Momma of 4 Blessings

Baby Wearing 101:

Babywearing is the act of wearing or carrying a baby or child in a sling or other form of carrier. Babywearing is far from new and has been practised for many years around the world. In the industrialized world babywearing has gained popularity, partly under influence of advocates of attachment parenting.

Why Wear Your Baby in a Sling?

*Babies whose mothers wear them in slings are calmer and cry less. In most cultures, where babies are held almost constantly, they are typically in a quiet alert state and rarely cry for more than brief periods.
*Slings provide a gentle way of transitioning babies from the calm environment of the womb to that of the outside world. Babies in slings continue to be rocked by their mothers' movements and to hear their mothers' heartbeats. This helps them to regulate their own systems.
*Babies in slings are more receptive to learning and display enhanced visual and auditory alertness.
*It facilitates bonding. When babies are held closely, the adult and the baby can see each other's faces, leading to frequent verbal and non-verbal interaction, enhancing speech development.
*Babies who are carried in a sling facing away from the adult get a bird's eye view of the world and its wonders. This kind of gentle stimulation enables babies to learn about their environment at their own pace.
*Experiencing a wide variety of stimuli helps babies' brains to develop to their full potential.
Mothers are more easily able to calm their babies if they are frightened, providing a safe haven.
*It is easy to nurse discreetly when the baby is in a sling as the fabric shields both the baby and the mother from the public view.
*Mothers find it easier to carry on their normal daily activities when they wear their babies. *Both their hands are free and their babies are quickly soothed. Housework, shopping, walking for exercise and even using computers become more manageable tasks. Some mothers even take their babies to work in their slings.
*Older children appreciate that their mothers' free hands can attend to their own needs, like tying shoelaces or making snacks.

For more information on babywearing click here.

My favorite babywearing website is this. Take a moment to look around on her site, there is lots of great info, directions, etc...