It sometimes pays to complain.

A few days ago Motrin brand pain reliever put an ad up online (there is aparently also a similar print ad, though I have not seen it.). They are targeting mothers in their advertising and have something called a "mom-alogue" and this is what the ad is suppose to be. You know a real life mom situation. (sarcasm).
You can view the ad here:
Motrin Ad

It's offensive in several ways. Obiously first of all it completely mis-represents babywearing. But it is also offensive to mothers in general with the idea that we would put ourselves through physical pain just to be a part of some sort of senseless fashion trend. You know, we wear our babies just to look like "official moms".

As you can imagine this clip flew around the internet through email, blogs and message boards. I wrote an email to the company yesterday and hundreds of other babywearing moms did too over the weekend. Yesterday this video was placed on youtube as a response:
Motrin makes moms mad
The organization Babywearing International has also sent a really good letter, which you can read here: Babywearing International response to Motrin ad

Well, the VP of marketing for the company that makes Motrin is responding. They took the clip off the internet by early this morning and are saying they will retract the print ads as well although that will take more time. On the main page of the Motrin website she has also printed an apology: Motrin.com
So sometimes it does pay off to complain!

In a kind of ironic twist - International Babywearing Week is Nov 12-18th. I have some links to information about babywearing, baby carrier and our local group always listed on the right hand side of this blog.
Why is this something I care about?
Here is some good basic information off the Babywearing International website:

Benefits of Babywearing

Medical professionals agree that infants thrive through touch; “wearing”
your baby is another way to meet this need. But the benefits of babywearing don’t end there … babywearing offers many other advantages, some of which include:

• Happy Babies. It’s true … carried babies cry less! In a study published
in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that babywearing for three hours a day reduced infant crying by 43 percent overall and 54 percent during evening hours. (1)

• Healthy Babies. Premature babies and babies with special needs often
enter the world with fragile nervous systems. When a baby rides in a sling attached to his mother, he is in tune with the rhythm of her breathing, the sound of her heartbeat, and the movements his mother makes—walking, bending, and reaching. This stimulation helps him to regulate his own physical responses. Research has even shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier than babies who are not. (2)

• Confident Parents. A large part of feeling confident as a parent is the
ability to read our babies’ cues successfully. Holding our babies close in a
sling allows us to become finely attuned to their movements, gestures, and facial expressions. Every time a baby is able to let us know that she is hungry, bored, or wet without having to cry, her trust in us is increased, her learning is enhanced, and our own confidence is reinforced. This cycle of positive interaction deepens the mutual attachment between parent and child, and is especially beneficial for mothers who are at risk for or suffering from postpartum depression. (3) (4)

• Loving Caregivers. Baby carriers are a great bonding tool for fathers,
grandparents, adoptive parents, babysitters, and other caregivers. Imagine a new father going for a walk with his baby in a sling. The baby is becoming used to his voice, heartbeat, movements, and facial expressions, and the two are forging a strong attachment of their own. Baby carriers are beneficial for every adult in a baby’s life. Cuddling up close in the sling is a wonderful way to get to know the baby in your life, and for the baby to get to know you!

•Comfort and Convenience. With the help of a good carrier, you can take
care of older children or do chores without frequent interruptions from an anxious or distressed infant—which helps to reduce sibling rivalry. Baby
carriers are also wonderful to use with older babies and toddlers; you can save those arms and go where strollers can’t. Climbing stairs, hiking, and navigating crowded airports all can be done with ease when you use a well-designed baby carrier!

References1 - Hunziker UA, Garr RG. (1986) Increased carrying reduces
infant crying: A random-ized controlled trial. Pediatrics 77:641-6482 - “Current knowledge about skin-to-skin (kangaroo) care for pre-term infants”. J Perinatol. 1991 Sep;11(3):216-26.3 - Pelaez-Nogueras M, Field TM, Hossain Z, Pickens J. (1996). Depressed mothers’ touching increases infants’ positive affect and attention in still-face interactions. Child Development, 67, 1780-92.4 - Tessier R, M Cristo, S Velez, M Giron, JG Ruiz-Palaez, Y Charpak and N Charpak. (1998) Kangaroo mother care and the bonding hypothesis. Pediatrics 102:e17.

So happy Babywearing!