"SHE IS CLOSE TO YOUR HEART"

Hmm...today I think I am in my 40 days of confinement, and still counting...

With the help of my ever supportive mother, my helpful maid,my understanding husband and a boost of internet connection and a heavy laptop, my confinement days were not so bad.

Well, the first 2 weeks were quite challenging....to deal wih operation pain and to look after a wound, which was relatively a new experience for me.

Alhamdulillah....my post-op recovery was uneventful and my plan for babywearing only took place after the pain was significantly reduced.

It was not easy, I would say .... the main concern is how to deal with many weird remarks from people around me.

Words hurt....and sometimes it can be very demotivating.

I understand that babywearing is not new in older generation but now, with more household have maids and strollers are very important part of parenthood nowadays, babywearing will sure looks very weird and old fashion indeed...well for most people in Malaysia.

This time I am determine to do it.

I am willing to hear any negative remarks and try not keep any hard feelings toward those words.

And I am determine enough to start wearing my newborn.

Honestly I am not very confident but the resources are abundant for my reference.

I studied the prime reference of babywearing, thebabywearer.com, memorizing every movement and technique I saw in youtube and asked a lot of question to more experienced moms.

Thanks a bunch to fellow local babywearers in our Malaysian forum.They are very supportive and understanding.How I wish I discovered babywearing and cloth diapering earlier, when I have my first child, but I guess , better late than never....

So my journey starts......not very easy to handle tiny, jelly-like human being, the ring and the long fabric.

My first experience with ring sling was not easy but manageable .My virtual friends in MBW did give comments and suggestions.

Let's see how well I fare...

For your information, I have 2 ring slings, 1 from oversea and 1 made by our local mom. I love the second one.

Then I started wrapping.

I never thought of wrapping before....who want to deal with a looooong fabric, 4-5 meters, but this video really gave me 'the inspiration'

Wrapping took a lot more courage and learning curve than ring sling.At first, every time I saw the fabric,my courage seemed to disappear.

I was worried on the technique, on my appearance with that bunch of fabric and of course on how the people around me looked at me.
But once I got the hang of it, my confidence level is up and the all the techniques and method seemed make more sense to me.

The wrapping is the most comfortable method of all babywearing choices.

I don't have any pains and aches and my baby can sleep for hours in it.
Being a regug baby, my baby prefers to sleep upright and wearing her can settle her at the most difficult times.



Babywearing gives me a new meaning of motherhood.

Being close to your baby most of the time is very rewarding.

Beside that, you have both hands free to do a lot of other things, at least comfy enough for browsing the net.

Recently, I went to see my paediatrican for monthly check-up for Wafa and I braved myself to wear her in the ring sling...first time in public.

Sure enough I got many curious stares which I can live with.

Well at least, I did not get any aching arms holding her while waiting for my turn..( more than one hour of waiting).

Then, one senior woman asked me on the age of my baby and gave a remark...

"SHE IS VERY CLOSE TO YOUR HEART"....I just smiled.

YES...SHE IS VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART.....both physically and emotionally.

That moment was very memorable and was like a wake-up call for me. It defines babywearing just right.

That wise aunty just gave me more reasons to continue babywearing.


Hopefully, the way I treat my children now will be regards as compassion and later Allah will have compassion on me in The Judgement Day

Hopefully my children will not forget to make dua for me as mention in His Holy Quran..

"Oh My Lord!, have compassion on them, as they brought me up (when I was ) little

(Al-Israa' 17 :24).

BABYWEARING....WE CARRY THE FUTURE.



Allahu'alam.




Ummuzulfa
2 Feb 2009