Benefits of Babywearing

How can Babywearing Benefit Us?

will I spoil my child? - babywearing explained

Babywearing, simply put, is wearing your baby on yourself using a sling, a wrap or a baby carrier of any kind. Although it has often been associated with a new wave of parenting methods, babywearing as is breastfeeding, is an ancient art and has been around for centuries since the beginning of time!

Amazing, isn’t it?

Firsthand Concerns?

As experienced pioneers in the babywearing industry, we are fortunate to be able to encounter firsthand concerns of parents or caregivers about wearing their babies.

The most often asked questions are, “I wonder if I will ever need a baby carrier, because I don’t want to carry my baby all the time.”

And “Will I spoil my baby if I carry him/her all the time?”

Bonding

Today, many parenting talks focus a lot on parent-child bonding. In the early years, this strong bond can easily be forged by having constant skin-to-skin contact with the child. By wearing your baby you can create that special bond with your child early, which will eventually lay the foundation for a strong parent-child relationship in the long route of parenting by building your child’s trust and confidence in you.

Observed & Proven

Apart from allowing a parent to go hands-free, babywearing has been known to be extremely beneficial to babies as well. In addition, the benefits to babywearing are simply wonderful because babies who are carried, have been found generally :

  • To cry less (43% less overall and 54% less during the evening hours. Babies who cry less learn more.
  • To be healthier (gain weight faster, have better motor skills, coordination,
    increased muscle tone, and sense of balance.
  • To get a better view of the world. Babies pushed in strollers or lugged around in car seats only get to see the adult world at knee- or waist-level.
  • To become independent faster, making them more confident and less clingy because their psychological needs are quickly met.
  • To sleep better. They tend to fall asleep quicker and sleep for longer periods
    of time.
  • To stabilize babies heart rate. Interestingly, this benefit is backed by science. Bradycardia (low heart rate below 100) is markedly reduced and tachycardia (heart rates of 180 or more) rarely occurs. (McCain, 2005)11 Heart rate is so important because a baby’s brain requires a steady and consistent flow of blood to get the oxygen it needs to grow and perform properly.
Addressing the concerns
• Spoilt kids • High expectations • misconceptions • coming in handy •
Spoilt kids?
All babies need to be carried at some point, be it for a hug or to nurse or various other reasons. Many times new parents do find that babies are not meant to be left alone on the bed and that they can frequently cry to be picked up. This differs between babies as well as their ages. It does not necessarily translate into manipulative action and a baby really cannot be spoilt by being carried.
Expectations
A baby who has been in utero for nine months is used to being part of the mother and the motion of the mother as she engages in daily activities. As a result, after being born (and detached) from the mother through birth, it may be rather unreasonable to expect that the baby can immediately lie down on his or her back for long hours without needing the same motion, especially since the new world is still very unfamiliar and probably shocking to them.
Babywearing Misunderstood
It is a common misconception that babywearing means carrying your baby all the time. While babywearing is healthy and good for early bonding, it certainly does not mean that you need to carry your baby all the time. There will come a time when your baby will learn how to crawl and eventually to walk, and that will be the time to let go and allow him or her to start exploring.
Too big to be carried
At times they may still need to be carried, perhaps for a nap when out on long trips or when they get too tired to walk (remember their legs are short compared to ours) and that's when an ergonomic carrier is still useful. Other times, they will be happy to just get down and explore.
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Convenience

Babywearing helps many parents to get out of the house to once again experience the freedom of not being confined in their houses! Discreet breastfeeding can also be easily achieved with the means of babywearing gear such as ring slings and wraps.

So whilst breastfeeding is the sole department of Mommy, babywearing on the other hand can be done by Daddies, Grandparents and other caregivers, thereby helping them bond with baby as well. Our babies grow up so fast. And soon enough, they would not even want you to hug them in front of their friends, so wear them early and for as long as you and your child feel comfortable doing so!

Welcome to the beautiful world of Babywearing!

Babywearing can be for everyone!