As you may have noticed from the workshops I host, the photos I’ve posted on my Pinterest page, or just from the amount of time I spend referencing babywearing in general- I LOVE BABYWEARING! There are so many benefits to keeping your baby close by using a baby carrier and I could (and do!) spend hours talking about them.
Today I’m going to get specific and spread the local babywearing love by giving you my …
Top 5 Reasons to be a Babywearer in Montreal.
1) Cobblestones, stairs and other classic Montreal landscapes. Let’s face it- we live in a city as old as time. Half the neighborhoods are known specifically for their classic outdoor vertigo-inducing stairs, making hauling a stroller up and down a full body work-out. How about those touristy locations like the Old Port, where the sidewalks are tiny and the streets are hundreds of years old and full of wobbly stones? Breeze by your fellow parents while wearing your baby in a carrier and you won’t be held back by stairs, stones or tiny shops below street level.
2)Outdoor Festivals. Given that Montreal is the city of festivals in the summertime what better way to get around than with your baby held tightly and snugly in a carrier, like an Ergo or a Tula. You can hit the crowds at the Jazz fest and get your culture on while making sure baby isn’t overwhelmed or causing others to curse you as you attempt to push your umbrella stroller over taped down power cords. For the even more daring- try Osheaga. You get double babywearer points for attempting to be the cool parent in a crowd of childless hipsters. Maybe one of them will even buy you a beer during Florence and the Machine.
3)Public Transit- Montreal has a world-renowned public transit but, if you have ever taken the metro or bus as a parent with a stroller and all your other parenting gear you’ll notice a few things. 
First off- you’ll be basically ignored, if not scorned, for even wanting to go places with your children in public- how dare you! Buses were not designed with strollers in mind and anytime you actually NEED to go somewhere (between 7am and 7pm) most buses are full of other people trying to do the same thing. And no, they don’t want your wheels running over their toes. Don’t even get me started on the fact that there are basically TWO metro stations with elevators (Lionel Groulx and Berri UQAM) though thankfully, there’s usually a helpful person out there to help you carry your baby down the 250 stairs in each metro station. Babywearing eliminates these issues and other than the awkward stares some metro goers may give you, you’ll get where you need to go effortlessly!
4)Montreal has a great babywearing community! We’re lucky to live in a city where there are so many other parents who are into carrying and wearing their baby. In some places babywearing is seen as an extremely alternative parenting choice, only for those hippie-types or for those who “can’t afford” a stroller. Here in MTL, people babywear because it makes sense! It’s convenient, it’s easy, and it’s a laid-back way to get around with your kids. Especially in NDG, where I live, it’s about 50% stroller, 50% carrier. It’s not at all rare for me to see at least 5 other people wearing their babies on a busy summer afternoon. There are even local Facebook groups dedicated to babywearing in Montreal. So, find some like-minded parents and it can even be a way to make friends!
5)Winter.Winter.Winter.Construction. It’s been said hundreds of times before: Montreal has 4 seasons, three of them are winter and the last one is construction. There are already enough reasons (see 1, 2, 4) why getting around in the city is hard with a stroller. If you add piles of snow, unplowed sidewalks, slush and then pot holes, closed pedestrian areas, orange cones blocking everything…well it’s like there should be a videogame out there called “Getting around Montreal with Kids” and you’ll score points by avoiding all the roadblocks out there. I’ve even written an entire blog about how babywearing in the winter can improve how you get around in this city and I truly believe it to be the key to easier outings.
DISCLAIMER: Before anyone can claim otherwise, this is not an anti-stroller blog post. In fact, I have owned 3 strollers since becoming a parent and have helped tons of other parents choose the right stroller for them. There is a time and place for all parenting gadgets, and my 18 inch, rubber tired City Elite has continued to serve me well the last 3 years. In fact, you might even see me pushing my stoller down Monkland Ave, while my older son runs along beside it, with my younger son strapped to my back in the Toddler Tula! The stroller will be full of groceries and park toys and the top storage area makes a great coffee and cellphone holder. 🙂
