Babywearing in Period

[ladyilsebet]

I just bought my first wrap for carrying Mara. I'm sure something similar was done at some time/place in period, but does anyone know of any evidence thereof? I'm just curious - this wrap is so cool, I'm going to use it at events, even if it is made of a knit!

[Karen Larsdatter]

http://www.larsdatter.com/slings.htm

[Charlotte J]

Do you swaddle? I don't know how old she is, but a swaddled baby is just about the coolest looking thing ever. Both our boys were swaddled, and then we also carried them in a wrap at events.

As they got older and I got more confident, I started just knotting a hunk of linen for a sling. Unlike a Maya wrap, where I could walk around completely hand's free, I usually kept an arm under them, but it still make a big difference in our sanity.

As far as evidence goes - Karen's got everything that I'd point you towards.

[ladyilsebet]

We do swaddle Mara, especially when putting her to bed at night. She's 12 days old, corrected, so swaddling still works pretty well until she gets fussy from gas.

The wrap I bought isn't exactly a maya wrap - no rings. It's one of the stretchy wraps from here: http://www.mothers-helper.ca/WrapSlings.html

The stretchy is nice for the moment, and I'll probably make a linen one once I get the hang of tying myself into it. I can sorta do it when holding Mara in the first place, but still trying to figure out putting it on, THEN putting her in...

[Cunian]

You can also just use a simple loop of linen. When they're little, you want to keep an arm in with them, (Arm in sling, baby in arm). But as they get to be hip-sitting sized, it's a lot less constraining on both of you.

[Charlotte J]

The style we frequently used at events was similar to the one in this image:

http://visualiseur.bnf.fr/ConsulterElementNum?O=IFN-8100039&E=JPEG&Deb=88&Fin=88&Param=C

Which is one of the ones listed on Karen's page. It's certainly not as stable as some of the more complex baby tying techniques, but I didn't find it too bad to get through the day at an event. When the baby is really little, the wrap can be pulled wide, cradling the baby's body. When baby is bigger, able to sit up on a hip, or even just forward on your body, the wrap can tuck under the bum and then over the back. I always keep a hand on the baby, but it's pretty simple to get in and out of, and WAY easy to nurse discreetly in (don't know if that's an issue).

If you're interested, I have a little swaddling article. I tend to believe now that the red bands were an integral part of the cradle, though a few images show them around babies without cradles. Could have been an either/or proposition, possibly:

http://www.mathildegirlgenius.com/Docum ... Outfit.pdf

Ah, babies. So fun, and the ultimate costume accessory! (No, not really, but if you have a baby, you might as well dress her up too.)


ETA: Obviously, what mom and baby are comfortable with is the right option, not what looks like the manuscripts. Just thought I'd throw out some ideas!