Is there a baby carrier in your emergency 'go-bag'?

Weather-related emergencies are on the rise around the world—at least according to the headlines. The City of New York sends a yearly mailer imploring citizens to prep for emergencies—having dry goods, battery-operated or hand-crank radios and fans, and extra gas for a car (summary of 2+ pages)—and emergencies are unpredictable at best.

I suspect where you live is similar - unpredictable and extreme weather events that become emergency situations are becoming a yearly and ongoing possibility.

What does this have to do with babywearing?

The families you serve need to be reminded to add ‘baby carriers’ and other items to the long list of items to grab in an emergent - must get out of the house or car fast - situation.

The good news is that many things can be used to carry a baby or child, but with some pre-planning, it could be possible to be comfortable and supported during a fast escape.

I still keep a few carriers in my ‘go-bag.’ There are so many reasons to do this, and I won’t bore you with all of them (that's a post for another day), but I will share what I keep in the bag.

1. A ring sling with a versatile shoulder can be spread or sat comfortably under another bag or carrier. Also, only a sling that uses Sling Rings - so I can trust the rings will withstand the additional weight I will invariably put on them.

2. A few simple pieces of cloth - a shorter and a longer variety - and cloth designed to hold higher weight are also important to me here.

3. A meh dai with minimal padding and extras so that I can use it for various uses.

4. A larger buckle carrier with minimal extras allows for the carrying of a larger weight, such as an injured person or broken bag/suitcase.

I can use these for purposes other than carrying babies. These carriers allow me to keep the weight of whatever I carry close to my body. Plus, I would have a hand free to hold onto someone else, so we don’t get separated.

As we move into summer here, it is an ideal time to revisit the emergency bag of items and my lists. I will switch out foods that might be near expiration, revisit meds, refill the water containers, and review each family member’s list. And as we will no longer be in the same weekly spaces, i.e., school, it’s time to revisit the plan for what happens in varied emergent situations while the family is separated—the plans for the who, what, where, how, and why.

If you haven’t set aside this bi-annual check-in planning time, I invite you to join me this week and do it. I also invite you to begin the conversation with those you serve.