:: Forward Facing Babywearing, yay or nay ::

I am enjoying babywearing my son hence I read and research a lot before jumping into decision. I started my journey with a crotch carrier bought from a famous store of mother and baby stuff. Alhamdulillah, I only did the cradle carry, tak sempat nak try any other carry style sebab carrier dah hilang. I took that as Allah is guiding me to something better for my baby. Then I found Malaysian Babywearers from a friend of mine, knew each other only in virtue, but became friend because of this passion. And now the rest is history.

So, selalunya bila I carry my baby in my wrap / SSC, I was approached by other mommies asking few typical quest such as 'Where to buy', 'How much this thing is', ' Is my baby comfy in this?', "Baby tak panas ke?' and the list goes down. And some mothers do recommend me to carry my baby facing out, I don't know how to explain but I could only just smile. So, I just wanna share why does facing out carry is not recommended as below:

1.  It doesn't support your baby's leg

Knee-to-knee support

Your baby’s legs should be pulled up to at least hip level if not higher. Pastikan lutut anak lebih tinggi dari punggungnya dan kalau kita tengok dari pandangan belakang, ia akan membentuk huruf 'M'. Ini memberikan posisi seperti anak duduk di dalam pouch. Untuk mendapat kedudukan ini, fabrik wrap/base SSC dapat menampung dari lutut ke lutut bayi iaitu keseluruhan pahanya di dalan kain/carrier.  

 When your baby is facing forwards with legs unsupported, it isn’t that his legs are simply dangling,  his spine and hips are unsupported to and there is simply nowhere for baby to sit.A baby carrier that supports the legs encourages proper hip development. Front facing carriers do not support little hips.

2.  Makes it tough for the wearer to carry the baby- It’s much harder to carry something that curves away from your body than something that embraces your body. The wearer has an awkward load and often ends up arching her back to compensate.  Babies bodies are naturally adapted to being carried facing you. In short, anda akan mudah mendapat sakit belakang dan pinggang. Ini kerana ia melawan hukum graviti; anda perlu membengkokkan sedikit badan ke belakang (secara anda tidak sedari) bagi menampung berat dan tekanan yang anda hadapi.

3. Places your baby in an arched or hollow back position which places pressure on the spine- With no leg support and facing out this baby is unstable, forcing him to assume a hollow back position (as shown with red line in the picture below) to compensate.

Extending the back (bayangkan anda bangun tidur dan mengeliat), is not injurious or “bad” in and of itself. Tetapi masalah timbul apabila anda menekan “hollow back” berkenaan dengan bebanan.  Placing an infant in a front facing carrier stretches the naturally convex rounded curve (see infant spinal development) of his spine into a hollow back position. With nothing to cling to, weak abdominal muscles, and retracted shoulders, the infant’s pelvis tilts backwards and is forced to not only carry weight of his own body but also to absorb the force of every step that the carrying individual takes- all on his little compromised spine.

4.  Memberikan tekanan yang tidak wajar ke atas pangkal paha dan boleh mencengkam bahagian pada paha bayi - This baby is leaning on his dad for some extra support. Although it stabilizes him, it is less than ideal to spend the day transported in this position. Chaffing is no fun.  Being suspended by your baby’s most sensitive parts is not ideal, especially for little boys. Bayangkan (lebih-lebih lagi kepada lelaki) jika anda digantung dengan hanya sokongan di celah kelangkang anda. Bukan sesuatu yang anda inginkan dan menggembirakan.

5. May overstimulate your baby-

Babies can face their parents and still experience the world around them and take it in at their own pace.  It is very easy for a small infant to become overwhelmed.

 6.  Doesn’t support the head or the neck-

Positional asphyxia berkemungkinan terjadi apabila bayi with no neck control and their chin falls toward their chests.  Little babies should never be placed in a position that can compromise their airways.  The US Consumer Products Safety Commission recently passed a law that the warning labels of forward facing carriers must state that babies should not face out until adequate head/neck control is achieved.

7.  Makes thermoregulation more difficult- The flexed position a baby assumes on his mother’s chest is more efficient at conserving heat than chest exposed. Check out kangaroo care and thermoregulation benefits. The baby also has more fat cells (insulation) on its back side than front.

9.  Throws off the baby’s center of gravity-  Most often the wearer will intuitively stick out her pointer fingers for the baby to grab on to and stabilize himself or the wearer will try to support the baby’s legs by lifting them up in the front. With no seat and nothing to grab on to in front of him it is tough for baby not to arch his back under the weight of his own body. 

 10.  May not be so wonderful on your back either-

Carrying a load with an arched spine will give you an aching lower back. Carrying your baby facing forward is not the best option.  It’s not “cruel”, but it’s not ideal either.  Embracing your baby, or having them embrace you (like when you’re backin’ the baby) is what your baby is adapted to do and quite naturally the way to go.

 sources: http://www.bobafamily.com/blog/2011/10/11/nine-reasons-not-to-carry-your-baby-facing-out