Ditching the Buggy - or The Practicalities of Babywearing in The Big Wide World

Sarah Dickinson
May 2009

OK - so you're convinced. Babywearing is wonderful, it brings you close to your baby, it meets your needs and their needs at the same time, it promotes attachment and boy are those slings pretty!

But wait! What are you going to do without a buggy!?

We are a society that is only now relearning how to parent in a more natural way, that is only now starting to work out how these wonderful concepts work in practice - and we have to reinvent it all from first principles, because only the lucky few of us can do what our mothers did, or even find a friend to ask advice from!

Going outside your front door with a small baby is pretty daunting at the best of times, and the pram can be a big psychological help. A barrier against the dangers of the world, transport for everything you need, and a badge to show you're a real mum now! I guess that is why they make those travel systems so big and impressive!

Most people I see in the big wide world use their buggy for three main tasks, so lets take them one at a time...

1. Transporting the baby (although how often do you see someone pushing an empty buggy with a toddler on their hip!?). Well, you've probably got this covered with your shiny new sling!

And if you're worried about wind or weather without that big plastic hood, then take a look at the babywearing coats, covers and other accessories on the market - much cosier.

2. Makeshift Highchair or Bed.

Highchair - feeding a baby in a sling might not seem like the best idea, now that you've splashed out on the wrap of your dreams. But you have other options. There are some great portable high-chairs available - the cloth ones roll up to nothing and work on most chairs (try the totseat (http://www.babyzoop.co.uk/gear/totseat.htm)), or simply sit the baby on your lap. I've also used the sling as a harness for high-chairs or normal chairs when it seemed necessary. Everything is made much neater (believe it or not) if you try out baby-led weaning, and give them fairly clean foods when you're out and about - like cucumber, toast, apple and plain pasta.

Bed - well, obviously baby can sleep in the sling. But if you want to sit down it can be tempting to have somewhere else to put them so you can have your cup of tea in peace. You have a couple of options here - if you get their legs arranged right then you may be able to sit with them in a front carry (avoid hot food, but a little mayonaise or ketchup on their sleeping head is soon wiped off!).

However, in general if you can persuade them to sleep on your back then you're more likely to be able to eat in peace!

Alternatively you can use your nice soft sling as a blanket on a chair or sofa. We've had great success with this - the familiar smell seems to help.

3. Trolley for Transporting all the Baby Gear - so nice not to have to carry anything! But take a look at the buggy - that basket isn't exactly huge is it? Despite what the website said!

Haven't you seen all those bags and coats slung over the back, which tip it up every time you take the baby out? And also stop you folding it up to get on buses in rush hour... I think the illusion of not having to carry anything has lots of mothers pushing around huge trolleys full of things they don't need. Decluttering your buggy is about as much fun as sorting out your cupboards, so you just shove stuff on the back and keep pushing around all the rubbish!

As you may know, I design and manufacture bags for babywearing so I have a sort of professional (as well as personal and nosey) interest in this - and I've seen some very bizarre things stuffed into the bottom of buggies. From huge raincovers on sunny days in mid-August, to whole (huge) packs of nappies and once a whole other buggy (this was a woman who I know was just popping out for milk!).

The first thing you need to do is re-evaluate the standard list of baby-equipment. You've already ditched the buggy, or you're thinking of it, so why not take a look at the rest of it. For most short trips you might not need anything at all - and how liberating would it be to be out with just a sling and a baby?! And for the rest, a decent bag with only the essentials (however you define them) will be enough to take you anywhere.

If you really do have to go shopping, or travelling then a roller rucksack or a shopping trolley will hold more, and be easier to get on and off public transport than a buggy would ever be.

So don't use the buggy as a crutch - get out into the world!

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