We are two babywearing enthusiasts currently living in the Far North of New Zealand. Originally from the Netherlands, where we came in contact with the babywearing movement and attachment parenting. Our family currently counts 4 members: Carmen ( 25 years ), Tama ( 24 years), Josie ( 2 years), Ellie ( 6 months).
I started out as a computer programmer, but I then swapped the binary world for the world of warp and weft. I started experimenting with weaving, and sewing. Soon came baking, canning and gardening. I started dreaming about a carbon-footprint free life, and started learning the skills for that ( which, by the way, has no end). Over time I also started wearing more and more modest clothing, and started to cover my head. I also run a small modest clothing sewing workshop. Babywearing helps me center on the most important things in life, and keeps my feet in the air and my head in the clouds! But it is also a great tool for keeping me sane! I love talking about babywearing, and I’d have a huge wrap stash if my husband didn’t help me with curb my impulsive buying!
My wife’s enthusiasm for babywearing has rubbed off on me; she taught me how to wrap the children, and it’s really lovely to have both hands free and yet be able to carry our children at the same time. I feel very privileged to be one of the few babywearing dads around. I find it very strange to hear that many men don’t want to wrap their children, or think that it’s too difficult. Hopefully I can convince some of the benefits of babywearing.
We started with a ringsling that I had made myself with simple cotton fabric when our first child ( Josie) was born. It was a tough thing to start babywearing with, and I soon gave up using it much. My sister gifted me a second hand Baby Bjorn, and although I did know that narrow-based carriers where not good I did use it. Simply because it was there, and I needed something quick, easy and cheap.
I still think that ( never forward facing) carrying in a bjorn is better than nothing at all. After some months I finally splashed out on second hand ( never used) Storchenwiege. Little did I know that I was about to embark on a trip of much frustration. Learning how to babywear with only instruction videos using a very grippy and stiff wrap is not something I would advise! How I hated babywearing, but at the same time it captivated me and I trudged on and on. And then I found out I had a friend who also did babywearing and attachment parenting, and it became easier and easier ( also because the beastly wrap had started to soften up). I bought a shorty and a half buckle carrier, and made myself a babywearing coat. I was now deep into my babywearing adventures, no way back! It became faster to take Josie out in the wrap and coat than to use the pushchair. I was already pregnant with number two, so breaking in two beastly wraps was quite a challenge of perseverance, but I read so many nice things about babywearing that I really wanted to acquire the skill.
Now, with two children we can’t imagine not babywearing! What a difference a year makes. Because of this experience I started to look into becoming a qualified Babywearing Consultant, in the hopes of making it easier for other mothers and fathers ( and caretakers) to start their voyage into the wonderful world of babywearing.