Monday, April 16, 2007

The 55th good thing about Lagos: Useful baby-carrying methods

I had to think up a post where I could show off some more pictures of my newest grandchild. Here in Boston on our few outings, Spencer has exhibited model behavior. He travels in a car seat or stroller, bundled up because the weather has been unseasonably cold.



In Nigeria, of course, the babies need considerably less bundling up, and also less equipment. They are usually transported on the back of their mother, tied tightly in a strip of cloth. I frequently see mothers riding on the motorcycle taxis with their baby tied on their back. You'd be charged with child endangerment in the US if you did this. But the babies always seem to be very calm carried around in this manner. I've never seen a baby tied to its mother that was fussy or crying. Here are a couple pictures of women at church with their babies and also one of a seller at the vegetable market where I buy my produce.

1 comment:

Lucy said...

I love the baby carying pictures. I wear my baby here in the states and love how much happier he is. He is 20 mos old and I get to wear him on my back at work. I wish I had heard about how to do such things years ago with my first baby. It is so much easier than the whole car seat lugging thing. They are great in the car but not in the store. I found people leave my baby alone when he is in a sling or wrap.