Above image is called a ring sling :) You can use this to carry your baby around in different positions appropriate for your baby's age. It's so much convenient to bring instead of the bulky stroller :) Masakit nga lang siguro sa balikat pag masyado matagal dala at kung mabigat masyado si baby :)
I bought one yesterday for Khalel! Kasi na-inspire ako dun sa nakita kong mommy sa Shang nung weekend.. She had one like this, syempre her baby was inside, tapos the baby was breastfeeding while she was shopping, without being exposed :) Yahooooo!!! Puwede na ulit ako mag-mall at a leisurely pace, kahit magbreastfeed si Khalel all the time :) Yun nga lang, I'm sure I'll get lots of stares. Hay naku. Eh yung naka-poncho nga ako minsan sa malls to cover Khalel, meron nang tumitingin eh, yun pa kaya :) Pero kebs!
My new boss who's Singaporean actually commented that Filipinos are very conservative pa when it comes to breastfeeding. Sa Singapore daw, kahit sa MRT merong nagpapa-breastfeed and towel lang yung gamit nila pang-takip. Good luck kung gawin ko yan sa MRT dito :)
This one above is another type of baby carrier - it's called a baby pouch :) Meron din ako ganito pero nahihirapan ako gamitin, parang ang sikip kasi ni baby sa loob. Pero baka kasi hindi lang ako marunong gumamit :) It's measured against the wearer's body so di sya puwede gamitin ng ibang tao (aka ako lang puwede magbitbit kay Khalel) kung di kami magka-body built. Kaya I'm excited to use the ring sling! :) Puwede gamitin ni Jai, ni Mikey, ni Tonette para may ka-salitan ako magbuhat kay Khalel when we're out :) But because of the design, good luck kung pumayag si Jai isuot :)
But what's good about these 2 carriers is you can use them from newborns to toddlers :) Cool diba! Iba-iba lang ang positions dapat :)
----
I posted above photos because these 2 are used around the world to wear babies while you go about daily chores - it's a lifestyle called babywearing. I actually see this in documentaries, usually those shot in poor countries like India, because women have to return to hard labor right after giving birth at hindi naman uso ang yaya sa kanila. So no choice sila pero dalhin ang babies nila, but they have to have both hands free.
Diba babies like to be snuggled? :) That's why babywearing is good :) Babies talaga like being near warm bodies. Pag pinapa-crawl ko sa bed si Khalel, he always moves towards me or basta kung saan merong tao. They really gravitate towards people :) And since you can take them anywhere using these, they see a lot more of the world and in different angles pa, kaysa yung nakahiga sila sa stroller :) They learn more and they learn faster when they're worn.
----
In books I've read, there's a lot of debate surrounding these topics:
- pag-"hele"
- always responding to your baby's cries
- carrying your baby everywhere (hence my post above)
- co-sleeping with your baby vs using a crib
at marami pang iba, kalimot ko lang :)
I say yes to all these! We do "hele" Khalel, we always respond to his cries, we carry him as much and as often as he wants, and we sleep with Khalel!
They say baka maging spoiled, but I read somewhere that babies have to learn to be dependent in his early months to become independent later on in life. And I now agree :) Kawawa naman kasi kung di sila pansinin :) At maya-maya, ayaw na nila magpa-karga or magpa-cuddle, ako naman yung malulungkot :( Some parents let their babies "cry it out," di ko talaga magawa. Plano ko 'to dati pero di ko pala kaya :) I'll gradually wean him when he's a bit older, like 6mos, pero ngayong maliit pa siya, I'll address his every need. Actually, it was Jai who taught me (prior to me reading the very good "Baby Book" by Dr. Sears - available in Powerbooks hehehe plugging) na wag namin hayaan umiyak lang si Khalel, galing nga eh :)
I guess kanya-kanyang parenting style talaga. What works for some mothers may not work for me and vice versa. Yun lang minsan kainis pag merong nakekealam na "ay, ano ba yan, laging binubuhat" or "hayaan mo kaya muna umiyak," grr. Anak niyo ba??? Hehe. Pero sige guilty rin ako dito kasi pag may nakikita naman akong baby na hinahayaan lang umiyak ng mommy, naiinis din ako :P Baka ganun lang style niya talaga :) Wag lang yung pinapalo talaga ng malakas ha, kasi yun talaga nakakainis :(
----
I have to think of other topics besides Khalel :P
