Things That PMO

Babywearing is and has always been about function first... It is an invention of necessity:

Babywearing is a traditional practice that has been passed down from hand to hand, generation to generation, across every single continent on earth. Humans are not the only animal that carries their babies, but we are one of few animals whose babies come out pretty useless combined with our ability to create tools - ya get baby carriers!

We continue to lose the plot on what matters. We continue to lean in on the wrong facets of babywearing, and sadly it is often driven from within the industry. And then those of us fighting for the plot are left in a capitalist environment that DGAF that women are struggling Postpartum Depression and Anxiety, that countless parents are spending endless amounts of time and money on therapies, hired help, etc to simply survive in their first 12 months as parents.

What a time we could have if the first 12 months felt like coming into the new you. How different would the online narrative be if more parents had the opportunity and were given the permission to slowly, intentionally enter parenthood in an informed way? Why do so many parents feel unsupported?

Babywearing isn't necessarily a magic wand (even if I do treat is as such) but it is such a powerful tool that is too often overlooked. Then once that is realized, it feels inaccessible!

• Carriers all look the same but cost different amounts
• Some seem SO expensive, but what are you paying for? Is it worth it?
• Every brand shows you different ways their carrier holds a baby; one says it's safe, another says it isn't.
• A content creator posted a video unrelated to babywearing but the comments are full of people telling them their baby is going to "die in the carrier like that!"
• Is that carrier going to hurt? The other one? How about this third option?
• There are these terms and taglines and slogans, some are trademarked so does that mean that I can't use it when I'm asking questions online?
• The baby might chew on the fabric - IS IT nOnToXiC?!

I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but sometimes it really does feel like "they" are insistent on keeping Women+ down. "They" are determined to see us sad, hurting, struggling, failing. Why is a sustainable, ethical, responsibly sourced business that makes a tool (not gadget) to ease the daily care of infants something unworthy or public health support? Not from governments or private bodies. And it's not just mine, this is an industry-wide concern. Things are slowly changing, and they obviously won't change overnight but as I witness family after family in my doula work, it's easy to grow more and more frustrated with an industry/system that doesn't value the work.

Well, if you've made it this far - thanks! Sometimes it's cathartic to yell into the void and hope that someone is listening.

xo,

Kay