has also been encouraged to babywear more, since moving from a wrap to a Tula and Wompat. We love feeling close and carrying has helped us to bond and feel secure together. I wouldn’t be without my carrier.

Angharad Wyn – Freedom

Baby wearing…has given me freedom to roam around festivals and travel cross country in Italy.

I always knew I wanted to baby wear right from when I found out I was pregnant with my eldest. The closeness and the freedom really appealed to me.

Both times I’ve used a stretchy wrap to begin with before switching to a Tula a little while in; I’ve used the standard, free to grow, and toddler versions over the past 5 years and have loved them all.

Baby wearing has saved tired little legs, let me shop without wrangling a toddler back into a trolley. This meant I had my hands free to chase after a toddler when I had a newborn, has given me freedom to roam around festivals and travel cross country in Italy. There’s always one in my bag or in the car. I wouldn’t be without one!

Big babywearing love

Huge thanks to everyone who has shared their personal experiences of babywearing with us on the blog. It is really heartwarming to hear such wonderful stories of connection, wellbeing, and adventure!

If you would like to know more about the benefits of babywearing – head over to >>this blog<<

Shop Carriers and Slings at Babipur >>HERE<<

Share with us!

We love to see your special babywearing moments; share your pictures and thoughts with our community! Tag @Babipur on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Or share your pictures with the Babipur community in our Facebook group, Babipur Hangout!