Carrying connects

From 7 to 13 May is this year again the EuropeanBabywearing Week ( EBW) with many different promotions and discounts on the part of manufacturers, stores and also bloggers. This year's motto is "Wearing connects". But that's pretty general for now, so I decided to briefly describe what the motto means to me.

I actually find the motto very multi-layered and I wouldn't understand "Tragen" in this sense to mean only carrying babies or toddlers at all. Carrying is so much more. I can also carry the worries and problems of others. I can feel carried by others. I can feel as if I have the whole world to carry or as if I could carry the whole world.

And yes, carrying connects. It connects us to other people. It connects us with our family and our friends, whom we trust and with whom we can bear everything together. It connects us with all people with the same worries, problems and fears. But also to all people with similar experiences, whether beautiful or difficult. It connects us, makes us stronger. But I don't want to go into this aspect here. I think I could go on writing like this forever.

Carrying in relation to carrying a baby or child connects even in a double sense. First of all, it connects the two bodies with each other, either with the hands or with a sling or a carrying aid. So they are also connected to each other in a purely physiological sense. The second point is that carrying or being close to the body promotes and strengthens the bond and closeness to each other. So carrying also connects in a psychological sense. Carrying has the effect that we get to know each other better and also that we become calmer when we are stressed. It makes us one unit.

But carrying not only connects us with our children (or grandchildren or ... , depending on who is carrying). It also connects us with other people. Many babywearing parents get in touch with other babywearing parents and share their experiences. As it always is when a common ground is discovered.

The cover image comes from pixabay.com.