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| Cute, right? I got this fabric at Thimble Pleasures in Carrboro, NC, years ago, with intentions of making a cute purse out of it. I still have the pattern. Maybe someday… |
One thing that has been on my mind lately is babywearing. Specifically, why is it considered crunchy? I know it can really interfere with a cute outfit (both yours and the baby’s, which are rendered invisible, regardless of whether you choose the Ergo, the Snuggli, the Moby, the Bjorn or what have you). So maybe that is why it’s crunchy? I just think it’s functional.
For example, last week I had to do a super secret errand at REI (which isn’t so super secret anymore, I had to get Dan his anniversary present, which I gave to him the day of our anniversary at 6:58am, even though I was meeting a friend for a run at 7, and even though when I asked him if he wanted his present now or later, he said later, I just couldn’t wait! It was a sleeping bag). Anyway, I hate to put the carseat on top of a shopping cart because I can’t really see over the baby, which makes it very hard to see where I’m going. Also, I have a bad habit of walking away from my shopping cart and forgetting where I left it. I’ve also had several nightmares about losing Sweet Pea in a store. So I put her in the Ergo carrier, and off we went.
The Ergo is handy other times, too. Like when we take the bus, it’s much easier than having to deal with a stroller. I like it in the supermarket for the same reason I liked it at REI, but also because it gives me more room in the shopping cart. When she’s really being fussy and I NEED to do something, I put her in there too. I will tell you, it’s not really fun for the back (you can only do chores so ergonomically with a baby strapped to you, regardless of the name of your baby carrier), but it beats having a messy house when you are expecting company.
Now, I’m not going to say I’m not crunchy. That’s another blog post entirely. But seriously, if Nancy (Mary Louise Parker) carries Stevie in a Baby Bjorn on Weeds (which I am totally addicted to, but don’t tell me anything, I am still on Season Six), how can babywearing be crunchy?
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| Does this look crunchy to you? |
Though I read somewhere that the Baby Bjorn is the anti-crunch alternative to any other babywearing device, which is another thing I totally don’t understand.
Now, as far as homebirth, cloth diapering, saving our scraps for the chickens or the worms… I get why that’s all crunchy. But can someone help me out here and explain exactly why is babywearing crunchy? And, as a corollary, why is it not crunchy if you use a Baby Bjorn?
I think baby wearing is invaluable. It lets you just get things done with a calm, typically napping, kiddo.But I am not the right person to ask about the crunchality of it–I have been known to be somewhat crunchy myself.Dan
I dont care what you call it, our ergo gets a ton of use. He’s finally at the point where we can put him on my back and he loves it!
They are not crunchy.We have 5 different carriers, and we are very far from crunchy… One could argue that the Moby is a little crunchy (and I used to be one of those “ones”), but it’s also the most convenient and versatile.
I babywore a lot with Audrey. Much easier than a stroller or car seat when out and about and she loved it! I only stopped once she became ambulatory. Bjorns are the most common brand IMO so maybe that’s why they are less crunchy? Who knows.
It’s not the baby wearing *sometimes* that’s crunchy. It’s wearing the baby all the time, as much as possible, aka attachment parenting that’s crunchy.
I think Dara hit the nail on the head….. At the NC birth center they have a course on baby wearing by the midwives. It goes along with the skin on skin thing….carry your baby in your arms not in a stroller, swing, other impersonal device etc. I agree with your questioning…….I have had very similar thoughts about this one :).
Thanks all for your insightful comments! Dara, you win the prize for solving the mystery:)
To reiterate Dara’s point, it’s the association of attachment parenting (considered very crunchy, like extra-crunchy peanut butter) to babywearing that gives it that title of ‘crunchy’. However, the Bjorn is generally looked down on by the attachment parenting community because most believe you should wear with your child facing in when the Bjorn has the ‘facing out’ option.