Parents throughout Champaign County who believe in the benefits of babywearing will join babywearing groups throughout the world this week to celebrate International Babywearing Week.
During International Babywearing week, the non-profit group, Babywearing International encourages local chapters to host events during the second week of Oct. to promote babywearing by providing information and products to parents who are interested in learning more.
Chamabana Slingers founder Perla Robertson said babywearing helps new parents create a bond with their newborn child by mimicking the safety and security of the womb.
“When you have them all wrapped up and they’re snuggled, the child feels very calm and comfortable,” she said. “If your child is calm, then you, as a parent, are also calm.”
While babies are typically held in the parent’s arms, babywearing uses pieces of cloth to secure the child to the front or back of the parent, so the parent can have their hands free.
Mahomet resident Crystal Zuluaf said babywearing allows her to interact with her two sons even when she’s doing mundane routines. Zuluaf is also able to wear her seven-month-old son while playing cars or with light sabers with her three-year-old son.
“I can wrap my baby and take my toddler for a walk,” she said. “We can spend the walk talking about what we see. All of these interactions may seem like little things, but to a baby or a toddler, they help develop their vocabulary and to make sense of the world.”
Robertson said babywearing closeness helps to create a bond between the parent and the child. She also added that with a child secured to a parent’s hip or back, they are also able to communicate through the same vantage point.
With the babywearing carriers, Zuluaf can have her children close to her while she does laundry, bakes cookies or exercises. She said the ergonomic carrier helps reduce the stress on her back and arms.
In order to promote babywearing in East Central Illinois, the Champaign County chapter, Chambana Slingers will host two meetings this week to demonstrate how to use different carrier types. Robertson will be at the Urbana Free Library on Wednesday from 6:15 to 8 p.m., and also at the Winfield Village Community Room on Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon.
Parents are also encouraged to bring their own carriers or to try on some others which are available through the Chambana Slingers’ lending library. The lending library was established so parents can borrow a carrier for a month to decide if it is the right fit before they purchase one.
Zuluaf, who owns several babywearing models for her two sons, said there are advantages and disadvantages to the different carriers.
After seeing a friend post pictures of babywearing on Facebook, Zuluaf became intrigued with the idea of babywearing. With a few recommendations, Zuluaf purchased a ring sling before her son was born.
“The first few times I tried to wear him in the ring sling, it did not go well,” she said. “But I got help from a wonderful community of babywearing moms online and slowly learned how to use the ring sling.”
Robertson said there is also a social aspect to babywearing meetings.
“Sometimes people just come to the meetings to hang out,” she said. “It’s nice to hang out with people who have similar ideals as you.”
The owner of Once Upon a Sling will join the Chambana Slingers at the Phillips Recreation Center from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday with a 20-carrier display for parents to try on or purchase carriers. Five percent of the sales during this event will go back to Chambana Slingers for the lending library.
Baby wearing parents are also invited to a Babywearing Walk to raise awareness at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana on Saturday from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Robertson hosts a Chambana Slingers meeting once a month at the Urbana Free Library or Winfield Village Community Room. The group is open to anyone interested in learning more about babywearing.
To find out more about Chambana Slingers email Pearl Robertson at chambanaslingers@gmail.com.
