My husband and I love our Moby wrap that both of us frequently use to tote our babe around comfortably and hands-free. If I could have only one thing in the world to make traveling with a baby easy, it would be a baby wrap. If Veda could talk, I would imagine she might say the same. Click here to read more about why the baby wrap is so essential for travel with baby.
It took us a little while to get used to wrapping the six feet of material around the waist, over each shoulder, under the midsection, baby in, around the waist, and tie under baby (did you get that?)…
Today I walked inside our cottage in South Africa and saw a completely new way of using the Moby wrap. Mampho is helping take care of Veda while I work from home during the day. She simply doubles up the wrap and ties Veda to her back. They walk around and look at baby ducklings this way, and sometimes go and walk around the sleepy little mountain town, Ladybrand, on the border of South Africa and Lesotho.
All the black women in South Africa and Lesotho with babies and toddlers wear their babies on
the back like this, usually tied with a heavier blanket. The first time Mampho tried this Veda protested and pushed her hands against Mampho’s back, but she now loves it. I’m not sure if she would accept riding on me the same way, but it works well for them, and I like knowing that my baby is attached this way to Mampho while I am occupied.
Baby wearing is common practice in most parts of the world, and is becoming more popular now in the U.S. for good reason- baby is happiest close to mom (and sometimes dad or Mampho).
Related Pages:
Three Reasons to Choose a Baby Wrap for Travel
I’d like to share a comment from a reader that I received over email:
“Great artcile…funny I have pictures of womens in South Africa carring babes like this with towels..thinking how does that work..lol..they rock it:). I still put my 2 year old in a moby wrap..instant comfort:).”
I always wonder how these ladies like Mampho keep the baby secure as well. I asked her to demonstrate with my baby- it’s literally just wrapped around with the top edge of one side tucked into the other side (like you would wrap and tuck a towel around your body), and the bottom edge also tucked into the other side, mirroring the top. I don’t get how it stays put, but it does :).
Thank you for this method of using the Moby Wrap! I love my Moby, and used it constantly for nine weeks after my daughter was born, but I had to go back to work briefly and now she doesn’t tolerate facing me. I tried to wrap her face out, but the stretch in the Moby fabric makes it much less secure that way. I have wanted to try the African style, and now I’m thrilled that I will still be able to utilize my Moby!
Hi Sarah, I am glad you found this useful! Let me know how you find utilizing the Moby wrapped this style- I am still too intimidated to try it out myself! Also, have you tried wrapping your daughter on your back in the same style you would tie her to the front (over your shoulders and harnessed under her legs)?
Yup, that shloud defo do the trick!