It’s You and Me Baby

Whether you carry your baby in your arms or a baby sling research has proven that this method of spending time with your baby has long-term positive effects. For Dad, Mom, even siblings and grandparents holding, carrying, or wearing your baby increases the unbreakable and loving bond between your baby and your family.

Wearing your baby in a fabric baby sling, also referred to as babywearing, provides an excellent start for social development, learning, and much more.  Babywearing is great for soothing young infants.  However, it’s not just for young infants.  Most baby slings are designed and approved for older infants and toddlers–children up to 25 or even 35 lbs. There are options to fit every lifestyle and every use.

Babies learn best when they are in a quiet, alert state.  Since babies who are held or worn in a fabric baby carrier or sling are more content and cry less this gives them an opportunity to learn from their environment.  A caregiver can add to baby’s learning by talking to him or her.  When you wear or hold your baby you can sing to and talk to him or her more.  This also helps with learning and language development.  So follow your instincts and hold your baby as much as is mutually desireable.  You’ll be helping him more than you know.

One of the biggest shocks to new mothers is how much a baby can cry, in addition to the constant cuddling it needs. Night and day, your baby will need constant attention, at least for the first few weeks. What’s important to delivering continually attentive and caring service to your baby is not to get bogged down with the overwhelming wave of noise and work. There are many tools developed by the best to lend you a helping hand.

First and foremost, an infant carrier is a must have that will give your arms a break. You know, after carrying around eight pounds of screaming, messy joy for hours on end. If mommy doesn’t stay rested and alert for the baby, both parties suffer. Plus, having a baby is supposed to be a joyous time in your life, and while the crying is inevitable, you should take in every blissful moment you can.

You might not think of it this way initially but babywearing is on the best parenting tools around.  Wearing your baby in a comfortable fabric baby carrier or sling can help the two of you get through nursing, colic, teething, traveling, sibling rivalry, sleep troubles and more.  A quality baby carrier is an essential.

Everyone is looking for convenience these days.  So park your stoller and pick up a baby sling to wear your baby.  Not only is a sling easier to get around with but it also helps build a strong bond with your baby. 

Wanting to hold your baby is a natural desire.  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 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.  If you see a mom or dad wearing their baby or toddler notice how happy they both are.  It’s natural! 

My friend Stacey just had her first baby. She’s so happy to be a mom, but is completely clueless at the ripe old age of 25. It’s become a learn-as-you-go process in almost every faucet of childcare. Diaper changing has taken the gold for most attempted success within her first month. I totally giver her kudos because any process that involves the disposal of human waste makes me quiver. Getting the baby to sleep soundly, on the other hand, is a whole different story.

Stacey is in good hands. We had a baby shower for her a month before her due date and all her girlfriends and family showed up with presents, each helpful in caring for the baby. I bought her one of those fancy baby carriers, equip with a plush lining and ambidextrous handle. Other neat gifts she received were a diaper genie, a crib, cute baby clothes and tons of toys to promote learning. It will take many days of practice, but we think she’ll be just fine. 

 The Cuddyly Wrap is a type of baby carrier that allows you to wear your baby in a variety of positions.  It is one long piece of fabric that allows you to wear your child in a pouch, front carrier, or back carrier.  It is very versatile, comfortable, and convenient.  It is easy to transport and store.  The company that makes the Cuddly Wrap is a family-owned business called Peapod Creations.  They have a wonderful philosophy as written in their own words:

“As a company, and as family members working together, we at Peapod Creations believe in the importance of close, nurturing family ties. We are particularly focused on the needs of infants and young children and how parents can best fulfill those needs. One of the most basic needs of a newborn is to be held in close contact with mother, father or other caregiver. This helps infants develop their trust in the world. It also enables parents to develop their awareness of their baby’s cues and confidence in their ability to meet their baby’s needs.”  They are very supportive of families in general and their customers in particular.  They make a wonderful, award-winning product.

When my son was a baby, it was very hard to get him to go down for naps. He would cry and cry when I put him down in his crib, knowing that a few minutes of hysterics was all it took for me to come pick him up. I ended up letting him fall asleep on my chest while sitting on the couch for several months, too scared to try getting him to sleep in his crib. This really limited my ability to get things done around the house.

Then I found out about baby wearing, the practice of holding your baby close to your body with a baby carrier or sling. It gives your baby the comfort of being close to you, but frees up your hands and allows you to do other things besides hold him. It worked miracles for my baby and allowed me to be much more productive while he napped. As he got older, I used my baby carrier to get him to fall asleep, and then gently placed him in his crib for the remainder of his nap. Success!