What is Babywearing?

A friend with young twins recently asked me about how to use a sling style baby carrier. She said with two babies, she just didn’t have enough hands.

I told her you can actually carry two babies at the same time, using two slings, but she said, “I’ll start with one, thanks!”

Talking with her about my favorite sling, and how to use it, I was reminded of how much I like sharing with other moms about the benefits sling use has brought to our family.

So maybe you’ve heard of this term, baby wearing? Or maybe you just want some help wading through the explosion of baby carrying products that are out there now. Well, I’m here to help.

Babywearing is the idea that you carry your baby most of the time, because it makes life easier for the parent by making the baby happier. Advocates of babywearing also say the increased interaction with mom or dad is good stimulation.

The most common questions I’ve gotten when I’m out and about with a baby or toddler in a sling carrier are:

“Hey, where can I get one of those?”

“What do you call that?”

and

“I wish somebody would carry me around like that!”

and

“Most comfortable seat in the house!”

For those last two, I just smile and agree.

Another common concern is, “Doesn’t that hurt your back?”

The answer is no. And actually, using a sling carrier is better for your body because it distributes the baby’s weight, instead of concentrating it all in one place, such as your forearms. If you take your chiropractor’s advice and alternate which shoulder you put your sling on to, that’s even better for your back.

When I carry a little one in a sling carrier, I notice that the baby (or toddler) is held to me securely, and that I can truly use at least one free hand to: grocery shop, unlock a car or house door, or whatever it is I need to do.

Depending on which “carry” the child is in, I may be using another hand to give extra support, or make sure a wiggly child doesn’t wiggle out, or flip back.

In my experience slings are also great because they:

• allow you to walk further, do more with baby
• go faster and be more mobile than you would be in a stroller
• allow you to include baby in your adult “personal space,” making it less likely that someone will touch your baby without your permission, if that’s a concern for you
• encourages more interaction with baby, more conversation
• makes baby happy, because they are ‘up’ and a part of your world
• help soothe a baby down to sleep
• give dad lots of extra cuddle time with baby

So let’s say you’re ready to give this a try! Where do you start?

I’ve used slings for years, and I’ve tried lots of different brands. My absolute favorite continues to be the Sling-Ezee.

And now they’ve tweaked the design to make it even better, and added lots of gorgeous new fabrics.

One of the reasons I love the Sling-Ezee is that it comes in sizes. Sometimes moms think this means the size has to do with the size of the baby — not so! The size is for the mom or dad. If the mom is petite, she’ll need a petite. If dad for instance is very tall, he should get a long, and won’t be able to share his sling with a petite wife.

Over the years, I’ve met lots of moms who said, “Oh, I tried a sling, it didn’t work.”

One of the reasons for that lack of success is a poor fit. If you buy a “one size fits all” sling at a chain store, there’s a good chance it won’t fit you. If you’re petite and you buy a “one size fits all,” baby will be down at your hip, instead of up at your waist. That will feel totally wrong, and of course you won’t be happy with it.

The above photo is a nice sample of a baby sling properly fitted at the waistline.

For more on sizing, check out the sling sizing chart at Sling-Ezee.

Photo courtesy of: (c) 2007-2008 Baby Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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