Less crying, fussiness and frustration. A well-done study published in the journal of Pediatrics found that carrying your child in the manner provided by a baby carrying sling reduces crying and fussiness by 43% during the day and by 51% at night. The ability to calm an infant is important for parent-infant attachment. A calmer, less irritable infant feeds better, is more socially responsive, and is able to develop better parent-infant relationships.
For those babies lucky enough to be born during the holiday season, here are a few fun and festive gift ideas for their mothers:
~Baby Slings; an infant sling is a great way to carry around your new baby to show to all your family and friends during the holidays.
~Baby’s First Ornament; a special ornament on the Christmas tree commemorating baby’s birth is a time honored tradition and will be treasured for years to come.
~Gourmet Coffees; okay, so this isn’t really a ‘baby gift’ but with all the time the new mother will be spending awake tending to her baby, it’s surely welcome!
~Holiday Plushes; a stuffed reindeer or snowman is a great gift for cuddling up with your new baby.
We all know how much babies want to be held especially young babies. Even though most toddlers want their independence they still enjoy being close to mom and dad by being held. If you used a baby carrying sling for your infant and put it away then consider using it for your toddler. Many slings, especially ring slings and stretchy wraps, are adjustable and can be used with children weighing up to 35 pounds. If you are going to be out and about put your toddler on your back or hip with your baby carrying sling. He or she will be easier to manage and will get the advantage of seeing the world from your point of view.
Wanting to hold your baby especially when he or she cries is natural. Some people are afraid that young babies who are held alot or responded to quickly won’t be able to self-sooth as older infants or become independent as toddlers and beyond. Well, that’s just not true. In fact, infants that are held frequently and responded to quickly feel safer and more secure because their needs are being met. Every child’s temperment and personality is different but in general children who are nurtured more feel safe when they are eventually given the opportunity to explore in new situations and environments. There’s a whole movement in childrearing called attachment parenting that has embraced this philosophy. One of the ways to hold your baby frequently and easily has been called babywearing. You use a baby sling or other fabric baby carrier (there are many wonderful ones on the market) to hold your baby to your body, like pictured here. Some popular brands are Maya Wrap (which is actually a ring sling), Hotsling, CuddlyWrap, KangarooKorner (an adjustable pouch), and the Moby Wrap. There are even websites on babywearing that help you learn how to make your own. Holding your baby or wearing your baby does make a difference because he enjoys the security of his caregiver responding to his needs. It helps build the bond between parent and child. It is practical, convenient and fun. Join the fun.
There are several options for carrying your new infant with you while you’re shopping, walking, or visiting friends and family. The stroller tends to be the traditional method for transporting your baby, and is a great option for a new infant who doesn’t like to be held and jostled around. The baby carrier is another option for older infants, and most fit snugly around a mother or father’s body and allow for freedom of movement. Another option that has gained popularity recently is the baby sling.
The baby sling is a fabric cloth which is wrapped around the mother’s neck and shoulder and used to cradle the infant against her chest. While lacking the support of a baby carrier, the baby sling tends to feel the most natural to the mother and the infant.
Babies need and love to be held. It calms them and soothes. This promotes health, development and bonding. There is a better way of carrying your baby than using a conventional baby carrier–it’s often referred to as babywearing. The CuddlyWrap is a baby carrier by Peapod Creations that provides a hands-free way to hug, hold, and wear your baby so he or she feels safe and secure. The benefits of a baby sling or wrap like the popular CuddlyWrap are many. The CuddlyWrap positions baby so his or her hips and legs are properly supported. This prevents stress on the baby’s developing hips and spine. In addition, the design of the CuddlyWrap ensures that the weight of the baby is evenly distributed. There are no stress points to cause strain on the adult’s neck, shoulders or back thus allowing one to carry a baby in comfort.
If someone told you they knew a great way to help your baby cry less, sleep more, plus build a beautiful bond with you and enhance baby’s learning then wouldn’t you be interested? Well, many mothers and fathers have discovered that babywearing has given them and their baby all of this. Babywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying your baby in a comfortable infant carrier or baby sling. Baby is held close to your chest or back depending on how you are wearing him. And for older infants or toddlers you can wear them on your hip and have your hands free. It’s great for when a baby is teething or sick and he or she just wants to be held and comforted. Find a good sling, have a little practice with it and get used to it. Once you’ve discovered babywearing you’ll regret you didn’t do it sooner!
With the assortment of cradles, strollers, seats, cribs, prams and every other invention out there, it’s hard to decide what to carry your baby in. But the best answer for both you and baby is the simplest: baby slings. Here are some reasons why baby slings are the best carrying method, according to ergonomenon.com:
1. Provide balanced back support without straining the neck.
2. Allow for discreet breastfeeding in a comfortable position.
3. Babies are ergonomically correct; their legs are not spread apart, conflicting with the damage of the pelvis, or shoved through a restrictive opening and constricting circulation.
4. Sling can be removed easily even with baby asleep inside it.
5. Constant contact with the baby promotes bonding.
6. The baby’s head is supported without applying any compression to it’s central nervous system or spine.
7. Reinforce positive attachment between babies and parents, and reduce stress hormones.
8. Enables baby to sleep better, aids in digestion, and reduces crying and colic.
9. Stimulates baby’s vestibular system, which is the parts of the inner ear that work like levels or sensors to control the body’s sense of balance.
10. Promotes cognitive development and speech development, because baby is exposed to more experiences and conversations.
There are many popular notions out there regarding child-rearing that are simply untrue, such as the idea that if you hold a baby too much, it will spoil him or her. In reality, the bonding between parent and child that comes through touch is important. Here are the ABCs of baby care, according to itsyouandmebaby.com:
• Attention: Giving your child attention, and increasing their attention span. This can be done by spending face-to-face time together, by labeling objects, reading, point out sounds you hear, limiting TV time, and including down time (such as naps) in the day.
• Bonding: Bonding, or attachment, is one of the most important factors in a baby’s development. Children that feel secure in their physical and emotional needs are free to develop the rest of their brain. This can be achieved through infant massage, contact with the baby (such as wearing a baby sling when out), responding quickly to the child’s cries, establishing routines for feeding, sleeping, bathing, etc., slowing down the activity (less rushing), and using childcare that has a low child to caregiver ratio.
• Communication: Babies begin picking up on language skills before they are even born. So talk to your baby throughout the day, and describe the things that are going on. Studies have shown that households with more words spoken in them have children with higher IQs. And again, read!
Parenthood is a journey about bonding with your children and guiding them through the ups and downs of life. If you want a relationship where your child trusts that you’ll be there for them then you set the ground work from day one. One of the fundamental ways a child knows you will be there for him or her is by responding to his or her needs right from the start. That’s why you need to ignore criticism from people who say “you’re going to spoil that baby if you always pick him up.” Babies need to be held alot in the beginning and you can’t spoil a baby by just meeting his or her needs to be held. If fact there is a whole camp of believers who advocate holding your baby alot or “wearing” your baby in a baby sling. This approach to child-rearing has been called attachment parenting. It has many benefits and many happy parents and children. In the 21st century with all its demands and distractions building strong family bonds is more important than ever. So remember, you can’t spoil a baby.