You can still look fashionable as you carry your baby around as some moms at the Lakme Fashion Week showed. The fashion statement came from designer Karishma Shahani Khan (of Pune-based fashion label Ka Sha) a mom herself. She too walked the ramp with her baby and turned the spotlight on ergonomic baby carriers. Karishma has collaborated with with Bayiravi Mani of Kol Kol online store to create these babycarriers.
These have come a long way from the old fashioned ones, explains Karishma. “They are ergonomically designed to ensure that both the mother and the baby are comfortable in it. And they are no longer dull and boring. There are varied prints, colours and textures and we have something to complement any outfit the mother cares to wear,” she says. Bayiravi adds, “You can hold your child close to you as you go about your work. I am filled with joy when people who buy from us post pictures of themselves going for walks in mountains, enjoying the beach, going to music festivals, travelling to wonderful places - all the while babywearing. There are babywears for special occasions too. They are made out of special and rich fabrics such as Kanchivaram, ikkat, pochampalli and kalamkari. “We have ring slings in silk that can be worn with sarees. Slings also come in brocade, linen and cotton.”
Ring-slings have a ring through which the fabric is inserted to secure the baby snugly and there are others called Meh Dais that are just strapped on with the help of knots. There are also more structured baby carriers with buckles.
The ergonomic design allows the parent to multi-task. It relieves them of stress, backaches, and shoulder pain too. “I don’t have to hand over the baby to someone when I want to step out for a walk or go shopping,”says Swati Aravindh, a babywearing enthusiast.
Anjana Dhanavanthan, a mother of two says these are collector’s item. She’s been using babywear for two years. “We jazz up the baby wear with prints and accessories to look stylish. For example, the full-buckled carriers. The slip cover works like a tank top and I have fun designs with elephant motifs on them. I have one in yellow that has autorickhaws printed on one side and stars on the other. I show off in them!”
New mothers also give a creative twist to the drool pads that can be wrapped on the shoulder. “We try and match the flip cover and drool pad with pelican and elephant prints. Anyone can customise their own baby-wear with the kind of fabric and prints they want,” says Anjana.
Bayiravi says they are constantly innovating and adding to their repertoire. “Our latest are mona kona bags that match the carriers. We have an entire range in block prints. We highlight the fun side of Indian fabrics. We use traditional crafts to embellish these. The names for our carriers are inspired by childhood games and treats.”
Baby carriers have become a style statement, says Chinmayie Bhat, founder of Soul Slings, that makes ergonomic baby carriers for babies from birth till preschool. “Moms want to look good and if they are using something every day, it’s no surprise that they want to treat it like an accessory. It’s an extension of a personal style statement. People pick colour and patterns depending on their wardrobe and end up collecting more than one kind or style of carrier. Buying baby carriers is a little like buying bags and shoes. One can never have too many.”
Soul makes handmade baby carriers in India with natural fabrics. “Options are endless. There are colours, patterns, fabric blends…hand woven, machine woven, exotic and expensive ones as wells as affordable and casual ones,” she says.
Chinmayie adds that though traditionally we have been carrying our babies for generations, the modern Babywearing is still new to India. “The different styles of carriers are not popular in the mainstream market yet. Facebook groups like ‘Babywearing India’ and ‘Wrap your baby are spreading the word. In two years, we have seen an increase in our Indian sales. As the number of baby carrier brands increase within India, there will be more options in the market which will make them more accessible and inclusive.”
“Parents learn about babywearing during pre-natal classes,” says Anjana. “These can be used for newborns until they turn about three. Fathers, who are actively involved in parenting, prefer it as they don’t have to worry about holding the baby right. It gives them a sense of bonding.”
Bayiravi says there are loads of dads and grand dads who are using babywear. “We cater to their tastes. Grandparents still provide a lot of care for children in our country, so we reach out to them too.”
