The Torso wrap — on and off in no time. My baby lies happily asleep on my back. This year we were blessed with a daughter, and just like her siblings, she was carried in the Torso wrap right from birth. Just like in Zimbabwe, where mother and baby stay indoors for about a week until the baby is stronger, after which the mother, father, or a family member can start carrying around the house. My sister visited during that postpartum period.
Having given birth by gentle-section for the third time, I couldn’t do much besides lift my own baby for the first six weeks, which I had to since I was still breastfeeding her. That was when the Torso wrap became essential. All three of our children were born by c-section — not the natural birth we would have preferred, but not our choice to make.
When I became pregnant with our third, I looked deeper into natural ways to experience a c-section birth, and thankfully hospitals are gradually adapting for that too. Over time I developed easier ways to carry a newborn on my back here in Europe while still healing from a c-section wound — methods I hadn’t been able to use after the second and third surgeries, because pressure on my shoulders risked disturbing the healing. The same is true after a difficult vaginal birth.
With a gentle-section, the process follows a natural birth as closely as possible. The most important aspect is that your baby can lie on your chest immediately after birth for skin-to-skin contact, with the search for the breast beginning right away. You also experience much more of the birth itself, since you can watch as it happens.
I couldn’t use any carrier other than the Torso wrap — ideal, since my surgical wound was fairly large and sensitive. This system lets you carry the baby fully on your back without ever touching the lower abdomen where the wound is, so it never disturbs healing. The doctors say not to carry anything heavier than your own baby. Carrying on your back without straining your shoulders or back is the most ideal way. I’ve tried most carriers and felt far more pain until I realised I had one real option.
How have I used my Torso wrap since 2007? Wherever I go, it comes with me — it fits into the smallest bag imaginable. I pack: the Torso wrap, a handbag, the car seat (stays in the car), nappies, wipes. That’s it. I keep milk with me too, at the right temperature. Out of the car, baby from the car seat, up onto my back, and within seconds she’s settled and my hands are free.
Torso carrying works through every season, all year round. It draws plenty of attention — on the school playground, in town — carrying a newborn this way earns me admiration, warm reactions, and occasionally people who’ve simply never seen it before. I always answer them anyway. Every so often I meet another carrying parent, which almost always turns into a nice conversation. Those parents tend to be a little less rushed, and curious how many others practise this too.
