Why you should wear your baby

Yes, I know I'm kind of a freak, but I cringe every time I see a woman carrying a baby in a carseat carrier. I cringe and then I follow her around waiting in vain for her to turn around and say, "Aren't you a baby expert? I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether I should carry my baby or wear her?"

And then in my fantasy we sit down and I get to share the beautiful benefits of babywearing and all is well in the world again. 

This hasn't happened yet. But, what's the problem? It's easier to pick the carseat up out of the car and drop it into the both at the restaurant or a shopping cart. In fact, stroller companies have made it easy to just snap-n-go with no need to event interact with your baby! Bingo...that's the problem. 

Rather than pick the baby up out of the carseat, kiss them, smell them, say sweet, loving things to them as we slip them into the sling or carrier snuggled close to our body, we pick up the carrier and then baby is out of sight and out of mind until they start crying. 

Why is she crying? Because her needs are not being met! She wants mom and wants mom now. She wants love, comfort, your voice, warmth, and cuddles. And the benefits of babywearing go far beyond that developmentally!

1) Confidence
Yup, its true. Babies that are worn have higher self-esteem, confidence and independence in toddlerhood and school years. Because their needs for comfort and security are met during infancy without the need to cry and beg for love, they grow to be less needy. Why be needy when you don't need anything?

2) Vocabulary
Worn babies have higher vocabularies, better speech, and improved brain development from being in such close proximity to the mother, or caregiver's, voice throughout the day. 

3) Motor Skills
Worn babies are moving side o side squirming to readjust within the sling, or carrier, and are developing head and trunk control simultaneously. They're also crossing the mid line (hands over heart) which develops the corpus collossum in the brain strengthening the connection between the right and left hemispheres. 

4) Love Transfer
Attachment parenting is about mutual give and take of love and attention. Having baby chest to chest with the mother or the father is the ultimate in attachment parenting as the baby's physiological system will begin to align with the parent's. They're giving you snuggles and getting snuggled in return.

5) Breastfeeding is easier and stronger
It's a well-known fact that being close to baby increases the mother's milk supply. Women that wear their babies often report a stronger breastfeeding relationship with their little's as they can nurse within the sling and their supply stays strong as baby is close most of the day. 

I wore my boys in an ACK Wrap or Happy Baby Wrap when they were little and then as they got bigger I wore a Mia Mily Hipster and wore both boys until they were well over 3 yrs old. I still miss being able to wear them and have looked into slings and hiking carriers for big kids!

​Wear your baby!!!