Rachelle from Louisiana emailed with this question, “My sister is having a baby soon and I would love to get her a baby carrier as a gift. She is interested in a Baby Bjorn, but I know there are way better baby carriers out there. She also needs something that is easy to use, because I do not think she would like anything like a baby wrap. We live in Louisiana, so anything that is breathable would be great. It is always hot and humid here!”
For somebody who is not yet committed to babywearing or interested in learning a baby wrap, my first choice would be a soft structured baby carriers. They are very easy to learn and somewhat similar in appearance to a Baby Bjorn. While soft structured baby carriers such as the Beco Baby Carrier or Ergo Baby Carrier look similar to the Bjorn, they keep baby in a seated position rather than hanging by their crotch. This is much better for babies developing spine and sacrum. Ergo Baby has a carrier made from a lighter weight fabric for better breathability. The Sport Ergo Baby Carrier also has a vented panel in the body of the baby carrier for extra air flow.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Best Baby Carriers for a Bad Back
Julie from Atlanta recently contacted us for help finding a baby carrier. She has a bad back. With her baby at 3 months old and 16 lbs, she already has a hard time carrying him. She currently has a Baby Bjorn baby carrier, but finds that it is really uncomfortable. So what should she choose?
There are a couple of baby carriers that would probably work for Julie, but our first choice is a woven baby wrap, such as those by Ellaroo. Baby wraps are very versatile and can be worn on your front, back, or hip. Stretchy wraps are more affordable, but for back carrying or using past 6 months a woven wrap is more supportive. They are a great choice for bad backs, and will provide the most comfort while babywearing. You can even tie your wrap around the area where your back aches for extra support.
There are a couple of baby carriers that would probably work for Julie, but our first choice is a woven baby wrap, such as those by Ellaroo. Baby wraps are very versatile and can be worn on your front, back, or hip. Stretchy wraps are more affordable, but for back carrying or using past 6 months a woven wrap is more supportive. They are a great choice for bad backs, and will provide the most comfort while babywearing. You can even tie your wrap around the area where your back aches for extra support.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Baby Carriers for Tall Dads
Miller from Charlotte, NC emailed with the following question about baby carriers for tall dads. “I borrowed an Ergo Baby Carrier from a friend the other day, and I have to say I am a little disappointed. My husband is 6′4″ and my son can’t see anything when 0on his back. I had heard such great things about this baby carrier. I am worried my husband will give up on trying to use a baby carrier because he thinks he is too tall. Are we doing something wrong?”
Most soft structured baby carriers will not allow a baby to see over the wearer’s shoulders. This is because they are designed to distribute the weight across your entire back. For tall people it may seem as if the baby is riding down really low and smashed against their back. You can have your husband tighten the waistband higher on his body. Your baby may not be able to see over dad’s shoulder, but will still be happy to be carried!
Most dads we know are most comfortable with buckle baby carriers such as the Ergo Baby Carrier, Oh Snap Baby Carrier, or the Beco Baby Carrier. However if your husband is a little more adventurous, he might like a baby wrap or mei tai. They are great for fuller body frames as well, and both can be adjusted and tied higher on the body.
Most soft structured baby carriers will not allow a baby to see over the wearer’s shoulders. This is because they are designed to distribute the weight across your entire back. For tall people it may seem as if the baby is riding down really low and smashed against their back. You can have your husband tighten the waistband higher on his body. Your baby may not be able to see over dad’s shoulder, but will still be happy to be carried!
Most dads we know are most comfortable with buckle baby carriers such as the Ergo Baby Carrier, Oh Snap Baby Carrier, or the Beco Baby Carrier. However if your husband is a little more adventurous, he might like a baby wrap or mei tai. They are great for fuller body frames as well, and both can be adjusted and tied higher on the body.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Gemini Beco Baby Carrier
The Gemini Baby Carrier promises to be a great addition to the line of baby carriers from Beco. Some of its features include the ability to carry your baby in 4 different positions: front facing in, front facing forward, hip carry, and back carry. This is a change from the Butterfly 2 which does not allow a forward facing front carry or a hip carry. The hip carry does not offer an even distribution of weight across both shoulders, but gives parents another option while wearing their baby. The forward facing front carry is one that can be controversial in the babywearing community due to the fact that a baby can become overstimulated in this position. We recommend using this position on a limited basis, when the chance of overstimulation is low. Pay attention to the mood and temperament of your baby before using this position. In our experience babies are quite content to gaze up at their mother of father when being worn on the front facing in. They can hear your heartbeat and be comforted by looking at your face.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Baby Carriers – A Dad’s Guide
When your partner is pregnant, it’s a guy thing to want to do everything you can to lighten the load. So you cook dinner, fold laundry, massage swollen ankles. A friend I have has even said he’d go through the pregnancy for his wife, if this was possible. Comforting and pampering your expectant spouse is something you’re probably pretty good at. If you weren’t, she probably wouldn’t be expecting a foot massage, let alone a baby. But when your baby arrives, husband and wife are replaced with dad and mom forever.
Dad-As-Wallflower
And your baby seems only to want what she’s known for nine months: Mom. You start to feel like the third wheel or the odd dad out when social expectations, your own inexperience, and a flurry of visits from wise grandmothers puts you right smack on the outside of all things baby. But the most important thing to remember is that a dad who uses a baby carrier regularly wins two hearts and sets his own aflutter.
Carrier Bonding For Dads & Babies
Baby sleeping in a baby carrierThat’s right, your heart’s aflutter. When you look at your new baby, consider what it means to you to be a dad, and hold your little one for a feeding or a lullaby session.
Or put on a baby carrier and take your baby out to see the wide world – or at least the neighborhood – while your wife takes a much needed break. Wearing your baby in a BabyBjorn in front is easy to do and gives your little one the chance to fall asleep against your chest. Baby will be lulled to sleep by the rhythm of your stride and you’ll get to steal about a hundred kisses on the crown of her head.
The gadget-geek in you will like to know that one Baby Bjorn will adjust to fit both you and your wife with a few simple pulls on the extra strap lengths. And if you think a sling is a bit too feminine, consider the Ergo carrier, which allows you to carry your newborn, or even think about the Balboa sling marketed by Dr. William Sears. Hey, a guy invented it.
Dad Points
With mom as primary food source for most newborns and with the first three months often called the “fourth trimester“, dads who use slings and carriers create daily opportunities to develop the unforgettable and unmistakable closeness to their babies. Although the evidence is at best anecdotal, since your baby needs care 24/7, the more you volunteer for in the way of carrying and walking with baby, the less likely you’ll be flying solo with diaper duty and late night cry-fests.
Powerful Knowledge
Ever hear that parents of newborns learn to differentiate and understand their newborns’ cries? My wife and I waited a while for this to happen, but wearing my daughter in a carrier helped. As a newborn, she was swaddled and settled into the soft crescent of our Balboa sling. Taking a walk and keeping an eye on her, I could tell when she was squirming due to gassiness, arching due to colic, and when she was hungry, she’d make little mewing sounds and start to turn inward and nuzzle my shirt. (Sorry, nothing there!)
Baby Carrying Dads Score the Win-Win
Using a baby carrier to give mom a break, take the dog for a walk, show your newborn off to the neighborhood, or get some much needed fresh air…these are just a few ways you can have your cake and eat it too as a new dad. For me, it was to soothe her colic. I got into a routine after dinner, because that was her “witching hour” – 6:25 on the dot, for eight weeks, she would begin screaming for about 8 hours. When it began, I would put her in my Baby Bjorn and walk for an hour. Her colic some settled to around 3 hours, minus 1 hour sleeping on me while I walked with her nuzzled into my chest.
I got to know my daughter more quickly and in a more complete and nuanced way. Sure, I loved her before she took her first breath, but learning what made her tick, how to soothe her, and just hearing her breathing as we strolled made me feel more like a real dad than a dad in training. I could speak with the authority of experience about what made my little girl drift to sleep, how she liked to be bounced.
And everyone wins when dads carry their babies on a regular basis. Aside from the intrinsic bonding, knowledge of baby’s personality, and satisfaction at finding ways to be involved and ‘doing your share’ as a dad, there’s something else that - were it the only reason to don a baby carrier – would be a little suspect.
In the currency conversion of family relationships, those dad points become partner points when the mother of the little bundle attached to you realizes the impossible is happening. Just when she thought she couldn’t love you more, she does!
Dad-As-Wallflower
And your baby seems only to want what she’s known for nine months: Mom. You start to feel like the third wheel or the odd dad out when social expectations, your own inexperience, and a flurry of visits from wise grandmothers puts you right smack on the outside of all things baby. But the most important thing to remember is that a dad who uses a baby carrier regularly wins two hearts and sets his own aflutter.
Carrier Bonding For Dads & Babies
Baby sleeping in a baby carrierThat’s right, your heart’s aflutter. When you look at your new baby, consider what it means to you to be a dad, and hold your little one for a feeding or a lullaby session.
Or put on a baby carrier and take your baby out to see the wide world – or at least the neighborhood – while your wife takes a much needed break. Wearing your baby in a BabyBjorn in front is easy to do and gives your little one the chance to fall asleep against your chest. Baby will be lulled to sleep by the rhythm of your stride and you’ll get to steal about a hundred kisses on the crown of her head.
The gadget-geek in you will like to know that one Baby Bjorn will adjust to fit both you and your wife with a few simple pulls on the extra strap lengths. And if you think a sling is a bit too feminine, consider the Ergo carrier, which allows you to carry your newborn, or even think about the Balboa sling marketed by Dr. William Sears. Hey, a guy invented it.
Dad Points
With mom as primary food source for most newborns and with the first three months often called the “fourth trimester“, dads who use slings and carriers create daily opportunities to develop the unforgettable and unmistakable closeness to their babies. Although the evidence is at best anecdotal, since your baby needs care 24/7, the more you volunteer for in the way of carrying and walking with baby, the less likely you’ll be flying solo with diaper duty and late night cry-fests.
Powerful Knowledge
Ever hear that parents of newborns learn to differentiate and understand their newborns’ cries? My wife and I waited a while for this to happen, but wearing my daughter in a carrier helped. As a newborn, she was swaddled and settled into the soft crescent of our Balboa sling. Taking a walk and keeping an eye on her, I could tell when she was squirming due to gassiness, arching due to colic, and when she was hungry, she’d make little mewing sounds and start to turn inward and nuzzle my shirt. (Sorry, nothing there!)
Baby Carrying Dads Score the Win-Win
Using a baby carrier to give mom a break, take the dog for a walk, show your newborn off to the neighborhood, or get some much needed fresh air…these are just a few ways you can have your cake and eat it too as a new dad. For me, it was to soothe her colic. I got into a routine after dinner, because that was her “witching hour” – 6:25 on the dot, for eight weeks, she would begin screaming for about 8 hours. When it began, I would put her in my Baby Bjorn and walk for an hour. Her colic some settled to around 3 hours, minus 1 hour sleeping on me while I walked with her nuzzled into my chest.
I got to know my daughter more quickly and in a more complete and nuanced way. Sure, I loved her before she took her first breath, but learning what made her tick, how to soothe her, and just hearing her breathing as we strolled made me feel more like a real dad than a dad in training. I could speak with the authority of experience about what made my little girl drift to sleep, how she liked to be bounced.
And everyone wins when dads carry their babies on a regular basis. Aside from the intrinsic bonding, knowledge of baby’s personality, and satisfaction at finding ways to be involved and ‘doing your share’ as a dad, there’s something else that - were it the only reason to don a baby carrier – would be a little suspect.
In the currency conversion of family relationships, those dad points become partner points when the mother of the little bundle attached to you realizes the impossible is happening. Just when she thought she couldn’t love you more, she does!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Kangaroo Care: Baby Carriers for Preemies
The benefits of carrying our babies close are well known. But what about preemies? In the first weeks after a premature birth, parents of preemies are often exhausted from monitoring their baby in the NICU, emotionally spent at the delay in taking their baby home, and scared about the health concerns associated with premature birth. When your premature baby comes home for good, Kangaroo care – with the right carrier for low birthweight babies – can significantly improve health, vitality, development, and – of course – attachment.
How Does Kangaroo Care Work?
The infant mortality rate for preemies topped out at 70% in Bogota, Columbia in the 1980s. Out of necessity, a protocol of care mandated that premature infants were held 24 hours a day by their mothers and caregivers. With little in the way of advanced medical care, holding baby close all day was the only option to reduce infection, improve respiratory weakness, and bond parent and child. Researchers were amazed and encouraged by the stunningly successful results: rapid growth, increased vitality, freedom from respiratory therapy, improved feeding, and retention of body heat.
How Kangaroo Care Helps:
Preemies don’t have the body regulatory systems of full-term babies. They lose body heat quickly, making them vulnerable to illness. But when a baby is carried close to the mother’s chest, her body actually senses the baby’s temperature and the breast temperature rises 2 degrees in a matter of minutes.
Not only does carrying help baby’s temperature regulation, but preemies’ greatest health challenge: hearty and unaided respiration. Premature infants cannot regulate their breathing, but when carried chest-to-chest with a parent or caregiver, preemies match their breathing to their parents’.
And getting to know your baby is perhaps the best benefit of all. And I’m not just talking about emotional benefits. Preemie parents have a steep learning curve. When your baby has been contained most often in a plastic incubator, holding him as much as possible will feel like a dream come true. It will also be the much needed crash course in bonding both of you need.
Which Carriers Are Perfect for Preemies?
* Slings: Ring or pre-sized, these are an ideal choice for preemies because of their soft, yet snug feel. Baby is supported and shielded from head to toe. Slight adjustments can move your little one from a more supine cradle position for eating to a more upright position for digestion and sleeping, with baby’s head near the thrum-thrum of your heartbeat. Because preemies can be carried with kangaroo care when they weigh as little as 4.5 pounds, a slightly stretchy carrier can provide softness that a 100% cotton carrier cannot. With heavier babies, this give can reduce the feeling of having a secure carry, but this stretchiness is ideal for newborns. Also, the absence of rough seams is a plus. I recommend the jacquard weave of the Didymos ring sling.
* Wraps: Offering even more versatility than slings in the way you hold your premature baby, wraps provide the best fit. The Moby and other similar knit-wraps allow for the best newborn front-carries and will still be practical for when your baby is a bit bigger, when you can use the hip carry, outward facing, and back-carrying wrap styles. Wraps are also ideal for preemies and their parents because size isn’t an issue. No gaps or loose pockets of fabric will separate baby from you, which maximizes the temperature regulation benefits of kangaroo care.
Bottom Line:
Kangaroo care has been used when there was no other specialized care option for preemies. But even when other options are available, when preemies are taken home, the best option is still available: baby carrying. The research confirms that the more preemies are held close by their parents, the faster they will grow, gain weight, develop cognitively through eye contact and communication from parents, and become independent in their ability to regulate breathing and body temperature.
The best thing you can do for your premature infant is also the thing you most want to do. It’s the best of both worlds, all wrapped up.
How Does Kangaroo Care Work?
The infant mortality rate for preemies topped out at 70% in Bogota, Columbia in the 1980s. Out of necessity, a protocol of care mandated that premature infants were held 24 hours a day by their mothers and caregivers. With little in the way of advanced medical care, holding baby close all day was the only option to reduce infection, improve respiratory weakness, and bond parent and child. Researchers were amazed and encouraged by the stunningly successful results: rapid growth, increased vitality, freedom from respiratory therapy, improved feeding, and retention of body heat.
How Kangaroo Care Helps:
Preemies don’t have the body regulatory systems of full-term babies. They lose body heat quickly, making them vulnerable to illness. But when a baby is carried close to the mother’s chest, her body actually senses the baby’s temperature and the breast temperature rises 2 degrees in a matter of minutes.
Not only does carrying help baby’s temperature regulation, but preemies’ greatest health challenge: hearty and unaided respiration. Premature infants cannot regulate their breathing, but when carried chest-to-chest with a parent or caregiver, preemies match their breathing to their parents’.
And getting to know your baby is perhaps the best benefit of all. And I’m not just talking about emotional benefits. Preemie parents have a steep learning curve. When your baby has been contained most often in a plastic incubator, holding him as much as possible will feel like a dream come true. It will also be the much needed crash course in bonding both of you need.
Which Carriers Are Perfect for Preemies?
* Slings: Ring or pre-sized, these are an ideal choice for preemies because of their soft, yet snug feel. Baby is supported and shielded from head to toe. Slight adjustments can move your little one from a more supine cradle position for eating to a more upright position for digestion and sleeping, with baby’s head near the thrum-thrum of your heartbeat. Because preemies can be carried with kangaroo care when they weigh as little as 4.5 pounds, a slightly stretchy carrier can provide softness that a 100% cotton carrier cannot. With heavier babies, this give can reduce the feeling of having a secure carry, but this stretchiness is ideal for newborns. Also, the absence of rough seams is a plus. I recommend the jacquard weave of the Didymos ring sling.
* Wraps: Offering even more versatility than slings in the way you hold your premature baby, wraps provide the best fit. The Moby and other similar knit-wraps allow for the best newborn front-carries and will still be practical for when your baby is a bit bigger, when you can use the hip carry, outward facing, and back-carrying wrap styles. Wraps are also ideal for preemies and their parents because size isn’t an issue. No gaps or loose pockets of fabric will separate baby from you, which maximizes the temperature regulation benefits of kangaroo care.
Bottom Line:
Kangaroo care has been used when there was no other specialized care option for preemies. But even when other options are available, when preemies are taken home, the best option is still available: baby carrying. The research confirms that the more preemies are held close by their parents, the faster they will grow, gain weight, develop cognitively through eye contact and communication from parents, and become independent in their ability to regulate breathing and body temperature.
The best thing you can do for your premature infant is also the thing you most want to do. It’s the best of both worlds, all wrapped up.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Baby Carriers: The Wearable Cure for Colic?
Trapped gas bubbles after eating, tummy upset, painful bowel movements, and acid reflux are all contributors to the discomfort your inconsolable baby experiences with colic. As the digestive system matures, colic tends to disappear between 3 and 9 months. Of the 25% of babies with colic, 90% are free of it by 9 months. With numerous medicinals, swaddling techniques, and “guaranteed” colic remedies circulating in parent lore, its amazing what a simple baby carrier can do to eliminate your baby’s colic.
How Do I Know If My Baby Has Colic?
* The Rule of 3s: The Mayo Clinic defines colic as 3+ hours of crying a day, 3+ days per week, for 3 weeks or more (in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby)
* What Colic Looks Like: Flush-faced baby, curled up legs, clenched fists, strained/tightened abdominals. Gas or a bowel movement usually come at the end of a colic episode.
* What Colic Sounds Like: You’ll know! Colicky infants usually scream at around the same time each day. In our house, we called this the “Baby Witching Hour.” If you have a colicky baby, you know how valuable a sense of humor can become. For us, it was 6PM to around 3AM for the first couple weeks, then 6-8 PM, every night for two more months. Unlike the cry of our baby waking or feeling hungry, the colic cry was a screech, loud and persistent. We likened it to what we imagined the infernal scream of a prehistoric Teradactyl must have sounded like.
colic
What Do Parents Usually Try?
* Books: The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp. Though the concept of a missing “forth trimester” theory was a bit weird, his techniques worked. It includes placing your swaddled baby tummy down on your forearm, walking, gently jiggling baby, and loudly “shhhhhh-ing” baby (in the womb, your baby was used to sounds louder than the average vacuum cleaner, so this mimics it). Swaddling worked pretty well, but as started well after our baby was a month old, it wasn’t as effective as it could have been.
* Medicine: Always check with your doctor to make sure baby is healthy, with no additional health problems or undiagnosed concerns. Our doctor recommended some simethicone drops, which we used occasionally. Make sure your doctor recommends them, as well as the proper dosage, before using.
* Homeopathics: Under many names, a substance called Gripe Water, the most widely marketed of which is called Colic Calm, claims to calm intestinal distress. We bought another brand of gripe water and found that it had no appreciable effect. But if it works for you, great! As any parent of a colicky infant will tell you, whatever works, do it. Be it gripe water, loud shushing, swaddling, or standing on your head while singing the Beatles.
* Rocking, Driving, Walkin’g: The key word here is movement. In a glider or a rocking chair, in a car, or wearing a circular path in the carpet of your house at 3:00 AM. Each of these has its plusses and minuses – again, whatever works is what you’ll end up recommending to others when you’re in the relative bliss of the terrible twos – but it comes down to movement. Baby was in motion for ten months in the womb, she wants to continue moving!
Why Walking With Baby in a Carrier Works
Like I’ve been saying, it all comes down to movement.
As a Dad, I’d come home from work a couple hours before baby started her daily colic (joy oh joy.) That’s what made me think about a baby carrier in the first place. Reading Karp’s book, and on the recommendation of another parent, I bought a baby carrier and began taking our little screamer for walks at the appointed time. About five steps out of the house, she calmed down, and within five minutes she was sleeping, nestled on my chest. I was hooked.
Your baby wants to be held, you want a little exercise. Your baby won’t stop crying unless her head is resting against your chest, you have a headache, and both need immediate solutions. A baby carrier is a no-brainer.
Here’s some specifics to help you understand which carriers and baby positions are best known for alleviating colic.
Any Particular Colic-Reducing Carrier or Hold/Position?
Infants 2-4 months: Wraps like the Moby or tie-carriers like the Mei-Tai. Why? You want baby upright, in a vertical position on the front of you (I used a Baby Bjorn, but then, I’m, a guy, and she was 3 months old when I tried it.) Facing in is best for infants this young. Light walking around the block will create the consistent movement that can release the gas in baby’s tummy or provide the prenatal soothing she’s used to.
Infants 4-6 months: Same as above, but also add Ergo, front carrier with or without infant insert. The BabyBjorn classic model is also a good choice here, as it’s fool-proof and keeps baby in the most vertical, yet comfortable position possible with lots of back and neck support. Baby should be tummy to tummy. A side hold or sling hold will crunch up baby’s abdominal muscles, intensifying colic symptoms.
Babies 6-9 months: (By then, colic should be over, but if not …) The BabyBjorn, facing in or out, Moby facing in or out, and even the Ergo, facing in or on back in the piggy-back style, which allows baby’s spine to naturally curve parallel to yours, relaxing all the baby’s core muscles, alleviating colic symptoms as you walk, stroll, or even as you shuffle from foot to foot, checking your email on your laptop in the kitchen.
Why Baby Carriers Work to Reduce Colic
1. Baby stays upright (don’t use a sling or put baby in a cradle-hold)
2. Gentle walking or bouncing while baby is carried releases painful gas bubbles and keeps bowels moving.
3. Babies prone to reflux benefit from upright carrying, as stomach acid doesn’t creep up the esophagus.
The overall movement and swaddle-feel of most carriers resembles the womb.
The compelling case for carriers reducing colic is simply this: They are the closest thing to the womb since the womb. The best source of comfort a baby can hope for when his tummy his upset. Though baby carriers is not a “cure”, as the title suggests, it’s a welcome break for everybody involved, baby almost always falls asleep, and, for us at least, we got her “screaming hours” down to about two a night from six. Having a carrier was definitely worth it – that and keeping up a sense of humor!
How Do I Know If My Baby Has Colic?
* The Rule of 3s: The Mayo Clinic defines colic as 3+ hours of crying a day, 3+ days per week, for 3 weeks or more (in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby)
* What Colic Looks Like: Flush-faced baby, curled up legs, clenched fists, strained/tightened abdominals. Gas or a bowel movement usually come at the end of a colic episode.
* What Colic Sounds Like: You’ll know! Colicky infants usually scream at around the same time each day. In our house, we called this the “Baby Witching Hour.” If you have a colicky baby, you know how valuable a sense of humor can become. For us, it was 6PM to around 3AM for the first couple weeks, then 6-8 PM, every night for two more months. Unlike the cry of our baby waking or feeling hungry, the colic cry was a screech, loud and persistent. We likened it to what we imagined the infernal scream of a prehistoric Teradactyl must have sounded like.
colic
What Do Parents Usually Try?
* Books: The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp. Though the concept of a missing “forth trimester” theory was a bit weird, his techniques worked. It includes placing your swaddled baby tummy down on your forearm, walking, gently jiggling baby, and loudly “shhhhhh-ing” baby (in the womb, your baby was used to sounds louder than the average vacuum cleaner, so this mimics it). Swaddling worked pretty well, but as started well after our baby was a month old, it wasn’t as effective as it could have been.
* Medicine: Always check with your doctor to make sure baby is healthy, with no additional health problems or undiagnosed concerns. Our doctor recommended some simethicone drops, which we used occasionally. Make sure your doctor recommends them, as well as the proper dosage, before using.
* Homeopathics: Under many names, a substance called Gripe Water, the most widely marketed of which is called Colic Calm, claims to calm intestinal distress. We bought another brand of gripe water and found that it had no appreciable effect. But if it works for you, great! As any parent of a colicky infant will tell you, whatever works, do it. Be it gripe water, loud shushing, swaddling, or standing on your head while singing the Beatles.
* Rocking, Driving, Walkin’g: The key word here is movement. In a glider or a rocking chair, in a car, or wearing a circular path in the carpet of your house at 3:00 AM. Each of these has its plusses and minuses – again, whatever works is what you’ll end up recommending to others when you’re in the relative bliss of the terrible twos – but it comes down to movement. Baby was in motion for ten months in the womb, she wants to continue moving!
Why Walking With Baby in a Carrier Works
Like I’ve been saying, it all comes down to movement.
As a Dad, I’d come home from work a couple hours before baby started her daily colic (joy oh joy.) That’s what made me think about a baby carrier in the first place. Reading Karp’s book, and on the recommendation of another parent, I bought a baby carrier and began taking our little screamer for walks at the appointed time. About five steps out of the house, she calmed down, and within five minutes she was sleeping, nestled on my chest. I was hooked.
Your baby wants to be held, you want a little exercise. Your baby won’t stop crying unless her head is resting against your chest, you have a headache, and both need immediate solutions. A baby carrier is a no-brainer.
Here’s some specifics to help you understand which carriers and baby positions are best known for alleviating colic.
Any Particular Colic-Reducing Carrier or Hold/Position?
Infants 2-4 months: Wraps like the Moby or tie-carriers like the Mei-Tai. Why? You want baby upright, in a vertical position on the front of you (I used a Baby Bjorn, but then, I’m, a guy, and she was 3 months old when I tried it.) Facing in is best for infants this young. Light walking around the block will create the consistent movement that can release the gas in baby’s tummy or provide the prenatal soothing she’s used to.
Infants 4-6 months: Same as above, but also add Ergo, front carrier with or without infant insert. The BabyBjorn classic model is also a good choice here, as it’s fool-proof and keeps baby in the most vertical, yet comfortable position possible with lots of back and neck support. Baby should be tummy to tummy. A side hold or sling hold will crunch up baby’s abdominal muscles, intensifying colic symptoms.
Babies 6-9 months: (By then, colic should be over, but if not …) The BabyBjorn, facing in or out, Moby facing in or out, and even the Ergo, facing in or on back in the piggy-back style, which allows baby’s spine to naturally curve parallel to yours, relaxing all the baby’s core muscles, alleviating colic symptoms as you walk, stroll, or even as you shuffle from foot to foot, checking your email on your laptop in the kitchen.
Why Baby Carriers Work to Reduce Colic
1. Baby stays upright (don’t use a sling or put baby in a cradle-hold)
2. Gentle walking or bouncing while baby is carried releases painful gas bubbles and keeps bowels moving.
3. Babies prone to reflux benefit from upright carrying, as stomach acid doesn’t creep up the esophagus.
The overall movement and swaddle-feel of most carriers resembles the womb.
The compelling case for carriers reducing colic is simply this: They are the closest thing to the womb since the womb. The best source of comfort a baby can hope for when his tummy his upset. Though baby carriers is not a “cure”, as the title suggests, it’s a welcome break for everybody involved, baby almost always falls asleep, and, for us at least, we got her “screaming hours” down to about two a night from six. Having a carrier was definitely worth it – that and keeping up a sense of humor!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Slings Make for Easy Breastfeeding in Public Places
Most women who have tried to breastfeed and met with any degree of success know that it doesn’t come without difficulties. These difficulties range from trouble latching, mastering the football hold and other tried and true methods, learning the lingo of nurses or lactation consultants, wrestling with the noisy beast, er…I mean… breast pump, and figuring out how to squeeze in a shower and some sleep. And this is all before you leave the house. Add trying to breastfeed in public and you have the makings of a new-mom-meltdown.
As a first time mom, my play group compatriots and I shared stories and advice aplenty. One frequent topic was breastfeeding in public. With my firstborn, the question was whether to do it.
But as many of us moved on to our second pregnancy and birth, the questions became whereand how to do it. So what follows are a few tips from one mom who’s been there.
Best Places To Breastfeed
The best places list is based on three criteria:
* Minimal Distractions for Baby
* Privacy or Crowded Anonymity
* Somewhat Comfortable Seating
In no particular order, they are…
* The Mall – These days, most with the stores we want to shop in have great family lounges adjacent to the restrooms. Large rooms with changing tables and dedicated nursing alcoves – usually about three – describe most shopping mall family lounges. I loved the nursing alcoves. I’ve been in some with doors and others with floor to ceiling curtains, cutting down on noise and distraction.
* Dressing Rooms – There are a lot of great things about The Gap, not the least of which is their collection of wearable maternity garb. They keep me coming back to clothe my kiddos with their roomy dressing rooms and one dedicated dressing room-turned nursing room. What I like about The Gap is that the restrooms are nearby. Restrooms matter when your breastfeeding, as you probably know, because you’re trying to stay hydrated and your uterine muscles are still out of shape and because we know what our babies do after they eat.
* The Park – In good weather, I love the park because I can plant myself anywhere, creating privacy by putting distance between myself and others. Under a tree sitting cross-legged was one of my favorites. Eddie Bauer and others make great picnic blankets with nylon waterproofing on one side. I kept one of these in my diaper bag and used it as a changing pad too.
* The Movie Theatre – If not getting out is getting you down, watch the paper for their “Diaper Days” showings of films, which are usually around noontime. They lower the volume to protect little ears and you get some much needed entertainment.
* The Public Library – Recent court challenges have refused to restrict library patrons’ access to explicit content (ie porn) on library computers. Suffice it to say that the library is a welcoming place for nursing babes in arms. As are some of the big bookstore chains. In both places, I’ve found stools and chairs in the children’s area and fed my babies without interruption or hassle.
How To Stay Under the Radar – Outfits
This comes down to two necessary wearables, one for you and one for baby.
If you’re breastfeeding, you’ve likely invested in some quick access nursing bras and tanks. If you’re like me, you’d rather not show the loose folds of skin in the tummy region, which can flop out if you’re wearing a nursing bra and a shirt. Hoist the shirt up and voila, my muffin top was there in the flesh for all to see. No thank you.
So I encourage you to opt for a nursing tank top (very reasonably priced and well made at Target) and a loose shirt over it. For a splurge, I’d recommend Glamourmom Nursing Bra tanktop, which are reinforced with spandex (available online at Amazon). They’re also longer than the average tank and some have lace trim. I appreciated the stretchy snugness around my middle, which smoothed out the appearance of whatever shirt I wore over it.
What about nursing shirts? I had a couple of these, but I’m not a big fan. The openings and fabric folds underneath always ended riding up above the outer rim of the scoop-necked shirt. Not pretty. And the shirt alone doesn’t offer enough coverage if you want to be a bit discreet.
That’s how to outfit you; now for baby.
When breastfeeding in public, the sling is the thing. Truly. Although I once breastfed with my daughter facing inward in a front carrier, it was not pleasant for either of us. Here are a few recommendations:
Ring Slings: Several companies make these, including the Maya Wrap ring sling ($60) and ZoloWear’s Ring Sling, in cotton ($79), breathable mesh ($69), or silk brocade ($125).
Ring slings are a better choice than other slings simply because the extra fabric works as an instant nursing cover. Just pull up one corner of the extra fabric length hanging down from the ring. Tuck the corner under the strap of your opposite bra shoulder strap.
Wraps: If baby hates to be covered up (and what baby doesn’t want to stare up at mom while eating), Didymos and Moby wraps are helpful in this case because there’s a little more built-in coverage for you and baby. Baby’s head is usually tucked into one section of the wrap that goes down under their bum and up over your shoulder. It’s not like he can wrestle this fabric out of the way. But on the downside, it’s a lot harder to get baby positioned and latched on in a front-carry wrap.
How To Deal With The Rudeness of Strangers
For all its difficulties, expensive accessories, and judgmental inquiries, breastfeeding my babies brought me a sense of satisfaction, calm, and relaxation unique unto itself.
This is not to say that I never encountered invasive and ignorant strangers. It is lawful to breastfeed in any public place where food is served or allowed. You probably don’t want to get into a conversation with a rude person who makes a comment while your feeding your baby. It can’t be good f0r the letdown, so ignoring the remark and turning your head the other way is best.
But if they persist, however well-meaning they may (or may not) be, tell them any of the following (these go from tame to mildly tenacious):
1. “Please take up your concern with the management.”
2. “I’m not in the habit of taking advice from strangers, thanks.”
3. “Please be courteous and allow my child to eat.”
4. “Oh,” (in a surprised tone, like something just dawned on you) “you must not be aware of the law, which allows babies to eat anywhere you can. Now you are. Have a good day.”
5. “Did your mother refuse to feed you as a child?”
Okay, so maybe the last one’s a bit cheeky. But it takes only one invasive remark to transport most moms from meek to militant on this subject. Where ever you are on this spectrum, make the process as easy as possible with friendly places, cozy spaces, and snug ring slings, then shut the world out feed your baby in peace.
As a first time mom, my play group compatriots and I shared stories and advice aplenty. One frequent topic was breastfeeding in public. With my firstborn, the question was whether to do it.
But as many of us moved on to our second pregnancy and birth, the questions became whereand how to do it. So what follows are a few tips from one mom who’s been there.
Best Places To Breastfeed
The best places list is based on three criteria:
* Minimal Distractions for Baby
* Privacy or Crowded Anonymity
* Somewhat Comfortable Seating
In no particular order, they are…
* The Mall – These days, most with the stores we want to shop in have great family lounges adjacent to the restrooms. Large rooms with changing tables and dedicated nursing alcoves – usually about three – describe most shopping mall family lounges. I loved the nursing alcoves. I’ve been in some with doors and others with floor to ceiling curtains, cutting down on noise and distraction.
* Dressing Rooms – There are a lot of great things about The Gap, not the least of which is their collection of wearable maternity garb. They keep me coming back to clothe my kiddos with their roomy dressing rooms and one dedicated dressing room-turned nursing room. What I like about The Gap is that the restrooms are nearby. Restrooms matter when your breastfeeding, as you probably know, because you’re trying to stay hydrated and your uterine muscles are still out of shape and because we know what our babies do after they eat.
* The Park – In good weather, I love the park because I can plant myself anywhere, creating privacy by putting distance between myself and others. Under a tree sitting cross-legged was one of my favorites. Eddie Bauer and others make great picnic blankets with nylon waterproofing on one side. I kept one of these in my diaper bag and used it as a changing pad too.
* The Movie Theatre – If not getting out is getting you down, watch the paper for their “Diaper Days” showings of films, which are usually around noontime. They lower the volume to protect little ears and you get some much needed entertainment.
* The Public Library – Recent court challenges have refused to restrict library patrons’ access to explicit content (ie porn) on library computers. Suffice it to say that the library is a welcoming place for nursing babes in arms. As are some of the big bookstore chains. In both places, I’ve found stools and chairs in the children’s area and fed my babies without interruption or hassle.
How To Stay Under the Radar – Outfits
This comes down to two necessary wearables, one for you and one for baby.
If you’re breastfeeding, you’ve likely invested in some quick access nursing bras and tanks. If you’re like me, you’d rather not show the loose folds of skin in the tummy region, which can flop out if you’re wearing a nursing bra and a shirt. Hoist the shirt up and voila, my muffin top was there in the flesh for all to see. No thank you.
So I encourage you to opt for a nursing tank top (very reasonably priced and well made at Target) and a loose shirt over it. For a splurge, I’d recommend Glamourmom Nursing Bra tanktop, which are reinforced with spandex (available online at Amazon). They’re also longer than the average tank and some have lace trim. I appreciated the stretchy snugness around my middle, which smoothed out the appearance of whatever shirt I wore over it.
What about nursing shirts? I had a couple of these, but I’m not a big fan. The openings and fabric folds underneath always ended riding up above the outer rim of the scoop-necked shirt. Not pretty. And the shirt alone doesn’t offer enough coverage if you want to be a bit discreet.
That’s how to outfit you; now for baby.
When breastfeeding in public, the sling is the thing. Truly. Although I once breastfed with my daughter facing inward in a front carrier, it was not pleasant for either of us. Here are a few recommendations:
Ring Slings: Several companies make these, including the Maya Wrap ring sling ($60) and ZoloWear’s Ring Sling, in cotton ($79), breathable mesh ($69), or silk brocade ($125).
Ring slings are a better choice than other slings simply because the extra fabric works as an instant nursing cover. Just pull up one corner of the extra fabric length hanging down from the ring. Tuck the corner under the strap of your opposite bra shoulder strap.
Wraps: If baby hates to be covered up (and what baby doesn’t want to stare up at mom while eating), Didymos and Moby wraps are helpful in this case because there’s a little more built-in coverage for you and baby. Baby’s head is usually tucked into one section of the wrap that goes down under their bum and up over your shoulder. It’s not like he can wrestle this fabric out of the way. But on the downside, it’s a lot harder to get baby positioned and latched on in a front-carry wrap.
How To Deal With The Rudeness of Strangers
For all its difficulties, expensive accessories, and judgmental inquiries, breastfeeding my babies brought me a sense of satisfaction, calm, and relaxation unique unto itself.
This is not to say that I never encountered invasive and ignorant strangers. It is lawful to breastfeed in any public place where food is served or allowed. You probably don’t want to get into a conversation with a rude person who makes a comment while your feeding your baby. It can’t be good f0r the letdown, so ignoring the remark and turning your head the other way is best.
But if they persist, however well-meaning they may (or may not) be, tell them any of the following (these go from tame to mildly tenacious):
1. “Please take up your concern with the management.”
2. “I’m not in the habit of taking advice from strangers, thanks.”
3. “Please be courteous and allow my child to eat.”
4. “Oh,” (in a surprised tone, like something just dawned on you) “you must not be aware of the law, which allows babies to eat anywhere you can. Now you are. Have a good day.”
5. “Did your mother refuse to feed you as a child?”
Okay, so maybe the last one’s a bit cheeky. But it takes only one invasive remark to transport most moms from meek to militant on this subject. Where ever you are on this spectrum, make the process as easy as possible with friendly places, cozy spaces, and snug ring slings, then shut the world out feed your baby in peace.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Safe Babywearing Practices All Wrapped Up
Wearing your baby does a world of good, yes, but it’s no good if the way you carry your little one in a carrier does a world of harm to your back, your neck, or your posture. It’s also no good to race around wearing baby, doing as much as you can, without a bit of mindful forethought about the types of babywearing task-management that might put baby at risk of discomfort, or even injury. Here’s some safety practices to remember, both for you and baby, while wearing a carrier.
The Carrier (You!)
As the carrier of the baby, here are a few tips to help you avoid straining your shoulders, neck, and spine.
Deliberate during your choice of baby carriers. Try each on. Some store provide a stuffed doll or bear, but I recommend a sack of flour or sugar (10 pounds), which provides a more realistic feel of how the straps and hip strap will feel on your muscles.Ask for a store employees assistance in adjusting the carrier. Make sure you understand how to adjust it ideally for your posture protection. Even watch yourself walk – this is a far cry from the catwalk, I know – and notice whether your posture and stride are different with the carrier (and sugar baby) on.Wear the carrier around the store while you register for other baby items. How does it feel after ten minutes? After thirty?If you are familiar with the spine, yoga, chiropractics, or pilates, consider neutral spine. Notice whether you can easily maintain a neutral spine – not arched or curved – and upright shoulders – not curved or thrown back – while wearing the carrier.
If you’re like me, your posture isn’t even this good when you’re walking on your own, without a carrier or a baby in it. That’s why I’d also recommend a little tool my wife first read about in O Magazine, and later in Cooking Light.
It’s called the iPosture (available at http://www.iposture.com/) It’s price has come down significantly. It attaches to a tank-top strap, bra strap, or (what serendipity) a baby carrier strap. After you calibrate it to notice when you are in a healthy posture, it will vibrate if you are slumped for more than one minute.
The Carried (Your Baby!)
Insure safety by reading all of the directions. Read them several times and practice each step of the strap-tightening or wrap-tying technique. If you are raising your baby with one or more adult caregivers, practice together and check each other.
Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning about baby sling safety. Sadly, there have been deaths. Improper use can definitely harm your baby – this includes baby’s face pressed into the fabric, a possible suffocation hazard. If your baby’s body is too curled in such that the chin is tucked into the chest, quickly adjust your baby’s position so they can breathe properly. Slings are very safe, but like everything else, they must be used as directed.
Don’t be swayed by the simplicity of your chosen baby carrier’s design. I don’t want to make you hyper-paranoid, but always check your baby’s position, and if a week or two goes by when you don’t use the carrier, re-read the instructions so you are very familiar with how to wear your baby – especially if your infant is less than four months old.
Put Down That Spatula
Face it! We are proud multi-taskers. And there’s nothing like the 24/7 addition of a new baby to your line-up of duties and responsibilities to make you want to cheat time all the more.
This is one of the best qualities of using a baby carrier. Exercise, light house cleaning (no chemicals, of course), de-cluttering, laundry folding, email, phone calls, mail sorting, shopping, and reading are just a few baby-carrier-friendly activities.
I certainly don’t want to insult your intelligence, but there are a few not so obvious situations where multitasking with your baby in the carrier can be downright risky or harmful. Here’s the shortlist of perhaps unconsidered ill-advised activities:
* Any activity on wheels: skateboarding, skating, bikeriding, scooters, ATVs.
* Any mutimedia viewing that will be too visually intense, loud, or prolonged for baby, including computer work, TV viewing, and video games.
* Cooking: with the stove, oven, or microwave, or any other electric device (blender, toaster, food processor). While buttering toast, be mindful of an older baby’s curious reach, which might lead to grabbing the wrong end of the knife.
* Any activity in which you’re inclined to bend at the hips: Using the restroom, yardwork, picking up toys. Always remember to bend at the knees and keep your back – and hence your baby – upright.
* Seated desk work: With baby in a front carry, particularly if legs are dangling, her posture and hips can be curled and crunched unnaturally.
When in doubt, take baby out. If you have even a second thought about whether an activity is safe to do with your baby in the carrier, don’t do it. I can remember even a seemingly harmless activity – escorting my son on his first pony-ride with my daughter in a front carrier. First, she got her fingers wedged under the bridle, then I slipped in some horse manure and nearly lost my balance.
Bottom Line
For safe babywearing, be a contingency thinker. I’m not encouraging the kind of paranoia parenthood tends to bring on, anyway. Rather, by considering all of the possible outcomes to your posture and to your baby’s well-being, you might just be able acquire the kind of foresight you’ll need down the road when your kids are teenagers.
The Carrier (You!)
As the carrier of the baby, here are a few tips to help you avoid straining your shoulders, neck, and spine.
Deliberate during your choice of baby carriers. Try each on. Some store provide a stuffed doll or bear, but I recommend a sack of flour or sugar (10 pounds), which provides a more realistic feel of how the straps and hip strap will feel on your muscles.Ask for a store employees assistance in adjusting the carrier. Make sure you understand how to adjust it ideally for your posture protection. Even watch yourself walk – this is a far cry from the catwalk, I know – and notice whether your posture and stride are different with the carrier (and sugar baby) on.Wear the carrier around the store while you register for other baby items. How does it feel after ten minutes? After thirty?If you are familiar with the spine, yoga, chiropractics, or pilates, consider neutral spine. Notice whether you can easily maintain a neutral spine – not arched or curved – and upright shoulders – not curved or thrown back – while wearing the carrier.
If you’re like me, your posture isn’t even this good when you’re walking on your own, without a carrier or a baby in it. That’s why I’d also recommend a little tool my wife first read about in O Magazine, and later in Cooking Light.
It’s called the iPosture (available at http://www.iposture.com/) It’s price has come down significantly. It attaches to a tank-top strap, bra strap, or (what serendipity) a baby carrier strap. After you calibrate it to notice when you are in a healthy posture, it will vibrate if you are slumped for more than one minute.
The Carried (Your Baby!)
Insure safety by reading all of the directions. Read them several times and practice each step of the strap-tightening or wrap-tying technique. If you are raising your baby with one or more adult caregivers, practice together and check each other.
Recently, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning about baby sling safety. Sadly, there have been deaths. Improper use can definitely harm your baby – this includes baby’s face pressed into the fabric, a possible suffocation hazard. If your baby’s body is too curled in such that the chin is tucked into the chest, quickly adjust your baby’s position so they can breathe properly. Slings are very safe, but like everything else, they must be used as directed.
Put Down That Spatula
Face it! We are proud multi-taskers. And there’s nothing like the 24/7 addition of a new baby to your line-up of duties and responsibilities to make you want to cheat time all the more.
This is one of the best qualities of using a baby carrier. Exercise, light house cleaning (no chemicals, of course), de-cluttering, laundry folding, email, phone calls, mail sorting, shopping, and reading are just a few baby-carrier-friendly activities.
I certainly don’t want to insult your intelligence, but there are a few not so obvious situations where multitasking with your baby in the carrier can be downright risky or harmful. Here’s the shortlist of perhaps unconsidered ill-advised activities:
* Any activity on wheels: skateboarding, skating, bikeriding, scooters, ATVs.
* Any mutimedia viewing that will be too visually intense, loud, or prolonged for baby, including computer work, TV viewing, and video games.
* Cooking: with the stove, oven, or microwave, or any other electric device (blender, toaster, food processor). While buttering toast, be mindful of an older baby’s curious reach, which might lead to grabbing the wrong end of the knife.
* Any activity in which you’re inclined to bend at the hips: Using the restroom, yardwork, picking up toys. Always remember to bend at the knees and keep your back – and hence your baby – upright.
* Seated desk work: With baby in a front carry, particularly if legs are dangling, her posture and hips can be curled and crunched unnaturally.
When in doubt, take baby out. If you have even a second thought about whether an activity is safe to do with your baby in the carrier, don’t do it. I can remember even a seemingly harmless activity – escorting my son on his first pony-ride with my daughter in a front carrier. First, she got her fingers wedged under the bridle, then I slipped in some horse manure and nearly lost my balance.
Bottom Line
For safe babywearing, be a contingency thinker. I’m not encouraging the kind of paranoia parenthood tends to bring on, anyway. Rather, by considering all of the possible outcomes to your posture and to your baby’s well-being, you might just be able acquire the kind of foresight you’ll need down the road when your kids are teenagers.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
How Babywearing Makes A Difference: 5 Reasons
Wearing your baby has benefits too many to list. But I’ll try. There are five major areas of your baby’s well-being that can be improved by choosing to carry him at least some of the time, from birth through age two.
Most significantly, research shows measurable benefits for baby and parents if babywearing is part of the family’s routine in the first six months. Here are the top five reasons why wearing your baby in a carrier or sling is beneficial:
Physical Benefits
For both full term and premature infants, the benefits of wearing your baby are multiple. First, baby is made relaxed and at ease, being close to a parent. Baby’s awareness of the parent heartbeat actually helps her to regulate her own heartbeat. The same goes for respiration.
The upright holds that can be used in wearing your baby will lessen colic, because gravity will keep nourishment in the baby’s tummy, reducing acid reflux.
Finally, baby learns to regulate body temperature and avoids getting overheated or chilled when carried close to the mother’s breast. Scientists found that the breast can rise two degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of several minutes when the mother’s body senses her baby is cold.
Cognitive Benefits
Even in the womb, a baby is regularly exposed to a dynamic environment of changing sounds, lights, shadows, voices, and movement. Imagine entering the world only to find it a lot more boring than the womb. Such is the experience of babies swaddled and placed in cribs, pack-n-plays, bassinets, strollers, and swings for extended periods of time.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you never put your baby down. However, regular carrying around the house, on walks, and on errands provides crucial cognitive stimulation. Baby’s sight is developing, including depth perception and color differentiation. Providing stimulus for this visual development can only help.
Finally, consider all of the brightly colored toys marketed to parents. These toys are meant to attach to car seats, strollers, crib railings, or bassinets. But what babies really want is a first class one-on-one tour of the world with you, their favorite tour guide. The world, with all its moving and noisy parts, is baby’s ideal toy. Being carried on your chest or back is baby’s best vantage point to see, touch, and interact with this toy.
To this day, my sixteen month-old daughter loves to be front carried on walks so that she can touch leaves, branches, bark, and the occasional flower. Of course, she also loves to break into a toddler-tumble-run and touch all these things on her own.
Emotional Benefits
By wearing your baby every day, the two of you will learn a great deal more about each other at an amazing rate. You will feel more and more like a parent as you learn the various sways and bounces that soothe your baby when she’s distressed or tired. This is especially confidence-building for first time parents during baby’s first eight weeks.
When an infant is born, doctors recommend almost immediate skin to skin contact to provide a sense of security, after being removed from the most secure place she’s ever known. The first three months, sometimes called the fourth trimester, show baby’s continuing need for the love, closeness, and security of a parent.
Development Benefits
Especially in colicky or premature infants, Kangaroo care – the practice of carrying at-risk infants almost all day, every day – has been clinically shown to speed up weight gain, reduce dependence on respiratory support, and decrease rate of infection among these infants.
While not as dramatic for healthy full term infants, babywearing provides developmental benefits for them too. Babywearing enhances your awareness of baby’s hunger cues, prompting more timely and sometimes more frequent feeding.
Parents’ Benefits
I can’t remember how many times I looked into the co-sleeper when my daughter, now nearly four, slept in it in the first few weeks after her birth. Every parent is sensitive to that desire to know what baby’s very sound, cry, and squirm might mean. My wife and I used to wonder whether we’d ever know what our daughter’s cries meant.
The more we wore her around the house to do simple tasks, or around the neighborhood to get some exercise, the faster we learned. The learning curve for parents of newborns is steep enough. Babywearing helped us to climb the curve with less effort.
Being hands-free was also a plus not to be overlooked. While I couldn’t cook an omlette, I got very good, and very grateful, that I was able to wear my baby while taking regular walks, going through the mail, cleaning the house, talking on the phone or reading a book.
Bottom Line
We live in a country where the dominant culture prizes independence and that go-it-alone attitude, which is passed along to our infants early on, with books that promise to train a baby to sleep on her own at eight weeks, to self-soothe, or to cry it out.
Yet, research proves that going it alone does not provide the substantial benefits to baby’s well-being that are experienced by babies who are regularly close to parents in a sling or carrier. Developmental, emotional, cognitive, physical, and parental benefits show what a difference babywearing inarguably makes.
Most significantly, research shows measurable benefits for baby and parents if babywearing is part of the family’s routine in the first six months. Here are the top five reasons why wearing your baby in a carrier or sling is beneficial:
Physical Benefits
For both full term and premature infants, the benefits of wearing your baby are multiple. First, baby is made relaxed and at ease, being close to a parent. Baby’s awareness of the parent heartbeat actually helps her to regulate her own heartbeat. The same goes for respiration.
The upright holds that can be used in wearing your baby will lessen colic, because gravity will keep nourishment in the baby’s tummy, reducing acid reflux.
Finally, baby learns to regulate body temperature and avoids getting overheated or chilled when carried close to the mother’s breast. Scientists found that the breast can rise two degrees Fahrenheit in a matter of several minutes when the mother’s body senses her baby is cold.
Cognitive Benefits
Even in the womb, a baby is regularly exposed to a dynamic environment of changing sounds, lights, shadows, voices, and movement. Imagine entering the world only to find it a lot more boring than the womb. Such is the experience of babies swaddled and placed in cribs, pack-n-plays, bassinets, strollers, and swings for extended periods of time.
Now, I’m not suggesting that you never put your baby down. However, regular carrying around the house, on walks, and on errands provides crucial cognitive stimulation. Baby’s sight is developing, including depth perception and color differentiation. Providing stimulus for this visual development can only help.
Finally, consider all of the brightly colored toys marketed to parents. These toys are meant to attach to car seats, strollers, crib railings, or bassinets. But what babies really want is a first class one-on-one tour of the world with you, their favorite tour guide. The world, with all its moving and noisy parts, is baby’s ideal toy. Being carried on your chest or back is baby’s best vantage point to see, touch, and interact with this toy.
To this day, my sixteen month-old daughter loves to be front carried on walks so that she can touch leaves, branches, bark, and the occasional flower. Of course, she also loves to break into a toddler-tumble-run and touch all these things on her own.
Emotional Benefits
By wearing your baby every day, the two of you will learn a great deal more about each other at an amazing rate. You will feel more and more like a parent as you learn the various sways and bounces that soothe your baby when she’s distressed or tired. This is especially confidence-building for first time parents during baby’s first eight weeks.
When an infant is born, doctors recommend almost immediate skin to skin contact to provide a sense of security, after being removed from the most secure place she’s ever known. The first three months, sometimes called the fourth trimester, show baby’s continuing need for the love, closeness, and security of a parent.
Development Benefits
Especially in colicky or premature infants, Kangaroo care – the practice of carrying at-risk infants almost all day, every day – has been clinically shown to speed up weight gain, reduce dependence on respiratory support, and decrease rate of infection among these infants.
While not as dramatic for healthy full term infants, babywearing provides developmental benefits for them too. Babywearing enhances your awareness of baby’s hunger cues, prompting more timely and sometimes more frequent feeding.
Parents’ Benefits
I can’t remember how many times I looked into the co-sleeper when my daughter, now nearly four, slept in it in the first few weeks after her birth. Every parent is sensitive to that desire to know what baby’s very sound, cry, and squirm might mean. My wife and I used to wonder whether we’d ever know what our daughter’s cries meant.
The more we wore her around the house to do simple tasks, or around the neighborhood to get some exercise, the faster we learned. The learning curve for parents of newborns is steep enough. Babywearing helped us to climb the curve with less effort.
Being hands-free was also a plus not to be overlooked. While I couldn’t cook an omlette, I got very good, and very grateful, that I was able to wear my baby while taking regular walks, going through the mail, cleaning the house, talking on the phone or reading a book.
Bottom Line
We live in a country where the dominant culture prizes independence and that go-it-alone attitude, which is passed along to our infants early on, with books that promise to train a baby to sleep on her own at eight weeks, to self-soothe, or to cry it out.
Yet, research proves that going it alone does not provide the substantial benefits to baby’s well-being that are experienced by babies who are regularly close to parents in a sling or carrier. Developmental, emotional, cognitive, physical, and parental benefits show what a difference babywearing inarguably makes.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Ergo Baby Carrier or Beco Baby Carrier?
I think thy are both great baby carriers, but here are some of the main differences beyond appearance.
The Ergo body panel is shorter. Some people prefer this so that younger babies 6-12 months can put their arms outside the carrier for freedom of movement. Other people feel that the panel is too short for toddlers resulting in not enough back support for them. However we still use our Ergo for our 3 year old daughter on hikes. I don’t really feel like she needs any more support and she feels secure.
The Ergo body panel is shorter. Some people prefer this so that younger babies 6-12 months can put their arms outside the carrier for freedom of movement. Other people feel that the panel is too short for toddlers resulting in not enough back support for them. However we still use our Ergo for our 3 year old daughter on hikes. I don’t really feel like she needs any more support and she feels secure.
Make it a Double: Baby Carriers for Twins
Congratulations! You’ve been riding the multiples roller coaster since you first saw two (or more) cute little bean-shapes on the ultrasound. Months later, they’ve arrived and the questions have surely piled up. Do we feed them at once? Should they sleep at the same time? Will they wake each other up? Will we, their parents, ever sleep again? When are the grandparents coming to help? I know carrying them is a great way to soothe and attach, but is there a carrier out there suited for twins?
I can help you with that last question. There are three fairly attractive options for carrying twins and one for carrying triplets. All of them are priced between $100 -$150 US Dollars.
Moby Wrap
Using what the wrap-makers call a “double cradle carry”, two babies can ride on the front of their caregiver, semi-upright, facing inward toward mom or dad, or snuggled sideways, so that they’re looking at each other.
There aren’t a lot of other carrying options with a wrap for twins, but the one nice feature of wraps such as the Moby Wrap is their relative simplicity and affordability. Parents of twins could even buy two wraps to use separately.
One recommendation on wraps for twins is to buy the wrap with the reinforced panel, as it will provide more support. Twins can be carried in the Moby Wrap from birth onward, even if babies are premature and weighing four pounds.
The Maximom
Sold through a number of online retailers such as Comfort 1st, the Maximom carrier is a product whose history is a bit difficult to suss out. I am an avid reader and I like a good story. A lot of the carriers, including the Ergo and Didymos, have histories born of individual parents inventing and improving baby carriers out of necessity.
So, appearing on the market from unknown origins, the Maximom carrier seems to be the Swiss army-inspired baby carrier for multiples. At $119, it claims nine different positions, the potential to carry three babies at once, to be used as a shopping cart cover and a make-shift high chair when necessary. It’s said to be single-user friendly, meaning you can put it on, place babies in it, and take babies out without assistance.
It looks a bit strappy and technical, though I’ve never tried it on. The Rubic’s Cube is a bit scary to me, and this baby carrier seemed a whole lot more puzzling than that. But, having twins or triplets is rife with complexity. Maybe a complex carrier is required for such an adventure!
The Weego
Loving a good story, I was pleased to discover the story of Ann and Mike Moore, former Peace Corps volunteers who turned their experience in West Africa into the Snugli baby carrier, an invention they sold to a larger manufacturer. Ultimately disappointed in what the Snugli became, and newly inspired by grandchildren, Ann developed the Weego for single infants, preemies, and twins.
The Weego Twin carrier sells for around $149. Babies weighing 3 or more pounds can ride in the Weego, which incorporates spinal development needs of premature infants, while maintaining the snuggly feel of a soft carrier. All of the plusses of attachment parenting are borne out with the Weego: reducing colic, maintaining body temperature, learning babies’ cues, developing sleep patterns, soothing, and bonding.
Bottom Line
Complex products that promise simple results raise a shadow of doubt in my mind. I can’t personally attest to the Maximom and found no existing product reviews out there on this carrier. Personal experience makes me fond of the Moby, which can accommodate twins in the early stages, when they’re less mobile. Finally, the Weego Twins carrier is designed specifically for use by parents of twins from their birth to age 5-6 months. Its thought-out design considers the twins’ contingent from every angle.
I can help you with that last question. There are three fairly attractive options for carrying twins and one for carrying triplets. All of them are priced between $100 -$150 US Dollars.
Moby Wrap
Using what the wrap-makers call a “double cradle carry”, two babies can ride on the front of their caregiver, semi-upright, facing inward toward mom or dad, or snuggled sideways, so that they’re looking at each other.
There aren’t a lot of other carrying options with a wrap for twins, but the one nice feature of wraps such as the Moby Wrap is their relative simplicity and affordability. Parents of twins could even buy two wraps to use separately.
One recommendation on wraps for twins is to buy the wrap with the reinforced panel, as it will provide more support. Twins can be carried in the Moby Wrap from birth onward, even if babies are premature and weighing four pounds.
The Maximom
Sold through a number of online retailers such as Comfort 1st, the Maximom carrier is a product whose history is a bit difficult to suss out. I am an avid reader and I like a good story. A lot of the carriers, including the Ergo and Didymos, have histories born of individual parents inventing and improving baby carriers out of necessity.
So, appearing on the market from unknown origins, the Maximom carrier seems to be the Swiss army-inspired baby carrier for multiples. At $119, it claims nine different positions, the potential to carry three babies at once, to be used as a shopping cart cover and a make-shift high chair when necessary. It’s said to be single-user friendly, meaning you can put it on, place babies in it, and take babies out without assistance.
It looks a bit strappy and technical, though I’ve never tried it on. The Rubic’s Cube is a bit scary to me, and this baby carrier seemed a whole lot more puzzling than that. But, having twins or triplets is rife with complexity. Maybe a complex carrier is required for such an adventure!
The Weego
Loving a good story, I was pleased to discover the story of Ann and Mike Moore, former Peace Corps volunteers who turned their experience in West Africa into the Snugli baby carrier, an invention they sold to a larger manufacturer. Ultimately disappointed in what the Snugli became, and newly inspired by grandchildren, Ann developed the Weego for single infants, preemies, and twins.
The Weego Twin carrier sells for around $149. Babies weighing 3 or more pounds can ride in the Weego, which incorporates spinal development needs of premature infants, while maintaining the snuggly feel of a soft carrier. All of the plusses of attachment parenting are borne out with the Weego: reducing colic, maintaining body temperature, learning babies’ cues, developing sleep patterns, soothing, and bonding.
Bottom Line
Complex products that promise simple results raise a shadow of doubt in my mind. I can’t personally attest to the Maximom and found no existing product reviews out there on this carrier. Personal experience makes me fond of the Moby, which can accommodate twins in the early stages, when they’re less mobile. Finally, the Weego Twins carrier is designed specifically for use by parents of twins from their birth to age 5-6 months. Its thought-out design considers the twins’ contingent from every angle.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
"Which Sling Should I Use For Babywearing?" Four Questions to Ask When Choosing a Baby Carrier
Babywearing is developing an ever-growing following as parents learn about the advantages of keeping their babies in-arms as much as possible. These advantages include:
* enhanced bonding between parent and baby,
* hands-free carrying, and
* reduced fussing from the baby.
However, when a mommy or daddy goes online to search for a sling or other baby carriers, confusion may be the unfortunate result. There are many types of such carriers, such as rebozo-type slings, ring slings, mei tais, wraps, and pouches. Which one to choose? How do you know which will be right for you and your baby?
In order to make the best decision possible, you should ask yourself these following four questions before purchasing any kind of baby carrier.
1. Will it be comfortable for the baby? Many newborns prefer to remain in a fetal position while being carried, which is easily achieved with mei tais, pouches, slings, and wraps. The commercial baby carriers-which can be found anywhere baby items are sold-require the baby to sit up with both legs separated and hanging out. Therefore, although some newborns will tolerate those, they are better for older babies.
2. Will it be comfortable for me? If your baby is born small-say, under eight pounds-any kind of wrap will do at first, as you will barely be able to tell you are wearing your little one. But when Baby starts growing, or if s/he is born with above-average weight, certain kinds of carriers will definitely be more comfortable, especially if you have back pain.
Wraps, along with mei tais and similar carriers, will ultimately be more comfortable to use for a baby over ten or fifteen pounds (depending on your stature and physical strength). The reason is that these kinds of carriers distribute the weight equally over both shoulders.
3. Under what circumstances do I plan to carry the baby? If you plan to carry your baby most of the day, a more versatile carrier is in order. Here again, wraps and mei tais fit the bill, as they enable you to wear the baby in front, on the side (for babies who can sit up by themselves), and on the back.
If you plan to use the carrier only to soothe (say, during the fussy hours of the evening), or for bonding in fits and starts throughout the day, any kind of sling will do.
4. How easy is the carrier to use? A mei tai takes only a little bit of practice to learn how to use and tie up, both for front and back carrying. Pouches and ring slings are also user-friendly. However, a wrap requires a bit more time and practice to learn the front carry, and you should only attempt to learn back-wrapping if someone is there to help you the first several times.
Babywearing is a great way to bond with your baby while freeing up your hands to do other things. Lurk on babywearing forums and search websites that sell baby carriers in order to compare and hear other people’s experiences. Then make the investment that will bring both you and your baby joy.
* enhanced bonding between parent and baby,
* hands-free carrying, and
* reduced fussing from the baby.
However, when a mommy or daddy goes online to search for a sling or other baby carriers, confusion may be the unfortunate result. There are many types of such carriers, such as rebozo-type slings, ring slings, mei tais, wraps, and pouches. Which one to choose? How do you know which will be right for you and your baby?
In order to make the best decision possible, you should ask yourself these following four questions before purchasing any kind of baby carrier.
1. Will it be comfortable for the baby? Many newborns prefer to remain in a fetal position while being carried, which is easily achieved with mei tais, pouches, slings, and wraps. The commercial baby carriers-which can be found anywhere baby items are sold-require the baby to sit up with both legs separated and hanging out. Therefore, although some newborns will tolerate those, they are better for older babies.
2. Will it be comfortable for me? If your baby is born small-say, under eight pounds-any kind of wrap will do at first, as you will barely be able to tell you are wearing your little one. But when Baby starts growing, or if s/he is born with above-average weight, certain kinds of carriers will definitely be more comfortable, especially if you have back pain.
Wraps, along with mei tais and similar carriers, will ultimately be more comfortable to use for a baby over ten or fifteen pounds (depending on your stature and physical strength). The reason is that these kinds of carriers distribute the weight equally over both shoulders.
3. Under what circumstances do I plan to carry the baby? If you plan to carry your baby most of the day, a more versatile carrier is in order. Here again, wraps and mei tais fit the bill, as they enable you to wear the baby in front, on the side (for babies who can sit up by themselves), and on the back.
If you plan to use the carrier only to soothe (say, during the fussy hours of the evening), or for bonding in fits and starts throughout the day, any kind of sling will do.
4. How easy is the carrier to use? A mei tai takes only a little bit of practice to learn how to use and tie up, both for front and back carrying. Pouches and ring slings are also user-friendly. However, a wrap requires a bit more time and practice to learn the front carry, and you should only attempt to learn back-wrapping if someone is there to help you the first several times.
Babywearing is a great way to bond with your baby while freeing up your hands to do other things. Lurk on babywearing forums and search websites that sell baby carriers in order to compare and hear other people’s experiences. Then make the investment that will bring both you and your baby joy.
What to Do When Your Baby Has Colic
Colic. This very word inspires misery to many mothers and fathers. It takes a crying baby to a whole new level. If your child cries for hours without any obvious reason, he might have colic.
Colic may be defined as crying that occurs for at least two hours at specific times at least three times per week.
During your newborn’s first month, this pattern usually becomes noticeable. Its cause continues to be unknown. Many say it’s because of a baby’s immature digestive system causing gas, and other blame colic on his immature nervous system reacting with irritation to stimulation.
By the end of a baby’s third month, parents can look for colic to subside. While it is generally harmless to your infant’s health, it often causes the most harm to parents and caregivers.
Here’s some ideas you can try to calm a colicky baby.
White noise and vibration. The gentle hum of a fan or the sounds a white noise machine produces can prove soothing. The motion from a swing or car has many times put a colicky baby to sleep.
Keep him close. Use a sling or front carrier while you buzz around the house. Some babies are pacified by being close to their mothers.
Use a pacifier. An intensely colicky baby can be calmed by that sucking motion.
Give him a massage. Touch can be exceedingly calming for an infant.
Switch the scene. Get him out of the house. Give him a warm bath. Go somewhere different. These sudden changes oftentimes quiet a colicky baby.
Accept any help you can get with your baby. Patience can wear thin when you have to hear persistent cries day in and day out. So when you have the opportunity to be removed from the situation, take it.
Also, keep communication lines open with you and your spouse. Take turns with your colicky infant, so you both get reasonable breaks.
Colic may be defined as crying that occurs for at least two hours at specific times at least three times per week.
During your newborn’s first month, this pattern usually becomes noticeable. Its cause continues to be unknown. Many say it’s because of a baby’s immature digestive system causing gas, and other blame colic on his immature nervous system reacting with irritation to stimulation.
By the end of a baby’s third month, parents can look for colic to subside. While it is generally harmless to your infant’s health, it often causes the most harm to parents and caregivers.
Here’s some ideas you can try to calm a colicky baby.
White noise and vibration. The gentle hum of a fan or the sounds a white noise machine produces can prove soothing. The motion from a swing or car has many times put a colicky baby to sleep.
Keep him close. Use a sling or front carrier while you buzz around the house. Some babies are pacified by being close to their mothers.
Use a pacifier. An intensely colicky baby can be calmed by that sucking motion.
Give him a massage. Touch can be exceedingly calming for an infant.
Switch the scene. Get him out of the house. Give him a warm bath. Go somewhere different. These sudden changes oftentimes quiet a colicky baby.
Accept any help you can get with your baby. Patience can wear thin when you have to hear persistent cries day in and day out. So when you have the opportunity to be removed from the situation, take it.
Also, keep communication lines open with you and your spouse. Take turns with your colicky infant, so you both get reasonable breaks.
Baby Carrying in America
In America, the practice of carrying babies on the mother or fathers body, is a relatively new concept, but it has been practiced in other cultures for many hundreds of years. In fact, there are records that date back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians showing children being carried by their parents. Today, the practice of using a sling or baby backpack is growing in popularity and many parents use these devices to carry their children.
While the practice of carrying a baby on a persons body has long been used by those in China and the East, they did not gain popularity until the sixties here in the West. There have, however, been many devices throughout our history, which were designed to make it easier to pick up a child. This includes things like baby baskets, movable cradles, and cradleboards.
The popularity of the baby backpack came about during the sixties, as a result of the increased popularity of structured soft backpacks. There were also several popular frame baby backpacks as well. The baby backpack is still popular today, but more and more parents are using baby slings.
A baby sling is made out of a soft cloth and allows the baby to be supported, in part by the parents body. These devices do not use any straps to hold the baby, but instead are held tightly in place by gravity. They are very safe for everyday use, but you would not want to go jogging wearing one.
There are several different kinds of slings available. The ring sling, is a type of sling that is made out of cloth and some metal or nylon rings. The cloth is wrapped around the parents body, starting at the shoulder, moving to the opposite hip, and back to the shoulder. It is then secured to the ring. Oonce it has been set-up, the ring sling can be removed, without having to re-thread it. Often these slings will have a padded shoulder and possibly padding around the edges of the cloth as well.
Another type of sling is the pouch sling, or tube sling, which is basically made out of a very wide piece of fabric. The fabric, forms a tube-like shape and is worn over the body, similarly to a sash. These can be used for children up until they reach toddlerhood. One advantage to this type of lift is that the child can quickly and easily be taken into and out of the sling. Many have been designed to include reinforced for the part that holds the baby and to make it more ergonomic on the parents back.
A third type of baby carrier, called the wrap, is also popular. Wraps usually consist of a fairly long piece of fabric, sometimes in excess of 20 feet, which is wrapped around both the parent and the baby, then tied. The length of the wrap will determine how it is worn, because there are several different ways to hold the baby. They can be carried on the back, front, or hip of the parent.
There are many other types of baby carriers that allow the baby to be worn on the parent. These have been used for many thousands of years by people all over the world.
While the practice of carrying a baby on a persons body has long been used by those in China and the East, they did not gain popularity until the sixties here in the West. There have, however, been many devices throughout our history, which were designed to make it easier to pick up a child. This includes things like baby baskets, movable cradles, and cradleboards.
The popularity of the baby backpack came about during the sixties, as a result of the increased popularity of structured soft backpacks. There were also several popular frame baby backpacks as well. The baby backpack is still popular today, but more and more parents are using baby slings.
A baby sling is made out of a soft cloth and allows the baby to be supported, in part by the parents body. These devices do not use any straps to hold the baby, but instead are held tightly in place by gravity. They are very safe for everyday use, but you would not want to go jogging wearing one.
There are several different kinds of slings available. The ring sling, is a type of sling that is made out of cloth and some metal or nylon rings. The cloth is wrapped around the parents body, starting at the shoulder, moving to the opposite hip, and back to the shoulder. It is then secured to the ring. Oonce it has been set-up, the ring sling can be removed, without having to re-thread it. Often these slings will have a padded shoulder and possibly padding around the edges of the cloth as well.
Another type of sling is the pouch sling, or tube sling, which is basically made out of a very wide piece of fabric. The fabric, forms a tube-like shape and is worn over the body, similarly to a sash. These can be used for children up until they reach toddlerhood. One advantage to this type of lift is that the child can quickly and easily be taken into and out of the sling. Many have been designed to include reinforced for the part that holds the baby and to make it more ergonomic on the parents back.
A third type of baby carrier, called the wrap, is also popular. Wraps usually consist of a fairly long piece of fabric, sometimes in excess of 20 feet, which is wrapped around both the parent and the baby, then tied. The length of the wrap will determine how it is worn, because there are several different ways to hold the baby. They can be carried on the back, front, or hip of the parent.
There are many other types of baby carriers that allow the baby to be worn on the parent. These have been used for many thousands of years by people all over the world.
Front Baby Carriers – Great For Babywearing
For parents who love to spend time meaningfully yet stay close to their baby, front baby carriers are an excellent choice. The best part of using front baby carriers is that you can use it even for one month old babies. It is totally safe because your baby’s head would be supported by a secure and padded headrest. In case your baby is older, the headrest can be folded away.
So, investing in good quality front baby carriers is a great choice for parents who want to enjoy safety and proximity with their little one.
Features of Front Baby Carriers
Front baby carriers are usually made from either a cotton or nylon fabric seat with holes cut in the bottom to accommodate a baby’s legs. There are built-in straps to hook around both shoulders. These front baby carriers have a firm structure and an ergonomic design which helps to distribute a baby’s weight evenly.
An added advantage is that these carriers make it easier for parents to carry a child for longer periods.
Buying Front Baby Carriers
Front baby carriers are not easy to choose as a few basic points need to be kept in mind before making a purchase. Here are some relevant points to consider while buying a front baby carrier:
Wear the carrier once to check whether it is comfortable or not.
Check the softness of the cloth from which it has been made. Rough or coarse fabric may cause discomfort to the baby.
Check whether it can be worn easily without help from others.
Check whether the fabric is washable.
Check whether removable seats are there or not.
Check for padding as it generally keeps the baby warm.
Avoid bulky padding as it makes it difficult to carry a baby.
Check if the carrier can be adjusted according to the size of the user/caregiver.
Check if waists belts are provided as it lets a parent remain active and stress-free.
Check whether the carrier has a removable seat or not. It is very useful when the baby falls asleep in the carrier and can be laid down for a nap.
Attached to Baby is the most trusted name in perfect baby carriers and offers a wide variety of slings, carriers, wraps and baby wearing accessories.
So, investing in good quality front baby carriers is a great choice for parents who want to enjoy safety and proximity with their little one.
Features of Front Baby Carriers
Front baby carriers are usually made from either a cotton or nylon fabric seat with holes cut in the bottom to accommodate a baby’s legs. There are built-in straps to hook around both shoulders. These front baby carriers have a firm structure and an ergonomic design which helps to distribute a baby’s weight evenly.
An added advantage is that these carriers make it easier for parents to carry a child for longer periods.
Buying Front Baby Carriers
Front baby carriers are not easy to choose as a few basic points need to be kept in mind before making a purchase. Here are some relevant points to consider while buying a front baby carrier:
Wear the carrier once to check whether it is comfortable or not.
Check the softness of the cloth from which it has been made. Rough or coarse fabric may cause discomfort to the baby.
Check whether it can be worn easily without help from others.
Check whether the fabric is washable.
Check whether removable seats are there or not.
Check for padding as it generally keeps the baby warm.
Avoid bulky padding as it makes it difficult to carry a baby.
Check if the carrier can be adjusted according to the size of the user/caregiver.
Check if waists belts are provided as it lets a parent remain active and stress-free.
Check whether the carrier has a removable seat or not. It is very useful when the baby falls asleep in the carrier and can be laid down for a nap.
Attached to Baby is the most trusted name in perfect baby carriers and offers a wide variety of slings, carriers, wraps and baby wearing accessories.
Baby Carriers Work… Here’s All of the Reasons Why
Get Updates
Get Updates via Email:
Before I had my two kids, I had a lot of experience interacting with numerous strangers with babies in malls, on sidewalks, and in grocery stores. Most of the parents I recall interacting with were stroller-pushers and most of our interactions consisted of smashed toes, clipped heels, exasperated sighs, and impatient excuse me’s. Avoiding the ire of stranger is just one of the many reasons that baby carriers work. They make life easier and happier for baby, siblings, parents, and grateful strangers.
Reason #1: ConvenienceFor Parents and Caregivers
You can do most things with baby in a carrier, most notably exercise, shopping, eating/drinking, and hanging out at the park with your baby’s older sibling(s). And how could we forget using the Blackberry to check email?Compared to stroller pushing, a carrier is more convenient when doing a status check: hungry? sleepy? in need of a diaper change? wants to play? needs a teether (the tell-tale sign of fist-in-mouth)?It’s easier to move among crowds with a baby carrier, which never has the clunkiness, the parts to wrestle with, or the potential to impinge on others’ personal space.You’ve only got two hands, and if you’re pushing a stroller, you can’t push a shopping cart. Besides, a baby facing outward in a front-carrier loves to help you push the cart and pick out the ripest apples.For Babies
Your baby never has to resort to kicking, crying, or throwing toys out of the stroller to get your atttention. Right there with you, he or she can communicate directly. What a relief for both of you.Moving from sleeping to eating is a matter of a slight shift.Not to mention the comfort and ease of being next to mom or dad, most every baby’s favorite resting place!Reason #2: Baby Loves ThemYour baby won’t just love riding in a carrier because of the convenience of sleeping and eating in the same spot (Hey, doesn’t everyone love a little room service now and then?).
There’s also the view to think about. If you’re a person of small stature, like me, you can empathize with your baby’s limited horizon. Facing in or out, baby can see the world, staying entertained by the surroundings, and enabling you to keep on doing what you’re doing with a contented baby.
For parents worried about getting baby “too attached”, consider that the more time you give baby to snuggle close during the day, the less desperate for your closeness she’ll be in the middle of the night. An infant, pediatricians agree, is incapable of developing bad habits.
Reason #3: It’s A Womb With A ViewKangaroo care is the term for the care premature infants in Bogota, Columbia received. With a high infant mortality rate, mothers were instructed to carry their preemies in a cloth pouch close to their chests for every hour of the day, every day of the week. It worked wonders.
In addition to benefits for preemies, using a baby carrier is beneficial for every baby and every parent. Babies love the rhythmic to and fro movements of riding in a sling or carrier while parents stroll around.
They get a pleasant sense of deja vu since the baby carrier is remarkably like the womb, with its closeness to the parent, snuggly “walls”, curled up positions, and movement in synch with the caregiver.
Bottom LineFor us busy parents, who are in need of a couple extra hands, an hour to two of exercise, a low-profile way to get baby to sleep and eat when you’re on the run, and a way to get to know baby’s needs (or personality), there are two words that deliver it all: baby carrier. And two other words – thank you - that you may not hear, but will definitely be on the lips of strangers, whose heels and toes will live to see another day.
These are some of the reasons baby carriers work so well that raising an infant without one is hard to imagine. Have I forgotten some of their benefits? If so, please leave your comments and add to the list.
Related ArticlesHow Babywearing Makes A Difference: 5 ReasonsAre You the Baby Carrier Type?From Womb to Wrap: Newborn Baby CarriersTop Seven Questions About Baby CarriersBaby Carriers: The Wearable Cure for Colic?Why should you use a Baby Sling?
•Get Things Done- A baby sling keeps both of your hands free so you can take care of business without neglecting your little one.
•No More Sore Back- when used correctly, a sling relieves pressure on both the shoulder and the lower back.
•Show Your Child the World- Your baby’s view is unobstructed because your child wants to know what’s going on as well.
•Nurse on the Go- a baby sling carrier allows for “hands free breast feeding” and a ring sling like the Maya Wrap includes a tail which provides cover for discreet breastfeeding.
•Give All of Your Children the Attention They Deserve– with your hands free you can attend to older children’s needs as well as your baby’s needs simultaneously.
•No More Arm Pain- A baby sling reduces arm pain for parents who carry older or heavier children.
•Less Fussy Babies– If your child needs to be held in order to calm down, a baby carrier allows for more “in arms” time.
•No More Awkward Strollers – When you compare how easy it is to transport a baby sling compared to a heavy, clumsy stroller, it becomes a no brainer what to take on your next outing with baby.
•Kangaroo Care Made Easy– If you are one of the many parents who are experiencing the benefits of Kangaroo care, you’ll love how easy a baby sling makes holding your baby to your chest.
•No More Sore Back- when used correctly, a sling relieves pressure on both the shoulder and the lower back.
•Show Your Child the World- Your baby’s view is unobstructed because your child wants to know what’s going on as well.
•Nurse on the Go- a baby sling carrier allows for “hands free breast feeding” and a ring sling like the Maya Wrap includes a tail which provides cover for discreet breastfeeding.
•Give All of Your Children the Attention They Deserve– with your hands free you can attend to older children’s needs as well as your baby’s needs simultaneously.
•No More Arm Pain- A baby sling reduces arm pain for parents who carry older or heavier children.
•Less Fussy Babies– If your child needs to be held in order to calm down, a baby carrier allows for more “in arms” time.
•No More Awkward Strollers – When you compare how easy it is to transport a baby sling compared to a heavy, clumsy stroller, it becomes a no brainer what to take on your next outing with baby.
•Kangaroo Care Made Easy– If you are one of the many parents who are experiencing the benefits of Kangaroo care, you’ll love how easy a baby sling makes holding your baby to your chest.
7 Good Reasons for choosing the Right Baby Carrier
1 Health of Baby’s Spine
The formative years of a child's spine is crucial for his overall development in later years. Baby ring slings, baby pouches and baby wraps are ideal for younger babies who have yet to attain good head support as it mirrors the human womb cuddling the baby.
For a baby with good head support (usually from 5 months), ergonomic backpack carriers and hip carriers can give baby the best spinal support. Allowing the baby to sit snugly in a natural straight-up sitting position in these carriers is best for the baby's spinal development vs. hanging the baby by the crotch in some other carriers.
2 Better Ergonomics
A baby carrier with good ergonomics should take care of comfort for the baby as well as the babywearer. A toddler can weight over 15kg and still required to be carried pretty often. An ergonomic backpack baby carrier with superior weight distribution system such as the Beco Baby Carrier, Patapum Baby Carrier or the CatBirdBaby Pikkolo Baby Carrier can be used with toddlers up to 2-3 years old.
Carriers such as the Manduca Baby Carrier, Patapum Toddler Carrier & the Boba Baby Carrier are designed to cater to older toddlers and can take children beyond 3 years old comfortably. These baby & toddler carriers make it possible for many to continue to carry their growing child and not risking injuring themselves
3 Convenience & Freedom
If you do not fancy lugging a heavy stroller around, you will find a baby carrier most handy, especially if going out on your own with your baby. Even if you do use a baby stroller, it is still convenient to have a baby carrier as baby does not always sit quietly in a stroller.
At times when baby needs to be carried or at home, it is more ergonomic to carry baby in a baby carrier than holding baby in your arms for a stretch of more than a few minutes.
4 Safety
There are many choices of baby carriers in the market today, however, not all baby carriers adhere to high safety standards. Differences are usually very subtle and not apparent. For example, baby ring slings, possible single points of failure includes the rings used. For ergonomic backpack carriers & hip carriers, the quality of buckles used is paramount.
Where your babies are concern, no chances should be taken with inferior or untested products. This is a mistake we cannot afford to make. You can be assured that our range of baby slings, baby wraps & baby carriers are all quality tested to ensure the safety of your child.
5 Keep up your Active Lifestyle
You do not have to be bogged down at home. With a good baby carrier that is both parent and child friendly, you can continue to lead your normal or active lifestyle. In essence, your baby fits into your family and there is no need to make huge adjustments to your normal lifestyle.
If you like the outdoors, with a good backpack baby carrier, you can share the wonders of the great wide world with your baby anytime!
6 Builds Confidence
Research has shown that babies who are carried often and have their needs met frequently are more likely to grow up to be confident adults. As a parent becomes more attuned to baby’s needs as baby is being carried, the parent also becomes more confident in being a parent.
You need a baby carrier that is easy to use and allows you to carry your baby comfortably for longer periods of time.
7 Promotes Better Parent Child Bonding
Carrying baby often in a close and snug position helps nurture the bonding between wearer and baby. As a result, the wearer becomes more attuned to the baby’s needs and the baby learns to trust the wearer, creating a special bond between the pair. Thoughtfully designed baby carriers such as the Sleepy Wraps, Patapum Carriers, Manduca Baby Carrier and Ellaroo Mei Hip & Mei Tai Carriers take care to minimize any barrier between the baby and the wearer. This gives extra warmth and comfort to the baby being carried.
For parents who have to be away from your baby because of work, carrying baby snugly in a baby carrier whenever possible will help bonding to bring the parent and child closer together.
The formative years of a child's spine is crucial for his overall development in later years. Baby ring slings, baby pouches and baby wraps are ideal for younger babies who have yet to attain good head support as it mirrors the human womb cuddling the baby.
For a baby with good head support (usually from 5 months), ergonomic backpack carriers and hip carriers can give baby the best spinal support. Allowing the baby to sit snugly in a natural straight-up sitting position in these carriers is best for the baby's spinal development vs. hanging the baby by the crotch in some other carriers.
2 Better Ergonomics
A baby carrier with good ergonomics should take care of comfort for the baby as well as the babywearer. A toddler can weight over 15kg and still required to be carried pretty often. An ergonomic backpack baby carrier with superior weight distribution system such as the Beco Baby Carrier, Patapum Baby Carrier or the CatBirdBaby Pikkolo Baby Carrier can be used with toddlers up to 2-3 years old.
Carriers such as the Manduca Baby Carrier, Patapum Toddler Carrier & the Boba Baby Carrier are designed to cater to older toddlers and can take children beyond 3 years old comfortably. These baby & toddler carriers make it possible for many to continue to carry their growing child and not risking injuring themselves
3 Convenience & Freedom
If you do not fancy lugging a heavy stroller around, you will find a baby carrier most handy, especially if going out on your own with your baby. Even if you do use a baby stroller, it is still convenient to have a baby carrier as baby does not always sit quietly in a stroller.
At times when baby needs to be carried or at home, it is more ergonomic to carry baby in a baby carrier than holding baby in your arms for a stretch of more than a few minutes.
4 Safety
There are many choices of baby carriers in the market today, however, not all baby carriers adhere to high safety standards. Differences are usually very subtle and not apparent. For example, baby ring slings, possible single points of failure includes the rings used. For ergonomic backpack carriers & hip carriers, the quality of buckles used is paramount.
Where your babies are concern, no chances should be taken with inferior or untested products. This is a mistake we cannot afford to make. You can be assured that our range of baby slings, baby wraps & baby carriers are all quality tested to ensure the safety of your child.
5 Keep up your Active Lifestyle
You do not have to be bogged down at home. With a good baby carrier that is both parent and child friendly, you can continue to lead your normal or active lifestyle. In essence, your baby fits into your family and there is no need to make huge adjustments to your normal lifestyle.
If you like the outdoors, with a good backpack baby carrier, you can share the wonders of the great wide world with your baby anytime!
6 Builds Confidence
Research has shown that babies who are carried often and have their needs met frequently are more likely to grow up to be confident adults. As a parent becomes more attuned to baby’s needs as baby is being carried, the parent also becomes more confident in being a parent.
You need a baby carrier that is easy to use and allows you to carry your baby comfortably for longer periods of time.
7 Promotes Better Parent Child Bonding
Carrying baby often in a close and snug position helps nurture the bonding between wearer and baby. As a result, the wearer becomes more attuned to the baby’s needs and the baby learns to trust the wearer, creating a special bond between the pair. Thoughtfully designed baby carriers such as the Sleepy Wraps, Patapum Carriers, Manduca Baby Carrier and Ellaroo Mei Hip & Mei Tai Carriers take care to minimize any barrier between the baby and the wearer. This gives extra warmth and comfort to the baby being carried.
For parents who have to be away from your baby because of work, carrying baby snugly in a baby carrier whenever possible will help bonding to bring the parent and child closer together.