The Top 10 Benefits of Babywearing
When you’re a new parent, people tend to have tons of advice about what you should or shouldn’t do with your little one.
You’ll hear opinions on bottle feeding versus breastfeeding, babies crying it out versus snuggling your baby back to sleep, and even how to decorate your baby’s room. However, there’s one thing practically everyone can agree on when it comes to raising kids: the incredible benefits of babywearing.
More than just a convenient way to bring your child from place to place, the choice of wearing your baby has amazing benefits for both you and your child in terms of your relationship and their development.
These are just some of the benefits of babywearing you can’t afford to miss out on:
It’s a great way to bond with your baby:
Babywearing is a great way to promote attachment between you and your little one, especially with skin to skin contact.
While spending time with your baby in any capacity— whether you’re helping them tackle tummy time, pushing them in a stroller, or giving them a bottle— babywearing is a great way to promote attachment between you and your little one.
A clinical trial published in the journal Child Development found that infants who were carried in a soft structured carrier saw more responsiveness from their mother than those who were put in infant seats. Nearly 10 months later, more of the babies who had physical contact through carrier-wearing were securely attached to their mothers than members of the infant seat group.
It’s comfortable for your back:
There’s no denying that carrying your child in your arms or on your hip all day can be tiring and can even contribute to back pain.
However, in a well-fitted carrier, the pressure of carrying your little one is evenly distributed across your shoulders and back, allowing you to easily bring your baby everywhere with you without a hint of discomfort.
It’s a great way to show off your style:
Many baby accessories, from pacifiers to changing pads, can feel pretty basic. However, one of the benefits of babywearing is that it allows you to show off your style.
From sporting a pink and gray LÍLLÉbaby All Seasons carrier or channeling your wild side in a leopard-print LÍLLÉbaby COMPLETE All Seasons, you will enjoy the benefits of carrying your baby in style.
It helps your little one fall asleep:
Many parents who use a baby carrier quickly realize that wearing their baby is one of the best ways to get their little one to fall asleep, with less crying and fussing.
However, it’s more than just general fatigue that’s zonking your baby out when they’re in their carrier. A 2013 study published in the journal Current Biology found that babies’ heart rates slow down when they are picked up and carried, indicating that they’re enjoying some serious relaxation when you babywear—and who doesn’t deserve a little R&R?
It’s relaxing for you:
It’s not just your baby that benefits from being worn, you get to relax too.
When moms smell hats worn on their baby's head, it has a relaxing effect on them, with women experiencing similar activity in their brains as individuals who take prescription drugs used to treat mental illness, according to scientists at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet.
Who can resist the sweet smell of their newborn, when baby is worn close in a carrier?
It keeps your hands free:
For thousands of years, parents have found that one of the hardest parts of having a baby is always having your hands full.
However, when you choose to wear your baby in a baby carrier, you can keep your hands free, enabling you to shop, get work done, or carry groceries.
It promotes language development:
If you’re eager to foster your child’s verbal development, babywearing is a great place to start.
A 2018 study published in the journal Infancy studied the difference in verbal skills among babies pushed in strollers versus those carried in backpacks.
Researchers found that babies carried by their parents were spoken to more frequently, vocalized more, and started more conversations than those pushed in strollers.
Babies who were worn in carriers also moved their heads more, which the study’s authors took as a sign they were visually scanning their environment.
It helps you attend to your other kids:
If you have more than one child, babywearing is a big help.
With your younger child in a carrier, your hands are free to hold your other child’s hand while crossing the street, help them onto a climbing structure at the playground, or making them a sandwich for lunch.
It makes breastfeeding easier:
Even if you have a sufficient supply, breastfeeding isn’t always easy, particularly when you're not at home.
Fortunately, when you choose to wear your baby, they can nurse easily, discreetly, and comfortably, no matter where you are.
It makes the transition to parenthood easier:
Being a new parent can be hard, but one of the benefits of babywearing is that it makes the transition easier.
In 2021 Psychoneuroendocrinology found that babywearing increased fathers’ attentiveness and made them more attuned to their babies’ needs. Specifically, it has a profound effect among fathers who’d had negative experiences in their childhood.
The Verdict:
Babywearing is more than just a great way to keep your baby close and safe when you’re out and about in the world.
From the mood boost to the amazing way it enables you to tackle your usual errands with your little one in tow, it’s the perfect way to make those critical first months and years with your child extra special for both of you.
Need Help Finding Your Perfect Carrier?
There are a lot of different types of baby carriers to choose including stretchy wraps, ring slings, and soft structured carriers.
Take our Carrier Quiz to find the perfect carrying style for you!
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