What is 'Baby Wearing'

Baby wearing, as the name suggests, is the act of wearing one's baby on oneself. This is usually accomplished with the use of a wrap, a sling or any other form of baby carriers. With the help of these baby carriers, you can secure the baby close to your body, and your hands are free to do other work.

Why Consider Baby Wearing

Well, the obvious answer to this question is, to make life easier for you. Your hands are free, and you can go about your daily routine without feeling constricted or tied up. Baby wearing benefits for the Baby

The technique of baby wearing allows mothers to nurse better, resulting in the baby's healthy growth and weight gain. Premature babies who are held close to the mother's heart gain weight faster and soon become healthier. Full-term babies nurse more frequently when they are carried close to mother and also gain healthy weight.
A baby that is close to the mother's heart sleeps more peacefully. Keeping babies close helps them settle into organized sleep/wake cycles.¹ The constant motion when a parent wears them helps babies know the difference between daytime and nighttime, and greatly helps in making them sleep longer stretches at night.
Babies, who are worn, are more calm and relaxed. This helps improve the baby's neural, gastrointestinal and respiratory health, and provides a steady and balanced growth. This is especially useful if your baby is a high-needs child, who demands greater attention from parents.
Babies, who experience human touch and movement in early babyhood, develop better. This stimulation has been shown to have a positive effect on the baby's development.²
The closeness from baby wearing gives babies an assurance that their parents, grandparents or caregiver is close by to protect them. Babies feel secure and develop better social and emotional cognizance, and grow up to be calm, composed and confident individuals.
Baby wearing decreases the risks of positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) in babies, caused by lying flat on their back for extended time or by spending too much time in a car seat or bassinet.
The technique of baby wearing helps babies who have been separated from their parents, for some reason, to create and feel the bonding again. Adopted babies get attached to their new parents better if the parents wear the baby.

Baby wearing benefits for the Parents

Baby wearing helps you and your baby converse with each other.
Holding your baby close in a baby carrier, helps you grow familiar with your baby's sighs and cues. Many parents admit that they have learned to differentiate their baby's cues and cries by babywearing. Baby wearing promotes mutual attachment between parent and child.
It facilitates attachment parenting for parents who were not parented that way.
Baby wearing enables you to attend to other work while not compromising on your care for the baby.
Baby wearing aids closeness of mother with baby. This increases in the mother, the level of Oxytocin, also known as the 'bonding hormone', and will cause more intimate bonding between mother and baby.
Baby wearing promotes breastfeeding, soothes a fussy or colicky baby and helps reduce your postpartum depression.
Baby wearing helps you nurse your baby discreetly while in public.
Baby wearing helps you understand and read your baby's needs better.
Baby carriers cost far less than carrycots, prams or strollers. Many mothers consider the Baby carrier as one of their most handy and economical solution.
A calm and composed baby means significantly lesser stress levels for everyone in the family.

Reference:

What is 'Baby Wearing'

Why Consider Baby Wearing

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