Featuring Emily Layshock, Vice President and ABE
Hey there, I'm Emily. My babywearing journey started 3 years ago when I had my first baby, Jake. My husband is in the Army and he had to go away for a whole month of training, leaving me with a newborn, two rowdy Shiba Inus in a second floor apartment with no friends and no family close. Lugging a stroller up and down all day wasn't feasible, leaving the baby upstairs wasn't an option, and the dogs couldn't walk themselves. Holding two very excitable dogs leashes and a baby on my hip going up and down the steep concrete stairs did nothing to help my Postpartum Anxiety.
So I got out the moby I received at my baby shower, watched a few videos, and threw the cursed thing on the ground. Not just once, that 15 foot long beast took me probably 7 tries to finally get tied off good enough to put my baby in. But the screaming child calmed right down, the antsy dogs were able to get out of the apartment and I didn't have flashes of my baby tumbling out of my arms when the dogs pulled their leashes. Sweet relief! After that I made it a point to practice with the moby between outings so I was better prepared in the moment.
I fell in love with being able to snuggle my baby while getting things done. I made a DIY Ringsling since the weather was so hot for the 3 layers of jersey fabric. Being able to put more groceries in my cart without endangering my baby on the top on the cart was a huge plus! We wore every single day for nearly his entire first year.
While I was figuring out the ropes of wrapping, I found a wonderful online community, BabyCenter's Babywearing forum. The caregivers there helped me learn and grow and expand my knowledge of safety and community. That was where I first heard of "Babywearing International." If anyone had an issue that couldn't be solved via the web, everyone suggested "Find your local BWI, they'll help you hands-on and they have libraries you can borrow from!" Which is totally awesome especially when you're in sticker shock from seeing the prices of some of these fancy pieces of cloth, am I right?
Seeing how everyone was helped in that forum and knowing that local groups existed really showed me what I wanted to do, I wanted to help others and be a part of this organization, it's fun assisting caregivers online (which I still do as a Group Owner of the BBC BWing board) but seeing that moment in person when it "clicks," or when baby finally settles in the carrier, or the caregivers shoulders relax because its not uncomfortable this time, that's amazing and so gratifying.
While talking to my mother about this new exciting world I've found, she found an organization that gives carriers to military families in need. She nominated us and The Carrying On Project sent us a cool Camo Boba3G that was a family favorite for nearly two years! Their generosity showed me how bad I wanted to help spread the Babywearing love EVERYWHERE. So now that beloved Boba is in our local library to be shared with other families and I work as a Party Rocker for TCOP leading a local playdate group for them.
When we got orders to Fort RIley I found their local group and got to know Amie. We arrived and she accepted me right away. I began helping lead the Flint Hills Babywearers and we knew becoming a BWI chapter was definitely in our cards. Since summer of 2015, we've watched our group grow and change and I couldn't be happier. Seeing our members coming together as more than just a group but a whole community of love and support is just what we hoped to see. I'm so glad to be here with this group, they've made Kansas one of my favorite places to be.
