Babywearing - La Leche League International

Carrying your baby in a carrier or sling (babywearing) is a lovely way to meet needs for warmth and closeness, and is not just for mothers. All parents can nurture their babies in this way; your baby’s carer may also find it an invaluable tool while you are working or studying. There are many ways to carry a baby. We can carry babies in our arms or on our hips, tucked up against our bodies. We also can wear babies against our bodies, using specially designed soft carriers or cloth to secure them tightly against us. Babies need physical contact with their caregivers to thrive. Skin-to-skin contact and babywearing are natural and convenient ways for parents to be in close physical contact with their babies. We are meant to carry our young, just as other primates such as apes and gorillas, carry their young. Although we now have other means of carrying children around, such as carrier seats and strollers or push chairs, our babies, historically, expect to be carried. They are born with primitive reflexes that help them cling to us when they are carried, as with other primates. Using those primitive reflexes encourages both body and brain development. (Norholt, 2022), (Williams 2020 Dec) Baby wearing helps your baby become used to the outside world. Babies are designed to spend time on their caregivers, usually on their mother’s chest. This practice developed over thousands of years of evolution. There, your baby hears your heartbeat and listens to your breathing. Having your baby skin-to-skin helps regulate your baby’s body temperature. In this distinctive environment babies learn to breathe, to relax, to trust. (Bergman, 2014) Many hospitals prioritize skin-to-skin contact in the first hours after birth. If your baby was born at a hospital or birth center, once you are home skin-to-skin contact continues to benefit everyone. As infants grow and as the family becomes more social and mobile, skin-to-skin contact is often replaced by holding, either in-arms, or wearing the baby with a sling, wrap, or pack. (Havens, 2022) When babies are held closely, the adult and the baby can see each other’s faces, leading to frequent verbal and non-verbal interaction. This interaction enhances speech and social development, as well as bonding. Babies who are carried are more receptive to learning and display enhanced visual and auditory alertness. Additionally, when you carry your baby, whether you are bending over, reaching for something, or moving your arms as you walk, the baby’s body responds to that movement. That response helps your baby develop core strength and develop their vestibular system. This system gives them a sense of where they exist in space, helping them to coordinate movement with balance. Babies develop differently when carried vs. spending large amounts of time in containers, such as infant seats and swings. Body movement not only helps the baby’s brain to develop in optimal ways, but helps overall musculoskeletal development that can optimize head shape. (Norholt, 2022), (Williams 2020 Dec.) Holding your baby helps your brain to rewire so you can be more responsive to your baby’s needs. It helps you bond with your baby and increases your confidence in caring for your baby. (Bergman, 2014) Skin-to-skin contact by the father or non-birthing parent also facilitates hormonal changes that encourage brain rewiring to care for and protect their new baby. This is especially true of fathers who had a history of trauma. (Norholt, 2022) Babywearing can increase the length of time a baby is breastfed, as parents are more responsive to feeding cues and infant needs. It can decrease the amount of time a baby cries during the day. It can enhance the quality and quantity of time a baby sleeps. It can reduce maternal stress and anxiety. (Norholt, 2022) Parents note enhanced bonding and the ability to accomplish tasks hands-free as two main benefits of babywearing. When babywearing, you are free to care for another child, do household or other work, to shop, and more. (Havens, 2022) Groundbreaking research on attachment theory by psychologists Bowlby and Ainsworth showed that mothers who are attuned to their baby’s needs have stronger mother-child relationships. These strong relationships help develop coping skills in children. They also lead to better mental and emotional health in both parents and children. (Norholt, 2022), (Cassidy, 2013 ), (Williams, 2020) An infant’s brain is just 25% the size of an adult brain at birth. It will be about 80% the size of an adult brain at three years of age. Your baby’s brain is growing at a tremendous rate in those first three years! Babies are learning about the world around them. Is the world safe? Is it not? Their brains are wired in different ways, depending on the answer to those questions, and the relationship they have with their parents and other caregivers. (Grigorenko, 2017) Infants and small children do not have the capacity to regulate their nervous system on their own. They need focused attention and support from a caregiver to help them calm when their emotions are out of their own control. Wearing and moving with your baby, humming or singing or talking softly to your baby, are all loving ways to help settle your little one. Babywearing and skin-to-skin contact are also known to have calming effects on babies who have been exposed to addictive substances while in utero, and babies in the NICU/Special Care Nursery. These babies are even more prone to have nervous systems that are dysregulated and need more adult interaction to help them relax and learn to regulate themselves. Babies who have experienced trauma in utero or during birth can also benefit from babywearing. The beautiful part is that the parents of these babies also benefit. Parents who experience depression and those who are unsure they are up to the task of parenting can gain a sense of competency through babywearing. They often feel more connected and able to care for their babies, who may be fussier, or perceived to be fussier. (Williams, 2020) At one time, there was concern about infant hip dysplasia when babywearing. Most sources assure us that if the baby is positioned correctly the risks are very low. Ideally, position your baby in an “M” configuration, with knees above the hips. (See the Baby Wearing – International Hip Dysplasia Institute.) This is the optimal position for hip development. Facing your baby toward you for the first six months during this period of rapid hip development is also recommended. is positioned correctly in the carrier (baby’s back should be straight – not curved or slumped), is held close (baby should be ‘close enough to kiss’), is breathing freely, with nothing blocking their nose and their chin not resting on their chest, has normal leg color – not red or purple, which could indicate restricted blood circulation around their legs Babywearing is discouraged if the caregiver is impaired by drugs or alcohol use or smokes. (Norholt, 2022) Caring for new babies can be challenging. It can be physically demanding and emotionally draining. Wearing your baby can help make that care easier. Your baby will often be calmer as they listen to your voice, your breathing, and your heartbeat, in a place that feels safe and familiar. That closeness helps wire your brain to be responsive to your baby’s needs. It is a symbiotic relationship, one in which you and your baby depend on one another for growth and development. It is beautiful. So, put on your baby carrier – whether sling, wrap, or front pack – pick up your little one, and go out to explore the world together. Be sure to read the instructions that come with your baby carrier. There are also YouTube videos that show how to wear most slings/wraps/packs safely. If your baby fusses, consider sleeping with your carrier so that it smells like you. Walk around with your baby to help you both get used to your carrier. It is easy to nurse discreetly when your baby is in a sling as the fabric shields you both from public view. Nursing in a front carrier sling is most successful when feeding and carrying skills are first mastered separately. Do not carry your baby in potentially unsafe situations, like by a cooking stove, when drinking or carrying hot beverages, or when using sharp knives. Bend at the knees if you have to pick up an object, keeping one hand on the baby. Monitor baby’s temperature in extreme temperatures. In cold climates, the carrying adult will help keep the baby’s body warm. In warm climates, the carrying adult may need to be aware of overheating. In any climate, both the adult and the baby should dress for the weather, and particular attention paid to the baby’s more exposed areas (heads and legs). Traveling by bus, train, or through airport terminals is easier when babies are tucked securely into a carrier or sling. When traveling by motor vehicle or bicycle, babies should only ride in approved infant seats made for that purpose, never in front or back carriers that are meant to be worn Twins may be worn in soft carrier slings – one on each hip, or front and back. Front carrier slings are recommended for babies under 6 months. You may find them suitable as your baby grows or you may consider other options. Back carriers with hard frames designed for hiking may work better for heavier older babies and toddlers. Remember that toddlers have long reaches, so keep well away from dangerous objects when carrying them. Bergman, N.J. (2014). The neuroscience of birth – and the case for Zero Separation., Curationis 37(2), Art. #1440, 4 pages. http://dx.doi. org/10.4102/curationis. v37i2.1440 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25685896/ Cassidy, J, et al. (2013 Nov.). Contributions of Attachment Theory and Research, Dev Psychopathol. 25(4 0 2): 1415–1434. doi:10.1017/S0954579413000692. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24342848/ Grigorenko E.L. (2017 Nov 20). Brain Development: The Effect of Interventions on Children and Adolescents. In: Bundy DAP, Silva Nd, Horton S, et al., editors. Child and Adolescent Health and Development. 3rd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; Chapter 10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30212140/ Havens, Kathryn L., Johnson, Eileen V., Day, Elizabeth N., Holdener, Caleb J., Starnes, Catherine P. (2022 Jan./March).Infant Carrying in the United States: A Survey of Current Practices, Physical and Mental Health Benefits, and Challenges of Babywearing. Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy 46(1):p 25-34, | DOI: 10.1097/JWH.0000000000000227 https://journals.lww.com/jwphpt/abstract/2022/01000/infant_carrying_in_the_united_states__a_survey_of.5.aspx Norholt H, Phillips R, McNeilly J, Price C. (2022). Babywearing Practices and Effects on Parental and Child Physical and Psychological Health. Acad J Ped Neonatol . 11(5): 555876. 10.19080/AJPN.2022.11.555876 https://hipdysplasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/AJPN.MS_.ID_.555876.pdf Williams L,R., Gebler-Wolfe M., Grisham L.M., Bader M.Y. (2020 Dec) “Babywearing” in the NICU: An Intervention for Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Adv Neonatal Care.20(6):440-449. doi: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000788. PMID: 33009160. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33009160/ Williams, Lela & Turner, Patricia. (2020). The impact of infant carrying on adolescent mother–infant interactions during the still‐face task. Infant and Child Development. 29. 10.1002/icd.2169. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/icd.2169 These websites may be useful depending where in the world you are: Center for Babywearing Studies In some countries safety tips are listed under the acronym T.I.C.K.S – you can read them here: http://babyslingsafety.co.uk/ The BabyCarrier Industry Alliance website has safety tips here: https://babycarrierindustryalliance.org/babywearing-safety/consumers/ Spotlight On Baby Wearing In Kuwait