Do you ever feel like the only baby wearer?

[Abismommy]

I swear I do I have seen maybe 3 mama's the last 20 months that baby wear. I love my MT! I love wearing my tot on my back and letting my DD (3 weeks) sleep when we go out. The looks I get are somewhat annoying and funny at the same time. The other day I was in Publix grocery store. I was wearing DD (20 mos) on my back and was carrying DD #2 in my arms giving her a bottle of BM..wowza if you could have seen this one lady giving my a downright dirty look. I felt so mad that she was just looking at me like that. Are there ways I can find other mama's in my area that love to baby wear? I am kind of new to it all and would love to meet others..lol. Plus I need to get a way for DP to wear our babies..

[Kiara.I]

There are lots of groups listed on thebabywearer.com . You can either hunt for them yourself, or tell us where you live and we can try to contact one for you!

As to getting your DP to wear the babies, has s/he shown any interest in it? Because you can lead a horse to water...but you cannot MAKE a co-parent babywear.

However, taking them to a babywearing meetup where they can try other kinds of carriers, see that there ARE other people out there who babywear, and then letting them get a carrier of a type and colour/design that they LOVE are probably your best bets. Good luck!

[jackiescoth]

Not really, I feel that I am not the only baby wearer here.

[baturay]

Hopefully you will be able to find a babywearing group near you. It makes such a difference to be around others who are like-minded. Plus, you also get to try a bunch of carriers at meetings too!

[MegBoz]

Yes! I live in a densely populated area - suburb just north of Baltimore. TONS of people & kids. I've spotted other babywearers just a handful of times in the 7 mos I've been babywearing. I too get all sorts of odd looks & comments.

As for finding other babywearers - try the website meetup, yahoogroups, as well as thebabywearing.com site. LLL too. You may want to look for "natural parenting" or "Attachment parenting" & not just BW groups specifically.

[Jezzy]

Yes! people think I am nuts here!

[Leisha]

I don't see *many* babywearers over here, but some.

They are, however, almost all using a Baby Bjorn.
I've seen a few (like 1 or 2) people with wraps ("tricot slen") but that's about it...
Oh yeah one friend has a mei tai! And another one of my friends who had a baby a month ago, ordered a Beco after seeing my one

[Whistler]

I carried both of my babies on my back in an African-style baby cloth. You better believe I got some odd looks! I got over it though. It was so comfy and convenient and they thought they were being held all the time... it was great.

Pic here: http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...n/DSC01113.jpg

[evermore82]

I see babywearing about 5-10% of the time. It's becoming more common around here, at least on and off. I do get a lot of comments, mostly positive, some negative (a lot of the negatives are apparently under the impression that I am spoiling my children by constantly wearing them--I always politely argue back and point out the positives).

Just about everyone in my LLL group babywears. If nothing else, though I see a lot of Snugglis and Bijorns everywhere else. I do carry around business cards for Babyhawk and my friend (who makes pouches) to hand out to those who are interested in babywearing. Share the love, right? :

[columbusmomma]

See it lots around here!

[Abismommy]

Originally Posted by Whistler

I carried both of my babies on my back in an African-style baby cloth. You better believe I got some odd looks! I got over it though. It was so comfy and convenient and they thought they were being held all the time... it was great.

Pic here: http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...n/DSC01113.jpg

Oooh I love that!

[bandyr]

Whistler, your wrap is lovely!!! Since moving to OK, we have found a pocket of babywearers (thanks to LLL and API groups). And then there are people who stop you as you're hoisting a toddler on your back with, "Are you ok with that?!? It looks like your gonna drop 'er!" Which, of course, hits you just as you need to concentrate just a wee bit. Or, the people who ask if you're scared with your child on your back. "Aren't you worried she'll fall out of that thing?!" Or those who, having lived here all their lives, think that 50 degree weather means you shouldn't be able to see a small child due to heavy clothing and suggest they're freezing to death on your back! Uh, yes, those times do make you feel alone!

SAHM to 2 nurslings

[MoonStarFalling]

Ooh torso carry was my favorite but I never did it in public because I knew people would freak out!

I know babywearers around here but for the size of the town it's not nearly as many as you'd think! I can't understand why I don't see people babywearing at every corner. I've started seeing a lot more bjornish things though.... that's good I guess. It's just strange seeing little babies facing forward and dangling like that.

[To-Fu]

Thankfully, no. I live in a pretty liberal, natural-family-loving city and I see a ton of other babywearing mamas throughout the day. It's nice, I must say.

[amlikam]

most of the time I get odd looks because I use a wrap and not a snugli type thing (DH uses a snugli- but I am just greatful he babywears so let him use what he wants!)

but never do I get odd looks for carrying DD.... though I get PLENTY of comments from family friends, coworkers...

Heck this morning my co-worker asked if my stroller was broken after I casually mentioned how I was famished after carrying DD and walking around all day. I was like no all 3 are okay- its just a pain in the neck to use them and carrying is so easy. Then she proceeded to tell me how umbrella strollers are awesome for that. (I own one- just think carrying is MUCH easier and I know where DD is ALL the time- and I get to cuddle)

but I digress....

[munchymum]

Hardly see any here in a pretty traditional bit of UK but when you do see someone wearing a baby, I love that you give each other massive smiles! It's like a secret club.

[Onemagicmummy]

im in UK too, im my little area im the ONLY babywearer i know of, there are a few others but they live in diferent areas.

when DD was a tiny baby i wore her from day 3 untill 4 months solid, prety much 24/7 except to eat, change diaper, cook, bathe, sleep. she was in the wrap from 8.15am till 4pm except for above as it was easier for me having her and 3 other kids and having to do school runs, which took and hour, twice a day.

i got some funny looks, funny comments, stupid questions, told it was too dangerous! had people messing with my carrier. basicaly looked at like i was a complete freak for daring to hold my baby instead of sticking her in a pram. this was all in the school yard!!!!

i loved babywearing, i miss babywearing, i cant wait till i can babywear again. i had to stop when DD2 was 11 month old as i hurt my hip and could not hold ehr weight anymore, (sob sob she is only 22lb i feel like such a lightweight) and i am now 18
weeks pregnant and starting to suffer softening ligaments and gettign hip pain so carrying DD is out of the question, i wont babywear again till new baby is born.

Kiz

[almadianna]

yes... yes i do.

i have a small group of friends that babywear and those are theonly people that i know that do it.

[winter singer]

It's slowly becoming more common in the small town where I live in central France. In particular, wraps seem to be catching on, and you see the odd Bjorn too.

DD and I took a baby massage class here with five other parent-baby couples and two of the other babies arrived in a wrap at the classes, with the other three arriving in bucket seats. Of course that might not really be a representative sample, since I guess the people who are attracted to baby massage classes might also be people who are more likely to wear their babies.....

Nobody I know here apart from us has a ring sling or a SSC. I get tons of comments about them, and they're overwhelmingly positive - usually along the lines of "oh she must be nice and warm there' or "that must be comfortable for her, next to her mama". The only negative things I've heard were actually overheard rather than directly said to me. (Someone said my poor baby must not be able to see very well - this was when she was very small and her head was mostly covered by the sling - and someone else just said they found the sling bizarre.)

Earlier this year we went down to the south of France and into northern Spain on a holiday and the ring sling was a great ice-breaker. We got tons of comments, again overwhelmingly positive. I think this will definitely become a mainstream thing eventually.

[4Blessings]

I had a woman approach me in the store the other day to admire my ring sling. She said she used one when her kids were babies but, "Never when they were that old!!".

DD is 14 months

I do feel like an oddball most of the time. My neighbors give me a hard time about wearing her in the Cozy. While their babies sit silently in their strollers...