Carrying your baby against you, feeling its breath, its warmth, its rhythm… Babywearing is a gesture passed down from generation to generation, deeply rooted in some countries, forgotten and then recently rediscovered in others.
Whether practiced in a scarf, a preformed baby carrier, a sling or traditional fabrics, it supports the physical and emotional development of the child, while making life easier for the parent.
Let's embark together on a journey to discover babywearing traditions around the world. And often, this exploration profoundly changes our perspective on babywearing.
Africa: Carrying, a necessity passed down through generations
In many African countries, babies are carried using a simple loincloth, sometimes passed down through marriage, or a piece of fabric tied around the chest and waist. The baby is most often carried on the back, in a physiological position that respects its natural development. Mothers carry their child while going about their daily activities: working, cooking, getting around, always with the baby close to them.
This practice is learned and passed down naturally, from woman to woman, from a very young age. It is not uncommon to see older children carrying younger ones, thus participating very early in the care and support of the youngest.
It is said that in Africa, the education of a child is a matter for the whole community: "it takes a village to raise a child".
Babywearing is thus part of an ancestral tradition, passed down from generation to generation.
Latin America: The colors and symbols of babywearing
In Latin America, rebozos and awayos are much more than just pieces of fabric. They are handwoven with patterns that carry cultural significance.
In the Andes, babywearing protects against the high-altitude cold and allows parents to keep their hands free for daily tasks. These traditional practices now inspire modern slings with handcrafted influences.
Awayo
The awayo is a traditional South American baby carrier. It consists of a large square of woven wool, often brightly colored, folded in half. The child is placed inside, either upright or lying in a cradle position, with one corner folded over their body. The baby is then positioned on the mother's back, and the ends are tied around her collarbones.
Rebozo
The rebozo also comes from South America. It's the carrying system that inspired our Western baby wrap (hello, linen slings!), which it resembles in shape: a short scarf, often with fringed ends. It's traditionally used tied in a hammock style for carrying on the back or hip, with a fixed or sliding knot.
Asia : A family story built on the backs of babies
In Asia, many traditional carrying methods exist: the mei-tai in China, the onbuhimo in Japan, and knotted fabrics in other regions.
In China, baby carriers are highly elaborate and require months of work, as everything about them has a meaning: from the materials to the colors and embroidered patterns, which speak of the child's age, sex, and social status. The embroidered motifs are intended to wish the baby a happy life or to protect it.
Throughout Southeast Asia, and especially in Vietnam and Laos, you can find these fabric baby carriers, usually made of cotton, whose colors and patterns tell the story of who the child is, what family or village he comes from.
They became the ancestors of many modern pre-formed baby carriers. Our Exquis is part of a beautiful family line.
Oceania: Babywearing as a way of life
In Oceania, babywearing is a natural part of daily life and reflects a deep relationship between the child, their family, and their environment. The practices are often simple and functional, but always rich in meaning.
In Papua New Guinea, babies are carried in a net, positioned on the mother's back and held in place by a strap across her forehead. This widespread method of carrying allows for great freedom of movement. The net then accompanies the child as they grow and becomes a shopping bag, illustrating a true logic of transmission and sustainability.
In the Pacific Islands, babies are carried using lightweight fabrics or woven natural fibers, perfectly suited to the climate. This keeps the baby close to the body, soothed by the movements, and integrated into community life from a very young age.
Finally, in certain regions of Indonesia, at the crossroads of Asia and Oceania, one finds one of the most unusual baby carriers. Decorated with seashells that clink together, producing a soft rattling sound, it may sometimes contain the baby's dried umbilical cord. A powerful tradition, illustrating babywearing as a continuation of pregnancy and the mother-child bond.
Europe: The return of a long-forgotten heritage
Contrary to popular belief, babywearing did indeed exist in Europe for centuries. In rural areas, infants were carried using shawls, knotted aprons, pieces of fabric, or wicker baskets. Babywearing allowed women to work in the fields, take care of the home, and keep their children close to them.
From the 19th century onwards, with industrialization, urbanization, and the emergence of new hygiene standards, carrying was gradually replaced by strollers, cribs, and the physical distancing of the infant. The baby was then perceived as fragile, to be put down, separated, and "accustomed" to early autonomy.
This cultural shift has profoundly altered the parent-child relationship in Europe.
But in recent years, there has been a real revival of babywearing. Driven by advances in physiology, affective neuroscience and developmental psychology, babywearing is now recognized as beneficial for the child: emotional regulation, emotional security, harmonious motor development, reduction of crying.
Modern woven and knitted scarves, slings and pre-formed baby carriers draw heavily on traditions from around the world, while adapting to our culture, with simplified and decidedly trendy designs allowing every family to find what they're looking for.
Babywearing: a universal need
Regardless of the country, fabric or technique used, carrying your baby always tells the same story: that of a child welcomed against the heart of its parent.
Even today, many families are rediscovering this simple gesture, sometimes without knowing that it is part of such an ancient and universal history.
Article written by: Julie
Sources:
– AFPB – Physiology of Carriage
– LLL France – Babywearing
– Quai Branly Museum – Traditional Latin American Textiles
– House of World Cultures – Weaving and Maternal Practices
– AFPB – The different types of portage
– Quai Branly Museum – Carrying and Asian Practices
– La Leche League France – Carrying and Attachment
– Birth & Growth – Emotional Development and Closeness
