We finally got the links and comments working again – yay! Now we just need a new header image to replace the default WordPress one. We’ll be running a little contest to design our new header image in the Google Group soon so keep an eye out for the announcement (you’ll need to join the group first if you’re not a member already).
Thanks everyone for your patience and let us know if you see any other issues with the site. We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
If you haven’t heard, our blog was hit with a bad case of malware a few weeks ago which forced us to take it down and move it to a new web host. There have been a few glitches and delays while bringing it back up, and as you can see some things are still not working (missing pages, comments, plugins like Event Calendar, etc.). We appreciate your patience while we work through the issues.
Also we have decided to do away with the old template, hence the current generic header image. We promise it will be replaced with something better though! We will be running a competition in our Google Group forum to design a new header image for the blog so if you are interested please join our Google Group (http://groups.google.com/group/baby-carriers-downunder). Our Google Group is always very active and full of caring & supportive people willing to help you with any babywearing or general parenting questions.
As always we welcome any suggestions to improve the blog. Please add them in the comments section. Thanks everyone and Happy Babywearing!
Women have been under-represented in Australian political life since Federation in 1901. Not only in the numbers of women in Parliament, but also in making their voices heard. Women don’t have the financial clout to lobby parties, as business leaders do. Simply attending a protest rally is difficult when you have small children to care for. But I attended a rally today, made possible only because my little boy could chill out in a carrier, despite the wind and on-again-off-again rain. We were outside the National Press Club, while Prime Minister Julia Gillard was inside addressing the media. This isn’t a political blog, so I won’t be discussing the politics of the rally. But I do have a few observations about babywearing and its place in our democracy.
I’ve been attending rallies for about 15 years now, for various reasons. And in the last couple of years, there’s been a noticeable increase in the number of mums with babies at the rallies I’ve been to. It’s much easier to hold up placards or participate in public walks with the kids tied onto you, and no worries about them running onto the road or being upset by all the loud chanting. Plus protest rallies become a social event, almost like a mother’s group for the politically active.
Whether the rally is for parenting issues, or totally unrelated issues, mums and dads are taking up their right to have a say in how the country is run. And it’s a good thing for democracy, simply because it enables a more diverse range of views to be heard. It means we’re also hearing from a sector of the community who are preoccupied with nurturing, caring, and gentle behaviours and roles. Quite a contrast with the business sector who dominate paid political advertising, younger revolutionary activists, and trade unionists whose protests tend to be more active, loud, or aggressive than the protests organised by a bunch of babywearing mums. Not that there’s anything wrong with being politically aggressive – I just enjoy seeing diversity in the way we express our views.
The comments from non-babywearers show that our passive, peaceful forms of protest are making an impact, too. While not everyone knows the right terms (I’ve had a TV cameraman refer to my ring sling as a shawl), they know it’s all about looking after the child’s needs. I’ve had comments about how effective my gentle tone of voice was when speaking to a packed hall with sleeping newborn in a FWCC (front wrap cross carry), and “oohs” over my sleepy three year old in a SSC (soft structured carrier) from the Federal Police detective at this morning’s rally.
Oh, and the babywearer-spotter’s roundup at today’s event: a gorgeous printed cotton ring sling, another very elegant neutral toned plain cotton ring sling, and lots of SSCs in various colours and prints. Didn’t spot any mei tais or pouches, and I vaguely recall a stretchy wrap but could have been wrong. Only saw two prams (one was a double for twins). Still, that’s a pretty high percentage of babywearers for a rally of about 35 women!
As I’ve said before on this blog and pretty anywhere else I talk about baby carriers (which is a lot of places!), I love a bit of glam in my babywearing stash. Once the baby’s tied on, nobody can see what I’m wearing – so I may as well make a fashion statement with my sling. But how much bling is too much?
You see, I have this fabulous electric blue sequinned disco jacket. It’s so 80′s nightclub trash that I want to puke glitter just thinking about it. It’s one of the joys of my dreary grey Canberra winter existence (even the election campaign hasn’t been enough to perk me up this winter). I would have LOVED a mei tai with a feature panel in that blue sequinned fabric when I had newborns, for those days when I just wanted to sit and cry on the couch with sleep deprivation. Putting on something sparkly really does help – it’s a bit “fake it til you make it”, but it works for me.
In the meantime, I’ve gotten away with just a bit of a sheen rather than in-your-face shine. After all, I don’t want to blind people!
Hemp silk is one of my favourite fabrics for a sling. Breathable, but with a lovely soft sheen on the silk side of the fabric. I’ve also seen some stunning 100% silk slings that would feel ever so soft on sensitive newborn skin. My excuse is that silk has natural healing properties that are particularly good for babies with rashes 
Mei tais are also absolutely fabulous with a bit of bling. I used to have one with a gorgeous brocade feature panel in purples and silvers. Even better, mei tais can be worn reversed if daddy isn’t metrosexual enough to get away with shiny-side-out.
I’ve also seen some very pretty stretchy wraps with a pocket panel in brocade fabric. I bet it would be easy to just sew a panel like this over the existing pocket panel in your old stretchy, if you feel the need for a facelift. You could even match it to your favourite jacket or bag – ooh bling and matchy-matchy! My two favourite ways to wear babies!
If you already have a plain sling, you can dress it up with a bit of hand beading along the rails. Similar things work on straps – a bit of embroidery with silver thread on the straps, and hey presto! Bling sling!
Just one word of warning on coordinating the look… bling slings are best worn with a plain outfit, and go easy on the metallic lip gloss. Otherwise you’ll spontaneously combust as soon as you step into sunlight.
I’d love to hear from anyone else with a bling sling obsession, even if just so I don’t feel like the odd one out who considers baby carriers an extension of the jewellery box.