Throwback Thursday in Honor of International Babywearing Week 2014

It's already five days into International Babywearing Week 2014 and only two days left. Bittersweet memories already in reflecting in the fun we've had in just a few days!

Wearing my third while at work. 

Today we are looking back on our personal babywearing adventures. I'd like to share a little bit of my babywearing journey with you!

I found babywearing with my eldest, back in 1999 when the Babywearing World was much different. The part that might be the most interesting about me finding babywearing back in a time when wearing was not very popular was it was actually my mother who got me into wearing.

Wearing my second at Cumberland Falls

In 1980 when I was born we lived in Alaska. My mother was a very outdoorsy type and she would often wander off into the woods to go hiking and camping for weeks at a time. On occasion she would take friends and other kiddos along with her on these trips. I remember being young and going through the photo albums of our adventures in Alaska. It was quite a site to see my petite, 90 pound mother with myself loaded on her back in one of her two carriers, (she had a framed backback and a carrier that was very similar to a common Soft Structure Carrier such as the Ergo) my four year old sister by her side, camping gear loaded up and her white german sheperd and dotson watching beside us all. A few times she actually showed me the Ergo-Like carrier that she had used with me and I remember touching the fairly worn carrier and marveling at how strong and amazing my mother was.

My Second Born in the new recalled SlingRider
but one of my first carriers. 

In 1999 I had two carriers I used with my first. A front style carrier that I used around the house and when we went into town. At that time I was a single, teenage mother so I was staying with my mother on her 30 acre farm and trips into town were infrequent! I also had a framed backpack style carrier that I used out working the horses and helping with chores once my eldest was able to sit unassisted.

Ten years passed between my first and my second. Having previous babywearing experience I knew that I wanted to wear my second born as well and I was in a few different online groups for parents at the time that had a few more natural oriented Mama's as members who in turn got me into the more modern day world of babywearing. At my baby shower my mother was very happy to gift me with the Infantino SlingRideer (Which has since been recalled) and I was excited to start my second babywearing journey. I bought myself a Moby as well and remember really wanting the beautiful woven wraps and slings that I had seen online.

My second and I enjoyed making DIY carriers together. 

I wore her once in the SlingRider at her follow up appointment after birth and decided it made me uncomfortable. I moved on to the Moby wrap which I liked quite a bit. I still really wanted all those pretty slings I kept seeing online but at the time, I had just quit my job to become a stay at home mom again with my second and it was just not within the budget to purchase them so I did a lot of research and started making my own.

There's many great tutorials online for making your own carriers. Sleeping Baby is probably my favorite for having the most information in one place. Her page features a great collection of education and resources as well as safety tips and information.

My very first woven wrap doing my first very carry!

Sometime later, on Mother's Day, I purchased my first woven wrap in lieu of accepting any other gifts I said that is what I wanted. I found a size 7 Storechenwiege Anna in a swap group that was very well loved and very much broken in so it was an amazingly great starter wrap. I've since bought new Storch wraps and I have to say, there's something for buying used as they take a bit of wear and work to make them as mold-ably soft and lovely as that one was!

Wearing my second while at work and
pregnant with my third. 

Nature Hike in the Great Smoky Mountains 

I've had so many wonderful experiences that Babywearing has brought to me! After 15 years of babywearing and 5 years of fairly "serious" babywearing there's just so many memories that each piece of cloth or carrier that has come into my home contains. 

A lot like my mother we enjoy nature hikes a lot. I have so many photos wearing my second and my third in many, many trips to the woods, mountains and waterfalls. I hope that one day they will be able to look back and appreciate the memories made while keeping them close and secure just as I have been able to.

Wearing my third while pregnant with my
fourth while my second smiles at the camera
during a nature hike for IBW 

Our BWI Group Warming Celebration! 

I hope that you have many amazing babywearing experiences
as your journey unfolds!
Happy Babywearing and Happy Babywearing International Week!

Mary Rodio