Sophie Lovett writes about how babywearing helps keep older siblings happy too
There are many things that are challenging about welcoming a new baby into the family, and at the heart of that challenge is how to meet everyone’s needs. The baby is possibly the easiest to satisfy in this respect – all they really want is closeness and calm, with milk and sleep at regular intervals. However that is not always compatible with the needs of older siblings and their thirst for action and adventure.
At no time is this more keenly felt than in the holidays: in the colder, darker months it is easier to give in to everyone’s urge to hibernate, and the rhythms and routines of term time give some respite to the need to provide constant entertainment.
Summer, though, is a time for spontaneous exploring: for long walks in the countryside or by the sea, for making the most of mild weather and lighter evenings. It is also a time when I am very, very grateful to be a babywearing mama. My eldest son’s love for the outdoors was undoubtedly fuelled by the many hours I spent carrying him in the sling as a baby.
