My Love for BabyWearing

My love for babywearing started 2 years ago with my first son, Emerson. I received a ring sling at my baby shower. My cousin Lisa is a babywearing educator and was excited to show me how I can use the ring sling while I was pregnant to alleviate back pain. I had no idea how a piece of fabric would change my life.

One week postpartum, Lisa came over and taught Ryan and me how to wrap a ring sling and a front wrap cross carry with a long piece of fabric. I was nervous because I didn’t know how to maneuver a newborn with a piece of fabric. I was scared I would break my son! In the beginning I wore my babies at home.

It took me a long time to feel comfortable to wrap Emerson not in front of a mirror. I started walking around the neighborhood wearing Emerson and walking my dogs. I loved how I was able to still get my dogs out for exercise and not worry about pushing a stroller. The more I wrapped, the braver I became and I began to feel like my prepregnancy self.

Benefits of Babywearing

Freedom! You will be able to do household chores (laundry, dishes, picking up toys) because you are hands free. From my experience, my babies have a feeling of calmness once wrapped.

Reduces Postpartum Depression.  Babywearing helps build a bond with mother and child. Some days all I want to do is binge watch tv on the couch. Babywearing my child with skin to skin helped me bond with my child and help me get out of my funk. Nervous of your child being cold? Your body heat will keep your baby warm.

Easier Breastfeeding in Public. Once you get the hang with breastfeeding and babywearing you can easily move your baby in position to breastfeed. It will take a few awkward minutes to the baby in position, but once the baby is in position you will be hands free again.

It Keeps Strangers and Germs Away. Babies and puppies- when they see one of them they forget common courtesy. It amazes me how many strangers have came up and try to touch my children. A stranger was insulted when I told her no when she asked to hold my baby (who was not wrapped at the time). When the baby is wrapped, the baby is less expose to strangers. People are less likely to want to touch the baby’s hands because they can’t. Also if they go to close to you, you can easily just take a step back.

Confidence Booster It is really discouraging when a first time mom cannot make their baby stop crying. Pacing around the room, constantly bouncing up and down, and walking up and down the stairs- that was me. I was always in awe when I could hand off my son to my mom and she instantly soothed him, unfortunately my mom wasn’t with me 24/7 so I needed to figure it out myself. With babywearing it helped me learn how to soothe my baby. His crying was shorter and quieter when he was wrapped. I believe the feeling of being cocooned and being close to mom helped him be calm.

Community. Parenthood is tough and being a first time parent surrounded by all single friends is lonely. I loved my friends, but it was hard to have someone relate newborn parenthood. I did not know how to make mom friends, until I went to a babywearing meet up. The one thing everyone had in common was babywearing and that was a great ice breaker. It always makes me smile to see parents be able to go out and about and wear their child.

You Can Go Anywhere While Babywearing! I have taken my sons to fitness shows, sports games, house get togethers while wearing them. It is a great way to still spend time with friends and family and if your baby is tired just wrap them and continue socializing 🙂

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