Lactivist Sponsor of the Month Oct 2012 – The School of Babywearing – Celebrate International Babywearing Week Oct 8-14th, 2012

Lactivist Sponsors The School of Babywearing are a social enterprise which aims to share information about the use of slings and baby carriers. As well as offering training courses in Babywearing Peer Support and Babywearing Consultancy, they use their profits to produce free resources to help parents and parents-to-be find out about the benefits and practicalities of babywearing. They also have resources pages which provide unbiased information and we put parents in touch with the local sling meets, groups, libraries and consultants in their area

Lactivist Sponsors pay to advertise on www.lactivist.net from as little as £5 a month and this helps towards the running costs of keeping www.lactivist.net online. Without the sponsors there would be no Lactivist! This month our featured sponsor is The School of Babywearing and we will have all of October to find out more about them which is perfect because it is the same month International Babywearing Week is held in.

Every year, families around the world get together to celebrate ‘International Babywearing Week‘. What is it, you might ask? And why the need to celebrate what is actually something simple: carrying your child? Is there anything novel about that?

For thousands of years, women carried their babies everywhere: in the house, at work, outside… It was the best – and possibly the only way – to keep them safe and warm. Then it became usual to place babies in various contraptions away from their mothers – from buggies to car seats, rocking chairs, cots, even walkers. As usual with these things, you might have noticed that the tide is turning. More and more parents (re)-discover that it is practical and convenient to carry their baby. And it is actually a good thing.

Parents can be at a loss to understand their newborn. Why is he fussing? Is he hungry, tired, does he need a clean nappy? Carrying your baby close helps you understand his signs much quicker, establishing the early foundations of communication and satisfying his needs before he gets to the full-on cries. A much nicer experience for the whole family.

The extra cuddles and closeness give the baby just the reassurance he needs to transition from the womb to the ouside world. It can be bright and noisy out there but snuggled up against mummy or daddy’s chest, it’s alright. The closeness allows baby to sense his parents’ reactions much better and gradually makes sense of his experiences.

If you have to be separated from your baby for work or other reasons, carrying him closely in a baby sling while you are with him – perhaps on the way to nursery – is a good way to catch up on closeness. It is also true for working fathers who might not be able to see their little one as much as they want during the week. A baby sling is not just for parents: try lending a baby carrier to your childminder and show her how you use it. She will be able to comfort your baby throughout the day even if she has other children to care for.

‘Babywearing’ is not just for newborns and babies. There are numerous child carriers designed to fit toddlers. They allow you to carry your child right up to about 20kg (45lb). You can help him catch a nap on your back in the middle of a busy day, or encourage him to walk independently knowing that if he gets too tired, you can pop him on your back. A baby sling is a good way to keep young children safe in busy surroundings – at the market or when you’re travelling on public transport for example. Perched on your back, they have a good view of their surroundings (probably less scary that if they were much lower on the ground, surrounded by what must surely seem like giants!).

So why celebrate International Babywearing Week? Because parents all around the world are choosing to parent their children a different way, a way that suits the whole family. Because carrying their baby or their toddler in a comfortable baby carrier allows parents to live the life they want to live with their child.

To find a babywearing event near you: http://www.babywearing.co.uk/