Sunday
Sep272009
Sharing the Babwearing Love
Sunday, September 27, 2009 
It is International Babywearing Week 2009. This year's theme is Close Enough to Kiss and while I didn't think I could come up with a whole post on that, I did have a pic to share. But both of my babies preferred to be worn on the front, so that they could be kissed, so that they could nurse, so that we could gaze into each other's eyes.As my babies are quickly transitioning out of the babywearing stage, I thought I would write a post focusing on sharing the babywearing love.
My sling, wraps and carriers have come to me in different ways. Some I bought new directly from the manufacturer or from a retailer. Some I bought second hand from The BabyWearer. Some I had custom made by a friend who makes ring slings and mei tais.
All of them have been special. I used them to hold my babies close. I nursed in them. I walked them to sleep. I kissed their little heads as I went about my day. I attended memorable weddings and parties with my babies happily and fashionably snuggled against me. I toured Europe.
But a time comes when it is time to let go. When that time came for us, I agonized over what to do with my slings. In the end, I did or am doing a combination of things.
- Tucking some away to wear my grandchildren: At least two of my carriers I am keeping with the hopes of using them again one day with my grand children or possibly any other babies that I am given the opportunity to babysit over the years. That includes the first ring sling that I bought to match my outfit for my aunt's wedding when my son was 10 months old. It was also the sling that my daughter was in within an hour of being born. One where she spent many many many hours of the day during her first few months. It also includes a beautiful Antigua Hoppediz wrap. The colours are so vibrant, the length so versatile, and the fabric so soft. I can't imagine ever letting it go. Edited to add that I would also be willing to pass them down to my kids to wear their kids in if they wanted to.
- Gifting some: Another sling that I bought for a wedding was a beautiful royal blue embroidered Z'fina pouch. I bought it initially for our friends' wedding. A year or so later, while later my mom was helping with the laundry (thank you mom!), she put it in the dryer and it shrunk (I forgive you!). Shortly after, our friend, the bride from the wedding I bought it for, was at our house with her newborn baby and tried it on. It fit her beautifully and suited them wonderfully and it seemed fitting to gift her the sling that I wore at their wedding. I have also loaned some of my slings that were not in use to friends for periods of time to try them out or because they would be useful to get through aparticular stage. A few of the slings that I have left that have not sold, I plan to give away to charity. I'm looking for some local options, but for those of you in the United States, you should look into this program that helps makes slings accessible to low income families. Here are some pics of the Z'fina pouch before and after being gifted:
- Selling some: In my post on my babywearing stash, I finally got around to listing some of my carriers for sale. It was hard. But it became much easier when the beautiful pictures of the new owners and their kids started to flow in. It felt great to be able to pass along the sling love and the memories and have those wonderful carriers become a part of someone else's life. One of the ones I passed along was my orange Albert Storchenwiege wrap, which I wrote about in long lasting value of a woven wrap. It has now moved on to be loved by Jane and her girls. Another one that I sold was a custom Mei Tai that my friend Kristina made for me with fabric that I chose and mailed to her. It is now being loved by Crystal (@cfoutz) and her son. Here are some pics of the Storch and the Mei Tai before and after (don't they look so happy to have their new carriers?!) being sold:
There are so many wonderful baby carriers on the market and so many wonderful moms and babies out there. When you are done with your slings, find a way to share the babywearing love!
Reader Comments (22)
I don't have a carrier yet but I'm VERY much looking forward to wearing our son in a sling. (And I think it's great you're giving your old slings to charities. We're giving some extra baby stuff we've been given to a local women's shelter this week.)
When my kids were babies, I could never figure out how to use a sling, but I did have a front-wearing carrier. I had nursing down to a science, and could do my grocery shopping while one of them blissfully nursed. They were four years apart. I kept my carrier and used it with my youngest.
When the time comes, I will be gifting them with their own carriers while extolling the joys of baby wearing.
Awesome! Thanks for celebrating International Babywearing week! Wonderful pictures too!
I wrote about this celebration on my blog too! Of course posted some pics too! I love babes in slings al snug against you!
I feel so honored to be a part of your blog! And I love the sling. It is special that M can tell me how he wants to be carried... he will tell me "ride front" or "on back". He loves it!
sigh! altho' i've only carried one baby, my wee guy, we had a few slings and carriers (i lost his first, the most special).
once my C-section scar healed i could carry him in a ring sling. we had a baby bjorn for a while (ugh designer crap) then moved on to a First Journey which I loved. It was incredibly comfortable out hiking/dog walking. during our baby wearing journey we also went thru a couple of ring slings and a frame back pack. One of the slings shredded so I keep it for the guinea pigs (yes, i carry them occasionally!), i gifted another sling (the mum now has a huge collection of carriers), and sold the Frist Journey and frame back packs to eager parents.
I miss the ring sling the most as my toddler loved being hip-carried in it. I got the sling back out of storage a while back and he eagerly climbed inside for a back carry - we went for a short walk to say goodbye to our carrying days, and now he's happy under his own locomotion.
I am a babywearing lover! And I am sitting here reading this post of yours with my 2.5 day old daughter on my chest in my BabyHawk. Awwwww!! Not sure what I'll do with mine when I'm done...I don't want to think about that right now...they'll want to be carried to high school, right?? :D
@Shannon: Yay! Congratulations to you.
I am keeping my carrier collection for now, because I'm not ready to concede that my baby-birthing days are done. I may still need them. But I know there will be a few I'll keep even when that's the case. I don't think that I could bear to part with the Maya Wrap that I bought on a whim when my daughter was 4 days old and still in the NICU, and which started my whole babywearing journey. That will be a grandbaby sling, for SURE.
Yay for babywearing!!! ...That is all.
If you have a Medium-ish sized one I would LOVE to buy one from you!
I have loaned slings to friends to help them figure out the joy of babywearing! I don't think I'm done having kids yet or else I would find ways to donate or pass mine along. We have a quite a few, different sizes for me and my husband.
I've given some to friends, and kept a few - just for sentimental reasons. Sniff.
I've had snugli (given away), a handmade padded ring sling (given away), a solerveil ring sling (a keeper), a new native pouch (given away), an ella roo mei hip (a keeper), an ergo (still holding out that my 2 yo might want to climb back in one day), and a snugli frame backpack (SOLD!).
My favorite probably was the solerveil - and it was a 2nd hand gift! :)
I will probably sell the couple I didn't use much -- slings and my back didn't like each other and my Maya Wrap went mostly unworn. I will keep one or two, if they have no Lycra in the material, or elastic or plastic buckles to "go bad".
My mother gave me the green corduroy Snuggli in which I was carried in the 1970's -- the one with the metal clips at the shoulders (not the plastic). I had really round babies and this fit them better than most carriers available at the time. I will keep this one to use with other kids -- grandchildren, nieces/nephews, etc. I loved that my mom kept it and was amazed at how similar it was to the current baby-friendly carriers (and unlike the 1980's - 1990's "sausage baby" carriers). It was special to carry my babies in something that once carried me.
That is so awesome that you were able to share the love with so many people. I have not thought all that much about I will do with mine when I am done. I am too far from being done. But I suppose I will definitely want to pass them on in one way or another.
I read this yesterday and meant to leave a comment! Oh, I have several carriers that I am so attached to. I've never sold mine- oh wait- I admit I DID sell one on ebay- a rare Rockin Baby ring sling that Gwen Stefani had and made popular so I made some $$ on that one : ), not sure if I ever would sell again, but I do enjoy having them to loan out. There are a couple that I probably plan to save forever. And then I am certain I'll pass on the rest when the time comes. (Thinking that Ivy is my last, I don't want to think about that time just yet!)
Steph
I was just thinking about this over the weekend, looking at my pile of slings/wraps/carriers and knowing that I've had my last baby. A few I can still use, but most don't work anymore with my big, wiggly guy (he's a leaner, too). A couple I will gift and I'll probably sell a few through the forums at The Babywearer, but I love your idea of keeping a few to save for use with grandchildren! That's exactly the excuse I need to hang on to the ones to which I have a sentimental attachment. Thanks.
i love the idea of saving some to wear your grandkids in. that is so sweet. :)
Saving for your grandkids is sweet! My daughter has just outgrown the wearing stage, except for rare occasion and I miss it so much already.
SO cute! Darling.
Oh, to wear grandchildren That is, perhaps, the sweetest thought ever thunk. I might save one now.
[...] of a woven wrap. In that post, I included a few pictures of my Storchenwiege, which has since been passed along to my friend Jane. I still believe in the value of wraps. If you are a committed babywearer and plan to wear one or [...]
I've been using the maya wrapfor all my three little ones. It's the best thing ever! I love it! I would highly recommend it to everyone.