Here are my most favourite facts about baby wearing and how truly awesome it is!


Babies who are worn cry less by up to 43%!
When a baby is worn they feel secure and content. Parents who wear their babies respond to their babies “ques” is record time (eg for feeding or changing). Therefore, babies who are worn have been shown to cry less by up to 43%. (http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/health-concerns/fussy-baby/baby-wearing/benefits-babywearing)


Baby wearing triggers oxytocin production.
Baby wearing is such a great way to bond with your baby. All warm, snuggly and cosy together, especially in the early days if you couple it with skin to skin, baby wearing is a trigger for that fantastic love hormone oxytocin. 

Baby wearing counts as tummy time!
When baby is worn upright in a supportive sling it is so good for their muscle development. They are gently supported by the sling but their little muscles are engaged appropriately and their vestibular system (balance) is being worked while they work against your movement as you wear baby. This is such a great start to the physical development of baby. 

Helps with baby who suffer with Colic or Reflux
The advice for babies who have colic or reflux is often to keep them upright especially after feeding. Baby wearing is a fantastic way to do this as the baby is soothed by being cosy and secure in a sling without putting any pressure on the back of baby's head.

Super for Hips
In the womb, the hip joint needs to be very flexible and so once born, very young babies hips are still made up of soft cartilage which grows into bone over the first year. To begin with, the socket covers only two-fifths of the ball and over time the socket needs to grow up to 50% more to cover three-fifths of the ball. For the hips to develop properly the ball and socket must be held firmly in the right place. The hip joint is not fully formed until the age of two. Babywearing in a well fitting sling holds the hips in this optimal position for hip development.

Great for brain development

 When we are born our brain begins to make all the synaptic connections we need for the rest of our lives. The type and quality of the connections made are influenced by the experiences and "stimuli that the baby receives from the outside world." (1http://blog.ergobaby.com/2013/10/ages-stages-a-science-based-view-on-baby-carrying-positions/) For these connections to be made babies must be exposed to appropriate stimulation. Babywearing allows for baby's to become fully immersed in the world and to encourage those connections to be made, therefore providing an ideal basis for intellectual development and for life long openness to education and learning​

Happy babies, happy children, happy adults
There is significant research showing that those babies who are securely attached grow up to be children and adults who are emotionally well developed and available. Easterbrooks et al (2000) showed that secure attachment promotes emotional availability in children. Additionally, a study of American children demonstrated that children with secure attachments had higher levels of positive moods, more constructive coping tools and better regulation of their own emotions. (Kerns et al 2007). It has also been shown that babies of more sensitive mothers had lower baseline levels of the stress hormone cortisol (Blair et al 2006). Babywearing aids this process of secure attachment.

1. When can I start?
You can start baby wearing with a newborn! Baby wearing supports the idea of the fourth trimester (that the first three months of life are an extension of life in the womb). Baby wearing allows for lots of cosy snuggles keeping baby feeling warm, safe and secure. A stretchy sling is a fantastic newborn sling as it shapes perfectly around a baby while providing ideal support and is comfortable too. (If baby is born prematurely or with particular needs there should be a sling and position suitable too!)

2. Is it too late to start baby wearing my older baby/toddler
Not at all! Older babies and big kids like to be carried too and sometimes it's easier to carry! Whenever you come to begin your baby wearing journey it's all about finding the right sling and the right position thats suits you and baby. Sometimes older babies and bigger kids may fuss when they are put into a sling (even if they have been carried from birth). Give yourself and baby time to get used to it and usually he or she will settle when you get moving and talking. 

3. Is it safe?
Slings and baby carriers are safe when worn correctly. There are some basic guidelines to follow which were written by the baby wearing community (http://babyslingsafety.co.uk) and each sling will also come with it's own instructions on safe baby wearing. A good rule with regards to activities you can do while baby wearing is if you wouldn't do it with a baby just in your arms then don't do it when baby wearing. 

4. Will my baby get too hot or be too cold?
Layers! They are key to getting baby's temperature right in a sling or carrier. The other trick is to make sure you choose an appropriate carrier if you are going to be exposed to more extreme temperatures. For example, if you're going to be somewhere very hot then try something like a gauze wrap or the moby aria which has a removable panel to allow more airflow. We often recommend skin to skin baby wearing when it is especially hot as this helps to regulate baby's temperature (especially in young babies). When it is very cold you could chose something like  wool based wrap or a half buckle with wrap straps for a bit of extra warmth. It is not recommended to use a baby snow suit in a sling as it is hard to adjust the sling or carrier to the optimum position and tightness. Lots of layers, leg warmers, hat and cosy socks. Remember too that your body heat will keep baby (and you) warm and each layer of a sling counts as a layer of clothing. 

5. Whats the "best position"?
The ideal position for baby to be in when using a sling is with baby's knees are higher than their bottom and they sit in an "M" shape. This is especially important for very young babies as it allows for their hip joint to be in an optimum position for development. (keeps the ball of the hip in it's socket as it continues to form and grow in the first two years). To achieve this position the fabric or seat of the sling should be spread from the back of one knee to the other. 

6. Can I forward face?
Normally we recommend parent facing slings and carriers for babies under six months. After this point we would recommend back carrying. There are a couple of reasons why we don't recommend forward facing on the front. The first reason is that there are only a few ergonomic slings which offer this as an option where baby is still in the "M" seated position while forward facing but even these slings instructions suggest that only 10/15 minutes for forward facing. This leads us to the second reason for not forward facing. Babies are easily overwhelmed and over tired. When facing out they have no place to hide when they are "done" seeing the world. In contrast when they are parent facing, hip carried or back carried they can hide against the wearer when they need a rest or break.

7. How long can I baby wear for?
As long as you are both comfortable. I carried my (then) two and a half year old on my back for the majority of the day up and down the water falls in Glenarrif NI in the summer. We stopped for food breaks and toilets breaks but otherwise we carried on. A well worn sling or carrier hold babies in a great position physically and it allows them to be involved in life experiences from adult height with lots of adult interaction which is brilliant for their social and emotional development too! 

8. Is it going to damage my back?
We always say "baby wearing should never be uncomfortable". If it is try adjusting your sling, perhaps making it tighter or higher, or wearing it in a different position (moving from a front carry to a back carry if baby is big enough) or try a different sling. For those with existing back troubles try and choose a sling which offers support for the problem area. All of the slings we use and recommend are all those which put baby into the seated "M" position meaning that baby's weight is going through your core rather than hanging off your shoulders and so should put limited strain on your back. If you babywear from birth you will find that your back and shoulders become stronger gradually as your baby's weight increases. 

9. When can I back carry?
We like to recommend back carrying when baby is about six months old or when baby is confidently sitting unaided and has excellent head control. This allows you to have the confidence that baby won't slump down in a sling when on your back and also means it is easier to put baby on your back as they have enough muscle strength of their own to assist you.
  
10. Is it expensive?
Yes and no. There are lots of budget options that are still great slings. Our favourite companies which offer great budget options are Lenny Lamb and Yaro. There are lots of "cheaper" options on amazon and eBay. If it looks too good to be true it probably is and may well be a fake of a more expensive sling. These could well be dangerous, be aware. You can spend lots and lots on individual slings or a "stash" of slings too. Those who baby wear exclusively may find that they need more than one type of sling depending on what it is they are doing that day. 

Happy New Year!

I thought as it's the beginning of the year I would write a little bit about who we are and what we do and what happens at a sling meet for those who are new to the wonderful world of baby wearing or those who are interested in joining us. (and for those who have been coming for ages!)

A sling library is similar to a book library. We have a stock of slings and carriers which are all super comfy and ergonomically friendly. We run "sling meets" throughout the month where people can come along and try on any of our slings. You can then hire these for the month (meet to meet) if you would like to. It's handy to try before you buy so that you can get one which is *just* right for you. 

All of our sling meets work in a similar way wherever we are holding them. Someone on the team (baby wearing consultants and peer supporters) will be there to welcome you and give you a ticket so that you can see a peer supporter who will then chat with you about your needs and baby's needs for baby wearing and will help you try on some slings and carriers. They will also happily show you how to put the sling on, adjust the sling and take it off safely. 

Thats the "business side" of a sling meet. We also always have toys and snacks and often crafts for everyone to use. And one of our aims is that our sling meets and coffee mornings and socials can be a chance for like minded parents to be together in a safe space where we support and care. So you very are very welcome to come along to a sling meet and share some baby wearing love even if you are a super experienced baby wearer.

We'd really love to see you at a sling meet sometime soon. We love baby wearing and how powerful it can be for parents and children. 

Here is the info for the sling meets for this month: ​http://www.naturallyhappyfamilies.co.uk/upcoming-events.html