Slings- a 21st century invention??? :)

[cdlamis]

Dh's grandma has always made amazed (and slightly sarcastic) at some of the new baby gadgets like vibrating bouncy chairs and wipes warmers. She comments on how things have changed since her day. I just laugh and agree that there is a whole slew of gadgets these days. But this takes the cake!.....

She saw me slinging Julia for the first time last week and smirked and said "They didn't have that sort of thing when my kids were young!" What's funny is that I have the non-adjustable cotton hotsling which is a piece of fabric sewn together- nothing fancy at all! Trying to sound innocent, I said "Really? Haven't these been around since the Stone Ages?"

I really don't know when babywearing started but I know it was a while back! I just wanted to prove a point.

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b35d0802848f *December pictures

[Momof3Labs]

Native Americans have been wearing their babies for hundreds of years. I had a couple that appeared to be of Native American descent stop me in the grocery store - they were just tickled that I was wearing Colin and commented on how long it took the white man to figure out what Native Americans have known for hundreds of years!

[cdlamis]

Lori- Cute new avatar of Colin!

When DH's grandma said that to me, we were in a store and the man behind the counter said "Yeah, I noticed that neat gadget too! You should make them and sell them on e-bay!"

I just laughed!

Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b35d0802848f *December pictures

[Momof3Labs]

Thanks!! I heard that Julia has a new avatar, but I can't see it tonight :-(.

[egoldber]

LOL! I think women have been "wearing" their babies, as long as there have been women and babies!

[lizamann]

An older woman in a store stopped me to say that that's how they used to carry babies "back home" and she too was thrilled to see it. I asked where home was and she said "here." I was confused until she explained that she's Native American!

[lizamann]

Oooh, I wonder if there are any archaeologists of babywearing! Don't you think there have to be? Or at least an ancient textile expert could shed some light. Maybe I need to call the Field Museum...

eta: I'm sure there is an "oldest documented baby carrier" somewhere in this world. I'll try google first...

[sareva]

I'm pretty new to the boards, but just wanted to let you know that DH is a classical archaeologist ("classical" = ancient greece/rome/ mediterranean area). Babywearing isn't big in his field (although I've been meeting more scholars lately who are delving into childhood in the ancient world). If you really want a source, I can ask him to ask around. In general, the problem with textiles is that they don't survive - even fabrics from 200 years ago require very careful preservation and care. There are Roman Egyptian textiles that have survived and might be baby-carrying things, but I suspect that most examples -- if they exist -- would come from the "New World" (i.e., the Americas). Maybe Asia too? I don't know of any iconography from the ancient world (e.g., vase paintings) depicting slings/carriers b/c the themes tend to be mythic or about war or about the upper class (and the upper class had nurses to do that sort of thing). However, in our travels, we've seen various slings and wraps used all over the world. And when you think about the original hunter/gatherer and nomadic tribes, I just can't imagine that mamas wouldn't have used something to keep their babies close. It's so amazing how humans have developed to the point that a sling could be considered a novel concept!
Sarah
EDD 03-24-04

[ChicagoMama]

...Not only just a novel concept, but a fasion accessory to boot!! LOL!

Becky

Mama to DDs Shelby 09/19/02 and Sydney 10/13/03

(Was formerly pale_ale but had a computer virus/forgot password)

[stillplayswithbarbies]

there has been some discussion about ancient babywearing on the babywearing Yahoo group, you might take your question there. I know someone on there was buying some antique baby carriers on eBay at one time.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[calebsmama03]

LOL! I get the "we didn't have those in my day" comments all the time when I'm out shopping, and I am usually wearing a homemade unbleached cotton ring sling. I just smile and say, "They really are great". Too funny, though!

Although the other day the clerk at the grocery store commented on how happy she was to see someone actually wearing their baby and described the carrier she used in Korea with her kids.
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03

[C99]

An older gentleman (about 65ish) said that to me in the elevator one day a couple of months ago. I smiled and nodded, but my mom was with me at the time and as soon as we got out and turned to her and said, "Yeah, it's a new invention alright!" in a sarcastic voice and she and I had a little chuckle over it.