The history of Babywearing
Babywearing has been around for a very long time. It is an important part of the African, European, and Asian culture and has been widely practiced around the globe.
However, this ancient practice has only recently gained traction in the industrialized world as part of parenting philosophies, such as attachment parenting – The idea is that babywearing creates a stronger parent-child bond, thus benefiting both the infant and it’s parents.
Benefits of Babywearing
There is a long list of benefits associated with babywearing, but we’ve tried to list the important ones:
Helps your newborn
Infants naturally seek close contact with their mothers. They need it because the mother is the first person they become familiar with. She provides comfort and assurance. Babywearing helps create a strong maternal bond, which in turn enforces correct child development.
Furthermore, when carried close to the mother’s body, the baby can feel her skin, sense her presence, motions, and heartbeat — everything it loves and is familiar with. All those factors calm the newborn and make it feel safe and loved.
Helps Mom
The constant close contact with the baby also helps the mother in numerous ways. It increases her oxytocin levels, leading to an overall more intimate mother-child bond, easier breastfeeding, and decreased chance of developing postpartum depression.
Helps Dad
Dads can also suffer from postpartum depression — a fact that may surprise many. While the condition is more common among women, men are definitely not immune to it.
Establishing close contact with the baby can have a positive effect on the father’s emotional levels. It also allows them to participate in the childcare process, which doesn’t let them feel left out.
Promotes Healthy Development
Babies learn by observing their surroundings. But if you constantly leave your child at home, there is not a whole lot to observe, right? Therefore, take your newborn out with you!
Your infant needs social interactions. Things, like going to the shops and seeing all the bright colors, or meeting your friends for a coffee, will feed your baby’s curiosity and boost its social development.
Is It Safe?
The short answer is, yes! Babywearing is absolutely safe. It is even encouraged by a number of pediatricians.
However, as with virtually everything, there is a right and wrong way to go about it. The most important thing is to keep the baby secure without tightening the wrap too much.
Now, let’s take a look at the different types of carriers and how to use each of them.
Types of Baby Carriers
There are many types of carriers to choose from — slings, wraps, and structured carriers.
Wraps are recommended from newborn, as the soft wrap creates the feel of the womb. From 9kg’s onwards, we would recommend a structured carrier with clips, safety straps etc.
Babywearing has been around for hundreds of years, and there is a good reason for that. It’s safe, practical, cost-effective, and, most importantly, beneficial both for you and your newborn.
View our range online, and happy shopping:
BabyWearing Sling Wraps – Giggle & Beans (giggleandbeans.co.za)