It’s You and Me Baby

I write alot about wearing your baby in a sling.  I talk about how convenient and practical it is for the caregiver and how beneficial it is for the baby.  Baby learns more and feels the warmth of mom or dad’s body, smells their scent and feels the rhythm of their breathing and heart beat which is so comforting.  Then it dawned on me.  Over the last four years as I’ve been out and about with my children seeing lots of moms and dads wearing their children I can’t recall one time when the child was unhappy while being worn (carried in a sling or baby carrier–like a Maya Wrap, KangarooKorner pouch or BabyBjorn).  That says alot.  If you haven’t tried it don’t wait.  Many carriers and slings have weight limits up to 35 or 40 pounds.  Even if you didn’t start wearing your baby right from the start it’s not too late to.  Visit www.itsyouandmebaby.com for great babywearing gear.

Wearing your baby in a sling or wrap is smart.  Not only is smart for mom or dad because of its convenience and ergonomic design but also it helps your baby become smart.  Babies who are worn in a sling or a wrap learn more.  Brain growth is enhanced by environmental experiences.  The nerves in the brain branch out and make connections with other nerves.   This process is optimized when you wear your baby because babies are more content.  They spend more time in the state of quiet alertness so their energy and attention are directed toward taking in the environmental experiences around them.  This builds brain.  Babywearing is the best.

In many cultures throughout the world, especially Asian cultures, wearing your child on your front, hip, or back is part of every day life.  People now realize how good it is for your baby.  It sooths and builds the infant-parent bond.  Parents might not realize how important it is for a child’s development to feel safe and loved.  When a child’s needs are met, such as being held, touched, feeling the warmth of a parent’s body and the pounding of a parent’s heart, a child can trust.  This gives the child an opportunity to move on to explore his or her environment and learn about the world.  Therefore it sets the stage for life-long learning.  So wearing your baby in a sling is more than a trend or a convenience (though it is both of those) it’s a tool for bonding and development.

Babywearing while traveling provides a secure environment no matter where you and baby may be.  It is a good way to restrain a toddler and keep them from darting out into a crowd or traffic.

Transitioning—changing environments or going from wakefulness to sleep—is generally smoother because the sling is a constant reminder to baby of the home environment.  The sling can serve as a pillow, changing pad, car travel stabilization, or blanket while your family travels.

Is an ergonomic baby carrier beneficial to the baby or the baby’s caregiver?  The answer is both.   An ergonomically designed baby carrier supports a healthy seated posture for the development of the baby’s bones.  The baby’s weight is distributed largely between the hips and things, preventing undue pressure on the spine.  

The physical stress of the baby’s caregiver is, in turn, is lessened by the way the baby’s weight is distributed across the caregiver’s hips and shoulders.

Slings are so versatile.  As your child gets older wearing him or her continues to be great for bonding and enjoying each other.  It is also very convenient.  Toddlers are typically very busy and trying to contain them can be difficult.  In situations where there are alot of people,  alot of traffic or you just need to keep your child close for any reason, wearing him or her on your hip or on your back works out very well.  Of course any sling is great for carrying on the hip but the asian-style Mei Tai is great for carrying on the back and can be quite fun for toddlers.  It also makes it easy to manage other children if you have them.  See our selection of baby slings and carriers at www.itsyouandmebaby.com

When your baby is about 6-9 months old he or she has good head control  and tends to be carried alot on the hip.  If an older infant is not crawling yet and many aren’t then his or her caregiver is doing alot of carrying.  Wearing your child in a sling on a hip is easy, comfortable, and convenient.  The sling distributes the child’s weight nicely across a caregiver’s back to easy the physical demands of lifting and carrying an older infant.  I had two big boys and would be exhausted by the end of the day just from all the lifting and carrying.  The bond that is built by babywearing is also priceless.

For young infants (about 2-6 months old) who are past the newborn stage, being worn in a sling meets so many needs and conveniences.  First, young infants still like to be held alot.  They are getting heavier which can be tiring for mom to be holding them with one arm.  They still like the warmth of mom’s body, the feel of her heart beat, and her smell.  They can nurse in the sling if they’re breastfed.  They have the support of the sling while they continue to gain neck strength and head control.  And babywearing continues to foster the parent-infant bond.  The Maya Wrap lightly padded sling and the MamaBaby sling are top-of-line ring slings that are perfect for babywearing.  Check them out at www.itsyouandmebaby.com  Happy babywearing!

Newborn babies want to feel like they are still in the womb.  It takes time for them to get used to life in the world.  They like the things that simulate the womb.  For example, wearing your baby in a sling or a wrap, like the CuddlyWrap pictured above, provides the warmth of mom’s body, the snug enclosed feeling, the sound of her heart beat, and the motion of her movement.  Not to mention the protection from older siblings!  It also frees us mom’s hands making it very convenient and is wonderful for parent-infant bonding.

Every mother prays that her baby will not be colicky.  Colic is a term used to describe crying in a young infant for which a physical cause cannot be identified.  Young babies cry and “an average” 1-4 month old cries up to 3 hours a day.  The below average baby is that “good baby” one hears about.  The above average baby cries for long periods.  The crying with a colicky baby usually starts in the late afternoon or early evening which is classic but some colicky babies can even cry and be irritable throughout the day.  It is also more common with first borns.  Typically the parents will take their baby to the doctor to make sure there is no physical cause that can be readily identified.

There are plently of theories about why this happens but it really is just not well understood.  There are two ways I know of helping a colicky baby.  One is to learn and practice infant massage.  Another way is babywearing.  You’re usually holding the baby for long periods when they are crying so babywearing is a great alternative.  Babywearing is done by carrying your baby in a sling-type baby carrier.  Find a good sling like the Maya Wrap Lightly Padded Sling or the Maya Wrap MamaBaby Sling.  Find one and have free shipping at www.itsyouandmebaby.com  Fortunately colic resolves around 3-4 months of age but if you have become used to wearing your baby you will enjoy the experience for as long as you’d like!