Babywearing - basic

Proudly sharing this article which published in BabyTalk Malaysia April 2014 issue. Credits to my babywearers team for the photo contribution and one of Certified Babywearing Educator in Malaysia, Shahida Radze and our support group, Babywearing Mamas Malaysia.

 

What is it?

Babywearing is basically an action holding or carrying a baby, young child, toddler or even a preschooler using a piece of cloth or a baby carrier. Holding babies is a natural gesture and universal action; baby carriers make it easier & more comfortable, allowing parents and caregivers to carry children while attending to the daily tasks of living.  It makes life infinitely easier as carrying your child with a carrier, be it on your back, hips or in front of you and having both hands free yet baby is still securely near you. You can do laundry, go shopping, attending your other children or even performing prayer with your child contently and securely with you. While front carrying your little one, both parent and baby can have snuggled time; allowing your child to interact with the world on your level yet safely snuggled against your body.

Babywearing has been practiced for centuries. Mothers wore their children on backs and hips since the dawn of humanity. In ancient civilizations, mothers needed to have baby close while tending to dailychores. In the industrialized world, babywearing has gained popularity in recent decades, partly under influence of advocates of attachment parenting. However, not all parents who practice babywearing consider themselves as attachment parents.

Unfortunately babywearing is considered, by many, as backwards, weird or unsafe. It’s none of these and much of the world continues to babywear while many others are only just rediscovering the joys and the convenience of babywearing. Babywearing has to be wonderful for health of babies; to cry less, calmer and content, nurse better (in a front or hip carry), fewer digestive problems/ colic and develop neck as well as back muscles better.

Is babywearing safe?

When done properly, carrying a baby in a safe, appropriate baby carrier can be safer than carrying a baby in your arms. Using a carrier, you won’t have any tired muscles, and your carrier doesn’t have arms that reflexively reach out to balance you or catch you when you fall. But, as with anything concerning babies, good safety practices are of paramount importance. There are few aspects to be consider for a safe babywearing including the type of carrier, types of material used for the carrier, tested and proven safe carrier (just to name few).

There are many baby carriers on the market, too. Many people use simple pieces of cloth to safely & comfortably carry their babies. Additionally, there is a learning curve with any baby product, including commercial baby carriers. Parents and caregivers often benefit from thinking of babywearing as a skill they can learn. Many babywearing techniques can be learned in just a few minutes. Techniques like back carry a baby take more time & practice to master.

To achieve a safe babywearing, use a carrier that is appropriate for your baby's age. Ironically, we keep on changing baby’s clothes, shoes and even nappies size thus the same situation applies in choosing your baby carrier. Having a bigger size of carrier compared to the baby’s age or physical size will put the baby at risk of their spine development and comfortness. Many soft carriers and all frame backpacks are not recommended for use with young babies. At the other end of the scale, most baby carriers have weight limits.

Types of Baby Carrier

Soft Structure Carrier (SSC) – Soft structured carriers replace knots with buckles and add a thickly padded waistband and shoulder straps. The result is a different weight distribution and overall different look and feel from a mei tai, putting this style of carrier into a category of its own. Soft structured carriers offer the convenience of buckles yet are vastly different from framed backpacks in that they hold the baby securely against the wearer's body. Unlike framed backpacks, soft structured carriers are advisable and recommended for baby with a firm neck (after 4 months old) till toddlerhood and provide the benefits of body-to-body contact for the baby (although some require or include a special insert for newborns).
Mei Tai / Half Buckle – Soft pack carriers range from traditional carriers such as the mei tai to more structured buckle carriers. A mei tai is a rectangle fabric with straps coming off each corner & tie the straps around shoulders & waist, made from sturdy canvas-type fabrics & have padded straps for added shoulder comfort. Ergonomically, babies over 20 lbs are better off on your back, a soft pack carrier is more comfortable & easy to use. These carriers distribute baby's weight between wearer's hips & shoulders, making back strain virtually a non-issue even when wearing for long periods. They feature dual adjustable buckles that are completely adjustable around the waist and shoulders. They're easy to get on and off -- and the back carry only takes a bit of practice.
Ring Sling – A ring sling is a long piece of fabric (2-3m long) that is adjustable to fit over one shoulder by pulling the material through two rings made from either metal or nylon, leaving a long tail of fabric hanging in front. They can be padded in shoulder area for added comfort. They are usually used for front, hip carries or sometimes back carry. The adjustability factor of a ring sling makes it suitable for sharing between different sized wearers. The extra fabric left in front is useful for very discreet breastfeeding in public. Ring Slings are an ideal newborn carrier and are also fantastic for the up-and-down toddler phase. The size can be adjusted according to the size of the wearer and the wearee to get excellent support as well as comfort comfort for both the baby and you. This made it more versatile in usage.
Pouch Sling – A single piece of fabric sewn into a sash-like circle seam in middle to creates a deep seat for baby. They are worn over one shoulder. It can be use for front, back and hip carries - distributing weight across shoulder so no single point of strain. Pouches have no rings, snaps, buckles or ties. Pouches are sized to be fitted to the wearer and it is made from variety of fabrics such as stretch cottons or fleece as well as size. It's very easy for a quick ‘ups and downs’ phase - baby can be taken in and out quickly, for those practicing elimination communications, running errands or toddler that wants up & down every 5 seconds. The downside of a pouch is it’s not as comfortable as a two-shouldered carrier for wearing heavier babies for longer periods as the weight bare by only one shoulder and the waist. They came in size thus they are less in versatility as well as adjustability.
Wrap Carrier – A wrap is a piece of fabric (about 3-6m), tied in multiple ways to support baby. They come in both stretchy knits & woven fabrics. This carrier distributes baby's weight evenly onto both shoulders & comfortable for longer wearing periods. They can be used for front, back & hip carries. Wraps are really nice for newborns as they support their floppiness beautifully. However, it needs the learning curve for tying a wrap. The most versatility and high adjustability to suit the size of wearer and the wearee. The wrap also comes in few blends to suit the need or the wearer. It also can be use up till preschooler with a safe and correct way of wrapping.

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