Here's what you should know about wearing your baby

Babywearing seems to be something I'm doing more of with each child - I suppose I am more in need of my hands each time. 🙂

I wore Mercury a total of maybe two times. Timothy Noah got strapped on to me whenever I wanted to get him to sleep. Miss Evelyn, at two weeks old, seems like she is going to get the most use out of our wrap sling so far. There is just no other way for me to get anything done as far as cleaning and cooking and chasing after the middle child (!) without having her in her sling.

Other than convenience, there are actually several health benefits and other perks to babywearing. I've shared this info before, but figured I'd repost in light of the baby theme going on here this month. 🙂

"Wearing your baby" - carrying them  in a sling - offers loads of benefits such as creating a strong maternal bond and accelerated learning for the child. Babywearing promotes frequent breastfeeding since mama and baby are together so much. It's also just plain convenient, since wearing baby frees up your hands to do other things.

Benefits of Babywearing

Maternal Bond - When a mother is in close proximity and has more physical contact with the child, it promotes more oxytocin in the mother. This reduces the likelihood of postpartum depression. The baby also enjoys physical benefits of the close contact with the parent by feeling safer and more secure. The baby tends to be more calm and being carried helps continued neural development.

Learning - Babies who are worn tend to cry less and endure less stress. This allows them to focus on their environment more and learn. Babies are also exposed to more social settings with the wearer communicating and interacting with people. This allows the baby to observe and pick up on speech, facial expressions, and other social skills at an earlier age.

Convenience - One of the more practical reasons to wear a baby is the convenience. Wearing a baby is less physically demanding than carrying the child in the arms. Holding the baby can quickly become tiresome, while parents or caregivers can carry a baby in a sling for hours without much discomfort.

No Hands - The arms being free while wearing a baby is one of the more obvious and beneficial reasons to do so. Having the arms free allows the wearer to carry, grab, and do other things. A parent can clean, do the laundry, answer the phone, and countless other activities while carrying the baby.

Breastfeeding - Wearing a baby sling assists with breastfeeding. It strengthens the bond between mother and child and makes breastfeeding more natural. Also, it can provide support for the baby and is less physically stressful on mama while feeding.

There's so many reasons women have been wearing their babies for centuries! Read about how to do it safely at Happy Mothering.

The Best Baby Carriers + Slings for Wearing Your Baby