Babywearing is a popular component of childcare – one that lets parents keep their hands free and also soothes and calms the baby. An infant baby carrier that’s designed to hold the newborn close to the parent has been proven to reduce crying and promote healthy emotional development by providing a secure and safe environment that’s so closely linked to mom or dad and their daily rhythms. If you’re new to babywearing, this article will cover the benefits of newborn baby carriers, safety precautions to consider when wearing a newborn baby, and some of the different styles that are well suited to the newborn infant. Benefits of Newborn Babywearing
The general benefits of babywearing from the newborn state to toddlerhood include increased social interaction and development for the child, a closer bond through attachment parenting, a greater sense of security for the baby, the calming ‘heartbeat’ effect and, of course, greater mobility and ease for the parent. However, the positives of wearing your baby go further with newborns, and have been shown to help with colic and increased birthweight through a practice designed to help premature babies. This is called Kangaroo Care.
Jumping Into Kangaroo Care
Essentially, Kangaroo Care is the practice of wearing your newborn baby in an upright position with close skin-to-skin contact between infant and parent, and the baby’s ear above the mother’s (or father’s) heart. One study, done by Patricia Messmer, found that Kangaroo Care practiced in a quiet space with any newborn (premature or not) and including those suffering from colic, helped reduce crying and induce sleep. Other research has shown that babies who are worn in a baby carrier, like a sling or wrap, are less likely to cry. In cultures where babywearing is practiced almost exclusively, crying occurs significantly less than in those cultures where baby slings and carriers aren’t that common.
Safety Precautions to Consider With Newborn Babywearing
Accidents, though rare, can happen and are most often credited to size problems. A baby in a back pack style baby carrier can shift and slide through a leg hole, and in many cases the neck is not properly supported. Most backpack and soft carrier styles of baby carriers are not recommended for newborns. You want something that will hold the baby close, but also support the neck. A sling or wrap, and an Ergo with a specific infant insert, are great for newborns.
The biggest part of babywearing safety is practise, practise, practise. Once you’re comfortable and confident, wearing your baby will become second nature to you.
Different Styles of Newborn Carriers
Slings and Pouches: A sling is basically a scoop of fabric that goes over one shoulder and then rests above the opposite hip. A sling can be great for mobility, but it can put some strain on one shoulder if worn for long periods. Different types of slings are designed for particular lifestyles or purposes, and all have trade-offs. Those that are very fast and convenient to get in and out of are often padded pouch styles with little versatility. Those that are quite versatile, like unstructured cotton ring slings, can be worn in a variety of positions, though the learning curve is higher. In all cases, slings and pouches mimic the hammock-like positions of the womb, and this makes them a popular choice for parents with newborns.
Wraps: A wrap is a very versatile baby carrier that is also very simple. It’s a single, long piece of woven cotton fabric. The principle is that you can tie the wrap in a variety of ways, depending on how you want to carry the baby. Positions include forward facing, inward facing, sling style, backpacking mode, etc. For newborns, the fabric is wrapped over both shoulders and configured to create a pocket for the baby to lie in. The advantage of a wrap is that it will last from the newborn stage through development right up to toddlerhood. However, it does have a bit of a learning curve, as you have to learn and practice different wrapping and tying techniques.
Structured Carriers: Structured carriers are framed baby carriers inspired from hiking backpacks. They are limited in the number of ways they can be worn, but are also specifically designed for their purpose. For example, a Baby Bjorn is designed to support the child’s head effectively and safely while providing solid ergonomic support for the parent, but it will not grow with the child past 22 lbs. An Ergo carrier, designed with ergonomics in mind, both for child and caretaker, can be worn on the front, hips or back. It can also be used from birth up to toddlerhood, and comes with a special infant insert for smaller children that puts the newborn in a sling-like position.
