Benefits of babywearing
Bonding
Using a baby carrier has been shown to increase bonding and one study even found it reduced baby’s crying!
Drawing from research in babywearing and similar fields such as kangaroo care, attachement theory, and child development we have seen that carrying and touching our babies has positive affects on both the infant and the caregiver! Babies cry less, have stronger attachements, caregivers show reduced levels of PMDs, and it has even demonstrated to increase milk supply in bodyfeeding parents.
Infant Development
When you use a carrier, your infant moves with you and in doing so, you are stimulating their many senses and helping them develop.
From the moment they are born, babies are being introduced to our world and developing their senses. Research has demonstrated that babies being held on their caregiver’s chests are better able to regulate their breathing, heart rate, and tempurature (if skin to skin). If the infant has reflux wearing them can help (speaking from personal experience here - this was really helpful for me!) Bonus, we are able to easily talk to them and they can experience the world from the safety of their caregiver!
Increased Parent Confidence
Parents have reported being able to identify baby’s cues better and feel more confident!
When parents and caregivers use carriers regularly and thus have the incresed physical contact with their child, they are often able to pick up on their child’s cues quicker and feel confident in meeting their needs. Also, babies being carried close are soothed by the movement of the caregivers bodies again, helping parents meet their babies needs for closeness and comfort.
On the Go!
Baby gets included in all of life’s adventures, going where car seats and strollers can not go!
We are a family on the go, we love hiking, museums, festivals, and traveling. Using a baby carrier made all of that easier than trying to navigate with a bulky car seat or stroller (and I am saying that as someone who LOVES car seats and my jogging stroller). Speaking from my own experiences, we have loved being able to easily bring our children with us on every adventure and hike we have ever done. They grew up on the hiking trails of Austin, going to art shows and festivals, and traveling to see our family and friends across the United States.
Hands-Free Snuggles!!
So you can do things around the house … like getting to brush your teeth HA!
We picked up and moved across the country for a new job opportunity, away from family and friends and started a life for ourselves in Texas. We have loved it, but, it meant we did not have the generational or family support others have. Baby carriers came to our rescue in a major way! Helping us better handle caring for our children, giving them the support and love we all wanted while still being able to get things that had to be done, well, done! And yes, that is a photo of me brushing my teeth with a toddler on my back, because sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, am I right?
Need more?
Well I have got you covered! These are just some of the basics of the benefits of using a baby carrier! They can help align our bodies while carrying our children, possibly help them with their digestion being held upright and moving, and so so so much more!
Baby Carrier Industry Alliance has a resource section with links to just some of the research.
