Po Facebook grupama se vrlo često pojavljuje PixieKidova, tj. LocoLobova infografika u kojoj je navedeno 10 razloga protiv nošenja bebe okrenute prema naprijed, uz prateći kontroverzni uvod u kojem se tvrdi i da je tzv. “Buddha” položaj (poznat i kao “kangaroo position“) zdraviji za kukove od onoga u kojem “nogice vise”.
Nedavno je ova infografika ponovno isplivala i u našoj lokalnoj grupi Nošenje beba Zagreb, pa sam ovome posvetila i zaseban post, kojeg sam prilagodila za objavu na blogu.
Volim dobre i konstruktivne rasprave u grupi pa je šteta da ostane skrivena među potkomentarima u grupi. Dakle velika tema na kojoj se lome koplja: nošenje beba od sebe, tj. prema van (eng. forward facing-out; FFO). Vjerojatno sam već tisuću puta pisala o tome, no evo pišem ponovno. Često uokolo kruži gore navedeni popis razloga protiv nošenja bebe od sebe (prema van; okrenute prema naprijed) pa ću ju obraditi po svih deset, tj. devet točaka.
Dakle to je prevedena argumentacija kojom se prije više od deset godina služila Boba za prodaju svojih modela 3G i kasnije 4G: Nine Reasons Not to Carry Your Baby Facing Out. Tada je ovaj tekst bio kamen temeljac promišljanja o nošenju izvan znanstvenog okružja kliničkih istraživanja koje su sponzorirali BabyBjörn i uskoro Ergobaby. U to su vrijeme svi ridali na 10 Things I Hate About You i svaka si je mlada mama s iskustvom u krojenju i šivanju htjela napraviti svoju jedinstvenu Rose and Rebellion nosiljku. Bobin superpopularni 3G model bio je nosiljka s revolucionarnim dizajnom: bez ikakvih umetaka i mogućnosti prilagodbe panela nosiv odmah od rođenja, barem prema uputama proizvođača. Kasnije, u dobu umetaka, Boba je lansirala 4G model s jastučićem koji sprečava to da beba u nosiljci sjedi na skvrčenim nogicama unutar panela. Pisala sam Bobi u vezi ovog teksta prije mjesec dana, no do danas nisam dobila odgovor stoje li i dalje pri svemu navedenome na gornjem linku. Mogu samo primjetiti da je ovaj stari tekst, kojeg za Bobin blog potpisuje Elizabeth Antunovic, osnivačica Bobe, osvježen sa fotografijama najnovijih modela elastičnih marama i nove Bobe X oblikovane nosiljke. Iz svega viđenog zaključit ću jednostavno da i dalje stoje pri svojim stavovima. Naravno ne mogu se sada baviti Bobinom izvornom argumentacijom budući da po društvenim mrežama kruže njene pojednostavljene prerađevine.
Krenut ću, dakle, redom po točkama sporne infografike (gore).
1. U ergonomskim nosiljkama noge ne “vise”, ako su podešene u skladu s uputama. Pasivnog posjedanja u tom položaju svejedno ima, stoga bebe koje ne sjede samostalno ne nosite okrenute od sebe, usprkos tome što je proizvođač napisao drugačije (za primjer stavljam link na recenziju, sa argumentima za dotični model). Ergobaby Omni 360.
2. Sigurno ne osjećate da je beba teža no što jest. Beba je teška koliko je teška, i ne može bit teža nego jest, no što se samog osjećaja tiče zbog pomaknutog težišta sigurno je teža okrenuta od nositelja nego prema njemu. Više o tome u tekstu Mehanika nošenja.
3. Kralježnica bebe je u obliku “slova C” samo dok je beba novorođenče. Novorođenče nitko, pa čak ni američke demonstratorice nošenja, neće nositi od sebe, tj. “prema van”. O položajima tijela bebe u nosiljci.
4. Točno je da bebe mogu biti izložene previše podražaja. Bebu zato nosite od sebe onda kad je u mirnom i poznatom okruženju. Dakle ne “na van” pa hop u shopping centar!
5. “Glava i vrat vise“. Ovo mi je uvijek bio vrlo nejasan i nerazumljiv argument. Bebe koje samostalno ne drže glavu i vrat nisu spremne ni za nošenje na boku, a kamoli da će ih itko okrenuti od sebe (postupanje s bebom, tj. babyhandling je drugo pitanje i tu beba ima potporu vrata iz dvije točke: od položaja vlastitog tijela i od osobe koja ju pridržava na rukama).
6. Bebe ne sjede na obiteljskim draguljima i zdjelici (lat. pelvis) ako su u ergonomskim nosiljkama. Da, veće je opterećenje na cijelo kukovlje jer uostalom to i nije položaj za bebe koje se nisu samostalno posjele.
7. “Nemogućnost interakcije s roditeljem razvija osjećaj nesigurnosti kod bebe“. Vrlo ružno napisan razlog i začinjen sa sličicom slomljenog srca, koji napada roditelja/ staratelja i pod upitnik stavlja roditeljsku/ starateljsku kompetenciju. Da mi itko tako pristupa okrenula bih se na peti i otišla; uopće me nikakva daljnje “savjetovanje” ne bi zanimalo. S ovakvim početkom sve pada u vodu. “Nisi dobar roditelj, ali sad me slušaj jer ću ti reći kakav trebaš biti. I stavit ću slomljeno srčeko za melodramatičnost.” Ljudi koji nose svoje bebe, pa i prema van, itekako odgovaraju na potrebe svoje bebe.
8. “…Centar za ravnotežu joj je konstantno ometen“. Upravo s vratolomijama bebe bildaju svoj vestibularni sustav, no na sreću (ili nečiju nesreću) toga u ergonomskim nosiljkama nema jer, prije svega, to nije nošenje bebe na siguran način.
9. “Beba je licem okrenuta od vas… Ne možete reagirati na bebine potrebe“. Još malo edukativne promidžbe bez takta, u stilu devedesetih. Ovo se već u drugačijem obliku ponavlja treći put u ovome nabrajanju, no nije da brojim. Da, komunikacija je ometena ali nije nepostojeća. Beba će se pokušati okrenuti, cviliti, zvati. Onda kada odustane i beživotno i katatonično gleda ispred sebe znači samo da je roditelj svjesno ignorirao potrebe svoje bebe. Ne, čak ni taj roditelj nije zao, navjerojatnije je vrlo nesiguran u vezi korištenja vlastite nosiljke: “Joj sad tuli, samo ću hodati pa će prestati. Ne znam sad kako okrenuti, nezgodno mi je, jao gdje li ću je spustiti, moram li ju uopće spustiti..” Da, hajd’mo napasti osobu kojoj samo treba topli osmijeh i malo pomoći (sarkazam).
10. Isto kao i 2. točka. Boba ima 9 točaka pa je valjda trebalo jednu poduplati da nije baš sve isto. 🙂
Neki dijelovi ove infografike su točni, koliko mogu biti s obzirom na to da se pozivaju na informacije i način pisanja koje je malo pregazilo vrijeme. Na njihovom mjestu bih se usredotočila samo na ono što nude njihove nosiljke, a ne ono što nude tuđe.
Ne sviđa mi se što se u mnogim tekstovima ne razlikuje ergonomske i neergonomske nosiljke. Iz njih se čini da samo neergonomske nude položaj “prema van”. Previše se mudruje oko tog položaja a stvari su zapravo vrlo jednostavne: ne okrećite bebu od sebe prije samostalnog posjedanja (osim u npr. slučaju bebe s dodatnim potrebama, no tad se konzultirajte sa savjetnicom i liječnikom), pratite bebine potrebe i ne dajte bebi da spava okrenuta od vas. Uostalom ta mogućnost i postoji za razdoblje između samostalnog posjedanja i prohodavanja. Na nosiljkama i u uputama jasno stoje upozorenja da nije za starije od godine dana i teže od desetak kilograma (uzimavši u obzir prosjek u težini i tipičnoj motoričkoj razvijenosti). I to je to. Naravno tada kada se beba sama posjedne može i na bok u oblikovanoj nosiljci (ako nosiljka nudi tu mogućnost), i može na leđa što je najbolje mjesto za jako znatiželjnu bebu i aktivne roditelje/ staratelje.
Roditeljima sama mogućnost nošenja bebe od sebe tijekom kupnje nosiljke ne treba biti presudna, pogotovo ne ako nosiljka nudi značajno bolju mogućnost nošenja na boku. U određenim mekim (ne)oblikovanim nosiljkama (sling, tkana marama, elastična marama, mei tai) beba može promatrati svijet s boka svog nositelja već od trećeg ili četvrtog mjeseca starosti, tj. kad je prošla kroz veliki motorički skok sa rotacijom trupa. Ovaj skok u razvoju nerijetko prati i štrajk nošenja.
Klonite se pojednostavljenih i tupih nabrajanja zašto vam “puca srčeko pri pogledu na bebu okrenutu prema van” (hvala Tamara!) Ovakav agresivni način promidžbe kroz javna ratovanja brandova bio je sasvim normalna pojava u prošlom stoljeću. Dobro bi bilo da ostane tamo. Put do pakla popločen je dobrim namjerama. Želite li nekome doista pomoći, prije svega, budite dobar uzor, i molim vas, ne prilazite strancima sa suzom u oku pri pogledu na njihovu bebu…
…ili još gore, ne kukajte o tom strašnom susretu na društvenim mrežama.
Explaining the reasons against carrying babies forward facing out
In Facebook groups, we often see the infographic by PixieKid ie. LocoLobo, which lists 10 reasons against carrying a baby forward facing out, with an accompanying controversial introduction claiming that the so-called “Buddha” position (also known as the “kangaroo position”) is healthier for the hips than the one in which the “legs dangle”. Taken from groups. The ultimate source of infographics: lobolobo.hr. Recently, this infographic has surfaced again in our local group Nošenje beba Zagreb (Baby wearing Zagreb), so I dedicated to dedicate a separate post to this, which I adapted for blog posting. I love good and constructive discussions in the group, so it’s a shame that it stays hidden among the sub-comments in the group. So the big hot potato topic: carrying babies outward facing, ie. forward facing-out; FFO. I’ve probably written about this a thousand times before, but here I am writing again. Often, the above list of reasons for carrying your baby away from you (outwards; facing forwards) is circulated, so I’ll discuss all ten (or nine) points. This is a translated argumentation which was used over a decade ago by Boba to sell their 3G and later 4G: Nine Reasons Not to Carry Your Baby Facing Out. At the time, this text was the cornerstone of thinking about babywearing beyond the scientific setting of clinical research sponsored by BabyBjörn and soon Ergobaby. At the time, everyone was crying to the 10 Things I Hate About You, and every young mom with experience in tailoring and sewing wanted to make her own unique Rose and Rebellion carrier. Boba’s super-popular 3G model was a revolutionary design carrier: without any inserts and without an adaptable panel, wearable from birth, at least according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Later, in the age of inserts, Boba launched a 4G model with a “pillow” that prevents a baby in a carrier from sitting on legs twistes inside of the carrier’s panel. I wrote to Boba about this text about a month ago, but to this day I have not received an answer as to whether they are still standing by all of the statements on the above link. I can only notice that this old text, signed by Elizabeth Antunovic, founder of Boba for Boba’s blog, is refreshed with photos of the latest models of elastic wraps and the new Boba X structured carrier. From what I have seen, I will simply conclude that they still stand by their old views.
Of course, I cannot deal with Boba’s original argument now, since his simplified reworkings are circulating on social media. So, I will follow the points of the infographic in question (above).
1. In ergonomic carriers, the legs do not “dangle” if they are adjusted according to the instructions. Sitting unassisted is still present in this case, so do not carry facing away the babies who do not sit on their own, despite the fact that the manufacturer wrote otherwise (for example, I include a link to the review, with arguments for the model in question). Ergobaby Omni 360.
2. You certainly don’t feel that your baby is heavier than it is. The baby is as heavy as it is, and it cannot be heavier than it is, but as far as the feeling itself is concerned, due to the shifted center of gravity, it certainly feels heavier facing forward than inward. More on this in the text Carrying Mechanics.
3. The baby’s spine is “C-shaped” only while the baby is still a newborn. No one, not even American babywearing educators, will wear a newborn baby away, ie. “Outwards.” About the positions of the baby’s body in the carrier.
4. It is true that babies can be exposed to too many stimuli. Therefore, carry your baby forward facing out when he or she is in a calm and familiar environment. So no hop “outward” and straight to the shopping mall!
5. “Head and neck hang”. This has always been a very vague and incomprehensible argument to me. Babies who do not hold their head and neck well are not ready to be worn on the hip, let alone that anyone will turn them away to face out (handling a baby, i.e. babyhandling is another issue and there is a support for the neck in two points: from the position of one’s body and from the person holding it in their arms).
6. Babies do not sit on family jewels and pelvis if they are in ergonomic carriers. Yes, there is a greater burden on the whole hips, because after all, this is not the best position for babies who did not start to sit by themselves (or are at least old and big enough to reach that milestone).
7. “The inability to interact with the parent develops a feeling of insecurity in the baby.” A very bad wording, spiced with a broken heart image, which attacks the parent / caretaker and puts parental / caretaker competence under question. If anyone approached me like this, I would just turn around and leave; I would not be interested in any further “counselling” at all. With a start like this, any attempt at communication is a big fail. “You’re not a good parent, but now listen to me because I’ll tell you what you need to be. And I’m going to put a broken heart out for melodrama.” People who carry their babies, even forward facing out, are very responsive to their baby’s needs.
8. “… Her equilibrium centre is constantly disturbed.” It is precisely with the vagaries that babies build up their vestibular system, but fortunately (or unfortunately) there is no such thing in ergonomic stretchers because, first of all, it would not be carrying the baby in the safe way.
9. “The baby is facing away from you … You can’t respond to your baby’s needs.” A little more educational outreach, in the style of the 90’s. This is already happening in a different form for the third time in this list, but not that I’m counting. Yes, communication is interfered with, but not non-existent. The baby will try to turn, whimper, call. When the baby “gives up” and looks lifeless and catatonic in front of the person carrying it, it only means that the caregiver/ parent has consciously ignored his baby’s needs. No, not even that parent/ caregiver is “evil”, (s)he is probably very unsure about using his/ her own carrier: “Now the baby s crying, I’m just going to walk, so it will stop. I do not know how to turn the baby now, I am embarrassed, I wished there was a place where I would put her down, do I have to put her down at all.. ” Yes, let’s attack a person who just needs a warm smile and a little help (sarcasm).
10. Same as point 2. Boba has 9 points, so I guess one needed to be duplicated, so that not all is exactly the same. Some parts of this infographic are as accurate as they can be, given that they invoke information and a way of writing that time has run over. In their position, I would focus only on what their carriers offer, and not what others offer. I do not like the fact that in many texts there is no differentiation between ergonomic and non-ergonomic carriers. From these texts, it looks like only non-ergonomic carriers offer the forward facing out position. There is a lot of pseudoscientifics about this position, but things are really simple: do not turn your baby facing out before it starts sitting unassisted (except in the case of a baby with extra needs, but then consult a carrying consultant and an MD), monitor the baby’s needs and do not let the baby sleep facing away from you. After all, this option exists for the period between the two milestone: sitting unassisted and walking. On the carriers and in the instructions it is clearly stated that FFO is not for those older than one year, and weighting more than ten kilograms (taking into account average weight and typical motor development). And that’s that. Of course, when the baby can sit unassisted, it can be put also on the hip in the structured carrier (if the carrier offers this option), and can go to the back which is the best place for a very curious baby and active parents / caretakers. For parents, the option to carry a baby forward facing out, does not need to be crucial when purchasing a carrier, especially if the carrier offers a significantly better hip-carrying position. In certain soft (un)structured carriers (ring sling, woven wrap, strechy wrap), a baby can observe the world from the hip of its caretaker’s/ parent’s hip since the third or fourth month of age, ie when she has undergone a major motor development milestone: trunk rotation. This developmental milestone is often accompanied by a babywearing strike.
Stay away from the simplistic and obtuse enumeration of why you are “heartbroken at looking at a baby facing out”. This aggressive way of brand promotion through public wars was a normal occurrence in the last century. It would be good if it stayed there. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. If you really want to help someone, first of all, be a good role model, and please do not approach strangers with a tear in your eye when looking at their baby…
… or worse, don’t whine about that horrible encounter on social media.
Nošenje beba (i djece) 