Does Joanne Peh deserve the criticism for how she wears her baby?

A local celebrity and newly minted mum has been creating ripples recently with concerned netizens taking issue with the way she has been photographed wearing her baby.

The controversial photo

Joanne Peh and the baby-wearing furore

cj0531 says: “Poor baby…suffocating!!!” and another netizen joyssso comments: “baby wearing too low”. Some of her fans and other mothers have jumped to her defence with the actress herself retorting: “To all mommies offering tips, thank you for your thoughtfulness and for sharing. To those who claim my baby is suffocating, it’s funny how you assume and think you know better.”

Baby wearing is popular amongst modern mums, and for good reasons. It allows mums to do the hundreds of other things they need to do with their free hands, and it keeps baby close to Mummy, giving the little one a sense of comfort and security.

But what are some of the signs (amongst many) that baby is comfortable and happy in a carrier such as the one that he is featured being carried in?

1. His head should be close enough to the mummy’s face that Mummy can kiss him easily without exerting too much effort
2. The neck and back are amply supported by the carrier for newborns because they still have comparatively weaker necks.
3. The knees should be higher than their bums
4. Straps are snug but not too tight.

What expert is saying

These are just a few of the items on the checklist that parents would be better of checking before carrying baby around for a prolonged period of time. Ultimately though, a lot also depends on the mother’s common sense. If baby seems uncomfortable and fusses a lot in a particular position, the mother would do well to adjust his position.

Our baby wearing expert feels it is difficult to tell from a single photo whether the baby is in a comfortable position or whether he was simply put like that for the duration it took to take the photo.

But what she does have to say about this furore is this:

“We all started somewhere with our babywearing journey. We learnt/are learning through our mistakes. Many new mummies just need some time and space to discover!”

We most certainly agree! Newly minted celebrity Mums face the same struggles as us and require the same support as your regular mum struggling on the streets with a wailing baby and a zillion shopping bags. We think Ms Peh has done a stellar job protecting her baby in her own way and multi-tasking with her high-profile job.

Have you had your own challenges in your baby wearing journey? Share with us and tell us how you managed to overcome them.