Babywearing.

I knew about babywearing when N was just a few weeks old. I wanted to try it so much back then, but I didn't have the luxury to go out, so while waiting, I watched babywearing videos until I figure out how to really use it. Then on N's first month, Joy gave it to me as a present -- finally, I'll get to babywear N, right?

Wrong.

The horror -- despite the many videos I've watched, wala talaga. N would squirm when he's inside, probably because the fit wasn't okay. It says on the video that you're supposed to be hands-free when you're baby wearing, but I was putting it so wrong that if I remove my hands, N would probably fall off.

I tried -- for days until I figured I'd just try it again when N's big enough to support his head para we can do the other sling carry. Eventually, time passed and I (almost) forgot about the sling. Few months later, we were given a hand-me-down carrier which was so easy to put on, so lalong nakalimutan si sling.

Fastforward to N's eighth month, I wanted to try babywearing again. For some reason, the carrier we were using gave me nasty back ache when I'm carrying N in it. I couldn't last for anything longer than five minutes. So I took out the sling and decided to give it another try.

With enough support from Bob -- and a few tips from the net

and Dr. Lei (a new-found online friend!) ayun, nasuot ko din! N looked happy inside, and he would really behave when he's inside the sling. Maybe it helped that N is already able to support his head kaya mas madali na for us. But the thing is, it worked! I'm able to babywear N!

First Day Out

So, with a proud grin on my face -- we decided to go out and try if I could really babywear N for hours. We decided to go to SM Masinag since it's near and there's not much people there even on weekends.

Naloka ako.

I got all kinds of stares -- some curious, some amazed. We went to the infant section of the department store, and while browsing some items, I overheard two saleslady talking behind me. They said,

"Meron tayo nyan! Yan yung mahal na tela. Ganyan pala yung sling pag nakasuot noh?" 

Then they approached me and said, "Ganda naman ng upuan ni baby. Hindi po ba masakit sa likod?" 

Feeling proud (and thankful that the salesladies have no idea how I failed on babywearing once), I smiled and said, "Actually, hindi. Masarap nga e."

Went home that day and despite the number of curious stares that we got, I'm happy that I was able to babywear N and that he enjoyed it as much as I did.

Not everyone knows.

It's just sad that babywearing isn't as popular as it should be in the Philippines. How I wish meron akong makasalubong na nagbaby wear din.

Last weekend, we went to Manaoag with the family. As usual, I brought out my sling and wore N as soon as we stepped out of the van. The stares, andun pa rin. Pati relatives, may joke on how I looked like a 'badjao' wearing it, but it was okay. Tawa lang, kasi I've thought of that before.

Ok lang, kalma lang. Just then, a woman stared at me, looked at me from head to toe and smirked! Oh God. Bob saw it too and we just laughed. I said, "Dahan dahan sa pag titig ate. Konting pasintabi lang" loud enough so she can hear it. Then Bob and I laughed again. I knew right there and then that I was up for some more stares. True enough, I got the same stare a few times more, and even overheard a woman say, "Pag di ka nag behave sa stroller mo, i-gaganun kita katulad dun sa baby, nakasabit lang"

Having enough, I finally told Bob I'll remove N from the sling first.

Bob said no, and his words exactly:

"Komportable kayo ni N dyan diba? Wag natin sila pansinin. Di lang nila alam yan sling."

Take it from Bob, he knows exactly what to say and when to say it.

I realized, oo nga. Not everyone knows about babywearing. There would always be people who would stare you down and even say rude comments about it. The thing is, deadma nalang. As long as we know why we're doing it, as long as N is happy and safe, that's all that matters.