Babywearing- Part 1

I recently talked about writing a post about baby-wearing. There is too much infomation fo me to give in one post so stay tuned for the others coming soon.

What is Babywearing?

Babywearing is exactly what it sounds like. You wear your baby. Sounds easy right? Ha! Actually, it is once you find out which baby sling, wrap, carrier or pack will work for you. There are a variety to choose from, in every style, size, color and fabric imaginable. There are also makers that allow you to customize the look or feel of it is as well. These varieties will be talked about in another post.

How do I wear a baby?

The individual tying or wearing instructions will depend on the carrier. Most carriers allow you to wear your baby on either your chest or back. I found in my experiences, wearing a newborn on your back can be unsettling to say the least. Some carriers can be used to wear your child on a hip as well.

Why would I wear my baby?

Babywearing is an age old tradition. Despite the myth that it is a new fad or trend, this is what mothers have been doing for centuries.

Some of the benefits of babywearing:
- Infants are calmer when worn because their needs tend to be met faster
-The constant human contact assists in thriving. This contact also assists in the mother’s postpartum recovery from an emotional standpoint.
-Infants can study faces easier, they are able to hear better and because of this, they are more socialized.

It is also much easier to do things with 2 hands free! This includes nursing while babywearing.

When should I wear my baby?

Whenever you can! I love being able to put my son in his sling and go through the mall, the fair, shopping - most anything! He is safe and secure and more importantly, out of the touching area for strangers tempted to touch him. Babywearing also saved my sanity when he was colicky. The rhythm of my walking and breathing helped calm him down and allow him to sleep.

Who should babywear?

Anyone that can physically do it would benefit from it. I have actually felt the muscles in my back grow stronger as my son gets bigger. Any caregiver, parent or family member that is physically able can create a special bond with that child by babywearing.

The next part of this series will focus on the different types of carriers available.