The Down Low on Baby Wearing
Baby wearing is something that I do every single day. It’s how I accomplish cleaning, cooking or running errands. I didn’t know a thing about baby wearing until Nolan was about 6 months old and wow it is a total game changer for a mom. It is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby in a sling or in another form of carrier. It has been practiced for centuries around the world. By baby wearing, I am able to accomplish so much more because my babies will sleep peacefully verses just cry every time I tried to lay them down and do anything. I could clean my house, get ready with both hands, eat a hot meal and even run errands without lugging a car seat in and out of the car. It was a total game changer and I’ll say that a million times over.
Anytime the baby is fussy and I cannot calm them down, I feed them, put a clean diaper on them and put them in the carrier. It’s like magical sleepy dust and they all fall asleep within minutes. I say this because I’ve worn all of my babies as infants all the way to toddlerhood.
Not only are you able to get things accomplished like housework and getting yourself dressed without having to hear a crying baby, you can also grocery shop and go out in public without lugging around a heavy carseat. There is no way that I could go out with all of my children without baby wearing, could you imagine trying to lug around a carseat and wrangle kids? That’s like herding cats! There have been so many situations (including strangers trying to touch my infants) that baby wearing as proven so helpful. I also want to share a few things that I’ve learned in my 6 years of motherhood.
Did you know that baby wearing can:
-improve reflux
-encourage bonding
-promote healthy hip development
-reduce colic
-boost milk supply
My favorite way to baby wear before 6 months is with a Solly baby wrap. It takes a little time to get used to but YouTube tutorials helped me practice until I was able to do it without missing a beat. I will say that wrapping myself at home verses when I get somewhere is another life saver. Baby wearing is a must for moms in my book. Regardless if you have one or 5, it will help you in daily life!
I keep my Solly Baby wrap in my diaper bag so it’s always close by in case I need to throw it on. It’s amazing how quickly it can calm a baby down when you get them snuggled in a wrap! I always make sure that the baby is fed, has a clean diaper and a paci near by before she is put into the wrap. Within minutes of being worn, my littles are out like a light. Oh, another really important thing to remember is to fan those shoulder straps out! When wearing for an extended time, it makes it so much more comfortable to distribute the weight by spreading the shoulder straps out wider. I have a tutorial on my instagram that I would love to share with you mama’s that feel confused with how to put on a wrap correctly, please feel free to watch it (over and over) until you feel comfortable with the steps. It becomes second hand knowledge once you do it repeatedly. When I am babywearing in public, I like to put my wrap on in the car or at home so it doesn’t drag the ground and get dirty. They are machine washable and you can actually color coordinate and are somewhat “dressy” looking if you have somewhere to go and need to look nice with babe attached. I love all of my Solly wraps and it’s hard to pick a favorite color, if you can only get one I suggest a neutral. This is also a great present to add to your baby registry, you can see my baby must haves by clicking here.
When my babes are little I love wearing a soft baby wrap like this one from Solly but when they get heavier, it hurts my back and I switch to my Ergo Adapt Carrier. I have used an Ergo with each of my Little’s and it is because it’s my favorite “go-to” carrier. Ergos are super easy to manuver and are somewhat of a backpack type style. You can wear them on the front of backside of you and it’s easy nurse in without anyone knowing the wiser. I have used my Ergo Adapt for almost four years now with three different babies. I love how well the Ergo products are made, mine looks BRAND NEW! As for the comfort part it is a soft structured carrier which makes it a lot easier to carry heavier weights for extended amounts of time. I get my cardio in with baby wearing these kiddos. Ergobaby Carriers are ergonomically designed to cradle your baby in a natural sitting position and to evenly distribute baby’s weight between your hips and shoulders. Ergobaby Carriers are the ultimate in comfort and ergonomics, allowing you to carry your baby from those early days to toddler (12-45 lbs). With over 30 carriers in five different categories — Original, Omni 360, All Position 360, Cool Air Mesh, and Adapt (no insert needed!), plus Swaddlers for newborns, Ergobaby is a leading, premium baby consumer products company that creates innovative solutions to meet the needs of today’s parents.
Those are my favorite ride or die baby carriers and I suggest that you do invest in one or the other if you have a little one or are expecting. I am wearing one or the other at least once a day right now as well as Derrek, Nolan and Harper even gets their baby wearing in throughout the week. I cannot say it enough, but babywearing is such a great experience for you and your child. They are getting their needs met, and you can use both of your hands! If you have any questions about what baby carrier would fit best for your lifestyle, please feel free to comment or send me an email.
