"I wish we had those when I was a young mom"

GLGB

While wearing my moby I have gotten this exact comment twice.  Once at church and once during a baby shower.  I really want to tell them that they did; it's called 5 yards of fabric, but I just smile and say that it is very nice to have. 

When did baby wearing become a brand new concept?

vanfox

Heh, when DS was a newborn, I pretty much always had him in the Moby when we went outside and it seemed like everyone over 60 years old marveled over it. My 70 year old next-door neighbor said, "The things they have for women these days!" I always just smiled and nodded, too.

ghm

Yes, it's been around for ages, but it's not the norm in the US, at least not 50 years ago, or 30 years ago. My SIL's stepfather said he wore his kids in a carrier. Of course, he said this to me after people acted like I had 3 heads, so it was a "hey, I was the odd one out" kind of deal, but still...

 

 

Yeah, they had those all the way across the ocean in some foreign land when our parents or grandparents had kids. They also didn't have the internet to teach them about it, so it's weird to think that they SHOULD have or would hardly have any way of knowing about it.  

JOEBunny

I live near an area of Atlanta where a lot of refugees are resettled called Clarkston.  Many are from different parts of Africa.  I have had more than one 70+ year old women come up to me and say that they remember carrying their babies that way.  Let's face it, Americans as a rule where not baby wearing much in the previous 60 years, though it was not uncommon prior to that in some circles.

RunningGal900

My mom is fascinated by my wrap, but she wore me as a baby. I actually get a lot f comments from moms that they love my carriers and that they used them but theirs weren't nearly as pretty as mine.

BostonGayGal

My grandfather made one for my grandmother while on leave before his second tour of duty in WWII so that she could carry my mother and then her sister around town and to church. 

I wonder whether he saw one somewhere while he was away or whether he had the idea himself. I will have to ask. 

GHBEA

I was baby wearing 20 years ago with my oldest.  I knew only one ther mom who also baby wore but she quit  when her LO was 3 months old.  I went on for 3 years.

 

kcisthebombdotcom

My dad thinks I'm going to suffocate the baby in my ergo because he saw the news article on those babies dying from that infantino carrier.

C-Charm

KC_13:

My dad thinks I'm going to suffocate the baby in my ergo because he saw the news article on those babies dying from that infantino carrier.

Argh!  When that CSPC recall came out in March 2010 it seemed like EVERYBODY on the D. C. Metro (light rail) was practically harrassing me about my wraps out of concern for my DD.

KatieB19

I get that comment too.  And I have a DIY that's 4.5 yards of gauze purchased from the fabric store, and it's poorly hemmed to boot.  The first time, I didn't even know what to say!  I just kind of stared at the poor woman trying to think of something other than, "ummm, I'm pretty sure they had fabric back the day!"

ghm

EllaHella:

We are fortunate enough to live in a time where we can learn "new" concepts via multiple sources.  Back in the day, women learned everything they knew through their family and community.  If babywearing wasn't a tradition, it wasn't passed down to the next generation. 

And much like formula, strollers were a status symbol.  You didn't have to wear your baby.  You could afford a stroller. 

I think we have to look at it from a cultural/historical aspect before we judge some random old lady. 

 ETA- I said "new concepts" because to many BWing is a new concept...to them.  Sure it is ancient but it is just now gaining popularity in the states.  I am very thankful for this Board because I would not have known anything about BWing prior. 

Ahhhhh, someone else with some sense around here! 

skyejo

I was in Target last night with LO in the Ergo and the cashier (late 20s) couldn't get over the fact that I was using a carrier.  She said it looked impossible to get on, but that LO looked so comfortable and happy.  I guess it was a brand new thing to her!

fannystuffs

We were gone for 3 days this weekend for DH's cousin's wedding. I used the moby on Friday while we helped set up for the wedding and my Girasol on Sat for the main event. All of DH's aunts were marveled and glad to see that I had LO wrapped on me. One of his aunts said, "I wish this was around when my daughter (the bride, 27 y.o.) was a baby." She corrected herself, "I'm sure women have been using this for ages, I meant, I wish I would've been introduced to it." 

madelinemurski606

lachute:

When my MIL had my DH and his brother, she went to Laleche meetings and they gave her a baby carrier/wrap/sling of some sort, when i wore my son recently she made a comment about it and how she lugged them around for 9 months and was not doing it any further. 

that pretty much defines her as a mother. 

This made me laugh pretty hard. I think we have the same kind of MIL. I catch it all the time. But yes, today I got that same comment of "they didn't have it when I was going through all that" like 10jillion times. I am moving from an area where babywearing is common to where it is just crazy unheard of.