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The Rebozo Way of Life — Transcript

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0:11[Music]
0:23[Music]
0:42do
0:43[Music]
0:56do
0:58[Music]
1:11[Music]
1:24um
1:30[Music]
1:52foreign
2:00[Music]
2:20[Music]
2:24he's moving faster than i can
2:38[Music]
3:06[Music]
3:46[Music]
4:12me
4:22[Music]
4:26hi my name is barbara wishing grad
4:30and i'm the founder and director of the
4:33rebozo way
4:34cultural and educational project the
4:37project is named after the mexican
4:39rebozo
4:40which is the traditional shawl used by
4:42women and girls of all ages
4:45for warmth for protection from the
4:47strong sun
4:48and for carrying just about anything
4:51from food to firewood to infants and
4:53small children
4:55the project is dedicated to educating
4:57people
4:58about the history and techniques of baby
5:00caring
5:01in rebozos and other traditional cloth
5:04carriers throughout the world
5:06to date it has focused on the mexican
5:09rebozo
5:10and its close cousin the guatemalan sute
5:13a rebozo is a piece of cloth
5:16that may come in a variety of fabrics
5:20or colors with specific markings
5:23or weaves depending on the village from
5:26which it is
5:27made it is
5:30longer than it is wide and it may be
5:33worn
5:34on the back or
5:38on the front as seen on this woman i met
5:40in the zocalo
5:42in oaxaca oaxaca mexico
5:45a suite is a square shape
5:52and may be worn on the head back
5:55or front
6:01this woman is making use of two suites
6:04for her baby as well as for the good she
6:06is peddling
6:07on the street in pana hotel guatemala
6:11and here in the market in solala
6:13guatemala
6:14practically all the women we see are
6:16using suites
6:18for shade or for carrying things
6:21in the early 80s when i was working as a
6:24childbirth educator
6:26and apprentice midwife i first became
6:29interested
6:29in the concept of in arms parenting
6:33what this means basically is the idea of
6:36carrying your baby close
6:38most of his waking hours until the time
6:41he is developmentally ready and chooses
6:44to crawl away
6:45by himself this attitude is almost
6:48opposite to the assumed correct behavior
6:50towards babies
6:51in technologically advanced countries
6:54where little ones are placed in devices
6:56around us
6:57and fussed over when they demand our
6:59attention babies needs
7:01often seem in direct conflict with those
7:03of their parents
7:04and we feel we need to sacrifice
7:06ourselves or train them
7:08to fit our lifestyles perhaps there is a
7:11better way
7:13and it was this possibility that drew me
7:15to learning all i could
7:17about the concept of in arms parenting
7:20both philosophically and practically
7:24i believe we can take a concept that has
7:27worked for thousands of years
7:29in cultures all around the world and
7:31adapted
7:33to use ourselves in the 1990s wherever
7:36we may live
7:38two books that influenced me greatly
7:41in learning about in-arms parenting are
7:45the magical child
7:46by joseph c pierce and the continuum
7:49concept
7:50by gene leidlaw now why bother
7:53to hold babies in arms and so much
7:57the philosophy behind in-arms parenting
8:00based on studies worldwide since 1956
8:03shows that the infants feel a sense of
8:06security and self-esteem
8:09that forms the basis of a stable
8:10personality that stays with the child
8:13his whole life also giving more
8:15self-confidence
8:17the time and proximity of in-arms
8:20parenting
8:21allow for full bonding between the child
8:24and parents and there's a lot of
8:28self-valuing touch ribosa babies rarely
8:31cry
8:32since they are worn most of the day
8:34breastfed on demand
8:35and sleep next to their mother or
8:37parents at night
8:38they usually go around in a state of
8:40quiet alertness
8:42very different from how we expect and
8:45experience babies in our own culture
8:48traditional baby wearing is done in
8:50cultures
8:51that are tribal where the new mother
8:55is provided for materially by the male
8:57members of the community
8:59and supported by the female family and
9:02friends
9:03through companionship and task sharing
9:05so that she may focus on
9:08and bond with her baby in many of these
9:11traditional societies
9:12a young female family member is the one
9:15who cares for the baby in rabosa
9:17after the first few months bringing the
9:19child to its mother to nurse
9:22in other cultures the mother is the main
9:24carrier
9:26although some of this may feel that
9:28community support
9:29during a child's early years is the
9:31ideal situation
9:33we may find it hard to create in our own
9:36society
9:37what we can do is use the rebozo
9:40in ways that are appropriate for where
9:43we are and who we are
9:45and incorporate the ideas of in-arms
9:47parenting
9:48as they fit in our lives today
9:51sounds great for the baby you may say
9:54but i just can't go around holding my
9:56baby all day
9:58i have other children a job a household
10:01to run
10:02actually reboza wearing is especially
10:05great for busy moms
10:07one of the advantages of wearing your
10:09baby instead of holding her
10:11is that tying your baby on leaves you
10:13with both hands free
10:14as shown by this woman in la mesia
10:16guatemala with three other children to
10:18care for
10:20anyone with a small baby in arms knows
10:22the difficulty of maneuvering
10:25such simple tasks such as opening a door
10:28counting out change
10:30or holding a small child's hand one of
10:33the advantages of the rebozo
10:35is that the motion of the sling against
10:37the mother
10:38provides the child with the comfort and
10:40familiarity
10:42so that they are relaxed and comfortable
10:46and for example with my own babies
10:48outside noises did not disturb them
10:50as long as they were close to my body
10:53this is my eldest son van
10:55in the ribosome wrapped on my front when
10:57he was about a month old
10:59here two women from the same tribe and
11:02so dressed identically
11:04meet at the market in san cristobal de
11:06las casas
11:07chiapas mexico with their fairly young
11:11babies
11:11tucked in rebozos on their backs
11:14and here another vendor in the san
11:17cristobal market
11:18works accompanied by her content older
11:20rebozo baby
11:22on one hip and her toddler playing
11:24nearby
11:26now how do these third world women's
11:28lifestyles
11:29relate to those of us who live where
11:32there are cars
11:33shopping malls and supermarkets well
11:37one reason for caring babies that gene
11:39lilov suggests
11:41is great for both the baby and the
11:42carrier she
11:44says that babies like all human beings
11:47build up emotional energy
11:49that needs to be discharged and this can
11:51be done
11:52by being worn by an active person
11:55in cultures where babies are not
11:57normally worn
11:59we consider it normal for them to cry
12:02and flail their arms and legs and in
12:04this way they discharge the energy
12:07in reboso cultures there is no need to
12:10discharge that built up body tension in
12:12these ways
12:13and so the infant's more common state of
12:15being is that of the quiet alertness we
12:18spoke of before
12:19when your baby is particularly antsy and
12:22you need to do some errands
12:24don't leave the child at home to be
12:25shushed into a more docile attitude
12:28do yourselves both a favor take him with
12:30you
12:31wearing him close and in rhythm with
12:33your movements and watch the
12:34transformation that takes place
12:37just as you go about your own active
12:39business
12:40not focusing on the baby but keeping him
12:43near your heartbeat
12:44your smell and your touch other in
12:47arms advocates suggest that we
12:49graciously receive
12:51gifts of strollers from well-meaning
12:53friends and relatives
12:54and we use them to carry our purchases
12:57while we hold our babies in arms
13:00when my children were small i made and
13:02sold jewelry
13:03and almost all the time i was in public
13:05selling i wore my baby
13:07which we both really enjoyed moms who
13:10work at jobs
13:11that involve a lot of sitting or where
13:13you can't bring your babies with you
13:15can put them on when home after work or
13:18on the weekends
13:20and teach those who do care for your
13:21little ones to wear them
13:23whenever possible some ways you might
13:26enjoy
13:27wearing baby around the house are
13:29watering plants
13:30for your garden picking up and sorting
13:33laundry
13:34walking around the block or even if you
13:37need to drive to get to the nearby
13:38mall or supermarket taking a minute to
13:41stop and put your baby on before you go
13:43in
13:44now you might think after a hard day of
13:46work
13:48that it's just too much to put baby on
13:50but think of all the time that we spend
13:52pacifying our out of arms babies putting
13:55the baby on
13:57and being active can help relax and
14:00energize
14:00both of us for just a short time at
14:04first
14:05or for longer switching shoulders after
14:07a few hours
14:08we can explore new possibilities of
14:11being with our infants
14:13and i know that you like me will feel a
14:16wonderful
14:17delight at being able to move around
14:20freely
14:20with a calm baby and even using two
14:23hands to help
14:24another small child with the baby
14:26contentedly on you
14:28we don't have to go to the extent of
14:30this mother in la mesa guatemala
14:32unless we want to but it really is
14:35possible to be flexible
14:36and even pick up fairly heavy objects
14:38with the baby tied on
14:40rebozo wearing not only freeze mom's
14:43hands
14:43but their hearts as well having small
14:46children
14:47need not force us into the traditional
14:49isolation of mothers apart from other
14:51adults or activities
14:53or into choosing between being with baby
14:55or doing anything else in the world
14:58the mental health of both moms and
14:59babies is greatly increased when they
15:01can get out and interact socially
15:04and take care of things that need to be
15:05done notice here
15:07how the reboza children are content to
15:09be present with their mothers
15:11without whining or acting out to get
15:13attention
15:15for a very young baby the rebozo can
15:18provide a cocoon-like environment
15:20nestled next to the mother's heart and
15:21breast that leaves the carrier's hands
15:24absolutely free which is especially
15:26important
15:27for those overwhelming first months it
15:30is also important to note
15:31that recent neurological studies have
15:33shown that babies really should be
15:35carried in a horizontal position
15:37until they develop strong neck muscles
15:39and begin to hold up their heads by
15:41themselves
15:42the newborn reboza wrath completely
15:45envelops the child
15:46in an atmosphere of security and
15:48familiarity
15:50without feeling at all stifling or
15:52claustrophobic right now
15:54imagine you are inside this very rabosa
15:57duare elaza
15:58looking out this is how the world would
16:01appear
16:02against this dark colored lightweight
16:04cotton cloth with thin rayon stripes
16:08again you are looking at me from the
16:10baby's point of view through an all
16:12cotton rebozo
16:13from more leon mexico verboses are
16:16perfect for baby
16:17from their very tiny days until those
16:19times they are generally running
16:21everywhere
16:22but may need an occasional lift at the
16:24end of a hectic day
16:26i found the rebozo worked great for me
16:28in active moments in a hot climate
16:30as well as in much cooler weather
16:33especially when i wanted free use of my
16:35hands
16:36and that it was a useful comfortable way
16:38to carry my babies
16:40whether i was in the big city or
16:42strolling down a pleasant country lane
16:45discreet nursing is another wonderful
16:47bonus of reboza wearing
16:49it can be done easily even in public
16:52from the first weeks that you bring your
16:53baby out
16:55one advantage of nursing in the rebozo
16:57is that the baby can fall asleep
16:59afterwards without needing to be moved
17:01or readjusted as you continue to go on
17:03your way
17:04and if you do want to take baby off to
17:06nap he is already cuddled in a soft
17:08fabric
17:10one of the things i really love about
17:12the rebozo is that it's light
17:14and easy to roll up and tuck into my
17:16purse when it's not in use
17:18it can double as a shawl a baby blanket
17:21when my babies were older toddlers and
17:24they were heavy
17:25as soon as i picked them up and tied
17:27them on i could feel the release
17:29off my shoulders and my arms as you come
17:31to use and love the rebozo
17:34you might find even more wraps that fit
17:36you
17:37and your baby whether worn with feet
17:40tucked in
17:40and head and arms outside or
17:43with head and arms tucked in and legs
17:46dangling free
17:47rebozo babies and carriers enjoy the
17:50comfort
17:50simplicity freedom and security
17:54that this type of interaction brings our
17:57first demonstration will show margaret
17:59wrapping her baby with another person
18:00helping to tie the knot
18:02the carrier sits comfortably and holds
18:04the child in the rebozo
18:06as in any other blanket or covering
18:09the baby is in the exact middle of the
18:11ribosome so that equal amount of cloth
18:13extends from each side and it will form
18:15a sling for the baby to lay in
18:17as the carrier lifts the baby the helper
18:19goes behind and takes one end of the
18:20rebozo around the carrier's waist and
18:22the other end above one shoulder
18:24and in this position ties a knot on the
18:27carrier's back
18:28the carrier and helper both need to
18:30check that the cloth under and above the
18:31child is taut enough to hold her
18:33insecurely
18:34but loose enough to allow some movement
18:36and eye contact with the babe
18:38as you can see this tiny baby is held
18:40without need for support from the
18:42carrier's arms
18:43and the carrier walking and moving
18:45provide a soothing rhythm for the child
18:47the see-through breathe through cotton
18:48shields the baby on the outside and
18:50allows her not to feel restricted even
18:52when completely covered
18:54when no one is around to help tie the
18:56baby on the carrier can do so herself
18:59i found the cross-legged position to be
19:01the best for carrier and baby
19:03again the child lays on the lap in the
19:05middle of the ribosome
19:06and here the baby is supported by the
19:08carrier's knees while the knot is being
19:10tied
19:11with practice the ribosic carrier
19:13usually keeps the upper edge of the
19:15reboza
19:16tauter than seen here and the baby's
19:19arms stay inside
19:20but as this baby wants to nurse it
19:22really doesn't matter now
19:24the breast is easily accessible and
19:26rebozo babies may alternately nurse and
19:28dose in short spurts
19:30as most tribal babies do i found my
19:32babies slept easily without being burped
19:35if nourished in the rebozo
19:37and i could provide them with this
19:38contact without interruption
19:40even if i needed my hands to help an
19:42older child
19:43answer the door or whatever or if i
19:46needed to get up and move around
19:47the baby could still sleep or nurse
19:49comfortably completely relaxing while
19:52nursing is the ideal
19:53but again if this is not possible the
19:56baby need
19:57not be interrupted if in a rabosa
20:01this baby's name is gabi and she is with
20:04another guppy
20:05a friend of her mother's and they're
20:07going to demonstrate a few ribosomal
20:08wraps
20:09the first wrap is the small baby back
20:11wrap also known as a sausage hold
20:13you need to start with the rebozo spread
20:15out on a comfortable flat surface like a
20:17bitter
20:18couch and then places the baby face up
20:20with her head in about the middle of the
20:22length of their ribosome
20:23so that there is more cloth above her
20:25head than feet usually the carrier sits
20:27in front of or alongside the ribosome
20:30grasp
20:31the rebozo with your left hand and bring
20:33the end
20:34around to the front of your waist
20:36reposition yourself if necessary
20:38so that the baby is directly behind you
20:40then
20:41in one quick motion usually quicker than
20:44shown here
20:45support the baby's head and pull the
20:47rebozo tightly above it
20:48so that you transfer the support of her
20:50head to the ribosome
20:54and you pull it over your shoulder and
20:56down to be tied at the waist
20:59to the other rebozo end the baby will
21:01rise up as the rebozo does
21:03and lay next to your back bundle
21:05securely inside
21:07facing you or facing up on your back her
21:10head will be higher than her bum
21:12and her feet will be near your waist by
21:14making sure both sides of the ribosome
21:16are pulled evenly as it comes over your
21:19shoulder
21:19you will eliminate any gaps in the
21:21material on the top side
21:23regardless of what you do it will always
21:25be secure under the babe
21:28when you reach all the way to the waist
21:30before tying the knot
21:31the wrap eliminates any pressure on your
21:33chest or around your breasts
21:35the rebozo is flat and unencumbered over
21:38the right shoulder
21:43and now gabi will shift the baby in
21:45rebozo
21:46to the front to nurse or be worn in
21:49front
21:50while she sits she just takes the part
21:53of the ribosome from
21:54over the right shoulder and slips it
21:56down while she supports the baby's head
21:59and then turns the baby in the ribosome
22:02around to her waist
22:03and slips the ribosome up over her left
22:05shoulder
22:07raising the baby's head slightly up on
22:08that side ready for nursing
22:11or being carried hands-free look at that
22:14contented baby
22:17and now gabi and gabby will demonstrate
22:20some of the easies one two three
22:21ribosomal wraps
22:23she starts by putting on the as if it
22:25were a shawl
22:26and then adjusting it so one end goes
22:28over her right shoulder
22:29and the other end comes underneath her
22:31left arm
22:33that's the side that gabi makes into a
22:35pouch to hold the baby
22:37she then ties a knot just under her
22:40right shoulder
22:41this same pouch can be used for a
22:44variety of wraps
22:46as baby grows
22:51she picks gabi up and she puts her feet
22:54first
22:55into the rebozo with her head closest
22:58to the knot being careful to fully
23:01support the baby's head if needed
23:04although this can be used with a baby as
23:06old as gabi who's almost three months
23:08this is called the newborn wrap and
23:10allows for almost continual nursing and
23:12sleeping
23:13as a newborn needs
23:17secure comfortable and hands-free
23:25it's easy to take the baby out or adjust
23:28her as we see here
23:30gaby is being put into a facing out
23:33position
23:34with her legs crossed in front of her
23:36for babies who want to see the world
23:38that way
23:45now she is being put into the sitting
23:48wrap position
23:49with her head on the side opposite the
23:51knot and her feet extended
23:53out in front of her
24:07from this wrap it is easy to shift the
24:09baby to a hip
24:10slung nursing sleeping wrap in which her
24:13head
24:13is covered and supported by the reboza
24:16fabric
24:17and her feet if need be dangle free
24:20so she can stretch out
24:25here we have joanna who has mothered all
24:27three of her children in rebozos
24:29using a wrap that is common in central
24:31and northern mexico
24:33that doesn't involve knots she has the
24:35reboza wrapped around herself like any
24:37shawl
24:38then drops one side and takes the baby
24:40in her arms
24:41as she would hold her normally this wrap
24:44also covers the baby almost
24:46totally tucking first one end between
24:48the carrier and baby's side
24:50wrapping the other end around and over
24:52the child and making another tuck
24:54underneath the baby end the carrier can
24:57let go of both hands
24:59if needed and the baby
25:02can be easily unwrapped at any time you
25:05want to take her
25:06out of the ribosome
25:09here she goes back to her mom
25:17this wrap can be easily adapted for a
25:19middle-sized baby
25:20which will be demonstrated here by
25:22joanna and her grandson danny
25:25joanna makes the tuck between her and
25:27him
25:29and wraps the ribosome from under her
25:32other arm
25:33to be tucked again under his bottom
25:36she can free her hands if necessary
25:39although she protects the baby
25:41by keeping one arm tightly against the
25:43shawl if she uses both hands
25:45this is not necessary for the wraps tied
25:48with knots
25:51now danielle places the shawl across her
25:53lap and puts the baby
25:55now sitting up in the exact middle
25:58it is important when using the reboza
26:00with the knot tied in back or front
26:03to make sure you alternate the shoulder
26:05over which the ribose is draped
26:07because more the baby's weight will be
26:09carried on that side
26:10and also for the front wraps it allows
26:13the baby access to both breasts
26:15in turn here is sitting comfortably
26:21one end around her waist the other end
26:24goes
26:25over her shoulder and the helper secures
26:29the knot on back
26:30yes ladies with long hair do need to
26:33make sure that it doesn't get tied up in
26:35the ribosome knot
26:38notice that danny is sitting in the
26:40exact same position he
26:41was before the reboza was tied on
26:45and so it doesn't affect
26:48his position at all
26:52safe and snug in the ribosome this
26:54position also allows easy and discreet
26:56nursing
26:58as i get ready to put danny on and tie
27:00the knot myself
27:02daniella turns around and shows us how
27:05the knot looks
27:06like from the back then she pulls danny
27:09easily out of her reboza wrap
27:11or it can also be untied by undoing the
27:14knot
27:15from the back again he goes down on the
27:19lap in a comfortable position
27:21one reboza end goes over that shoulder
27:24the other one around my waist
27:27notice here how i pull the upper edge of
27:29the ribosa taut
27:30before i tie the knot and the baby sits
27:33contentedly between my knees
27:35i reach behind with both hands it does
27:38take a minute or two and the knot is
27:40tied twice to prevent slipping there's
27:43once
27:44there's the other one now the knot is on
27:48so i can get up and wear baby without
27:51arms if need be
27:54here we have jeanette another who has
27:57mother three children in rebozo
27:59with her year and a half old son beren
28:01next to her her daughter to nouveau five
28:03and a half my son van six
28:05my other son gaby who's four van and
28:07tonuville have known each other since
28:09they were both small babies in rebozos
28:12the first wrap here is the one jeanette
28:14now normally uses to carry her child
28:16another version of the no not northern
28:18wrap
28:19here you can clearly see modeled one
28:21common way mexican mothers hold their
28:23young children in a sitting position on
28:24the mother's forearm
28:26this is distinctly different from the
28:27common way of mothers from our country
28:29to the north
28:30where one usually rests the child on her
28:32hip and puts her arm around the baby's
28:34back
28:35now jeanette is showing the traditional
28:36way to put on a baby from about three
28:38months and older
28:39onto a back wrap she holds the shawl at
28:42the child's armpits and swings him and
28:43the reboza onto her back together in one
28:45motion
28:47then one end of the shawl comes over one
28:49shoulder the other around the waist and
28:50the knot is tied in front
28:54she bounces the baby up a bit to check
28:56that the shawl is taut
28:58under his bottom and turns around to
28:59show us a view from behind or one can
29:01consciously wrap the baby with both arms
29:03out
29:03a slight shift and the carrier can bring
29:05the baby to be worn in the front
29:07another alternative especially
29:09comfortable with babies under one year
29:11from all of us to all of you we wish you
29:13and your babies increased bonding
29:15freedom and contentment
29:16enjoying the rebozo way all the women
29:18and children
29:19who posed for the rebels away
29:21photography project
29:22were paid in money clothing donations or
29:25both
29:26thanks for being with us today to make
29:28this a better world for ourselves
29:29and our children
29:42[Music]
29:52do
29:55[Music]
29:59you

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This page contains the full transcript of The Rebozo Way of Life by The Rebozo Way Project, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 3,935 words across 719 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

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