The Benefits of Wearing Your Baby- 8 Awesome Facts

“Touch is not an emotional fringe benefit. It’s as necessary as the air we breathe” (Heller, 5)

Overview

In most Western countries, life with a baby without a stroller does not seem possible. Even before the baby is born we have it all ready: the crib, the car seat, the bouncer, the stroller. And most of the day our baby goes from one to the other with only as little as feeding time spent in our arms. Apparently, many people do not know enough about how to wear a baby and why.

Apparently, that is why we call the first three months in a baby`s life also the “fourth trimester”. During this time a baby is outside his mother`s body but still wants to feel like he is inside…

Both of my kids always used to get fussy in the evenings. I would get dinner prepared before 4 o clock or otherwise, there would be no dinner. No long car trips at this time, no doctor’s appointments, and certainly no leaving the baby with anybody. It was cluster feeding or just being held. So I came along to think about a solution of how having the baby with me while doing things, and thought -why not wear my baby at home? I mean I always wore my babies during grocery shopping or walks and they always enjoyed it, so why not do it at home? And I learned how to wrap my baby in a sling.

Guess what. It was a genius solution to their frustration and evening crying. Instead of prolonged feedings and crying in between they would sleep “on me” inside the wrap and I would prepare dinner, tidy up the house or do the laundry. (Anything that requires standing or walking around). It was a win-win situation. They would wake up refreshed and content from the nap- fussiness all gone- and honestly- there are like a hundred things you can get done in one and a half hours without any disturbance!

On this Page

• Our baby during pregnancy
• The Benefits
• Finding the right carrier or sling
• How to wear a baby (video)

During pregnancy…

During the nine months of pregnancy, our baby is all cuddled up in our belly, listening to our heartbeat, dancing with the rhythm of our movement, and listening to the voices and sounds surrounding us. Can it be right for our baby, as soon as it is born, to be separated from our body for that long period of time?

According to a number of researchers not. In fact, lying flat on his back may be harmful to our baby`s physical, psychological, and emotional development.

According to the anthropologist James McKenna, we have an evolutionary need for touch as babies were always held and carried in ancient times.

1. Lying on his back is bad for our baby

• During pregnancy, our baby holds himself in a position called the “fetal tuck” in which his spine is a C-curve and his legs are flexed above his hips. When our baby is born he will not be able to stretch out but will flex his legs when lying on his back.
• The spine needs to develop into an S- shape slowly while our baby is growing. But, when lying flat on his back he may come into a “hollow back” position which is harmful to spine development.
• While lying on his back the baby`s legs do not have the right support to stay flexed. Hence, his hip development may be harmed.                                                   

2. Babies have a natural reflex of clinging to their mother

When we pick up our baby we may recognize him bringing up his legs which is a natural reflex of clinging to his mother. 

3. Baby Wearing can prevent ear infections

When we lay our baby down after feeding, gastric reflux may get into the middle ear and cause infections. Babies who are carried a lot upright have significantly fewer ear infections.

4. Carried babies cry less

Studies have shown that carried babies cry over 40 % less than non-carried babies

5. Our baby learns to regulate his own body

Being close to his mother helps the baby regulate his own body. Heart rate, the establishment of the immune system as well as body temperature showed to be more stable while the baby is carried.

6. Wearing your baby stimulates his vestibular system

Carrying our baby upright stimulates his vestibular system. As we move back and forth, reach for things, or bend, our baby moves with us. He learns to keep himself balanced and feel secure in space.

7. Learning is encouraged

Carrying our baby stimulates all his senses. The smell of his mother, the touch of her body against his, the expressions on her face, the sounds surrounding him. Our baby can explore the world around us from a safe place. Being carried he will be alert and open to all stimulations. He will observe and learn his surrounding, as well as his own place in it.

8. Hands-free!

Sometimes things just have to be done even if your baby won`t let you. Especially with older babies a back carrier can come in very handy here.

A beautiful quote…

“Our body is a sensual cornucopia where smiles, aromas and laughter mingle amid undulatingcaresses that put the entire sensory world at our baby’s fingertips. Our baby gets tactile orcutaneous stimulation from our skin touching hers and proprioception from the pressure of herlimbs flexed into our body. She gets tactile, olfactory, and gustatory stimulation if we nurse, ofour milk, and vestibular stimulation from the gentle stimulation of our movements and, whenheld upright, from her efforts to right her head and maintain her balance. She gets visualstimulation when she looks all around her, auditory impulses as we whisper endearments, andkinesthetic stimulation as we change her to the other side… when we put our babies in acontainer, and especially if out of sight all of this sensory nourishment is lost.” (Heller,112)

How do I wear my baby the right way?

The right way to wear our baby is with a C-shaped back and flex open legs supported above his hip.

There are a hundred different baby carriers and slings to be purchased. I tried both sling and carrier and I can tell that the tighter the baby is on your body, the more comfortable it gets.

Especially in the first year of the baby`s life, I think a baby wrap is the better solution. For later on, a carrier is great for having your baby on your back, for example.

How to wrap a sling

Watch the video tutorial to wrap your baby in a sling.

Why you should absolutely try

If you already have older kids at home they are probably at school or preschool in the mornings and you have a quiet home with your newest family member…But what happens after your kids come home? In between homework, playing with the kids, hearing about their day, and being there for them, the baby gets all fussy and wants to be held all the time, because -yeah it`s evening time… And you get distracted, stressed out and everything becomes a mess. So while you can easily sit down breastfeeding with your elder kids while they do their homework or just chat or eat with them, what about taking away also the rest of the fussiness of your baby and wrapping it? At this time you can prepare dinner and maybe do some chores with the kids… After that, you will not be stressed out from a whining baby and the feeling of not being able to get anything done! You will be refreshed and so will your baby and you can sit down together with your family for dinner and enjoy it without being all worn out…

Summary

According to the physical, psychological, and emotional advantages and benefits of baby wearing, it seems as if nature intended for babies to be carried. Our baby won`t be harmed by being in a stroller for a walk and of course, while we drive he must be in a car seat. But babywearing is sometimes much easier to handle and our baby will take so much profit. It is understandable that after 9 months of pregnancy, we may be tired of carrying. But babies enjoy being part of our daily routines and observing what we do.            We should always have in mind that our touch and closeness are crucial for our baby`s development in many ways.

If you learn how to wear your baby, it really can help you both through difficult times and build a beautiful bond of trust for lifetime!