I discovered ‘babywearing’ during my 3rd pregnancy; I got a stretchy wrap for those newborn days. I was suffering with prenatal depression by 28 weeks its important to point out.
I started babywearing when my baby was just a few days old, I’d wrap him up on those mornings where he wouldn’t settle and I had two other children to organise for nursery etc. I’d wrap him up whenever we went for walks, when dinner needing cooking, or when he needed a nap, sometimes just anyway!
When he was 4 months old I purchased a woven wrap from a Facebook group, we had progressed from babywearing as a necessity to babywearing because I got warm fuzzies from carrying my baby close while being able to give my older two children love and attention. I carried this very special baby from the word go, all my babies are special to me, but Mr Squish as he’s affectionately known even more so.
I used a pram with my older two with the occasional carry in a Buckley high street carrier, which was never very comfortable.
So once I discovered this wonderful bonding experience with my 3rd the pram was soon left gathering dust, as I would instinctively pick up a wrap without a second thought whenever we were heading somewhere.
Mr Squish from day one has been very alert, and people would always comment on this along with ‘he’s always so happy’ and I put these things down to the closeness we get from babywearing. It has been proven that babywearing can reduce the risk of postnatal depression and its certainly true in my case.
I can’t really put into words why I love babywearing so much, there is just something pretty wonderful about holding your baby close, feeling them breathing, being able to kiss them and being able to hold my two older children’s hands when walking along all at the same time. I’ve had my ups and downs in his 16months, but by far this has been my ‘easiest’ experience of early motherhood and my postnatal depression has been there in the background but not once has it gripped me as tightly as my first experience.
So my recommendation is, if you are pregnant or have a baby, get yourself to a sling library and find a sling!
I will be eternally grateful that such a simple thing as carrying my baby saved me from this illness.
Ps – he’s 16 months old and I still ‘babywear’ my toddler every day.
Rosey xxxx
