It’s You and Me Baby

I’ve had three kids at this point, and I like to think I know a little about caring for infants.  What I know for a fact is that when I had my first child, Joshua, I owned a baby carrier that was really uncomfortable.  I had to carry Joshua around all the time, and whenever I wore his baby carrier, I would be grouchy and uncomfortable because it chafed against my shoulders and hurt my lower back.  It wasn’t healthy for me or Joshua carrying him around like that all the time, so I looked into ergonomic slings.  I had been told about ergonomic slings from my mother, who used one when I was just an infant.

I bought an ergonomic sling a few weeks later, and have since used the same one to carry all my children.  With the ergonomic sling, I wasn’t at all sore the next morning, and I was overall much happier when I was carrying my children.  In the end, it was a win-win situation for all of us! 

  Fortunately the word is starting to get out that fabric baby carriers and baby slings are essential equipment for parents.  Baby slings like the Maya Wrap, Cuddly Wrap, KangarooKorner adjustable pouches and others offer such versatility and convenience they are a must have.  For example, they allow you to carry your child in crowded situations without clumsy stollers or bucket-type carriers.  They allow you to have your baby close so you are more in tune with his or her needs.  In addition, you can carry your child around the house even and get things done because wearing your child in a baby sling frees up your hands.  Not to mention being able to attend to your other young children easily.  The advantages of wearing and carrying your baby this way are many.

I’m so glad I carried my children as much as I could.  They are now 5 years old and almost 3 years old.  When my first son came along I had no idea about wearing him in a fabric baby sling.  I had a wonderful lactation consultant who helped me with nursing my first.  He was one of these “high needs” children–wanted to be held all the time, cried alot for no apparent reason, would only sleep in my arms.  I had no idea it was going to be like that.  My lactation consultant sold me my first sling when my son was less than 1 week old.  Perfect timing.  If I didn’t have a baby sling right from the beginning I don’t know what I would have done.  I used it all the time with my first and then with the second it was equally as important because he came along when the first was less than 2 1/2.  I’ve researched babywearing now and see all the wonderful benefits it brings (aside from the great convenience).  It provides the familiar body rhythms of the caregiver–heart beat and rate of breathing.  It increases the release of the baby’s calming hormones.  It stimulates baby’s brain development and cognitive learning.  It increases baby’s self-confidence and feelings of secruity because the caregiver is more in tune to the baby’s needs and responds more quickly.  I loved wearing my boys and now that they are getting grown up I really feel good about having provided that to them.  I highly recommend it.

 Over the last several decades, the baby products industry has developed a wide range of products that promote separation not closeness.  For example, infant swings and bouncy seats.  These devices basically hold your baby for you while you try to eat or even go to the bathroom!  If you choose to wear your baby in a fabric baby sling, pouch, or wrap then you have the opportunity to get all the benefits of having your baby close, plus the convenience of having your arms free to take care of your own basic needs.   There are important benefits to you and your baby being in close contact through babywearing.  For example, by wearing your baby you provide 3 familiar elements:  1) steady heartbeat, motion, and closeness.  When carried a baby shares in rocking, walking, and talking with the caregiver which reduces fussing.  The rhythm of the parent’s breathing stabilizes baby’s breathing and the warmth of the caregiver helps the baby regulate his or her own temperature.  Being held increases calming hormones and decreases levels of stress hormones in the baby.  Most important is the bonding that takes place when you hold and comfort your baby.

When it comes to carrying my little girl, Dawn, I want to ensure that she is comfortable and warm at all times.  I’ve found that Dawn cries if I put her in a stroller or a traditional baby carrier or basket.  Thus I started using a baby sling wrap, and since, Dawn just falls asleep right in front of me and seems at peace.  I can take Dawn just about anywhere, and whenever she’s in her baby sling wrap, she just cuddles up against me and sleeps.  It’s great when I need to go to the store or even go into work for a few minutes because Dawn will just sleep and I can do all I need to do without interruption. 

I think Dawn and I even have more fun playing when we are together because she doesn’t fuss when I need to do stuff around the house or out and about.  I’m so thankful I have my baby sling wrap! 

I’m not sure if the word “babywearing” is in the dictionary, but it is a term that has been coined to desribe wearing your child in a fabric baby sling or carrier, like pictured here.  Baby slings and pouches are not new.  In the Asian culture people have been wearing their babies and children for centuries, typically on the caregiver’s back.  The Mei Tai is the asian-style back carrier, which can also be used in the front-carrying position.  There is a newer awareness, however, of babywearing as a way of parenting.  Some believe that a baby who is held and carried frequently will become spoiled.  Research actually shows that babywearing promotes a sense of security and self-esteem in children.  It heightens a caregiver’s perception of the baby’s needs.  When babies are responded to quickly then they feel secure and ultimately less demanding or “spoiled.”  It calms a fussy baby and reduces overall crying.  It provides a great convenience as well because it allows a parent the freedom to continue his or her daily routine while providing the richest, most desirable environment for their child.

Many parents end up using a car seat carrier for holding their baby.  It’s a great convenience but very limiting for the baby and he or she losses out on so many advantages of being closer to mom and dad.  Once a caregiver gets used to a sling-type carrier (which can take time) it’s so much better for everyone.  Here are some advantages of babywearing, (i.e. wearing your baby in a baby sling): 

1) the child feels the warmth of the mother or father

2) the baby feels and hears the parent’s heart beat and voice

3) the baby smells the parent’s scent

4) babywearing mimicks the womb, making the baby feel calm and secure

5) the parent’s motion can lull the child to sleep.

In addition to freeing up the parent’s hands babywearing distributes baby’s weight more evenly across a parent’s back.  It’s better for baby and better for mom and dad.

Babies are born to connect. Scientists are now starting to understand why warm, reponsive early care helps infants thrive. It turns out that bonding or attachment is one of the most important factors in development. If a child feels secure that his physical and emotional needs will be met then he can use his energy to work on other areas of brain development. In BrightFrom the Start, Jill Stamm writes “What sounds simply warm and fuzzy creates demonstrable changes in the brain and nervous system. Emotion affects attention…and attention, in turn, affects learning. How secure a baby feels therefore influences all the development that follows.” Bonding is not one event. It is the ongoing experience of attachment that forms between parent and child. You don’t need to do anything extraordinary in order to have healthy attachment.

In general, the things that foster bonding and attachment come naturally to parents such as smiling, talking to your baby, holding, soothing, and responding to his or her needs. Babywearing is a nice way to have baby close.  Babywearing is the term that refers to wearing your baby in a fabric baby sling or pouch like the Maya Wrap–a well-known ring sling–and others. You can’t spoil a baby by holding him too much, especially newborns. Other things you can do to develop a bond with your baby are as follows: 1. Infant massage. There are a number of studies that have documented the benefits of infant massage. It’s easy to learn and there are plenty of videos/DVDs on the market to teach you. 2. Respond quickly and predictably to infant’s cries. 3. Establish consistent routines for such activites as feeding, sleeping and bathing. 4. Slow activity down periodically (less rushing, calm atmosphere).