Babywearing is carrying your baby close to your body in a sling, pouch, wrap, or other baby carrier. It fosters trust and attachment, frees up your hands, and is much more comfortable than carrying your baby in your arms. Research shows that babies who are carried cry 40-50% less. Just as newborns love to be swaddled, babywearing gives the same feeling of closeness.
If you are getting ready to choose a carrier, you should know that not all soft carriers are created equal. Some soft carriers have been linked to hip dysplasia because of their design (i.e. Baby Bjorn), so it’s important to choose one with an ergonomic design that disperses most of the baby’s weight between the hips and thighs, which helps to eliminate compression of the spine.
If you are new to babywearing, here are some tips for getting started:
- Review babywearing terms or have them nearby. Keeping everything straight in the beginning is important.
- Narrow down what type of carrier is right for you. Consider how old your baby is, what position(s) you want to carry him in, what activities you will mostly be doing, and whether or not you have any physical restrictions. Using those thoughts, compare babycarriers. A list of all carriers can be found at TheBabyWearer. The chart is not very easy to read, but it’s the most comprehensive I’ve found.
- Once you have 2 or 3 choices narrowed down, ask family and friends what they know about your choices and see if you can borrow one of theirs for a short time. If no one you know has the carrier you’re interested in, contact the girls at Magic City Slingers. They have a lending library of carriers that members can try.
- Purchase your carrier at a retail store, ebay, or yard sales. I got my Mei Tai from ebay much cheaper than the list price from EllaRoo. It was $30 with shipping. My Ergo came from a consignment shop.
There are several contributors to the site who are avid babywearers. If you have any questions, any of us would be happy to share what we know about them. It took me almost 6 months to settle on my final choice, so if we can help you get it right the first time, by all means, ask questions. Best wishes!
