Thought Provoking blog entry

[Fuschia]

http://babycalm.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/a-trip-to-the-zoo/

[chantelle]

hmmm, I'm not sure I draw the same sad conclusion as the author. plenty of mums use slings in the early months, but weight becomes an issue. I'm sure even monkey mamas eventually stop carrying their little ones about when they reach a certain size. Babies in plenty of cultures do stay strapped onto their mothers until they're 2 or 3, but by then they are capable of walking and should get the exercise, IMO!

Communication and cuddles are obviously important but I don't see buggies, or socialising with other mums, as a big problem. Texting and internet-ing half the day away might be more of an issue though ...

[cuppa tea]

I think it's lovely to use slings. I have used them loads and carried my first until he was 18 months on and off. My second child less so, probably as I am older and a bit more decrepid! But I don't think buggies are the evil things that some people portray them to be. If you spend 1 to 1 with your child through out the day you are going to be communicating with them a huge amount. I think the critisisms of forward facing buggies are a bit paranoid. Probably another thing to make mothers feel guilty about and a way to get us to spend more money on a new souped up buggy. Also to carry your baby around all the time takes an awful lot of strength and is very tiring...it's not reasonable to expect it now that we all live in nuclear families rather than tribes. I don't have a sister/mother/friend who can carry my babies for me and lighten the load. It's not an ideal world and my back gets sore. Parents/poor daycare that are not interested in talking to children are probably where the problems lie....and what you can do about that I have no idea!

[Saffron]

I didn't read it as the blogger condeming pushchairs, more that she was pointing out that we can sometimes miss opportunities to communicate with our children even when they are right in front of us.

I think we can look on slings and parent-facing buggies as a good thing, rather than vilifying forward-facing buggies. And we can make a point to keep talking to our children and patting their little heads and hands even when they're in forward-facing buggies.

Uh-oh, here comes Little Saff now. :) Time to get off the computer and have some communication!! ;-)

[cuppa tea]

Yes, I am probably reading into it...it is a pretty mild observation in the blog isn't it?

There are campaigns to try and get manufacturers to make all buggies parent facing though. I just find this a bit extreme...there are so many other things more worthy to spend time campaigning about in the world of childcare and parenting.

[Fuschia]

I was just struck by how differently we treat our babies, compared with other primates

Or even other humans in the world or other points in history

[chantelle]

we have a lot more options though. i bet those monkeys would be pushing bugaboo bees given half a chance.

[Fuschia]

chantelle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> we have a lot more options though. i bet those

> monkeys would be pushing bugaboo bees given half a

> chance.

I just spaT tea over my keyboard! Quote of the week i think!!!

[sophiechristophy]

has anyone seen away we go? there is a classic part in that about buggies.

[Curmudgeon]

I find that over-sentimentalised and bizarre blog entry

Monkeys and humans are of course different species, in fact I do believe macaque monkeys go swimming with their babies attached to them paying them no attention, they also kill their young. Monkeys throw poo as warnings.

Slings, back-facing and forward facing buggies are appropriate to the developmental stage of a child.

Communication is always appropriate

[KatsuQueen]

what curmudgeon said!

[KatsuQueen]

I spotted the odd one out! It's the human because the mother is wearing sunglasses...that must be it! If you wear sunglasses your baby's communication development will be stunted forever.Just think of all the countries and cultures in the world where the women don't wear sunglasses, that's where I must have gone wrong with MiniKatsu...doh!

(Sorry don't take offense anyone, I'm in a weird mood...)

[Saffron]

Ah,that must be why Little Saff has systematically broken all my sunglasses!

[new mother]

Forward facing prams are certainly blamed by my mother for the fact that we spoke in sentences at, you know, six months whereas our children have "delayed development" at 18 months(!)....I think parents forget. There is certainly a huge amount I've already forgotten about my children's early days....

[cuppa tea]

Actually, jokes aside, I really struggle talking to people in sunglasses! It totally freaks me out not to be able to see someone's eyes. It doesn't help communication that's for sure.

[StraferJack]

.

[Mathilda]

To go back a few posts...I LOVED Away We Go, watched when 6 months pregnant, same as the main character and really identified with her! Maggie Gyllenhall great as the militant mum.

[srisky]

Ditto, Curmudgeon.

Maybe the mammals carrying their babies on their backs should consider carrying their babies on their fronts to promote their communication skills!

[Ruth_Baldock]

"I love my babies, why would I want to push them away from me?"

good point made by Away We Go but, babies are heavy! And wriggly! And sometimes they smell! Thankgod for the pram!

I mean, I wore Lex a lot yesterday in the ergo and I had baby sick all down my top when I took her out. I am NOT some kind of animal!

(all tongue in cheek obvs, I didn't think much of the blog but think that communication really is the key and that's possible in the buggy/in the car/ or whilst babywearing. So ner)

[StraferJack]

Another vote for Away We Go - although any admiration for the MG character is hopefully for the drama not the values she espouses

As for communication with babies - I'm pretty constant with mine, but then again I have to get up and go to work most days. The old adage "absence makes the heart grow fonder"? I think that holds even at a very young age. It's good for them to spend time on their own, contemplating-in-whatever-wierd-and-wonderful way they do. And when you pop your head around after a few minutes walk they are glad to see you again. Perfect

[supergolden88]

mmmmmmm John Krasinski.....

sorry (sigh) totally off topic!