“You are the spokesperson for babywearing, Jennifer!” That’s what one
of my high school friends wrote on my Facebook page. He was commenting
on a photo I shared of myself wearing Zhen, my newborn baby.
It was November 2012 and Zhen was only a few weeks old. I had just
bought my first MobyWrap, and I was beyond excited about it. I thought
it was the coolest thing. I wanted to share my joy for babywearing
with my family and friends. So I shared as many photos as I could on
my Facebook page.
But I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t always know about babywearing. I
first found out about it a few months before I had my third baby
(Zhen). When my older two children (now teenagers) were babies, I had
never heard of babywearing.
When I found out about babywearing in 2012, I thought it was a new
trend moms were doing. I was very surprised when I learned babywearing
had been around for many years.
I discovered babywearing when I was pregnant with Zhen. A friend of
mine posted on Facebook a picture of herself wearing her baby in a
MobyWrap. My first thought was, “What is a MobyWrap?” And then I
thought, “I love this idea! I want to wear my baby, too!” I researched
where to purchase a MobyWrap in my local area, and I bought it that
same day.
Why I Love the MobyWrap
I strongly believe wearing Zhen in the MobyWrap deepened our
connection. Moments when I’d usually have to put her down, I didn’t
have to when she was inside the MobyWrap. It was nice to be able to
carry her while doing the dishes, washing the laundry, and moving
around the house.
When my family and I would go out to the store or an event, I wanted
to wear Zhen in the MobyWrap rather than put her in a stroller. Of
course, there were times I had to put her in the stroller. But I if I
didn’t have to use the stroller, I would carry Zhen in the MobyWrap as
much as I possibly could.
In June 2015, I had my fourth baby Zechariah. And with him, I used the
MobyWrap just like I did with Zhen. Again, the bonding experience was
amazing.
Babywearing My Toddler
But babywearing does not have to end at the age of 12 months. Did you
know you can continue to wear your baby even as a toddler?
Zechariah is now 15 months old, and I still wear him in a baby
carrier. The only difference is I use a Boba carrier because he is a
little bigger. The Boba is shaped like a book bag in a way. It’s great
for carrying your small baby in the front position on your chest. Once
baby gets bigger, you can carry your baby on your back. That’s how I
carry Zechariah now and he loves it!
How I Use the Boba
We like to attend events and festivals in our community. I usually
carry Zechariah in the Boba at the events. He is less fussy, and he
feels more included with what we are doing because he is right there
with me the entire time.
My husband also wears the Boba and carries Zechariah on his back. It’s
the sweetest thing! Sometimes my 16-year-old son Elijah will carry
Zechariah in the carrier. He enjoys carrying Zechariah on his back, as
well. He likes to take his baby brother to the playground or out for walks.
When Zechariah is fussy or just wants to be held, I use the Boba at
home. I carry him either on my back or chest, depending on how he
feels. If he needs more snuggle time, then I carry him in the front
position. But if he’s happy and just wants to be with Mommy, then I
carry him on my back. It works out great because I am able to still
get house cleaning done and other projects around the house.
Babywearing during infancy and the toddler years is a wonderful
bonding experience. I loved wearing my babies when they were small
because the feeling of having them close to me, I feel, strengthened
our connection. And now that my son is 15 months old, I still enjoy
carrying him in a baby carrier. It is more convenient and he feels
more secure being with me.
I wish I would have known about babywearing when my older children
were babies. I know I would have loved connecting with them in the
ways I have connected with my younger children.
About Guest Blogger: Jennifer is a wife, mom of four children, home educator, and
photographer. In March 2015, Jennifer and her family relocated to the
greater Detroit area after her husband medically separated from the
Army. Jennifer enjoys photography, reading, the arts, and spending
time with her family. She writes about family life on her blog Good
Life Detroit.
Facebook: @goodlifedetroit
Instagram: @goodlifedetroit
Pinterest: @goodlifedetroit
Twitter: @goodlifedetroit
Blog Website: www.goodlifedetroit.com
