OUR BABY CARRIERS
What is Babywearing?
Click HERE for Article written by Kate Conway for the Times
“Babywearing”
simply means holding or carrying a baby or young child using a baby
carrier. Holding babies is natural and universal; baby carriers make it
easier and more comfortable, allowing parents and caregivers to hold or
carry their children while attending to the daily tasks of living.
Babywearing helps a new dad put a fussy newborn to sleep. It allows a
new mom use both hands to make a sandwich. It lets an experienced
parent or caregiver carry a baby on her back and wash the dishes, do
the laundry, take a hike, weed the garden … all while keeping the baby
safe and content.
Benefits of BabywearingMedical
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! CLICK HERE FOR THE STORE AND OUR CARRIERS.
References
1 - Hunziker UA, Barr RG. (1986) Increased carrying reduces infant crying: A random-ized controlled trial. Pediatrics 77:641-648
2 - “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.
