The arrival of a newborn baby at home is filled with changes and emotional upheaval. We spend hours carrying our child, observing it, while adapting our schedules to this new life. Newborns feel most comfortable when close to you, on you and in your arms. Chances are that in the first few days, you will also find it difficult to part with them. This is completely NORMAL and we can only encourage you to take full advantage of these beautiful moments.
Your day-to-day life is also impacted, because despite your baby needing your attention and proximity, you also need to carry out your usual tasks such as working, cooking, possibly exercising – and most importantly for parents with other children – being there for your other kids. For example, it’s great to hold your older child’s hand while carrying your newborn!
Carrying your baby, using a baby-carrying accessory, has existed since the dawn of time. Nomads used baby-carrying accessories to travel more efficiently. These habits were gradually forgotten in Western countries with the appearance of the stroller in the course of the 18th century. Traditional carriers are still used to carry children in many countries around the world.
In recent years, we have gradually rediscovered the benefits of carrying your baby – for both the parents and the child. This tradition has now regained popularity in Western countries.
The benefits of carrying
for the parent and child :
Carrying reassures and soothes your child
Carried babies cry less. According to a study conducted in 1986 by Professors Bar and Hunziker, babies that are carried for at least two hours a day cry less, especially in the evening. So, the more you carry your baby, the more relaxed he/she will feel, the less he/she will cry, and the more time he/she will spend in a calm state of observation. It’s good to know that these are also the times when babies learn the most!
Carrying promotes cognitive and social development
As we’ve mentioned above, babies we carry cry less. Which means they spend more time learning and interacting with their environment. They see what you see and hear what you hear and talk about. Overall, they are more involved in your daily life.
Additionally, having your baby close to you helps you respond to their signals as you touch them more often. All of this enhances learning, cognitive development and overall well-being.
Being carried is good for your baby’s health
Baby-carriers allow you to carry your child in a position that is beneficial for his or her physical health and development (provided you choose a physiological baby-wearing accessory). It helps prevent flat head syndrome and can help with his or her digestion, especially if your little one is prone to colic or reflux. In a baby carrier, babies also learn how to use their muscle groups to balance themselves.
Contrary to popular belief, babies who are carried a lot tend to start walking early!
Baby-carrying will enable you to develop a special bond with your child
When you carry your baby, you’re more likely to talk and interact with him/her. Carrying is often described as “a womb with a view”. When carried, your child regains some of the sensory perceptions he or she experienced during their 9 months in utero: the reassuring beat of your heart, the gurgling of your body, the rocking of your movements, the sound of your voice. Carrying is an excellent way to reconnect with your baby once they’re born.
Baby-carrying reduces the risk of postpartum depression
In a previous article, we talked about postpartum and the curious fourth trimester. Baby-carrying is a precious ally which will help you grow as parents and trust each other. Carrying your baby can help you break social isolation by making it easier for you to go for walks, be active or meet friends. Additionally, baby-carrying increases the amount of time you spend skin-to-skin with your baby, which – according to studies – has a direct impact on reducing the risk of postpartum depression.
Baby-carrying stimulates lactation
Keeping your child close to you helps stimulate your lactation, thanks to higher oxytocin levels. When you carry your baby, you’re more receptive to your child’s hunger signals and can respond more quickly.
For mothers who breastfeed, we’ve inserted snaps inside the garment to make it easier to breastfeed while carrying your baby or during a break at a café terrace, for example.
Baby-carrying makes traveling and moving easier
Carrying allows you to go places without having to push a stroller or taking one from place to place. It keeps your hands free and allows you to get up and walk around whenever you need to.
Not to mention that you’ll avoid the issues you could encounter on a subway and those endless stairs or streets too narrow or too crowded for a stroller… baby-carrying works everywhere!
Baby- Carrying will keep your baby protected from invasive wanderers
People love babies. This overwhelming feeling sometimes causes them to come too close and touch your child without asking for your consent (similarly to those who touch your belly when you’re pregnant 🙂 ). Carrying your child with a baby carrier keeps your baby nestled in a small protected cocoon, keeping unfamiliar hands away!
MAMA HANGS products make it possible to keep the same garment on throughout the day thanks to its innovative design. Once closed, no one will know that you’re wearing a baby carrying accessory.