Babywearing is a growing trend these days, but it is as old as humankind.
Although the actual term was coined by the author, pediatrician and attachment
parenting proponent Dr. William Sears, baby carriers likely evolved very early
in human history. "Perhaps…the need to support an altricial (completely helpless)
newborn may even have contributed to the evolution of bipedalism (walking on two
legs),” says Katherine Dettwyler, PhD., a professor of anthropology at the
University of Delaware. “And some people have suggested that the first ‘tool’
made by early humans was some sort of sling or net carrying device.” She goes on
to explain that the earliest baby carriers were probably made of animal skin or
plant fiber nets – “both things that do not preserve in the archeological
record.”
If babywearing has been around so long, why isn’t it more common now? Dr.
Dettwyler theorizes that, long ago, women of higher classes ceased wearing their
babies as a status symbol. “Only the wealthy could afford prams (or) carriages
and where would they be going except to take the baby out for sunshine and fresh
air – and the wealthy would likely have the servants do it.”
Thankfully, babywearing is beginning to make a comeback and Susie Spence,
president and co-founder of Babywearing International, believes that the
Internet has played a vital role in its re-emergence. “Before high-speed Internet access was prevalent, access to baby carriers was, for most people, limited
to what was available in their local big box stores,” Spence says. “E-commerce
has radically changed the market for baby carriers and the overall effect has
been very positive.”
However, Spence says that she thinks
it is liberating to think of babywearing as a parenting skill rather than as a
function of a purchased baby carrier. “People all over the world carry their
babies in pieces of fabric fashioned into slings simply by tying a knot.”
Babywearing Safety
While babywearing can be tremendously liberating, certain safety
guidelines should be observed.
“This may sound obvious, but babies need to breathe,” says David
Kaufman, M.D., a pediatrician with Children’s Physicians of Omaha,
Nebraska. “Make sure your infant is able to breathe through their nose
when babywearing.” That means her chin shouldn't be resting on her
chest and she shouldn't have her face buried in fabric.
Position your infant so that his head is higher than the rest of his
body and his head is supported.
Only use a sling that fits your body size and adjust it so that you can
see your baby at all times and, as some experts put it, so that she is
riding high enough that you can kiss her.
Never cook or handle hot liquids or sharp objects while wearing your
baby.
Adjust your carrier correctly, making sure your posture isn’t
compromised.
Do not bend at the waist. Instead, squat using your legs. This will save
your back and keep your baby from falling out of the carrier. |
Why Babywearing?
In 1986, researchers Hunziker and Barr found that babies who are worn cry 43
percent less than babies who are not worn. In a 1991 study conducted at Columbia
University, mothers with infants were given either plastic carriers or soft
carriers. After a year, 83 percent of the babies who were carried in the soft
carriers were determined to be securely attached to their mothers (in the
psycho- logical sense), whereas only 38 percent of the plastic carrier babies
were securely attached.
David Kaufman, M.D., a pediatrician in Omaha, Nebraska, says that babywearing makes the transition to life outside the womb easier for newborns. “The
majority of infants have just spent the past nine months in an environment that
is in constant motion with a constant level of varying noises – from the beat of
mom’s heart to the churning of her stomach, it is a noisy place to be! It is,
therefore, very logical that infants will be calmer when in immediate contact
with their care provider and in relatively constant motion.”
The skin contact provided by babywearing is also crucial to a baby’s health and
development. “Researchers have found that infants who are touched and carried
more produce more immunoglobin, which protects against respiratory infections.
Touch improves intellectual and motor development immediately from birth,” says
Barbara Nicholson, co-founder of Attachment Parenting International. “It also
helps regulate a baby’s temperature, heart rate and sleep/wake patterns,
especially when baby is held skin-to-skin. These babies not only gain weight
faster, but they nurse better, are calmer and are able to be more quickly
soothed when they cry.”
For Toddlers Too
Carriers don’t lose their usefulness when babies learn to walk. Toddlers are
heavy and can sometimes be clingy. Babywearing saves parents from aching backs
and sore arms. Plus, as Nicholson discovered, carriers can keep curious toddlers
out of trouble. “I…loved having a carrier with me if we were in a store that had
many temptations like delicate breakable things.”
Baby carriers can also help siblings bond. Terri Korthase often wore her second
child when she played with her son, who was two at the time. “When she was in
the carrier, she was right between us when we were playing,” says the Riverdale,
Michigan mom.
Lysa Parker, also a co-founder of Attachment Parenting International, says that
though toddlers are more independent than younger babies, babywearing is still a
welcome source of comfort. “It is healthy and a good sign to see toddlers play
independently, then frequently go to their mother or father to touch them, show
them a toy or seek comfort, then happily run off to play again. If they have
been carried since birth, they will immediately associate carrying with feelings
of warmth, safety and love.”
Free Yourself
One of the best things about babywearing is how much the parent can do with his
or her hands free. “In today’s busy world, babywearing helps parents to take
care of their baby while managing the tasks of life: making a phone call, doing
a load of laundry, getting some exercise,” says Ann Seacrest, a lactation
consultant in Lincoln, Nebraska.
It’s amazing what a parent can accomplish while the baby snuggles comfortably in
a carrier! California mom Nicole Bovey used her carrier when traveling by plane.
“I found it wonderful to put the baby in the sling and to have my hands free for
handing over tickets, paying and dragging carry-ons,” she says.
Alan Davis, a database programmer from Crete, Nebraska, is a babywearing father
of six. He says, “I feel a father has to be as much a participant in child
raising as the mother. Heck, even more so, because in the ‘traditional’ family
model, Daddy is gone ten hours a day. He needs to make up some of that lost
time, and lugging the baby along in a chestpack or backpack is definitely a step
in the right direction.”
Babywearing fathers enjoy a close bond with their children and often have little
sympathy for men who are afraid that they’ll look foolish wearing their babies.
As Damon Smith, a produce operator in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, succinctly
states, “Suck it up, princess. It’s your child too.”
The most important thing to remember when choosing a baby carrier is that
everyone is different. Each person has unique likes and dislikes. “Don’t give up
until you find something that works for you!” says Andrea Gilliland, owner of No
Mother Left Behind. “All babies love to be worn, but it can take some time to
find a carrier that is right for you.”
Like breastfeeding, babywearing really is best for babies. It is a vital
tradition that has been passed down from our earliest ancestors, an ancient art
that still holds tremendous value.
For babywearing resources, more photos, and tips about which
style
of carrier suits you best, read the full article in Natural Life's July/August
2008 issue, which is included in your Natural Life digital
subscription. To read more articles like
this, please
subscribe to Natural Life Magazine.
Andrea McMann is a freelance writer from Nebraska. She discovered the joys of
babywearing when her second child was born and has never looked back. In
addition to babywearing, she is an advocate of co-sleeping, extended
breastfeeding and gentle discipline.
