It’s You and Me Baby

The benefits of babywearing and the use of baby slings for nurturing your baby have become increasing well-known.  However, slings can pose two different types of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies cannot control their heads because of weak neck muscles and their heads are proportionally bigger.  This is even more of a problem for babies who are premature or have been born with a low birth weight.  If worn incorrectly the sling’s fabric can press against an infant’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two.  Additionally, when a sling keeps the infant in a curled or fetal position bending the chin toward the chest, the airways can be restricted, limiting the oxygen supply. The baby may not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.  The youngest and smallest babies are at greatest risk.

There are ways to avoid harm.  Putting young infants in a vertical position with their heads up high on mom’s or dad’s chest, they are positioned chest to chest and their heads are turned to the side so that their noses and mouths are clear of any obstruction is one way to keep them safe.  The makers of baby sling carriers have many safety tips and instructions on their websites.  So even if you buy a sling second-hand go to the manufacturers websites and review their safety information and instructions.  

By carrying your child in a baby carrying sling or wrap you can enjoy the following benefits: 

 

Did you know there is actually a therapy for colic?  Something you can do for your baby that has been tested?

  A study was published in the medical journal Pediatrics back in 1991.  The title of the article is “Carrying as colic ‘therapy’: a randomized controlled trial.”  The study concluded that “In healthy infants, crying behavior is reduced significantly by ’supplemental’ carrying; that is, increased carrying throughout the day in addition to that which occurs during feeding and in response to crying.” Parents can feel overwhelmed by a colicky baby.  This is where a baby carrying sling can be extremely helpful.  When a baby is colicky and crying more than average extra carrying can help. Parents in this situation would probably want to do anything to help.  Increase the amount of time you carry your baby by wearing your baby in a baby sling, wrap or pouch.  By reducing your baby’s crying and making carrying easier on your body baby slings do a lot to solve this age old problem.

The benefits of babywearing are real.  Studies have even proven it.  For example, neonatal intensive care units that take care of premature and ill babies use what they call “kangaroo care” in which a premature baby is wrapped, skin-to-skin, up against the mother’s or father’s chest. The parent rocks, holds, and gently moves with the baby. The rocking motion, the skin contact, and the rhythmic motion of the parent’s chest during breathing produces the following beneficial effects:

• More stable heart rates
• More even breathing
• A healthier level of oxygen in baby’s blood
• Faster growth
• Less crying and increased time in the state of quiet alertness
• Better sleeping

Researchers believe that using kangaroo care helps the parent act as a regulator of baby’s physiology, including reminding the baby to breathe. In other experiments, infants with breathing difficulties were placed next to a teddy bear stuffed with a mechanism that seemed to “breathe”; these babies also had fewer times of breathing pauses. When the results of this ”teddy technology” hit the newspapers, a reader wrote in, “Why not use the real mother?”  The same thing happens when you wear your baby in an infant sling.

Have you made your baby a sling baby yet?  Sling babies are babies who are worn by their mothers, fathers or other caregivers in a fabric baby carrier, pouch or sling.

Babies worn this way cry less and have more of an opportunity to bond.  Caregivers respond to their needs more quickly which increases a baby’s security and confidence that the world is a safe place.  Since they cry less when held this way there is less stress hormone released and circulating in their bodies which means their immune system will not be suppressed.  Stress hormone is a destructive hormone which releases energy stores from the body.  This means stress or crying can impact a baby’s weight gain and development.  It’s great to know some of these facts.  It helps you see all the advantages of holding or carrying your baby–something most parents are drawn to naturally.  There are so many benefits to making your baby a sling baby.

In general, bonding with your baby is a natural process, not one magical moment.  There are things that can interfere with bonding like a difficult or complicated birth or a fussy, difficult to console baby or breastfeeding difficulties.  Developing a close relationship with your child really is one of life’s greatest joys as a parent.  There are a host of  things that foster bonding and attachment that come naturally to parents such as smiling, talking to your baby, holding, soothing, and responding to his or her needs.  Have you heard of babywearing?  Babywearing is a term that refers to holding, carrying, or wearing in a sling baby carrier.  Babywearing is a nice way to have baby close and build that love and attachment.

Once you have a newborn you realize how hard it is to get anything done.  And although it is a joy to hold your baby there are other things that need to be done–like making sure you eat!  So instead of using a swing or bouncy seat join the growing number of parents who use fabric infant slings or wraps to hold your baby as you move through your day.  You will get the pleasure of holding your baby and your baby will enjoy being near you.

 Wanting to hold your baby is of course a natural desire and the truth is that you really can’t hold your baby too much.  You can’t spoil him or her this way.  There are a number of physical and psychological benefits to holding your child.  In fact, you may want to consider “wearing” your child in a fabric baby sling carrier, pouch, or wrap.  Holding or wearing your baby reduces crying and fussiness by up to 51%.  It enables the child’s caregiver to be more acutely aware of the baby’s needs and heightens one’s perceptions of the baby’s needs.  It increases cardiac output, improves circulation, promotes respiration and aids in digestion.  It provides the exact level and kind of stimulation an infant requires, energizing the nervous system.  It decreases the baby’s levels of stress hormone which results in a more relaxed baby.  It also helps a child feel safe and secure ultimately resulting in a greater self-esteem.  Follow your natural instinct to hold your baby and reap the benefits! 

Wouldn’t be nice to just have more time to hold your baby?  Well, since more time is difficult to come by then take advantage of the time you have.  Babies love to be held and it’s wonderful to hold them.  In our industrialized countries we conveniently have so many devices to hold our babies for us.  For babies who don’t mind the swing, bouncy seat, jumpy seat or walker that’s fine but for babies who are more needy and demand being held or for parents that enjoy holding their baby there is a great alternative.  Wear your baby in a fabric baby sling or baby wrap carrier.  Typically there are so many demands on us that carrying a child around in our arms is a luxury.  If you take advantage of wearing your baby then you can enjoy having your child close while you go through your day and still get things done.  Your baby will enjoy the closeness and you’ll have more cuddle time.

Baby slings are so popular with mothers who breastfeed that they are often referred to as nursing slings.  It makes sense that babywearing–carrying your baby in a fabric baby sling or wrap–goes hand and hand with breastfeeding because babies want to be attached to their mothers.  When they aren’t nursing they are held close by mom in a sling and can smell her scent and feel the rhythm of her breathing and heart rate.  If you either chose not to breastfeed or breastfeeding didn’t work out then wearing your baby in a sling can help you bond with your baby and get that added closeness that you may be missing out on by not breastfeeding.  The good thing about babywearing is that you can succeed at it no matter how your baby is being fed.