Babies Banned From Cafes, Airplanes and Now Museums? (The Debate Around Babywearing)
By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK
"4-legged friends welcome!" the sign on the front of the little coffee shop cheerily proclaimed. How nice! I thought as I walked in. Immediately the mood in the homey little shop turned chilly as the barista hurried around the corner to ask me, "Can I help you?" in a way that meant anything but. At first I was confused, but it all became clear as she pointed at my chest and said, "Just so you know, we're not really equipped to handle those here. You'd be more comfortable at the Starbucks down the street." What was on my chest that was so shocking that I was being asked to leave before I could even spend any money? I was wearing my baby...a human baby that was less welcome than a dog.
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Babywearing-the practice of carrying a baby, usually an infant but can be much older, in a sling or carrier attached to the front of the parent's body-has been practiced for centuries all over the world, but has just found a resurgence in popularity in the U.S. Although it's long been an issue of where it's appropriate to take babies and small children-one airline just banned children under two from riding first class and a Pennsylvania restaurant has banned kids altogether-how we carry the children has also become a subject of public scrutiny.
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Kerrie Christie, of Arizona, found this out the hard way when a local museum specifically prohibited babywearing. Rather, they told her they provided complimentary strollers as a way for parents to keep children contained. Pointing out the obvious flaws in their policy-strollers are much more hazardous to art and limb than a baby in a sling, and babywearing is no different than carrying the child in her arms-she refused to back down. Eventually the museum relented.
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My story didn't end quite as nicely. With tears in my eyes, I quickly left, wishing I'd at least been able to come up with some witty parting shot. (They never come to me when I need them!)
Have you ever been asked to take your child out of a public place or taken flack for babywearing?
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