It’s You and Me Baby

If you like to hold your baby alot, then there’s good news.  Studies show that it has many advantages.  For example,  many people have taken to wearing their babies in either an infant sling, baby ring sling, pouch, wrap, front carrier or back carrier like the asian-style Mai Tei.  It gives children a feeling of security.  They cry and fuss less.  They feel safe and emotionally connected.  This helps with their cognitive as well as emotional development.  When baby’s physical needs are being met then he or she is better able to learn from caregivers and the environment  Carrying your baby in a baby sling offers an effective way to nurture him or her that is simple, effortless, and ergonomic. Don’t wait for baby to cry to pick him up.  Make it a choice to wear your baby.  Savor snuggling with your young infant by wearing him or her in a comfortable fabric baby sling.

Our world is filled with constant forms of sensory stimuli.  Ads are everywhere.  Cell phone chimes ring.  TVs are on in the backround.  It’s difficult these days to live where there is little media or few communication devices.  You may not be able to avoid everything but you can take steps to help your baby not get overstimulated by it all.  According to pediatric expert Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, an infant has an individual threshold for stimuli which can be used for organization and learning.  Stimulation which exceeds this threshold overloads the infant and sets up defenses which are likely to be costly to future development.  Some things you can do are as follows:  1)  Limit TV time–for everyone in the house.  Don’t have it on in the background.  Decide which shows are important and turn it off all other times.  Babies do not need TV.  Baby DVDs and shows are abundant but no studies have shown that they are actually good for babies.  2)  Turn off your phone.  You don’t have to be accessible to everyone all the time.  Callers can leave a message when you are having quiet play time or reading time with your baby (reading is even good for young infants–point to the pictures and name them).  Babies enjoy the sound of your voice and they learn about their native language.  3)  Protect sleep times and avoid car naps–that baby gym class or play group is not more important than a good nap.  Sleep helps brain development.  It makes for a much happier child who can gain so much more from activities and social interaction when well-rested.  4)  Consider wearing your baby.  Wearing your child in a fabric infant sling or carrier close to mom, dad, or another caregiver helps him or her feel safe and secure.  Children can explore their environment visually from your level.  This can help them from feeling overwhelmed.

Once you have a child your life is never the same.  With each additional children added to a family the dynamics among family members change.  Sibling rivalry is a natural phenomenon.  It’s inherent for survival that each child knows that he or she is still loved and adored just like a new sibling.  As a child gets older he or she becomes more independent so is less dependent on mom or dad to meet every single need.  But all children still strive to be loved and nurtured.  So is there anything you can do to help the situation when a newborn comes along?  Well, young infants want to be held alot so you can accomplish two things by wearing your young infant in a fabric baby carrier like a Maya Wrap, Moby Wrap,  Cuddly Wrap or Kangaroo Korner adjustable pouch.  It takes care of the holding of the young infant while freeing up your hands to play with, hug or attend to your older children.

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.

I’m a mother of five, with a sixth on the way, and throughout the years I’ve used a lot of different baby carriers.  Everything from baskets, to slings, to wraps, to bed sheets; if an infant can rest in it, I’ve used it.  Though through all my experiences, I’ve noticed that the cuddle wrap I bought years ago seems to be most preferred by babies from birth to about six months old.  Babies seem to be more comfortable and fall asleep faster when they’re pressed close to the mother’s skin (my two sons especially). 

I’ve seen newer cuddle wraps in various stores and online, most seem to follow the same original design, and I imagine would work just as well as they did with my five little ones.

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.

Humans need touch and it is especially important for young babies to be touched and held alot.  Through touch babies learn that their needs will be met.  It helps them feel safe, cared for and secure.  Infant massage is a distinct set of massage strokes performed in a certain sequence that has been a tradition in many cultures.  It is a fantastic way to bond with your baby.  The other benefits of infant massage include the following:  1) It relaxes your child and helps to decrease stress for you and your baby, 2) It relieves discomfort, 3) Helps normalize muscle tone and improve blood circulation.  4) Helps baby sleep better, 5) Stimulates brain development and improves sensory awareness.    Since it’s still being discovered in the modern world it might be hard to find an infant massage instructor or class but there are many great DVDs on the market that teach infant massage.  If you discover and learn infant massage you may also want to join the growing trend of wearing your baby.  It’s another way to bond with and be close to your baby.  Babywearing is the term that is used to describe carrying or wearing your baby in a fabric baby sling either on your front, back or hip.  Babies love being held and after a little practice at babywearing it feels so natural.  It’s much easier than carrying your baby around on your hip with one arm.  If you want to develop a strong bond with your child you should try these two wonderful experiences–infant massage and babywearing.

Bonding with your baby is a process of loving and trusting.  It depends on your actions.  A parent or caregiver is drawn by instinct to respond to a baby’s needs.  In turn, a baby responds.  At first, a newborn will respond by calming, quieting, looking and accepting the caregivers touch or nourishment.  As an infant gets older he or she will start to be more social and a reciprocal social interaction will begin.  In response to a parent’s voice and words a two month old will start to coo, smile and give eye contact.  At 4-6 months an infant is responding to a parent’s special “baby voice” by laughing, squealing and babbling.  That’s why it is so important to talk to your baby alot.  You don’t always have to be speaking close up and face-to-face.  Babies will also enjoy hearing you talk to them while you’re in the same room.  Just sing songs or narrating your activity as you go along.  Another important aspect of nurturing a bond between parent and child is by holding, rocking, carrying or wearing your baby.  Babies need to be close to their primary caregivers.  Whether it’s mom, dad, sitter, grandparent, etc. babies need to security of being held alot.  That’s why you can’t spoil a baby by holding him or her.  Wearing your baby in a baby sling is ideal.  Baby can hear and feel the rhythm of your breathing and heart beat when worn in a baby carrying sling.  It’s also very convenient for the babywearer.  Bonding with your baby is a beautiful process.  These measures can really make a difference. 

Most parents have more than one child.  In steps the guilt.  You can’t give the first child the exclusive attention you once did and you’ll never be able to treat number 2 (or 3 or 4 for that matter) the way you did the first.  Well, birth order is a pretty interesting phenomenon itself.  There are plenty of books written about it and every position in birth order has its advantages and disadvantages.  As the first children in the family get older they become more independent and probably more accustomed to sharing their parents.  When they are young its a little harder.  They still want alot of mommy’s and daddy’s attention.  One way to help with the challenge is to wear your infant in a baby carrying sling.  Just like the picture above shows.  It helps you free up your hands to get involved with your older child or children while still  meeting those basic needs of your young infant.  It helps you stay connected with your older children and build the bond with your new infant.

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.