What are the benefits of baby wearing for children and parents?

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Everything you need to know about babywearing

For many parents, babywearing is an obvious choice and they opt for this technique in their daily lives. For others, it's more difficult to get started. However, babywearing offers numerous advantages for both baby and parents. So what exactly does this technique involve? What are the benefits of babywearing for children and parents? We explain everything about this topic!

What is babywearing?

Babywearing is a practice that involves carrying your baby against you using a baby carrier or dedicated sling. It primarily allows parents to have their hands free while keeping their baby close to them. This method has been used by many parents throughout history.

At what age can you carry baby?

Babywearing can start even before baby is placed in a baby cot as it's possible to use this method from your child's first days of life. The only condition is that baby must weigh at least 3.2 kg. It's important to research well the chosen equipment regarding both minimum and maximum weight limits. Indeed, while many children become less interested in being carried as they grow, especially when they start moving independently, babywearing can be used until 3 or 4 years of age.

The different carrying positions

There are several babywearing methods:

Tummy to tummy: Baby's legs are naturally spread and the back slightly rounded. This is the most commonly favored method.
Baby facing outward: This method is controversial. While baby may enjoy their surroundings, it seems the position is not ideal. It's therefore important to ensure baby can hold their head, isn't sleeping, and to limit this practice to 20 minutes maximum.
Baby on the hip: Placed on the parent's side, baby is positioned on the hip. However, it's important to alternate sides.

What are the baby carrying accessories?

There are several baby carrying accessories from which you can choose according to your preference:

The baby wrap: This is a long sling that requires a specific technique to secure baby. There are even classes available to learn the proper technique.
The baby carrier: Equipped with buckles and straps, it allows you to adjust the equipment according to your baby.
The mei-tei: This is a blend between the sling system and the baby carrier.
The ring sling baby carrier: This system is similar to the sling but with the added benefit of easier use.
The hiking baby carrier: This system is worn on the back and is designed to take baby hiking in a way that ensures they are comfortably positioned.

In all cases, it is recommended to choose an ergonomic baby carrier that allows baby to be positioned optimally, with knees slightly higher than hips

What are the benefits of babywearing for baby?

If babywearing is so suitable for young children, it's because it offers them many advantages. First, this position is extremely reassuring for baby. Close to their mother or father, they rediscover certain sensations experienced during pregnancy. Body warmth, heartbeat, voice sound, all of this helps to soothe baby. Babywearing also responds to a natural need of the child to be in contact with their parents at least during the first weeks of life. Some other techniques also offer this type of benefit, particularly swaddling (more information on this topic here).

Moreover, babywearing helps respect baby's physiology. With physiological carrying, the position adopted by baby preserves their well-being and promotes their comfort, but also their growth. We therefore ensure that baby has an appropriate position so that babywearing can also bring benefits at this level.

Finally, we must also highlight the benefits for baby's well-being. The warmth and serenity provided by babywearing help to reduce their stress and anxiety, relieve pain, promote their development, etc.

What are the benefits of babywearing for parents?

Babywearing is highly recommended for babies, but parents also find advantages in this method. First, this approach can be a real revolution in parents' daily lives as it allows them to have their hands free. While baby sleeps against you, you can read, work, run errands, take care of other children, etc. This can change everything, especially if you have a baby who needs to be carried often. The parents' need for autonomy is therefore perfectly fulfilled here.

Moreover, babywearing offers the opportunity to strengthen emotional bonds and create even more interactions. This special moment allows you to communicate with your baby in several ways and thus create an even stronger and unique bond. This method can also be an opportunity to experience certain activities differently, such as walks in nature for example.

If you're still hesitating to start, know that there are many online resources that will help you choose the carrying system that suits you best, and also learn the proper technique for positioning baby. If in doubt, you can certainly consult your midwife for advice and recommendations about babywearing, as well as many other aspects of your life as a parent and that of your child.