Mothering a baby is never easy, but what if we told you there’s a way to make it more convenient, even more comfortable, for both of you? Babywearing may not be the answer to everything, but it has taken off some of the stress of parenting for many moms.
Carrying your baby around (wherever you go, all the time!) may sound like an arduous task at first. However, with babywearing, you may find soon enough that carrying your baby’s weight is a minor convenience compared to the numerous benefits it brings. Also, if you haven’t thought about it yet, babywearing means… free hands!
Before we explore the advantages of babywearing your child, let’s talk about the basics of babywearing.
What is babywearing?
Babywearing is simply the practice of carrying or wearing your baby in a sling or in a carrier. Common now to many countries all over the world, babywearing dates back to the ancient times when mothers were known to carry their infants in a simple sling.
Today, slings and carriers are available almost everywhere. They also come in different shapes and sizes to fit every build, every need, and every lifestyle. This ancient practice has become popular again in modern times for good reason. Let’s talk about the benefits of babywearing to find out!
5 Major Benefits of Babywearing
1. It makes moving inside and outside the house a lot easier.
As mentioned earlier, babywearing frees your hands to do more things, like household chores and groceries, and to rest. This means you can cook your meals without having to worry about your baby, and you can even nurse your baby without having to hold them the entire time.
Beyond doing chores at home, it makes running errands and even traveling a lot easier. You can browse the grocery aisles conveniently! You can even meet up with fellow parents for some coffee. And when you travel, you don’t need to take with you a bulky stroller because the sling or carrier does the job.
2. It helps soothe a fussy baby.
Got a fussy baby on your hands? Consider babywearing. With babywearing, your baby is held close to you, which creates a soothing and calming feeling for them. Moms and dads report that their babies have cried less ever since they started babywearing!
Being carried has also been reported to help relieve the symptoms of colic in some babies. Aside from the upright position a baby assumes when worn in a sling or carrier, babywearing has also been studied to help improve digestion.
3. It actually keeps your baby safe from touchy strangers.
One of the most annoying people that you can come across when you have an infant is a touchy, intrusive stranger. Some people just can’t help but touch an adorable baby, but we all know they should be avoided at all costs.
Invasion of privacy aside, you would want to protect your baby from germs and viruses that other people may have. Babywearing helps you do this by keeping your baby safely cocooned in your own arms.
4. It has a significant impact on your baby’s development.
Did you know that babywearing goes beyond the simple act of putting your baby in a sling or carrier? Apparently, babywearing also has significant effects on your baby’s mental and cognitive development.
It improves mental and cognitive development by promoting an eye-level communication between parent and child. While being carried, they also get a new perspective of the world around them, giving them a chance to learn new things.
5. It strengthens the bond between you and your child.
Finally, babywearing gives you an opportunity to bond with your baby anytime and anywhere. Because they are kept close to you, a strong connection develops — a connection that will potentially last a lifetime.
And this bond is not exclusive to moms either! Because anyone can babywear — from moms and dads to the grandparents — everyone in the family has the opportunity to form a close bond with the baby.
Now that you know why many moms opt to babywear their children, perhaps it’s time to consider your sling and carrier choices, too. It’s best to choose ones that are made of cotton for optimum durability and ventilation. And while we’re at it, don’t forget to choose cotton baby blankets and swaddles, too!