Babywearing: Since the dawn of time

Throughout human history, on (almost) every continent, babies and young children have been carried by their mother and other members of their extended family.

In some cultures, the tools developed to carry children are very simple, designed to maximise airflow in humid climates. But in colder parts of the globe, extreme cold Is a danger and children are protected with layers of fur, wool and other materials. Some of these, used by nomadic people who follow food sources through the seasons, are so structured that they create a portable cradle.

As society evolved to include agriculture, some communities no longer needed to transport their babies in the same way and the traditional cradle boards in some cultures evolved into cradles which could be indoors, close to the warmth of the hearth where the women communally prepared meals and preserved food for the hard winters.

In some parts of the world, the production and trade of cloth and fibres led to fabric carriers being created. The fine handwork of decorative touches, good luck charms and other personal touches led the functional to also become beautiful. Many distinct styles came to be associated with specific tribes, clans or countries. Women who left their village upon marriage would bring their traditions with them and the evolution continued.

Baby carriers continue their evolution today. In our global society, carrier styles are popular far from the cultures who developed them.

Humanity owes much to the humble baby carrier. It is even suggested they meant our babies could be born sooner and the increasingly large brain could continue to develop externally. Many speak of the #4thtrimester, the first three months of life when babies need a womb-like environment to reach full gestation!

#babywearing is vital to human survival!