What is Babywearing?
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.
You may hear people saying that so much carrying and cuddling will ‘spoil’ your baby and make him more clingy. In fact, research has shown the opposite to be true, as carrying helps babies develop a sense of security and trust, which in turn can help them to become independent at an earlier stage. You will probably also find that carrying your baby means he cries less – when you consider that you would pick up and comfort a crying baby, it’s obvious that if he’s already being carried he’s less likely to start crying, so you will both find life less stressful. Carrying also encourages non-verbal communication, such as snuggling, kissing or cuddling, perfect for when you don’t feel like talking, or are otherwise distracted, and still reassuring for your baby. And for those times when you really need to be carrying nothing, do hand him over, the benefits of being carried are still there, no matter who’s doing the carrying, so let dad, grannies, aunties and friends all do their bit. They’l
Babywearing is a newer term for a common practice in the parenting community. It refers to carrying your baby in a sling on your day-to-day travels, as opposed to wheeling your child around in a stroller or carrying him or her in a more conventional baby carrier like a carseat. Babywearing can also refer to carrying your child in a soft baby backpack. The baby can either be positioned rear-facing, where the baby faces you, or front-facing, where the baby faces outward. Slings are generally made of one long piece of stretchy cloth, which wraps around your body, waist, and shoulders, and then around the baby. In this way, your baby is kept close to your body while leaving your hands free to do other tasks. Most caregivers find this freedom of movement quite helpful. Slings also allow the wearer to adjust the position of the baby depending on their needs. The baby can be carried lying down or in sitting position and either directly in front of the body or on the hip. Slings are also helpf
