I’m so glad to have Eva writing this post about babywearing! She’s educated and passionate about this topic and what mom doesn’t need two free hands?! Whether you’re a seasoned or new mom, she has some great information for you below.
Babywearing is all the rage! Over the last couple of years, we have seen more and more parents, grandparents, and caregivers lugging little ones around on their front and back. This wasn’t the case in the 80s or 90s. So, what happened for babywearing to become so popular? And is it as beneficial as all its fans claim it to be?
The rise of babywearing correlated with a change in parenting styles and the introduction of social media. The latter helped to spread the word and made it widely acceptable. More and more research was done on the subject and plenty of benefits were found for babies and their caregivers. There are so many that you could fill books and books with them (which has been done) but let’s just look at these five.
5 Amazing Facts ABOUT Babywearing:
1. Babywearing Helps with Bonding
Bonding with your newborn should be a no-brainer. It is your child, so it’s easy, right?!? No. It is not. Not at all! Bonding often needs a lot of work and might be quite challenging. Babywearing can be one of the tools to get you closer to your little one while encouraging connection, the release of oxytocin (the hormone that helps with the development of attachment), and to help with breastfeeding (for those moms who want to breastfeed).
2. You Get a Workout In
A mother’s body changes significantly during pregnancy. We grow, nurture, and in the end, birth a little human being. What an amazing thing to be able to do! However, it also brings challenges we often don’t feel so comfortable with: a weak core, loss of muscle mass, and changes in body composition. Babywearing gives you a wonderful chance to tackle all of this and regain stability, balance, and strength. You get a workout in, even if you are just walking around the neighborhood. The added weight of your baby gives your body that little bit of an extra challenge it needs. As the baby grows slowly and steadily, if you are wearing your little one on a regular basis (on walks and during workouts), your body has time to adjust at a sensible pace.
3. Healthy for Baby
The health benefits of babywearing are massive for your precious little one! The closeness to your body helps her/him regulate their breathing, calms down their heart rate (to a safe level) and it stabilizes their body temperature. During winter your body temperature helps to keep your little one warm and in summer your sweat will help cool the baby off.
Babies are usually very content in carriers and tend to cry less. This means their stress levels are down, and as a result, this often leads to them falling asleep. They just feel comfy cuddled up so close to you and will give you a very nice, long break. Sounds good, doesn’t it!?!
And to top this off, carriers keep nasty germs at bay. A lot of people seem to think a baby in a stroller is an invitation to touch, kiss, or even take them out without the permission of their parents. Your baby being attached to your body in the carrier adds another layer of privacy, as touchy invaders would have to enter your close personal space. This helps immensely to keep people at a comfortable distance. That’s a nice little add-on, especially during the cold season.
4. Makes Life Easier for Parents
Having baby in a carrier gives you TWO free hands and a bit of freedom! Having both of your hands free makes life just a tad easier. You can do things around the house, run errands in a much faster way, and use your phone without inventing ingenious ways of holding and typing with just one hand - the list goes on and on!
Babywearing also means that the baby is attached to your body in a back-friendly way as long as it is done correctly. Many of us parents suffer from back pain because we let the baby sit on our hip and we often tend to use just one side (no judgment: we’re all human!). This creates imbalances and contributes to those tight muscles which are the main cause of back pain in parents who have young children. Wearing your little one helps avoid this uncomfortable habit and eases the pain.
And if you have older children, babywearing will help you interact with your other kids. Oftentimes one parent is alone with two or more kids and that means multitasking at a very intense level. If your smallest one is having a cranky day and just doesn't want to wait on the floor, putting her/him in a carrier while caring for everybody else makes life not just a tad but a whole lot easier.
5. You Can Go Everywhere
Imagine this: you are somewhat healed after giving birth and ready for your first outing with your baby. Your plan is to take her/him to a park or that beautiful forest area for a short stroll. You get everything ready, pack the car, stuff that massive stroller in there, and then … There is gravel on the path in the park and the trail in the forest is nowhere near a smooth concrete walkway. No chance to take a walk because it’s just not safe for a fragile newborn’s neck (or even an older baby’s neck!) to be rattled over such a surface without a good suspension and air-filled tires. So you put all of your stuff, including the baby, back in the car and head home again. Yes, been there, done that!
Now imagine all of that with a carrier. First, you still need tons of stuff: babies are tiny but, holy smokes, their equipment isn’t. Anyway, you don’t need someone to lift the stroller in and out of the car because a carrier is very lightweight and can easily be stored in a diaper bag. And second, you don’t need to worry about having an expensive, newborn-approved jogging stroller that would be able to transport your little one over almost every terrain (might be something for later, though - nothing against strollers, they have their place!). Your feet will take you and baby to all places and you can go pretty much everywhere.
Those 5 Amazing Facts about Babywearing make it pretty clear why it has gained such popularity over the last 20 years. The benefits for your babies, and for you as their caregiver, are massive and can play an important role in your parenting journey.
Babywearing Safety Tips
Has all of this convinced you to give babywearing a try? Awesome, that’s wonderful news! Babywearing is very easy and convenient when done safely. Let’s take a look at a few points you should consider before going on your first walk with your little one in her/his carrier:
Learn which carrier works best for you and your baby. You can own more than one carrier and can use them according to your situation, your baby’s needs, and the seasons.
Check the manufacturer's instructions on how to use your chosen carrier safely.
Remember the T.I.C.K.S rules.
Understand at which stage baby can face in, out, or be on your back.
Familiarize yourself with hip-safe wearing.
Talk to your health care provider if your body is ready for babywearing.
Ask yourself if you feel ready to wear your baby - mentally and physically.
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