Positive comments about babywearing

[batsister]

I just returned from an academic conference (I'm a grad student) that I attended with my 3.5-month-old in tow. I didn't take a stroller, so I was wearing him (in a mei tai or ring sling) pretty much all the time. I wanted to share some of the positive babywearing-related interactions I experienced:
-a professor complimented my sling
-a vendor said how comfy my son looked "all warm and squishy against mom, up where he can see everything"
-a random lady at the airport told me how great it was that I was carrying my son in a sling and that cuddling babies was so important, etc.
-a hotel employee asked me about how I liked my carrier b/c he and his wife were expecting their first baby and she wanted to wear the baby and he was skeptical... so I told him my opinion
-a pregnant lady at the airport asked me about my sling and whether it was good for traveling because "I'll be there in a few months"
-a fellow conference attendee said, "If my wife were here, she'd say, 'good for you for wearing your baby'."
-another grad student asked me if it felt good to have my son with me, because he really missed his one-year-old (okay, that one's not directly related to babywearing... oh well)
-other people just said he looked comfy, happy, etc.

No negative comments at all... it was great! Just wanted to share.

[AFWife]

I've gotten funny looks but no negative comments

It's mostly the older generations that love seeing me wear DS. I have an Ergo (Bjorn before that). I get a lot of "Sitting close to Mama's heart" and "he looks so cozy" comments.

I also love the reaction I get from kids. They're always so curious!

[Momma Moo Martin]

Aww...that's so great!

[Oliver's Mama]

The only comment that stands out in my memory is some stranger in a restaurant said.. "oh my gosh, there's a baby in there!" as if.. what.. It's more normal to wear a sling full of bananas or something?? She was at a table next to me, so it was said rather loud, but not to me, though.

[batsister]

Originally Posted by Oliver's Mama

The only comment that stands out in my memory is some stranger in a restaurant said.. "oh my gosh, there's a baby in there!" as if.. what.. It's more normal to wear a sling full of bananas or something?? She was at a table next to me, so it was said rather loud, but not to me, though.

That's funny... but I guess you never know. While in Peru, we saw people carrying just about everything in blankets tied around them (stuff they were bringing to market to sell, stuff they bought at the market, babies, kids, livestock (kids were wearing lambs, etc.)).

[anotherpeanut]

Thats so awesome! The only odd comments I ever received were concerned about his safety in a moby! "Ummmm, how do you know he's safe in there? what if he falls out?" I was like he's wrapped in here pretty well, even if it comes untied he's still secure, don't worry! And sheesh did they think I was just going to toss him in there and not check to make sure he was contained? I loved babywearing, and I'll be doing much more of it with #2! #1 got a little too heavy and busy after awhile!

[Red Pajama]

Almsot every time I use my sling in a public place I get comments. I should get paid by the company that makes them since I do so much advertising.

[lifeguard]

I always get positive comments. My favourite by far was by a little girl "That lady has a baby in a bag!" - too funny!

[mama2mygirl]

Originally Posted by Oliver's Mama

The only comment that stands out in my memory is some stranger in a restaurant said.. "oh my gosh, there's a baby in there!" as if.. what.. It's more normal to wear a sling full of bananas or something?? She was at a table next to me, so it was said rather loud, but not to me, though.

My dh got that when we went into our local yarn shop. The woman talked to us a long time before our new baby stuck her arm out. Then the woman said, "Oh! Have you got a baby in there?"
Another time a woman asked to see how I was using the sling.
*I* stopped a Mama nursing her toddler in the Ergo and asked if I could see how she was doing it. (Now I can't believe I was that bold but it was soooo useful.)

[Blueone]

I had one mom asking me where I got my Moby, she had a baby under a month old.

At the airport I've gotten lots of people saying how nice it was and how they didn't have anything like that when they had little ones. One mom actually looked at me and said she wanted to do that, she was waiting for a stroller.

One person at my church asked about that, his wife was expecting. I had a discussion about good carriers with her and told her she'd need one. She wasn't so sure, but I'm sure she'll learn!

[aet.tea]

I get lots of positive and curious comments, but always find it funny when people come out with the "they didn't have that back when I was a parent" line - of course "they" did, in almost every place in the world except Euro-America!

OP - just curious, what field are you in? I can imagine academics in some fields being much more open to babywearing than those in other fields!

[MittensKittens]

That's wonderful! I have noticed that more and more people think about babywearing positively, and know about it!

Where I am, it is usually the back carry that attracts strange comments, though I've heard the "baby in a bag" comment a few times too. And more recently "that's how gypsies carry their babies, don't you have money for a stroller!?". In fact, the only gypsies using mei teis around here are the ones that got it given to them by... me . I was wondering if that's what she saw, that would be awesome.

[buttercups.nest]

I made myself a Moby Wrap when my daughter was a baby and walked to my mom's work. I walked 4 blocks. Nice brisk walk. Yet mom still found it necessary to rush over and ask if she was going to fall out, if she was safe and OK.

I haven't gotten any comments myself when wearing my son but apparently a lot of people think that the babes aren't comfortable etc or they don't like it. My daughter wasn't crazy about the carriers but thats just her personality. My son on the other hand....

[CorasMama]

Originally Posted by MittensKittens

That's wonderful! I have noticed that more and more people think about babywearing positively, and know about it!

Where I am, it is usually the back carry that attracts strange comments, though I've heard the "baby in a bag" comment a few times too. And more recently "that's how gypsies carry their babies, don't you have money for a stroller!?". In fact, the only gypsies using mei teis around here are the ones that got it given to them by... me . I was wondering if that's what she saw, that would be awesome.

You meant to say Rom, right?

[April Dawn]

I've gotten some nice comments too when I'm out and about with my son in his Moby wrap - an older lady at the library once told me "Oh, how sweet! I have never seen a baby fuss in one of those, they are so happy!" Once when I was baby clothes shopping another mom with a baby about the same age as mine in a stroller stopped me to ask how to use the Moby wrap because she had one and couldn't figure it out. That was great - I showed her how and I hope she's using hers now!

The only negative comment has been from my maternal grandmother, who keeps saying "I just don't feel like he's safe in there!" My parents stick up for me when she says that, because they think the Moby wrap is great!

[batsister]

Originally Posted by aet.tea

OP - just curious, what field are you in? I can imagine academics in some fields being much more open to babywearing than those in other fields!

Biology. More specifically, behavior/ecology. A friendly bunch in general, and I got nothing but positive comments about having him at the conf. (of course, I was very careful to leave sessions if he started to get too vocal so as not to disturb anyone).

[MittensKittens]

Originally Posted by CorasMama

You meant to say Rom, right?

Roma, yes. We are in Eastern Europe. "Political correctness" is a foreign concept here, so I forget sometimes .

[*MamaJen*]

Oh yeah, I've gotten tons of good babywearing comments over the years. I think people especially love seeing newborns in pouch slings because they look all warm and cozy snuggled against mama.
Nowadays we mostly just use the Ergo back carry, and people always joke about what a good ride DS has.
People love seeing babywearing, for sure.

[*MamaJen*]

Yesterday in the grocery this adorable little girl, maybe three years old, was absolutely fascinated by the sight of DS in the Ergo. She wanted to know if I took him out to drive and sleep.