HAPPY FATHERS DAY! Yes, even if you are a dad-to-be, you still deserve recognition on 
this day. It takes a lot to be a daddy – and for this mornings post I had the chance to interview one of my good friends, and fellow father, Xavier Knoxx. 3 years ago, he became a daddy to a beautiful little girl, and entered into a world that was ultimately scary and unfamiliar – but he charged ahead and I can honestly say that little girl has one amazing Daddy (not the best Daddy, of course, that’s a title I have to reserve for my own Daddy!)
Xavier was happy to chat with me about his experiences with baby-wearing, which was really insightful and opened my eyes again to the male experience in newborn/infant care.
NAM: Was it your choice to try baby-wearing, or did your partner make you do it?
Xavier: I used it by my own choice. Having seen them before, I felt it would be a good item to help in day-to-day activities.
NAM: Did you get any comments from the general public?
Xavier: Not really. Just weird looks, mainly from the older generation mainly.
NAM: What was your favourite part about using a baby carrier?
Xavier: Being able to keep my hands free. At first, I 
didn’t feel comfortable holding an infant. I didn’t really have much experience holding a child until mine was born, and it helped build my comfort level to hold her without fear of dropping her and making baby go splat.
NAM: lol
Xavier: yea, you can edit that last one if you want.
NAM: Is there anything you did with the carrier that made life easier than if you had used the stroller?
Xavier: Grocery shopping. Light housework. Mostly, I used it in public to avoid using the stroller which can be really awkward to get in and out of a car.
NAM: and a stroller probably feels very “daddy-like” to push, right?
Xavier: Yeah. Men like things with wheels. When I did use the stroller in public, I’d sometimes make car sounds to entertain her.
NAM: hahaha. So, you’d recommend babywearing to other guys?
Xavier: I’m a dork sometimes. But definitely, especially for those who have limited experience holding an infant. It’s a pretty intimidating thing to do. I was so worried I would hurt her but doing this allowed me to build my comfort level.
NAM: Thanks so much for chatting with me!
Xavier: No problem!
So, as you can see, the benefits to baby-wearing for Dad are pretty high and awesome. For one thing, you guys have a much better torso structure for the carriers, especially when baby is bigger. Using a carrier to wear your baby means you can do lots of cool things that you already do – like mowing the lawn, going to the car show, and washing your own car. Plus, that darn stroller can stay in the car since we all know that guys don’t typically have bags and purses to stow in the stroller anyway!
So mom, if you’re looking for an awesome fathers day gift for the dad-to-be in your life, invest in a baby carrier or sling! He’ll love you for it!
*If you’re in the Halifax area, check out my Doula4Dads workshop which has an entire section devoted to the art of baby-wearing!*
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