Babywearing: A new name for an old tradition

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Words have a history, and so has “babywearing”. As per Webster’s dictionary, we used this word for the first time in the year 1989. It is the practice of carrying babies, or small children in a sling, or another form of carrier. Practically any parent, usually mothers can wear their babies, keeping both hands free for any other task. This old practice or tradition, just got a new name. Postal history is replete with babywearing postage stamps, much before we coined this word.

This 1963 postage stamp from Senegal, has a working mother. She is babywearing her child at the back, and carrying weight on her head.

Various traditional contraptions are used for babywearing. In Subsaharan Africa, a popular garment that is used for the purpose is Kanga. This is a rectangular woven fabric, and comes in various designs. On the other hand, East Asia and China has Meh dai, also known as Mei tai, which has a sling for the shoulder and waist. Onbuhimo is a variation from Japan, and Podaegi from Korea.

Babywearing in postage stamps from Africa

Postage stamps from Africa, have most babywearing images. In each of these images, central figure in these stamps is mother, who is well poised and confident.

An exhibition of International colonial art was organised in Naples in the year 1934. This image is from Somalia and has a mother, carrying her child on her back. Postage stamp was issued in 1934 by Somalia, then under Italian colonial rule.

Around 1990s, this tradition became a modern fad. Parenthood philosophies and concept of “attachment-parenting” became popular. Better skin-to-skin contact or a close body contact between mother and her child, improves growth and wellbeing. We had just rediscovered this ancient concept, already popular in many cultures across the world. Close contact between mother and her child, improves bonding, and reduces infantile anxiety.

A 1964 postage stamp-set from Dahomey (now part of Benin). This set was issued on 18th Anniversary of UNICEF. In the first stamp, mother is carrying her child on her back. Legs are secured in a cloth. In another she is carrying her child with a hip-hold.

Further, we also found more biological advantages of such a close contact. Babywearing is almost a norm in many non-western societies. Presumably, this also improves oxytocin secretion in mothers, and hence a better nurturing mood.

This 1970 postage stamp is from a set of three on Preventive medicine from Zambia. While focus of the stamp is on clean water, it depicts a mother wearing her child. Her both hands are free, so that she can fetch water from a well.

Infants are also become more attentive, as they can now explore the world from an adult’s eye-level. Mothers also become more responsive to need of their children.

Babywearing postage stamps from Asia
A postage stamp from Bhutan, 1979 has a mother babywearing a child on her back, and carrying another one. Please note that this babywearing contraption, slings over her shoulder like a Meh dai.
In this postage stamp from Laos (2000) mothers are waiting in the queue for Polio immunisation. Please note that three mothers who are waiting for their turn, are wearing babies on their back. Babies are able to peep above mother’s shoulders.
Babywearing types: Back-wearing vs Front-wearing

While, western societies still continue to debate between front-carrying and back-carrying, many societies had probably made up their mind a long ago. In most cultures, mothers were back-wearing their babies. This was probably convenient. Western societies were worried, if this could lead babies to get asphyxiated.

Benefits of front-wearing were first brought forth in 1970s. Two doctors in Columbia, Edgar Rey and Hector Martinez were looking for better care models for premature born babies. In a village a wet-nurse explained how she bundled newborns up against her chest, and this supported the babies’ health and growth. Thus, was born concept of Kangaroo care, with babies held up against mother’s chest. This care type led to propagation of benefits of front-wearing of small babies.

This postage stamp is from New Zealand (1995). This year was dedicated to Maori language. Aotearoa is a Maori language name for New Zealand. This chair-type front babywearing is a more modern contraption. A traditional engraving of a mother and her child is in the background.

Front-wearers suggest that this technique maintains a better eye-contact with the babies, something that back-wearing does not. They suggest that this is a better position for breastfeeding, babies are in-view at all times, and close enough to the mother for security. So unlike traditional back-carriage images, internet is full of more front-wearing images. In the last decade, we have seen many babywearing products. Jury is still out to decide on their safety.

Baby carrying also has new names

Carrying babies is also as ancient as mankind. However newer parenting websites have newer names for them. The following gallery has popular baby carrying positions, and their names. Please note that most cradling positions have a preference to left.

Cradle hold
Cradle-hold or holding like a cradle. The first postage stamp from Iran (2009) has a mother holding her child in this position. The second one from Surinam is a variation, where cradle-hold is modified to facilitate breast-feeding. This is often called a football-hold.
Two postage stamps from Turkey (1966) and Switzerland (1958) with mothers carrying their children in a cradle-hold positions
A postage stamp from India 1982. Mother is carrying her child in a cradle-hold position. This stamp was released on Children’s day
Hip hold
Many mothers in this 1942 stamp from Mauritania are hip-holding their babies. These children are being weighed by nurses
This 1988 postage stamp from Niger has a mother hip-holding her child, who is waiting for a vaccination.
Hip-hold position, Postage stamp from Togo, 1979
Postage stamp from Djibouti (1988). A mother with her child in a hip-hold position
This 2017 postage stamp from Macau has father holding his daughter in a hip-hold
Another hip-hold in a postage stamp from Central African Republic, issued in the year 1965
This 1971 first day cover from France is on a theme Rural families. A mother has four children, and the youngest one is hip-held.
Shoulder hold

Shoulder hold is another posture, where the head of the child is supported on mother’s shoulder.

1979 postage stamp from Portugal has a child in a shoulder-hold position.
Face-to-face hold
This 1998 postage stamp shows a mother holding her child, face-to-face. The same posture is there in a front-wearing contraptions.

There is no singular style mothers or parents use during upbringing. Many of these positions or postures during care are a natural choices. Yet, in today’s world of parental coaching – each one has a name, and also seems to mark a personality trait !!! There are some real and some perceived benefits of one posture above the other. However, far from reality, this may just be a perfect case of an old wine in a new bottle !!

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