I am a mother of 3. Since the birth of my third child, I have become somewhat addicted to all things babywearing (I crossed out ‘somewhat’ because my husband tells me I’ve definitely crossed that line!)
Baby wearing started out as a necessity. The more I delved into the world of babywearing (and there is a LARGE international babywearing community) I have learned that there are SO many benefits to the child by being worn.
Have you heard of the “fourth trimester”? Once the baby is born, there’s a period of transition. They have come from a dark, muffled, warm, confined space to a bright, loud, cold, open space and wearing them can help with this transition. In this article on “The Natural Child Project” they list 10 reasons why you should wear your baby. Apart from simply the convenience of soothing your baby while having your arms free to tend to housework or other children, they point out that babywearing actually promotes physical development.
I wore my first two children a little bit but I was overwhelmed by the carriers I had, and one in-particular was just not comfortable. I was lucky to live with my in-laws, so I didn’t really NEED my hands free to do housework or grocery shopping, so I didn’t need to look into alternative baby carriers.
Shortly after moving from Canada to Australia, I was hit with the reality of being on my own. Being pregnant, with 2 kids, I realised I had to figure this baby-wearing-thing out! Through this year of wearing my third child, trying out different carriers, and following along many babywearing facebook groups, I’ve learned that every carrier has it’s pros and cons, and every mother and baby have their own preferences for what kind of carrier they use.
The following are the main baby carriers grouped into 5 categories. I will be writing a series of articles, including a short overview of each carrier, their individual pros and cons, and a video showing how to wear them. Links will be added below as articles are published.
The categories are:
- Buckle-carriers (aka soft structured carriers (SSC))
- Ring Slings & Pouches
- Stretchy wraps
- Woven Wraps
- Asian Inspired Carriers
No matter what carrier you use, it’s important to make sure you are using it safely. Follow ‘TICKS’ guidelines, and as with any baby item, make sure that it’s not recalled, that along with TICKS you are following the instructions for that carrier, and check for wear and tear of your carrier before wearing.
Originally posted 2014-06-17 05:37:30.