Baby Slingin Dads

[MeghansDad]

Im hopin its not just me but when your babywearin do alot of folks look at you weird? Like its a mix between a child being seen with the father let alone the father actually wearing the baby.

Whats your experience?

[hookahgirl]

haha, everyone looks at my DH like he has lost it. he just smiles.
Like he says "there is NOTHING manly about pushing your tiny baby around in a huge stroller that is pastel plaid and has little animals on it" :LOL
Keep on wearing your babe, and smile like you know something they dont, cause you do!! Babywearing is where its at!!!

[tootpapa]

Sometimes

I'm lucky to be living in Germany where baby wearing by moms and dads is much more common than most places in the States. But there still aren't so many dads who practice this here. I do get some funny looks from mostly older men and an occasional macho younger type. I feel sad for them, honestly, because they are cutting themselves off from such a wonderful experience. Having a child and being close to them is an incredible opportunity for men to reclaim some of the humanity that has been socialized out of us. All this crap about what it means to be a man is just that - crap! Women usually don't give me stupid looks, they seem to like it.

When I get funny looks I either stare back in a non-confrontational way (people get really nervous when they realize they are being stared at, too, and often emabarassed at their own behavior). Or I talk to my dd and say something like "what a shame, they don't seem to understand" or "we don't care, we love being together". It may be a bit silly but it makes me feel better.

[MeghansDad]

it is true, some men just dont know what they are missing. In my area i know of about 2 or 3 other men who wear their child.

[rozzie'sma]

My dh is in the military and slings dd all the time. You should see the looks he gets from other people around the base. He doesn't care, he says the only look he cares about is from dd, and she is smiling.

[MeghansDad]

thats great! Im sure the military can be rough on a guy doing what could be considered a non macho thing. on a sid enote does have a olive drab or camo sling? that would be perfect

[rdl2k5]

Interestingly enough.. Firstly my response. I typically don't do the carrier in public thing. Our 10 month old is just as happy or happier in the stroller so she can look out and alert the world that she is on the way. At home when it's nap or sleep time, I'm happy to do the carrier but it's just not that big of a deal to me. One thing I won't do is "hold the baby" If I'm going to hold her, she's going in the sling. I get tired "holding the baby" but in the carrier isn't "holding the baby to me"

You were talking about the military. My dad was an officer in the Air Force during the early parts of the Vietnam War. He was talking to me recently about how as an officer he was instructed to never have anything in his hands. No umbrella, no baby, etc. When it was raining, he was to wear his rain covers and his wife was to hold her own umbrella. (This is military talking, not my dad saying "This is how it should be") My dad said the words "I really never held any of you children and know that was a mistake" It's interesting that he doesn't have much closeness to his kids now. I'm cordial with him and we spend some time together but at 30 years old I'm too old and busy to worry about fixing the past etc.

Has anyone else ever heard this? It actually makes some sense to me about the public issue (not at home of course) I can understand how at some point that a man in uniform would do this. I don't think this is the case now but I could be wrong.

(I just don't worry too much about the carrier in public thing. I go out with our daughter all the time and do things, we just don't do the sling. The sling was definitely more suited to her when she was younger. She doesn't really like being confined if she's not sleeping in it these days)

[bayviewbill33]

I wore my son a little and wear my daughter. I love it.

[eightyferrettoes]

DH slings MUCH more often than I do; he can't just stick a boob in to make the fussing stop.

And the baby is a chunk, so just walking around Home Depot with the sling is more of a workout than going to the gym these days. Everyone seems to think it's really cool.

ETA: DH is in the military-- I guess officially he should have a plain black sling, but it's not like he's really using the sling when he's in uniform. As soon as work is over, he changes clothes and hightails it home. Then nobody cares that the thing is purple and orange striped.

[crissei]

We are looked at strangely no matter who wears DS. But we live in the boonies

[changa]

Originally Posted by crissei

We are looked at strangely no matter who wears DS. Buy we live in the boonies

heh. I had to double-check, because I thought you might be my DW. Just yesterday a mom asked her 4-y-o, "Did you see the man with his baby?!" I feel all proud in those moments, because I'm being a good dad and showing it off too.

I bought diapers yesterday, (ran outta CD on a car journey) and ds chucked the wipes on the floor (new trick!) I said, "That requires effort you know!" A woman swooped down out of the clothing racks and handed them to me! If I were single, he'd be my wing-man anyday.

[mom2PJS]

DH gets some strange looks. Last week someone actually came up and suggested he get a Baby Bjorn or a backpack... he smiled and said "We have them but they aren't as comfortable and don't work as well"

[Aeress]

my dh loves putting my dd in the sling and he is very proud of it. we have a purple one and a green one, so he feels comfortable since it doesn't look to feminine and because of him wearing it, he has three other manly dads wearinf their babes !!!!!!!!!

[graceshappymum]

dh wears dd all the time.....he gets his share of strange looks as well as solicitous advice from older women on how to raise baby, care for baby etc, etc...he just smiles....a proud baby wearing papa!

[Jenivere]

I wanted to jump in to say that my husband has used a sling with both our kids and had nothing but positive reponses.

[clavicula]

dh likes to wear dd so much! people look at him like he was an alien....

[momeeboys]

My DH says a lot more older asian women smile approvingly at him when he wears our one-yo DS. If anyone is looking at him weird, he doesn't notice.

And he thinks babywearing is a chick magnet, anyway. "Better than a puppy." he says.

[rmzbm]

My DH LOVES wearing our daughter & has gotten nothing but positive comments!!

[EastonsMom]

Originally Posted by rozzie'sma

My dh is in the military and slings dd all the time. You should see the looks he gets from other people around the base. He doesn't care, he says the only look he cares about is from dd, and she is smiling.

Same here!! I am so proud of him!!!! He loves it. At first he was insecure about ds falling out but now he has the hang of. He gets alot of approving looks from grandmas and asians, (alot on base.) DS loves being slung by whoever so it is awin win situation. Since I sell them now it is a real selling point.

[rozzie'sma]

Originally Posted by rdl2k5

Interestingly enough.. Firstly my response. I typically don't do the carrier in public thing. Our 10 month old is just as happy or happier in the stroller so she can look out and alert the world that she is on the way. At home when it's nap or sleep time, I'm happy to do the carrier but it's just not that big of a deal to me. One thing I won't do is "hold the baby" If I'm going to hold her, she's going in the sling. I get tired "holding the baby" but in the carrier isn't "holding the baby to me"

You were talking about the military. My dad was an officer in the Air Force during the early parts of the Vietnam War. He was talking to me recently about how as an officer he was instructed to never have anything in his hands. No umbrella, no baby, etc. When it was raining, he was to wear his rain covers and his wife was to hold her own umbrella. (This is military talking, not my dad saying "This is how it should be") My dad said the words "I really never held any of you children and know that was a mistake" It's interesting that he doesn't have much closeness to his kids now. I'm cordial with him and we spend some time together but at 30 years old I'm too old and busy to worry about fixing the past etc.

Has anyone else ever heard this? It actually makes some sense to me about the public issue (not at home of course) I can understand how at some point that a man in uniform would do this. I don't think this is the case now but I could be wrong.

(I just don't worry too much about the carrier in public thing. I go out with our daughter all the time and do things, we just don't do the sling. The sling was definitely more suited to her when she was younger. She doesn't really like being confined if she's not sleeping in it these days)

The reason they can't have stuff in their hands is so they can salute. Dh doesn't wear her in uniform but he ONLY wears his uniform at work. And if he works night he wears civilian clothes most of the time. He wears her at BBQ, and the comissary, and just when were out and about. Anyway here is a pic of him with her on his back in the Ellaroo at Thanksgiving. So cute
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...a/IMAG0200.jpg