There are many reasons why you might want to start baby wearing, and the benefits of baby wearing might convince you to give it a try.
Baby wearing can feel a little awkward as a first time parent. When I became a mom, someone gifted me a beautiful baby wrap. While I very much appreciated the gesture, trying to figure out how to wrap this long piece of fabric around me and fit my tiny baby in it correctly felt very strange. I was determined to figure it out, though, because I didn’t want to put him down, even for naps. Once I did figure it out, I became an advocate for baby wearing and obviously still am. There are many reasons why you might want to start baby wearing. The benefits of baby wearing might convince you to give it a try.
Why I Decided to Start Baby Wearing
With each of my four babies, I have used a carrier to cuddle them while going about my life. Attending to my other household duties, other children, or just when we’re walking through the store became easier with my carrier. I never had to get a stroller out when they were tiny. This saved me time, energy, and a crying baby. Folding laundry was a breeze. Spending time with my other kids while my tiniest one slept soundly on my chest gave us all more peace. I felt more bonded to my babies and was more settled knowing they could be with me. And the baby settles, too (more on that soon).
Probably my favorite benefit is when you’re at church or a gathering of any sort and people crowd around you, they tend to give more distance from you and the baby if it’s in a carrier. If you put the baby in a stroller, you will often find that people want to touch their little face or hold them. You can avoid that by wearing them. It’s easier to set a boundary with people if you’re not having to directly say “don’t touch my baby, please.” I normally don’t love confrontation. When I struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety, I had an even harder time setting boundaries. My mind was at ease more knowing that I could forego confrontation for this particular situation.
Some of the Benefits of Baby Wearing
The first three months of a baby’s life is often referred to as the fourth trimester. When babies are born, they go from a dark and warm cocoon to a bright, cold, and loud environment. It takes time for them to get used to not being one with their mothers. For those first few months, they will want to be held pretty much always. If you try to put them down, you might find they will fuss and cry. One phenomenal advantage to baby wearing is that young babies will cry and fuss a lot less. Being close to their mom or dad will comfort them and help them to feel like they are back in the womb again. In fact, one study found that carrying babies for 3 hours per day reduces crying by 51% during evening hours.
Holding your baby close in a carrier, sling, or wrap helps you bond with your baby, increasing connection and oxytocin. If you are ever able to wear your baby skin to skin, this will have even more added benefits such as regulating body temperature, breathing, and heartbeat. I found skin to skin especially beneficial in the first 24 hours of two of my baby’s lives. Their temperature was a little low after birth. Our skin to skin cuddles through the night and next morning regulated their body temperatures quite well.
Everyday life is made easier when baby wearing. When you are welcoming baby number 2 or 3 and so on, life doesn’t stop when your newest addition is born. Other kids need love and attention, food and basic necessities. While I am definitely not saying that you as a mother shouldn’t protect your rest (especially the first 6 weeks postpartum), I am saying when you do have to move beyond that rest period, baby wearing is a fantastic way to ease the transition for your little one.
Being Safe While Baby Wearing
The main safety concern when baby wearing is making sure your baby’s airways are clear. You never want their chin to be on their chest since that will block their airways. I would always make sure I could see their face and tilt it toward me.
Here is an acronym that is taught to ensure safety while baby wearing.
T.I.C.K.S.
Tight
In view at all times.
Close enough to kiss.
Keep chin off chest.
Supported back.
Baby Wearing Beyond the Fourth Trimester
As you can probably tell in the photo above, I used my carrier far beyond the first few months of all my baby’s lives. This all began when we were taking a trip to America from Australia. I didn’t want to bother with having even more to carry with a stroller. So, I researched all the carriers and found one that had a heavier weight limit. This meant that I could use it far into the toddler years. It was absolutely brilliant! I didn’t have any trouble carrying my toddlers through the airport over the years. They were comfortable, felt safe, and would sleep much of the time while we hastily made our way to our flights. Although the security guards would sometimes be ridiculous and make me take my sleeping toddlers out of the carrier, I still found using my carrier through our travels to outweigh the inconvenience we sometimes experienced.
Hiking, traveling, shopping, or just when my toddler was cranky and needed more cuddles…wearing my older babies and toddlers is something I will always be glad I did (and will probably do again one day when I have grandkids, if needed).
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