It was about 5 years ago when my nephew, Jung, was still a baby. Then, he was the first and only baby in the house and the joy of it all was simply great. We just love babies. As a new Yiyi (auntie), I was so excited and happy and *all the good feelings*! Simply enjoying my new role.
Then again, my nephew, Jung Jung aka Small Boy, like many babies, was a fussy and colicky baby. No, he was not a breastfed baby. I was too young and inexperience at that time to know about breastfeeding to encourage my sister to do so then.
Anyway, he was a fussy and colicky baby. To that, my Mom, who was taking care of him at the time used the sarong with him... the one with spring which springs up and down.. up and down.. (wish I have a photo but Arthur doesn't use it). Well... my Mom used the sarong to calm Jung. Those who have used it on their babies will know that babies could be addicted to sarong.
Jung Jung definitely was one of those addicts! Wherever we tried to travel with him, then, we had to drag the sarong with us. So, plans to travel evolved around the sarong.
One day, when Jung was about 8 months old, we brought him shopping... unlike what we expect.. that he will be happy and excited.. he seems to be even more fussy and wouldn't stop crying! Now that I think of it, it could just be due to the simple fact that it's a new environment altogether which makes it overwhelming for him.
We tried lots of things to calm him but nothing works. Then, I took him from my Sis and started to cradle him, standing still... my legs up and down... up and down... up and down... giving the 'sarong' effect. It worked! Just when I thought I could slowly start walking again... he cried... so.. up and down.. up and down.. again... Since then, I have been termed the 'sarong yiyi'. When all else fails, they will pass him to me and I will sarong him. (well, anyone can do it but it's a tiring thing to do so it's back to me) That could be the reason behind the close bond I have with Jung til this day..
Jung and Arthur
That was the flashback while I had that simply made me think... "wouldn't it be so much easier if we had discovered the sling then?". That would have taken care of the sore arms and legs...
Unlike Arthur, Jung was brought up in a way where the adults around are too afraid of bonding with their babies... more like afraid that they will be 'sticky', like how I described it in my breastfeeding journey. An inexperienced Yiyi then, I agreed that it will make him independent at a young age... now that I am a mother, all I can say is... even if Arthur doesn't 'stick' to me... I tend to 'stick' to him =)
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