If you’ve been watching the ABC TV series Bringing Up Baby, you might want to know more about using slings like the Continuum Concept families have done.
But first, a dose of reality. Because TV shows are definitely not reality. They are the show’s producers idea of what we should see. Parents don’t usually take one parenting book, and follow its every word as if it is the only right way. Most parents take a little of this, a little of that, and make the rest up as they go along.
Despite showing positive images of babywearing on a national TV show, Bringing Up Baby has cruelly divided parents all over Australia (and the UK, where the TV show was made and first aired). Why are we wasting our time arguing over which of the three books has all the answers, when we all know that nobody has all the answers?
With that in mind, let’s get on with the babywearing. Some parents see babywearing as integral to the bonding experience and their baby’s overall mental and emotional development. Others see babywearing more as a tool to keep their baby happy and safe while they get on with other tasks in their everyday life. Either way, babywearing is a positive experience for babies and parents.
And you can start whenever you want to. I started carrying my first child around the time she started walking, when my second baby was born. Babywearing helped my toddler understand that she was still my beloved baby, even though there was another baby in the house too. It also made it much easier to safely get out and about with a child who couldn’t walk fast enough to keep up, or would sometimes refuse to hold hands crossing the road.
Check out the Selection Guide here to help you decide where to start.
