We are living in a country where it is very likely to be hit by a big natural catastrophe.

Every year we are coping with land slides (greatest risk), floods, typhoons, earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions.

Every year many many people are loosing their homes and unfortunately many also their lives.

We can’t do much to prevent floods and landslides as single persons but we can prepare ourselves!

I think every foreigner has heard of the emergency backpacks to prepare which we only need to grab when we have to leave the house in case of an emergency.

Today I want to explore how a baby carrier or wrap can help us in such a situation and why a wrap should be part of every emergency backpack!

Let’s imagine the situation: we are told to leave the apartment and can only take with us few items to bring to a shelter.
Of course, we will take important documents, our cellphones and charger/mobile battery, nappies (cloth diapers are more useful in this situation because we can wash them and use them again. No need to worry for not getting new ones!), formula in case we need it, toys, few clothes.

In case we have to leave immediately, we will only grab the backpack and our children.
And I bet no one will think about putting a baby in a carrier in such a situation, we will carry it in our arms!

Good if we are prepared and have a wrap or carrier in our backpack!

No one will try to take a stroller in this situation!

Later when the situation calmed down but we can’t return to our home, a carrier or wrap will help us so much!

We have the arms free for siblings, for luggage (for example if we received water and food) or if our arms just get tired.

The close contact to our child will stimulate our body to produce oxytocin which is a stress killer. Being close to our kid will give us the strength we will need in such a situation. And the other way round, being close to us will give our child the security it needs in such an unfamiliar situation.

In the shelter, with many people around, only separated by cardboard walls, we can utilities a babywrap in even more ways! Of course we can wrap our baby in it to carry it around and soothe it. But there is so much more to it! It can function as an additional blanket if the ones provided by the shelter are not enough.

Even on the way to the shelter the wrap can already function as a stole around our shoulders if it is cold.

Put over the cardboard walls inside the shelter, the wrap can make the small space feeling more private and more cozy. Especially small children like the feeling of „caves“ where they can hide. It will give them a greater feeling of security.
If there aren’t cardboards, use the chairs they often provide.

A wrap folded to a sling can be used to transport things like water, food, or clothes when going to the restroom. I already use a ringsling for shopping every now and then!

Baby wraps are just so versatile!
I hope I was able to show you how useful it is to have a babywrap or at least a baby carrier in your emergency kit!