This is a guest post written by certified babywearing expert, Laura McCarthy. Laura teaches our Babywearing 101 & 102 classes and does private, one-on-one work with expectant and new parents as well. ~Deena
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we often spend more time shopping. It may be grocery shopping for our holiday meals, purchasing gifts for friends and family or even looking for a special outfit for the holiday office party. Babywearing can help in almost all of these situations!
Here are some benefits to shopping while baby wearing that may surprise you:
- More space! Wearing baby leaves more space in your grocery cart for food and other items. That can mean purchasing a bigger order and less troublesome trips to the market.
- Hands free! Having your baby or toddler safely attached to your body leaves your hands free for pushing a cart and picking up needed items.
- Communicating with baby! With baby so close to you, it’s easy and natural to talk to them about what you are doing and why. This helps baby develop language and vocabulary skills!
- Simpler unloading! Using a carrier makes unloading your wares at home a breeze! When you get home, strap baby back into your carrier of choice and bring everything into the house right away. No need to wait for nap time or to worry about leaving baby in his/her carseat while you unpack.
- Toddler safety! Does your toddler like to “explore” while you are shopping? If you’re wearing her/him on your back, you can explore the store together safely. No need to chase your energetic tot across the parking lot, or worry about your wee person emptying shelves.
- Less stuff to bring! When using a carrier there’s no need for items such as shopping cart seat protectors, toddler backpack leashes or even strollers. You can leave all of that stuff at home
While you’re enjoying a trip to the store with baby in a carrier, here are some other things to keep in mind:
- Be mindful of toddlers on the back when in narrow aisles; they might grab things from shelves without you knowing. Arms inside the carrier can help alleviate this potential problem.
- Planning to try on clothes? That is a great time to break out your stroller. Babywearing and trying on clothes don’t mix well.
- Remember your carrier counts as a layer of clothing for you and baby, so it may be wise to leave snowsuits and the like at home. A lighter jacket, hat and possibly baby leg warmers will keep your little one warm and cozy outdoors. Hats and leg warmers can be easily removed when baby wearing in a warm place.
- Be prepared for questions about your carrier! While baby wearing is becoming more mainstream there are many folks who are unfamiliar and have all types of questions and comments about baby wearing.
Want to learn some clever responses to those questions you get at the supermarket? Join Laura for Babywearing 101 or Babywearing 102 on December 7th here at Shining Light Prenatal Education.
I would love to add to this list of benefits – baby’s overall happiness! My second daughter was the classic fussy child and grocery store screamer. The ONLY way I could shop with her for the first year was in the Moby wrap. She eventually started to be willing to rise in the cart, but now at age 2 she hates being confined up there and wants to explore. Unfortunately letting her walk causes even more problems, so it’s back to the sling. Shopping trips are SO much more peaceful now. 🙂
Lovely article!
Babywearing is a great solution for parents while shopping with their baby. It provides convenience and security for both the baby and the caregiver. Thank you for sharing the benefits of babywearing!