It’s You and Me Baby

 When I am out and about sometimes I see a mother or father carrying a young infant in a baby sling.  It always gives me such joy.  I’m happy for the parent who has discovered carrying or wearing his or her baby this way.  A feeling comes over me.  The joy of knowing that that baby is getting the love and bonding it longs for.  Plus, the joy of knowing what I was able to give my two boys when they were young and carried that way.  At the time I knew I was giving them the comfort of feeling my heart beat and the rhythm of my breathing like when they were still in the womb.  Now I get the comfort of knowing what I did for them.

 Did you realize that the process of bonding with your baby and creating a secure attachment would influence your baby’s success in life? Well, developmental experts tell us that when a baby has bonded nicely with his or her caregivers it helps baby build trust in relationships and an ability to connect with other people. In Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s book Great Kids he says, “Throughout her life, a child must be able to ‘read’ and relate to a range of people. As she grows up, this ability to connect will allow her to make friends and form a variety of relationships with significant loved ones, with casual acquaintances, and with colleagues and clients. In times of stress, she will turn to those close to her to help her feel better and find solutions to problems. Through connections with others, children and adults share the pleasures, joys, angers and sorrows of their lives.” So bonding with your child is important, not only to feel safe and secure as an infant and child but also to learn how to form healthy, successful relationships as an adult. The lessons of engagement start with the intimacy of an infant’s bonds with his or her parents. So how do you “bond”? Well, it’s a process and doesn’t necessarily start with one magical moment. Ways to bond with baby almost sound simple–see the following:

1. Talking. Even though young babies can’t repond to someone with words they can communicate. Developmentally they start with a socially responsive smile at 2 months of age!

2. Playing (games like peek-a-boo, my kids are 2 years and 4 years now and still enjoy peek-a-boo!) and singing are quite interactive.

3. Reading (even to young infants) provides a time of closeness being one-on-one.

4. Holding, caressing, infant massage, babywearing (the practice of wearing your baby in a baby sling)

Being held is a biological need for babies to thrive. Babies are “held” for nine months in their mother’s womb.  They were safe, fed, soothed by mom’s heartbeat and the rocking motion of her movement.  After babies are born being held helps them feel all of this.  Being held promotes attachment and bonding which babies need.

Research has proven the many benefits of babywearing. Babies cry up to 40-50% less when held.

They often nurse better, and gain weight better. Being held enables mom or other caregiver to notice their baby’s feeding cues earlier and before crying starts, as crying is a late cue for hunger in babies. And if you are able to start a feed before the baby is crying frantically usually the feeding goes better.

Holding your baby can be much easier when you wear him or her in a fabric baby sling.  Fortunately with the increasing popularity of babywearing there are many baby slings and carriers on the market.  The difficulty may be trying to pick one.

If you’ve ever been exposed to an infant that has colic, you know how piercing and desperate the incessant crying of a baby can be. Especially if you’ve never had to care for a baby before, this situation can be a bit nerve-wracking. When nothing seems to stop the baby from crying, remember that it’s important to keep calm. Try a variety of techniques to stop the fussy baby. One of the most effective techniques is holding the baby and gently bouncing or rocking.

The constant motion is soothing and might quell or stop the crying. If not, try wrapping the baby in a blanket before you rock. Wrapping the baby securely offers the infant a sense of security and safety. Just make sure the baby isn’t wrapped too tightly, and make sure he or she doesn’t get too hot. If you are planning on being away from home, an infant sling is an ideal way to transport a baby while soothing them at the same time.

Throughout my life, I have suffered from severe lower back pain, which has limited the amount of weight I can lift and how long I can stand comfortably. When my son was born last year, I was worried that the pain would detract from the time I could hold him容specially when we were in public. This was a serious concern, so I immediately began looking for products that would allow me to hold him while minimizing the strain on my back.

After consulting with my physician, I decided to tryout ergo baby slings. As with all ergonomic products, they are specially designed to work naturally with your body to reduce tension and provide the highest level of comfort. Although I still try to limit my time on my feet while holding my son, the sling has given me the freedom to carry him in public without physical discomfort.

Imagine getting hugged all day long.  Sounds good.  Doesn’t it?  That’s probably what it feels like for a child to be worn in a fabric baby sling.  That’s also probably why it’s unlikely to see a child who is trying to get out of the sling.  Babies who are cared for this way are happier and spend less time crying. Research has actually confirmed it. Strollers are a different story.  That must be why strollers come with a harness.  I’ve seen plenty of kids who want out of the stroller.  It’s natural to want to hold your baby a lot and for babies to want to be held.  Fortuately there is more and more data out there to support the wonderful practice of babywearing.  There is definitely a window of opportunity for bonding and developing secure attachments.  Babywearing can help.

As time goes on we learn more and more about the advantages of holding your baby close.  So make your baby a sling baby–a baby worn in a fabric baby sling or carrier.  Wearing your baby this way helps your baby feel secure, that their needs are being responded to and met.  They learn more from their environments because they cry less and are more often in a quiet alert state–the ideal state for learning and observing.  Babies who are held close with their skin touching mom’s skin acquire the mom’s good protective bacteria from her skin which helps protect them from infection.  So consider wearing your baby in a safe, upright, chest-to-chest position in a baby sling.

Holding your baby is fulfilling.  It feels natural to have your baby in your arms.  It’s something an expectant mother yearns for.  Unfortunately you only have two arms and when you’re holding your baby in your arms you really can’t do much else.  That’s why using a fabric baby sling carrier is so convenient and so satisfying.  Baby is close to you in a beautiful way–chest to chest.  Wearing your baby in a baby sling is like having an extra pair of arms to hold your baby.

New moms love baby showers. Not only do baby showers bring parents needed gifts of baby supplies, they also bring together the parents’ family and friends to share in the joy of preparing for the new baby. But baby only needs so many bibs and rattles. Get the baby some supplies he or she will really need. The following list highlights the top ten baby shower gifts.

1:Bouncy seat
2:Baby monitor
3:Bedding
4:Baby sling wrap or front carrier
5:Activity gym
6:Bath kit
7:Starter library
8:Out-and-about kit
9:Sleep kit
10:Restaurant Gift cards (for parents too exhausted to cook!)