About
hug-a-bub®About Tania |
About Suzanne
At hug-a-bub®
we are advocates of "attachment parenting". Attachment parenting is a
high touch, responsive style of baby care that brings out the best in
both baby and parents. It is a style of baby care that parents would
naturally practice if they followed their own intuition.
In cultures all around the world this
style of parenting is practiced with support from extended family,
friends, or community and often employs the use of some kind of baby
sling.
The hug-a-bub® The Hugabub baby
carrier was designed with the appreciation and understanding of why
babies need to be in close contact with their parents, and how hard this
can be for a parent without the support of an extra pair of hands.
We have designed a baby carrier that has
made it more comfortable and convenient for parents to wear their baby
as they go, than to continually have to stop what they are doing to
rock the pram, shake the rattle or bounce the bouncer.
About Suzanne
As
a mother of 5, a Child birth educator and a Doula (birthing support
attendant) I have had the privilege of working closely with hundreds of
pregnant women, mothers and midwives from whom I have learned much from
over the last 20 years.
My personal experience as a young, first
time mother many years ago, was quite shocking. I was not prepared for
how demanding, isolating and tiring it would be. I was clear from the
beginning that I wanted a natural birth and that I would breast feed
which I did. I studied birthing naturally so thoroughly that I should
have a degree in it. Unfortunately I did not come across much
information on parenting naturally. By my families standards I was
probably thought of as a very natural parent simply because I breast
fed my son, but I was not confident to trust my instincts when it came
to caring for him. I was easily persuaded by well meaning advice on
every topic from what to feed him, how often, how to get him to sleep
and where he should sleep.
While pregnant with my daughter 10 years
later I read a wonderful book called the 'Continuum Concept' that
altered me as a parent forever. Here I read about an isolated tribe in
the South American jungle whose babies were carried by day in a type of
sling as the parents continued about there normal and busy days and
slept with their babies at night. Not only did these babies rarely cry
if ever, the parents did not show any signs that they were overwhelmed
or burdened by this high touch style of parenting. They were in fact
far freer than mothers in our culture, who must give up working and
stay home to care for their infants. These babies not only were calmer
but appeared far more advanced than babies in our culture.
When Chela was born I carried her in a
variety of slings much of the day and she slept in my bed at night. Not
only did I feel so close to her, it just felt so easy and right to have
her with us - never a burden. I was told frequently by family and some
friends that I was spoiling her and that she was sure to be dependent
on me forever more. How wrong they were. In high school now, she has always been a very confident, secure and intelligent child who would sooner go
anywhere with anyone than most of her friends of the same age.
Babywearing has since become a passion
for me. Since designing the hug-a-bub I have realized how few parents
are aware of the very real and natural need for babies to be held and
the countless benefits and advantages babywearing offers. For the last 10 years I have been pursuing a 'degree' in attachment parenting and am
committed to providing information, support and encouragement to others
who no longer want to buy the 'you'll spoil that baby' line.
Having a hug-a-bub with my two children has made
it possible for me to stay connected with them in a way that has met their needs for
comfort security and entertainment. This has allowed me to go anywhere and do
anything, in absolute comfort, and allowed me to get this business off
the ground!!
I have a vision of Westernized cultures
realizing that the information our parents and grandparents were
given by the so called 'experts' of the time, about raising children was
wrong. Babies thrive from just being held, touched and having their
needs met. Across the world, in countless cultures mothers know that
babies belong with them, on them and every one is happy ever after...
About Tania
After
15 years of a great design career... something inside was urging me to
take off and trek across South America. Little did I know it would be
the beginning of a huge personal awakening, new purpose, perspective
and career.
3 months I traveled through Ecuador,
Chile, Peru and Bolivia... there was one amazing thing that stood out
from so many... and it was the children. There was a content, calmness
that I hadn't associated with children at home. It took me a while to
put my finger on it, why did they behave so differently? What was
different?
Aha! There were no prams!
Babies were carried around in wraps on
their mothers back. As my awareness heightened, I observed intently
every time I was around them. They suckled when hungry, slept when
tired. They went wherever their mums did... to work, in the fields, at the
market... and at home. They didn't need to have a tantrum, they didn't
need to scream to get comfort from their mother, nor food nor
rest... everything was within their reach... all day long.
Wow... it all made so much sense.
I emailed my girlfriend who I thought
would be fascinated by my latest 'discovery'... she said "yeah... its called
'babywearing'... a natural way of parenting that has been practiced by
Africans, Indians, Eskimos, Indonesians and South Americans for
thousands of years". (Oh and here I thought I stumbled across something
new and ingenious)... "Its great for babies and really practical for parents in our modern society who need to continue on with their daily lives".
Consequently I met Suzanne through this friend and the rest is history.rents. I am designing a sling right now with a friend that is really
fantastic... I can't wait til you see it".
I did see it... it is called hug-a-bub®... and it is fantastic.
There
was no doubt in my mind that
my life had taken a new direction. I left the design world and began
promoting a a wonderful baby sling and a parenting paractice that had
been in existence for centuries.
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