Strengthening the Bond

Attachment is the deep sense of belonging to each other.

Many families start the attachment process long before birth. From the first whispered words to a pregnant belly to the moment a newborn is placed in his mother's arms, the family bond is nurtured and woven.

For families that begin their love story together through adoption or fostering, babywearing can be a powerful way to encourage and nurture that same bond.  Holding a child close enough to kiss, within reach for a reassuring touch or the exchange of a loving smile, where heartbeats are heard and shared and counted, provides countless blissful moments and helps to build that sense of belonging.

Studies have shown that when parents and babies are together, they are shaping each others behaviors and responses. By keeping children close, parents are able to observe, anticipate, and tend to their babies needs immediately.

Babies that come into adoptive or foster families have unique needs. All of them have experienced a separation from the birth parent - they may have experienced neglect, or been exposed to substances that leave them in withdrawal.  Meeting the needs of these babies and children can be overwhelming for parents, especially those tending to older children in the home.

We spoke with Katie Owens Johnson, a licensing specialist working with families through adoption and fostering, who said:

"Wearing is essential for both baby to feel comforted,
and the parent to feel like they can still do things without holding a baby all day.
It helps parents feel not as helpless watching them in pain and suffering."

Carrying an adopted or fostered child is a simple tool that has deeply beneficial results. It can help parents feel more empowered and confident while caring for a high-needs baby and ease the transition of a new child in the home by allowing parents to complete tasks in an efficient manner. For newborns and young infants, the gentle rhythmic motion of babywearing calls back to the familiar feeling of being in the womb, providing them with the gift of a safe, comfortable space to bond with a new mother or father.  For families, the closeness of babywearing can be a bridge for attachment - for confidence, for joy, for that deep sense of belonging that comes from holding each other tightly.

Welcome home, adopted and fostered little ones.
We celebrate with and for you and your families.
It is our privilege to be a part of your lives.