I have reached that stage in life where I can’t imagine how my life would have been if I hadn’t known about babywearing. I mean, I sure knew about babywearing but till I had a baby, I did not know about how it really has to be done, what are the things you need to take care of and the likes.
Simply put, babywearing is what has kept me sane one too many times the last 14 months.
Why babywearing? Because why give up a chance to hold them close?! But seriously, it is not just about keeping them close but also because it is comforting for the baby especially in the newborn stage, while teething or unwell and is easier than carrying a baby when you have to get things done. Being close to your baby AND being hands free. Who wouldn’t want that?
It also makes the baby less fussy, helps them sleep better and so on and so forth.
You will be astounded by the different types and brands of babywearing stuff that is out there in the market. For every price range. But what should be your first and foremost deciding factor? It should be to see if the carrier of choice is ergonomic – which basically means that it should be designed in such a way that it supports the baby’s spine, pelvis and the hips while also distributing the weight equally and thus making it a good experience for both the baby and the baby wearer.
Long story short, refer to the infographic below for all the basics of babywearing you need to know:
I started off wearing him in a ring sling (when he was just over a month old) but now have a very trusty, gorgeous Soft Structured Carrier that I have been using for over an year now. I prefer my ring sling for quick up and downs, short trips but A is an enthu cutlet and that makes carrying him in a sling difficult as he keeps loosening it. So my SSC is what I use the most.
I have worn him everywhere – from climbing hundreds of stairs, walking long distances, to innumerable shopping trips, in the kitchen when he doesn’t want to be by himself but I need to get some cooking done, to make him fall asleep when he is extremely cranky and teething or to calm him down after a vaccination.
The biggest win for me while babywearing is how I can nurse while wearing him without anyone even realizing what we are up to while having my hands free to do other things like shopping for instance. 😉
Ooh, and they come with sleepy dust. Lots of it. And the joy after you successfully transfer the baby you are wearing to bed is the best kind of happiness. Trust me.
If you would like to give babywearing a try, I would strongly recommend joining a local babywearing group first (Facebook to the rescue) so that you can attend a meet or two and try and decide what kind of carrier you want to go ahead with. I would also recommend you start them young on babywearing because it’s easier to get them used to it that way than trying to wear a toddler suddenly as he/she may not really be cooperative at that stage. That said, I surely am not discouraging you from it, because all babies are different and maybe your toddler would be more cooperative than others. So give it a try, it’s never too late.
Do you babywear? What is your favorite type of carrier? I am looking forward to trying a MeiTai and a wrap soon.
Also, is there anything specific you want me write about? Let me know. 🙂
And So We Adult 