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Babywearing Positioning...
If you choose to babywear, it is important to practice babywearing safety with carrying.
One key safety tip: babies should always be positioned in a way that they are not breathing in the same air, with baby's head and baby's face turned to the side.
Be cautious of how baby's legs are positioned also. Baby’s thighs should spread around your torso with their knees bent slightly higher than their bottom. Always check to see if your carrier is approved by the international hip dysplasia institute. Baby should not face outward until they’re 6 months old with strong head and neck control, and structured carriers should only be used for infants over 7 pounds.
The History of Babywearing:
We have been babywearing for hundreds of years. It is instinctual to keep our babies close.
The term “attachment parenting” was coined by William Sears, but the actual practice of babywearing is one that can be traced across the entire world.
Why did we begin babywearing? Convenience. Carrying an infant in your arms without the use of a sling creates a 16% greater caloric burden. “…a greater energetic burden than even lactation.” Wall-Scheffler, C.M. et al (2007).
Swaddling and cradleboards developed, allowing the parent to contain their infant. They were sometimes hung in a tree near to where the mother was working. Prams and strollers were not created until the 1800s. Babywearing has been around for centuries!
Benefits of Babywearing
Babywearing is a great way to multitask. A baby wearer gets to be hands free, which is one of the many benefits of babywearing. It becomes even easier when you can back carry.
Whether you’re cooking dinner, running errands, or double wearing multiples, babywearing is extremely helpful!
Other benefits of babywearing include:
1. Bonding through closeness! You can’t get much closer than having your baby strapped right to you!
2. Breastfeeding: You can breastfeed while babywearing, and skin to skin contact while babywearing promotes a good milk supply because it gets that oxytocin flowing! You can babywear while doing skin to skin around the house and just throw a big cardigan or zip up sweatshirt on to stay warm.
3. Infant development: Promotes language development by allowing baby to see facial expressions.
4. Decreases risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
5. Decreases flathead syndrome: Babywearing chest to chest counts as tummy time and promotes strong neck control! If your baby dislikes traditional tummy time, babywearing may be the solution!
Babywearing 101:
Different Types of Baby Carriers
There are so many different types of carriers. In my practice I have most commonly seen stretchy cotton wraps and soft structured carriers being used. They are convenient, comfortable, and easy to find in stores. Let’s explore each type…
Slings
The sling is a one shoulder carry great for small babies into toddlerhood. I personally love the ring sling. It is very quick and convenient once you get the hang of it. A few favorite ring slings are designed by Aloha and Light and WildBird.
With newborns, a snug front carry is preferred and with babies over five months, more of a hip carry works better. Toddlers may enjoy the back carry more and you will probably find it much more comfortable for that age, as well as more convenient when your goal is to multitask! Ring slings are super compact and probably the easiest carrier to toss in the diaper bag.
Wraps
Woven vs Stretchy
I love a stretchy wrap (like the Moby wrap, Boba or Baby K'tan), but in my experience as a babywearing educator, people with heavier babies tend to like the structure of the woven wraps more. The stretchy wrap is extremely comfortable and feels like a second layer of clothes when worn. There are tons of ways to wrap, and it can seem intimidating at first, but the learning curve isn't high. Once you find your favorite wrap style it’s easy to just stick with that and really enjoy the wrap life!
Wraps are a long piece of fabric, and tend to be quite long, usually about 18 feet. I recommend wrapping before getting in the car to go somewhere. That way it is ready for the baby upon arrival at our destination!
I have more recently been loving my woven wraps. They are supportive and hold wriggly toddlers in a safe position, and they have such fun patterns.
Mei Tai
The Mei Tai is often called “origin of all baby carriers”. Originally, it was made of a rectangular piece of fabric with four straps at each side. The upper strands were used as shoulder straps, the lower strands as a hip belt.
These carriers are soft material with a structured back panel. Straps are pulled around the waist and other the shoulder, then tied into a secure knot. They are versatile and can be tied in more ways than a sling, but not as many as a wrap. They can be used with all ages, are convenient, not super bulky, and quite comfortable.
Soft Structured CarriersThis type of carrier, also known as an SSC, has a structured seat, padded shoulder straps, and buckles on the back and waist. They are quick to put on but may require an extra set of hands to help buckle or adjust. My personal favorite is the Lillebaby because of the amazing back support (but Ergobaby and Beco also make great soft structured carriers). These carriers also typically come with attachments like infant inserts and sun guards!
Onbu
The onbuhimo is meant for infants sitting independently up to toddlerhood. It is extremely easy to put on and doesn’t involve any kind of waistband. It is a Japanese style carrier with a chest belt. The style is similar to a backpack but can be used to front carry. Back carries tend to be more comfortable all around, especially with toddlers. Front carrying toddlers is hard to do when your goal is to multitask, they just take up so much space in front of you and I always fee like the hunchback of Notre dame when I bend over to pick things up!
The name Onbu-himo is composed of 2 different words:
Onbu means “pickaback” or “carrying on the back” and himo is the Japanese word for “cord, pimp or string” which is flat with a width of 7 -8 cm.
The traditional Onbuhimo was made of a piece of cloth entwined with a string.
If you do choose to babywear, be sure to take your carrier with you on the go - just as you would your car seat and stroller. You never know when babywearing may come in handy!
Looking to order a carrier and want a killer discount?
Here are some of our promo codes for just a few of our favorite shops!
If you choose to babywear, it is important to practice babywearing safety with carrying.
One key safety tip: babies should always be positioned in a way that they are not breathing in the same air, with baby's head and baby's face turned to the side.
Be cautious of how baby's legs are positioned also. Baby’s thighs should spread around your torso with their knees bent slightly higher than their bottom. Always check to see if your carrier is approved by the international hip dysplasia institute. Baby should not face outward until they’re 6 months old with strong head and neck control, and structured carriers should only be used for infants over 7 pounds.
The History of Babywearing:
We have been babywearing for hundreds of years. It is instinctual to keep our babies close.
The term “attachment parenting” was coined by William Sears, but the actual practice of babywearing is one that can be traced across the entire world.
Why did we begin babywearing? Convenience. Carrying an infant in your arms without the use of a sling creates a 16% greater caloric burden. “…a greater energetic burden than even lactation.” Wall-Scheffler, C.M. et al (2007).
Swaddling and cradleboards developed, allowing the parent to contain their infant. They were sometimes hung in a tree near to where the mother was working. Prams and strollers were not created until the 1800s. Babywearing has been around for centuries!
Benefits of Babywearing
Babywearing is a great way to multitask. A baby wearer gets to be hands free, which is one of the many benefits of babywearing. It becomes even easier when you can back carry.
Whether you’re cooking dinner, running errands, or double wearing multiples, babywearing is extremely helpful!
Other benefits of babywearing include:
1. Bonding through closeness! You can’t get much closer than having your baby strapped right to you!
2. Breastfeeding: You can breastfeed while babywearing, and skin to skin contact while babywearing promotes a good milk supply because it gets that oxytocin flowing! You can babywear while doing skin to skin around the house and just throw a big cardigan or zip up sweatshirt on to stay warm.
3. Infant development: Promotes language development by allowing baby to see facial expressions.
4. Decreases risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
5. Decreases flathead syndrome: Babywearing chest to chest counts as tummy time and promotes strong neck control! If your baby dislikes traditional tummy time, babywearing may be the solution!
Babywearing 101:
Different Types of Baby Carriers
There are so many different types of carriers. In my practice I have most commonly seen stretchy cotton wraps and soft structured carriers being used. They are convenient, comfortable, and easy to find in stores. Let’s explore each type…
Slings
The sling is a one shoulder carry great for small babies into toddlerhood. I personally love the ring sling. It is very quick and convenient once you get the hang of it. A few favorite ring slings are designed by Aloha and Light and WildBird.
With newborns, a snug front carry is preferred and with babies over five months, more of a hip carry works better. Toddlers may enjoy the back carry more and you will probably find it much more comfortable for that age, as well as more convenient when your goal is to multitask! Ring slings are super compact and probably the easiest carrier to toss in the diaper bag.
Wraps
Woven vs Stretchy
I love a stretchy wrap (like the Moby wrap, Boba or Baby K'tan), but in my experience as a babywearing educator, people with heavier babies tend to like the structure of the woven wraps more. The stretchy wrap is extremely comfortable and feels like a second layer of clothes when worn. There are tons of ways to wrap, and it can seem intimidating at first, but the learning curve isn't high. Once you find your favorite wrap style it’s easy to just stick with that and really enjoy the wrap life!
Wraps are a long piece of fabric, and tend to be quite long, usually about 18 feet. I recommend wrapping before getting in the car to go somewhere. That way it is ready for the baby upon arrival at our destination!
I have more recently been loving my woven wraps. They are supportive and hold wriggly toddlers in a safe position, and they have such fun patterns.
Mei Tai
The Mei Tai is often called “origin of all baby carriers”. Originally, it was made of a rectangular piece of fabric with four straps at each side. The upper strands were used as shoulder straps, the lower strands as a hip belt.
These carriers are soft material with a structured back panel. Straps are pulled around the waist and other the shoulder, then tied into a secure knot. They are versatile and can be tied in more ways than a sling, but not as many as a wrap. They can be used with all ages, are convenient, not super bulky, and quite comfortable.
Soft Structured CarriersThis type of carrier, also known as an SSC, has a structured seat, padded shoulder straps, and buckles on the back and waist. They are quick to put on but may require an extra set of hands to help buckle or adjust. My personal favorite is the Lillebaby because of the amazing back support (but Ergobaby and Beco also make great soft structured carriers). These carriers also typically come with attachments like infant inserts and sun guards!
Onbu
The onbuhimo is meant for infants sitting independently up to toddlerhood. It is extremely easy to put on and doesn’t involve any kind of waistband. It is a Japanese style carrier with a chest belt. The style is similar to a backpack but can be used to front carry. Back carries tend to be more comfortable all around, especially with toddlers. Front carrying toddlers is hard to do when your goal is to multitask, they just take up so much space in front of you and I always fee like the hunchback of Notre dame when I bend over to pick things up!
The name Onbu-himo is composed of 2 different words:
Onbu means “pickaback” or “carrying on the back” and himo is the Japanese word for “cord, pimp or string” which is flat with a width of 7 -8 cm.
The traditional Onbuhimo was made of a piece of cloth entwined with a string.
If you do choose to babywear, be sure to take your carrier with you on the go - just as you would your car seat and stroller. You never know when babywearing may come in handy!
Looking to order a carrier and want a killer discount?
Here are some of our promo codes for just a few of our favorite shops!
- Aloha and Light: AlohaSunflower15
- Fidella: SunFlowerFreeDHL
- Oscha Slings: CCTophAeyx
- JoeyBand: https://joeyband.com/? ref=b4dfxmwg5b Code: SUNFLOWERxJOEY
- Affiliate link: Tuck and Bundle https://lddy.no/11o03
