Sunday 24 March 2013

A warning about babywearing.

So babywearing, it's an obsession. When you start out, you don't realise, or you see others in the grip of the addiction and you think "no, that would never be me". Then it creeps up, and one day you find yourself thinking "you know, I really do need another wrap". It keeps happening, and happening, then one day, you realise you have a wrap collection (or "stash" as we call it on the streets) like this.

Of course the actual wearing of the baby is important, we all love that bit, but the appropriation of new "fluff" has a drive all of its own.

My husband has a solution for this. It goes "How many wraps can you wear at once? Well that is how many you need!" Oh but was he ever wrong.

You see I need a short wrap, for quick back carries, like rucks and tibetans. it has to be small so it is light and easy to transport, I even made it a little  tidy from scraps of other wraps, like some weird cannibalistic armour (don't worry, no wraps were harmed, the scraps came from the Lenny Lamb factory as part of a craft competition).

Then I have my mid length wrap that is for solid front carries as well as back carries, I use that one the most.

Finally I have my maxi length wrap. 5.45 metres of gorgeous woven teal and purple dragons. Long enough to securely wrap a wriggly toddler in a double hammock, with tails to spare.

If it is going to be cold out, then it's worth investing in a wool-mix wrap, so really, I need a wool version of at least 2 of the above, right? It has been ever so chilly lately. When it gets warm however, I need linen wraps, so that's another couple (in reality both my shorty and maxi are linen blends, but you get the idea).

That's before we even start to consider aesthetics. Clearly I need to co-ordinate with my outfits, I need classy designs for serious occasions, fun designs for everyday. Colour co-ordination has to be considered....

I NEED ALL THE WRAPS!

Then there is the wants. If you are uninitiated, then take a look at some of the beautiful designs the big wrap manufacturers create every single season. See how beautiful they all are? It's not just a tool to carry your baby in, it's a work of art.

This is what has brought me to my current dilemma. I need a replacement/alternative for my mid length wrap, it's a size 6, so maybe a 5 to bridge the gap between that and my shortie would be good. I'd like a linen or silk mix. Easy! I know the size, I know the fabric, no problem!

So I have spent an afternoon scouring the preloved wrap boards. I have found the design I want, and the perfect colour I want it in - my unicorn, but no one is selling it. I know that now anything else I find will seem second rate. I have found an adequate alternative, the right design in a colour I like, but it's too long. Another in a gorgeous pattern, and a colour I don't have anything akin to, but it's expensive. I have found another that would be great, but it is so similar to my middle wrap that I could only justify it by selling that wrap and outright replacing it. I put out a request for options and was flooded with offers, all of which I would love, but none of which are quite "it".

I'm just going to have to buy a couple more wraps ;)

*Disclaimer. It is perfectly possible to wear your baby with only one wrap. A quality mid-sized cotton wrap is a great workhorse that will see you through from birth to toddler and still be good to sell on or keep for your next child. Just don't tell my husband.

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