Babywearers teach carrying techniques
Several mothers learned various techniques of “baby wearing” on Saturday at a meeting held by the Southern Maryland chapter of Babywearing International, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting baby wearing as a universally accepted practice. At the free-to-attend meeting held at Grace Lutheran Church in La Plata, volunteer instructors taught mothers how to properly fasten their child with the woven wraps.
“Babies do better mentally and physically when they’re close to their mom,” explained Ellen Blumhardt, a volunteer baby wearing educator. “They’re close to you, so they feel more secure.”
Baby wearers find numerous benefits to the practice, making it
easier climb stairs or accomplishing tasks that require two hands, for example.
“You can get stuff done around the house. It’s great for naps,” Blumhardt said. “I use it regularly as a bedtime tool because it calms him down immediately. There’s just a whole lot of different benefits, and I love it. And I love sharing it with other people.”
BWI of Southern Maryland hosts free meetings in Charles, Calvert, St. Mary’s and Anne Arundel counties, and encourages others to attend. If one would like to become a member, the organization owns a library of woven wraps that may be borrowed. Annual dues are $30, allowing baby wearers to rent different carriers each month to try various different carrying techniques to find the ideal fit.
For more information, go to bwisomd.org