Adventures in Babywearing – My Velcro Baby

Norton and me on the trail up to Bridal Falls. Sling: Heart 2 Heart

When Norton was tiny, he was okay with not being held.  In fact, he preferred it.  We didn’t do a whole lot of babywearing, but when we did, it was because we were going to truly have some adventures in babywearing.  Our adventures in babywearing were of the outdoor variety.  I carried him in a Heart 2 Heart ring sling when we went to Hell’s Gate and Bridal Falls.  I wore him in a Snugli when we went to  the Ancient Forest.  (I’ve since learned that the Snugli style of carrier are referred to as “crotch danglers” and are not the best option.)  Our attempts at adventures in babywearing with a Moby wrap didn’t go so well, but probably because I waited too long to try it.  It was okay when we got the Ergo carrier, but again, at that point, he was over being worn.

Norton and me at the Ancient Forest. Carrier – Snugli

Eudora, however, is a Velcro baby.  She’s happiest when she’s stuck to me, and makes a screech like peeling back Velcro when I try to put her down.  That means that I’ve had a lot more adventures in babywearing with her… even though these adventures have been of the more mundane sort, like a walk around the neighborhood, shopping, and things of that nature.  I’ve also worn her in our Moby wrap when trying to eat dinner at my mother-in-law’s house.

It’s funny; with Norton, I always thought that babywearing around the house was something that other people did.  People who were more into green parenting than me, people who were somehow more into crunchy parenting than me…  You know, people who were just plain more mom than me.  I thought it was a trend statement that just never worked out for me and Norton.  With Eudora, though, I have a different perspective: sometimes, babywearing is done out of necessity.

Wearing Eudora in the Moby wrap

I’m not particularly in love with having her attached to me at all times.  There are times that I would love nothing more than to have her let me be so that I could do stuff.  But at the same time, I have this feeling of being needed by her that I never had with my boys.  And that’s pretty nice.

Even though I’d like to wear her a little less, her love of being attached to me has me looking forward to adventures in babywearing with both of my kids.  I’m really looking forward to attempting a hike with Norton in the Ergo carrier on my back and Eudora in the Moby wrap on my front.  It’ll make some of my shorter hikes a bit more challenging, and it’ll be a way for my babies to get to enjoy the woods.

Have you had your own adventures in babywearing?  What was your preferred carrier or wrap?