You’ll find there are many things to love about how babywearing will affect your life after baby. There are also real developmental and behavorial benefits for your baby, documented by studies by experts including Dr. Sears. The highlights of the studies have cited the following benefits of baby wearing:
Carried babies cry less
Many parents have found that as long as they hold their baby, he is content. in 1986, a team of Montreal pediatricians conducted a study with 99 mothers with infants. The first group of parents were given a baby carrier, and instructed to carry their babies at least 3 extra hours a day. They were instructed to carry their babies at any time during the day, whether the baby was calm, crying or asleep. The other set of parents were not given any specific instructions about carrying. After six weeks, the babies who had received the additional carrying, cried and fussed 43% less than the noncarried group.
Experts who infant care practices around the world agree that babies in cultures that utilize babywearing techniques cry much less. Consider that in Western culture, we measure a baby’s crying in hours, while in other cultures, crying is measured in minutes. We have been socialized to think that babies cry a lot, however this is not the accepted norm in other cultures. In these cultures, the baby is consistently being held, and are put down only to sleep. When the mother must do something and be free of the baby, the baby is handed to someone else.
Babies who are babycarried learn more
Keeping in mind that carried babies cry and fuss less, these babies are now in a state of quiet alertness. In this state, an infant is more content, ready to interact with his environment and in what experts say is the optimial state of learning for a baby.
When your baby is in this state of quiet alertness, it is the perfect time to interact with your baby. Researchers know the human face is a powerful stimulator for bonding, and the Snuggle Hold puts you and your baby that close, face to face interactivity. In the Kangaroo Carry position, your baby has a 180 degree view and is able to scan her environment. He can learn to choose what to look at, and shut off what he is not interested in.
Babycarried babies are more ‘organized’
Sling babies are able to continue their development outside of the womb, and their systems become more organized. Dr. Sears advises to think about a baby’s gestation as lasting 18 months - 9 months inside the womb and at least another 9 months outside. When the baby is inside the womb, all of his systems are automatically regulated. Birth temporarily disrupts all of this organization, however the more quickly a baby gets help with organizing his environment again, the more easily he will adapt to life outside the womb.
Essentially, babywearing helps extend the womb experience, with the mother or father providing an external regulating system that balances the irregular and disorganized tendencies of the baby. Your baby recognizes your rhythmic walk, which he experienced while in the womb, and it calms him. As your baby places his ear against your chest, he will hear your familiar heartbeat. And as he senses your rhythmic breathing while being worn tummy-to-tummy or chest-to-chest, it is familiar, comforting and helps him regulate his breathing. All of this has a balancing effect on your baby’s irregular rhythms. Babywearing reminds babies of the womb and continues the motion and balance that he enjoyed for nine months.
The natural question is then what may happen when a baby spends most of his time lying in a crib, tended to for feeding and comforting, then separated from his mother. Infants have a natural urge to become organized with his systems, to fit their new environment. Without the constant, regulating presence of his mother, the infant may develop disorganized patterns of behavior, like colicky cries, jerky movements, thumbsucking, irregular breathing and disturbed sleep. He is also using valuable energy to do all of this self calming, that could otherwise be used to grow and develop.
Carried babies are humanized earlier
When a baby is carried, he is very involved in your world. He sees what you see, hears what you hear and often feels what you feel. Your baby will become more aware of your face, rhythm and scent. And because he is more aware, he will learn all of the subtle facial expressions, body language, voice inflections and tones, breathing patterns and emotions that you have. In turn, you will relate a lot more to your baby, because he will be sitting right below your face. Essentially, you are helping your baby learn how to be human. Picture yourself washing dishes while babywearing; your baby is experiencing all of the sounds, smells and images that are involved with washing dishes.
Carried babies are smarter
Babywearing helps the infant’s brains make connections, stimulating nerves to branch out and connect with other nerves. The stimuli that you are exposed to and participate in, is in turn exposed to your baby and helps his developing brain begin developing a library of experiences.
Because your baby is at voice and eye level, he is more involved with conversations. Babywearing enhances speech development, as babies learn how to listen, and often seem more attentive when adult conversations are happening.
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