Ancient traditions of baby wearing are catching on like gangbusters. Parents are learning that the age old tradition of providing the safety and security a baby needs by being held doesn’t need to interrupt their day or become an inconvenience. In fact baby wearing provides both parents and baby everything they need to develop a strong and secure bond.
Baby Wearing Defined
So what exactly is baby wearing? It is exactly what it sounds like – placing your baby in a sling or a carrier and wearing them. The concept of baby wearing is part of the attachment parenting philosophy which believes a strong emotional bond with parents during childhood means better relationships with others in adulthood.
Benefits of Baby Wearing
Babies who are worn cry less. Babies like to be held we know this to be true in our hearts, and its been proven. In 1986, a team of pediatricians in Montreal reported on a study of ninety-nine mother-infant pairs. The study concluded that babies that are worn cry 43% less than non-worn babies.
The world is an open book. Babies who are worn learn more about the world at a younger age. When they feel safe and secure being held close to their parents, they feel more at ease pay attention to the world around them.
Parents have their hands free. Baby wearing involves literally placing the baby in a sling or carrier and wearing them. Its quite convenient because your hands are free to go about your daily business. You can cook, clean, email, shop, play with your other children, all the things you would normally do only now you have a baby strapped to your front.
Babies are less likely to develop a flat spot on their skull. The pediatric association recommends placing them on their back to prevent SIDS; however this position often causes a flat spot on the back of their soft skulls. Babies, who are worn, are less likely to develop this flat spot because they’re sleeping in the comfort and safety of your sling or carrier.
Baby wearing helps combat postpartum depression. When babies are held closely and often a mother’s progesterone levels increase. This increase in hormones helps mother’s form a stronger bond with their babies. This strong bond and increase in hormone levels are exactly what a mother needs to help combat the occurrence of postpartum depression.
Baby wearing moms are afforded private and comfortable breastfeeding whenever and wherever Babies often need to be fed in the most inconvenient of times and places. A baby carrier or sling enables the mother to feed their baby with all the comfort and privacy they need. Additionally, the job can be accomplished hands free.
Not all baby wearers are created equal. Make sure the baby carrier or sling you invest in is a safe one which allows for proper support and positioning. Used correctly a baby wearer provides busy parents the ability to both bond with their baby as well as get things done and babies grow up feeling safe and secure.