Baby Wearing Facts And Myths

Baby wearing is a wonderful way for parents and babies to bond and is an important part of attachment parenting. The art of wearing a baby leaves the wearer’s hands free to attend to other tasks, while still seeing to the baby’s needs, and can help make the baby feel safe and secure.

Parents who are considering giving baby wearing a try should be sure to learn the benefits, how to practice baby wearing safely and when to dismiss some common myths that have sprung up recently surrounding some baby carriers.

Carrying a Baby All the Time Can Spoil Her

Baby wearing is a great way for parents of high needs children who require a lot of extra attention to attend to their babies, while still completing other tasks. This has led to the myth that carrying or wearing a baby all the time will simply spoil the baby, as he will not learn how to soothe himself.

In fact, in a study done 1986, it was shown that babies not only learn to cry less when being worn, they also learn in other ways, too. According to popular baby expert, Dr. Sears, babies who are worn learn about their parent’s world faster, speak sooner and grow up to be more self confident and well adjusted individuals, secure in themselves and their place in their family.

The more that babies are carried or worn, the greater the derived benefits. In addition, parents are able to attend to their baby’s needs while still attending to their own. This not only makes the babies happier, it creates parents who are less stressed or frustrated in their ability to accomplish day to day tasks.

Baby Wearing is Unsafe

Baby wearing is as safe as parents make it. Incorrect usage of a baby sling or infant carrier could result in harm to the baby. However, if the baby carrier is properly inspected, the baby is inserted properly and the carrier fits the wearer correctly, then baby wearing is a completely safe practice for babies of all ages.

Many concerns that baby wearing is unsafe sprang up in the aftermath of an infant who suffocated in a baby sling, which was used incorrectly. To prevent this, make sure that the baby’s airway is not compressed, by the infants chin slumping toward her chest. Keep the baby either in an upright position, or in a horizontal, cross carry. Do not allow the baby to curl inward in a soft structured carrier.

Additionally, care should be taken by the wearer to ensure that the baby’s nose and mouth are not compressed against the side of the carrier, or against the body of the wearer. One of the suspected causes of SIDS is the rebreathing of air full of carbon monoxide, so always make sure that the baby’s access to fresh air is unobstructed while wearing the baby in the sling, until he learns good enough head control to turn his head at will and resettle himself in the carrier.

With practice and time, baby wearing can be beneficial to both parents and babies, both in the present and in the long term. Try wearing a baby today and reap the benefits for years to come.