Dunedin couple create a valuable parenting resource

21 July, 2014

Dunedin couple create a valuable parenting resource

This week sees the release of the first New Zealand made babywearing instructional DVD. Directors Anna Hughes and Wayne Johnson show other families how to confidently and safely ‘wear’ their babies in different types of baby carriers. “Wearing Your Baby: Techniques For Holding Your Baby Close and Living Life,” has been a labour of love for the couple for the last 3 years. “Babywearing was so practical and enjoyable for us we decided that we wanted share the technique with everyone.” A few years ago Anna noticed there were no up-to-date multi-carrier babywearing instructional videos on the market anywhere in world. As the founder of the Otepoti Dunedin Babywearing group, Anna convinced Wayne that with his skills as a media producer they were the perfect team to create this resource. “As a newish parenting technique it’s hard for families to know where to start. We produced Wearing Your Baby to make that easier,” explains Anna.

Although somewhat lost from western cultures, many other cultures still practice the age-old tradition of carrying a baby in a simple piece of cloth. Babywearing in New Zealand is becoming more common, but is still considered a bit ‘different.’ “There still seems to be a bit of the old ‘you’ll spoil them’ or ‘won’t they suffocate in there?” kind of feeling”, says Anna. Wearing Your Baby demonstrates how to keep your baby safe in a carrier, as well as the practical advantages for busy parents and benefits to the child. “We loved being able to go to parties and get things done around the house knowing our boys were right there, safely with us. They could be part of what we were doing or simply go to sleep,” says Wayne, who as a father found babywearing so valuable for bonding with his boys when they were little.

Starting off as a hobby for Anna and Wayne, Wearing Your Baby became a self-funded professional production with the help of many other babywearing families, particularly the four other presenters. “I had my favourite carrier and knew others preferred different types, besides I didn’t want people to have to endure my presentation style throughout the entire video!” says Anna. Anna and Wayne are extremely grateful to the more than 27 babies and their families who helped with the production. “They’re not kidding when they say ‘never work with babies or animals’!” laughs Anna as she recalls failed shoots when babies just weren’t keen to help.

With the DVD fresh off the print, the downloadable files and website ready to go, Anna and Wayne are celebrating Wearing Your Baby’s release on Sunday 27th July, 3.30pm at LOL café in Dunedin’s Wall Street Mall. Anna says she’s “relieved and excited to have the DVD finished and available for purchase and is looking forward to publicly thanking everyone who helped make it happen.”

The DVD and download is now available for purchase at http://wearingyourbaby.co.nz and will be available through retailers soon.

ENDS

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