Born to be Carried

Hello!! 🍁🍂🥮. I’d visions earlier in the year of being back here at the start of September to say all systems go. But that was not to be. It was a tough milestone to face but I’m on the other side now with loads of ideas about how to deliver training ✨

I absolutely love immersive days and weekends of training but I am not in a position to deliver these for the next while.

I keep coming back to the term “curb cut effect” — those of you working supporting people with disabilities will probably know this term already. I’ll explain more in my next post.

I became very unwell last winter while navigating a new, unexpected, upsetting, and full-time caregiving role. I tried to continue with work until it became apparent at the end of January that that was impossible. I’m still coming to terms with my own chronic health condition and I’m not in a position to deliver full-time training. My doctors can’t tell me for definite when I’ll be through the other side, but I’m glad to say I’m improving. Phew!

I’ve so much information, resources, workshops, and experience that I really want to get out into the world so that families are supported as they welcome babies into their lives. And, as ever, I’m so excited about new research!

I’ve adapted how I support families myself with their own baby carrying journeys and that’s been so exciting. Where there’s a will there’s a way!

I’m at a point now where instead of being upset that I can’t deliver the training how I would usually do, I’m excited about delivering training in a way that will accommodate my current needs, work around my family’s circumstances AND that will actually make the training more accessible and more inclusive to other people (hence the curb cut event being my touchstone concept at the moment!). I’ll update again soon!

Thinking of all the families struggling and suffering in Ireland and in the world, especially our sisters and brothers of Palestine 💔🍉🕊️

Hello everyone, you might not know, but I am a Babywearing Trainer as well as a Babywearing Consultant! As a trainer, I am part of the Die Trageschule international network of trainers. If you are someone who works with families you might find this training day in Galway interesting! If you know someone who would find it useful, please do let them know

This was me 😂. Life has been busy so I haven’t tried for a while. I can certainly still give the younger two a piggy back but I’m not sure I can still carry the tallest one who is nearly 7 inches taller than me.

I was delighted to contribute to this lovely piece by the wonderful Helen O’Callaghan from the Irish Examiner. Of course, this gorgeous family steal the show with such a beautiful photo and Emma’s insights into how beneficial finding the right sling has been for herself and her husband. And fab contributions from Donna Leavy from Babywearing Ireland 💜💜💜 (There's an omission that must have happened in the editing of the piece - when I say that "Holding babies holds them together", I am quoting from Sharon Heller's The Vital Touch. I did add that holding also holds parents together - one of my boys who pointed that out to me when they were looking at their baby photos 🥰)
https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/parenting/arid-40995968.html?fbclid=IwAR1ayOhET491TWfXMmrRz8Oh2Uk33g0aRHhswGMhYFfe6n5W4O7dMbiHuiQ

Irish Examiner Babywearing Ireland Die Trageschule Ireland

Wraparound care for your infant: The benefits of babywearing Babywearing is a win-win. It keeps children safe and secure while giving parents freedom to move and a mood-boosting ‘continual hug'

“A new look at an extremely rare infant burial in Europe suggests humans were carrying around their young in slings as far back as 10,000 years ago.“ ❤️

Ancient Burial of a Young Girl Shows How We Carried Our Babies 10,000 Years Ago A new look at an extremely rare infant burial in Europe suggests humans were carrying around their young in slings as far back as 10,000 years ago.

A few years we did some research into the impact of baby care books that suggest parents should put their baby in a strict routine. We were particularly interested in whether parents felt these books worked, how they made parents feel and if they impacted upon interactions with their baby.

As part of this we found that some books were telling parents not to always respond to their baby or to reduce the interactions that they had with them.

We found that about a quarter of parents said that the books led them to delay responding to their baby when they cried or when their baby indicated they needed something.

Around one in six parents also said that the information led to them not always picking up or cuddling their baby when they wanted to.

Now, if a parent makes an informed decision that they wanted to try this approach for whatever reason with their baby that is one thing. But, many of the parents who attempted to do this were then saying that they felt terrible for doing so. Trying to ignore and avoid their baby’s cries left them feeling anxious and guilty. When many of them invariably ‘cracked’ and went to their baby, they then felt like failures.

Babies are pretty much tiny helpless mammals. They are born needing everything done for them and have a huge survival instinct to stay close to you.

When they cry, it’s their main way of communication. They cry when they need something – whether that is food, comfort, connection or simply ‘it’s a bit scary on my own’. They’re incapable of trying to ‘manipulate’ or to drag you out of bed simply for kicks.

So much research shows that responding to babies helps them feel more secure and confident. It teaches them that when they need something, their needs will be met. And that is a very good thing in helping them see the world as a good place.

Never, ever feel bad for responding to your baby. Never let a book override your instincts. No one lies on their death bed going ‘you know what, I really wish I hadn’t cuddled my baby so much’. You are the expert in your baby. Listen to you.

I had a lovely morning yesterday with the Kinvara Parent and Toddler Group☀️. What an amazing group of people and a lovely venue in the middle of Kinvara. It felt like such a gorgeous community of parents supporting other parents and enjoying their little ones together ❤️. And the best surprise is that the woven wrap love is truly alive in Kinvara 😍🥰💕. I’d have been happy to spend the day there chatting! Thanks a million to the lovely mothers who organised this workshop.