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Photos and Reflections from the International Babywearing Conference in Portland, OR
August 3-6, 2006

I loved the conference. It was a wonderful experience for me, to share my passion and to learn so many new things about babywearing and the evolution of the movement, to meet some people I had connected with through email and others I had had no previous contact with. I have really re-thought some of my basic assumptions about babywearing since this event, including my apprehension about modifying traditional carriers (I understand that desire more now), and the need (or not) to carry newborns in a non-vertical position (I will try to get an article up on our site about this sometime soon).

On Friday morning of the conference, we presented a workshop on the Recent History of Babywearing. Speakers included (left to right): Jenrose, conference organizer and babywearing advocate, Maria Blois, doctor and author of the Babywearing book, Jeni Norton (hidden), babywearing researcher and founder of thebabywearer.com, myself(speaking) and Susan Gmeiner, founder of MayaWrap.

Maria Blois, Jenrose, myself, and Susan Gmeiner

The range of classes was amazing and very complete--there seemed to be a class for every type of babywearer and every type of focus or concern. Examples of classes included: babywearing for men, babywearing for the well-endowed, babywearing on the fly, babywearing more than one, babywearing the special needs child--practice classes demonstrating the rebozo, wrap, Mei Tai and other Asian carriers, ring slings, pouches, and homemade carriers. Other topics included Babywearing Research, community or global advocacy, and a variety of classes about business--legalities, money, products, and more--sewing classes, and those focused on traditional babywearing in various parts of the world. There was a fashion show, and an exhibit hall that was open to the public all day Saturday as well as to conference participants. I loved the way one general session built on another yet could also be complete on their own. For example, History of Babywearing was followed by a session the next day on the Babywearing Renaissance (i.e. the big changes we've experienced in the movement over the last 3-4 years).

Here I am in the exhbiti hall, demonstrating babywearing using a Peruvian Manta, alongside Karen Lema of Portawawa, who promotes babywearing in her native Peru.

Here I am demonstrating the use of a natural fiber carrier for newborn, from Puebla, Mexico. The carrier that I have is an antique and the fibers are stretched, so it doesn't hold the baby as tightly as intended.

About the families and children that participated:
I was amazed at how well parents and children interacted
most of the time, when I saw or heard them. Kids who were in an
unfamiliar place, on a different schedule, with many unfamiliar people,
mostly played, mostly seemed to listen to guidance from others, most
melt downs seem to be when they were overtired or overhungry. I didn't
have much personal contact with the kids, even though I've easily
related to kids most of my life. I enjoyed seeing them spontaneously
start games, ask to nurse, assert their independence (toddlers), cuddle,
I enjoyed hearing kids playing in the tub. I must admit that their noise
level seemed loud to me at times. I wondered--wow, I've never noticed
kids as noisy before--is it because I'm getting older? But I work with
babies and toddlers now, sometimes at preschools, but mostly in smaller
settings, and I haven't been around groups of younger children at
different times over the course of a day and into the evening for some
time now. I see them for an hour or so, and then go to see other kids.
Is it because most of the groups of kids I've been with in the last 10
years have been teens? I certainly didn't notice that children were
noisy when my kids were younger--maybe because I was more in the middle
of it? Once at this conference someone apologized to me because her baby
had woken crying in the night a few times, but I told her, and I
believe, that no apology was necessary--babies do wake crying in the
night sometimes. I noticed it but I wasn't irritated by it. One day
Arwyn remarked that she hadn't seen any parent lose it during the whole
conference--no spanking or jerking any kids. I felt blessed to be in a
group of families who flowed so well despite all the changes parents and
children had to adjust to. Once in a while I noticed a fussy child in a
class, but parents seemed to take them out if they got too upset.


Sorry I took so long to begin to post these photos and reflections. I will add more as I have time.

the next conference will be in June 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in babywearing.

barbara wishingrad sept06

Website:
http://www.rebozoway.org
Email:
info@rebozoway.org

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