EMERGENCY BABYWEARING
How to safely go down flights of stairs with a baby in tow, post-disaster
With the large number of condo-dwellers in the Philippines, the frequent earthquakes are putting everyone on the edge, especially parents. It is a totally legitimate concern for many families with babies and toddlers who don’t have the capacity to walk on their own yet.
It is imperative that parents equip themselves with the proper knowledge and tools to be able to get the children to safety. Learning how to do so can also teach those who care for our children on how to handle emergency scenarios, most especially those who have to walk down 20+ floors with children.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT BABY CARRIER
Babywearing is a wonderful tool to help parents in an emergency. As a Certified Babywearing Consultant, I recommend a Soft Structured Carrier (SSC) rather than a hipseat or a wrap type carrier. While the latter two are perfectly safe and good types of carriers for daily use, SSCs provide more stability and agility if you will be walking down stairs from high floors. A wrap can take time that you might not have. Hipseats throw off your center of gravity and when you will be walking or maybe running down the stairs with people possibly shoving and pushing. You will be more inclined to tip forward with the weight of the seat and your baby pushing you forward. It is best to keep your baby in an ergonomic (legs supported from knee to knee), parent-facing carrier.
WHEN YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD
Families with toddlers can invest in toddler-sized carriers and practice the back carry. If your toddler is tall, he or she may block your line of sight, making it more prone for you both to fall down the stairs, thus back carries are very helpful. For those with a toddler and an infant, two infants, or two toddlers and are usually alone or leave their kids with just one caregiver, I highly suggest practicing how to tandem wear both kids as this may be the only way for you to get your children to safety.
Have your carriers ready and adjusted to the perfect fit, so you do not need to make anymore adjustments. Keep your carriers by the door together with your babywearing-friendly grab bag. Practice and do drills at home.
These tips can also be practiced by those not living in condos and can be helpful in any emergency situation. Roads may be impassable, so having a carrier in your grab bag may come in handy in case you will need to walk long distances to get to the nearest safe shelter.
For more information on the benefits of babywearing, join the support group Babywear Because You Care PH on Facebook or follow @blanchepennings on Instagram.
About the writer: Blanche Pennings is a mom of 2 boys, ages 2 years and 10 months and 14 months. She received her Babywearing Consultant certification from School of Babywearing UK in 2017 and was the first Certified Babywearing Consultant residing in the Philippines. She moved to Gelderland, The Netherlands in March 2019, but continues to manage her Facebook support group Babywear Because You Care PH from overseas.