Baby Wearing Tips, Tricks, and Awesomeness

Whether you read Dr. Sears’s Attachment Parenting cover to cover, or have a baby who fusses less and sleeps better when held, learning how to wear your baby is a wonderful skill.  As much as you may love spending your days in a love-knot holding your little babe, it is impractical to hold your newborn in your arms all day. You may also have an older child who still needs your precious arms.  Using a baby carrier is a great way to make life with an infant more convenient and cozy.

Tips and Tricks for Baby Wearing

Most newborns are fussy at night. If I placed my baby into a sling when I knew the fussiness was about to start, I would keep her calmer.  If she still started to get fussy, I could easily stand with her in the sling and sway back and forth or bounce on a stability ball to soothe her. You may also find that using a baby carrier is a much easier way to transport your baby than a large stroller or a better way to go to the grocery store than placing him into the cart.  If you are going on a long walk with your stroller, slip a carrier into the basket and if your baby starts to hate the stroller halfway through the walk, you can use the carrier and still push the stroller back home or to the car.  If it is cold or raining, you can keep your baby cozy by placing him into your carrier and then putting on a jacket in a larger size with a zip-up front; of course, make sure your baby can breath!

Choosing a Type of Baby Carrier

There are many types of baby carriers available for you to purchase, borrow, or even make.  Once you become accustomed to placing your baby into a carrier, you may find yourself using it more and more and owning more than one type.  If you are on a budget or just like to keep it as simple as possible, you can purchase one good quality structured baby carrier and use it with your newborn all the way through toddlerhood.  For your newborn, if the carrier does not tighten to fit the baby, you can either purchase an insert that it specially designed for the carrier or you can use a small baby blanket to tighten the fit.

When it comes to newborns, the majority of experts agree that swaddling is a great way to help a new baby make the transition from the womb to the wide-open world.  A pocket sling is a good way to replicate the swaddle while keeping the baby close to you and allowing you to have your arms free. A traditional pocket sling is a single piece of fabric sewn into a circle that you fold in half and place your baby into the pocket.  The most common holding position for this sling will place your baby in a swaddled cradle hold across your chest.  Ring slings are similar but they allow you to customize the sizing of the circle.  Practice with a stuffed animal before trying to get your baby into the sling, as it can be pretty tricky at first. You may also want to check out a wrap carrier, like the Moby Wrap.  It can be challenging to learn to use, but once you get the hang of it, it is comfortable for the baby and for you and while all carriers and slings claim you can nurse the baby while using, it is the only type of carrier I have seen women actually using to discreetly nurse.

As your baby starts to make the transition from tiny, sleeping newborn to active, curious infant, you may want to use a more structured type of baby carrier.  Your baby may not like being held in a cradle carry or being swaddled anymore, and sometimes the pocket sling starts to hurt your back as your little lightweight starts packing on the pounds.  At this point, you can start using a sturdier baby carrier that looks more like a backpack for a baby.   The most common type of carrier in this category is the Baby Bjorn.  A Baby Bjorn is easy to use and allows you to have your baby face you or face away, but you may find it uncomfortable on your back.  My favorite carrier in this category is the Ergo.  It is carrier that is ergonomically correct for your baby, which is that your child is held in the frog position, plus it is very comfortable for you, as most of the weight is distributed to your hips.  Your baby will be just as engaged facing you as she will be facing outward.  You can talk to your baby and he can get a good view of the world no matter what direction he is facing.

If you are an active, outdoorsy person, you can invest in a structured baby carrier specifically designed for outdoor hiking.  This carrier is very structured and sometimes heavy and is probably not a good idea for daily use, but it is a great option if you intend to take lenghty walks and hikes with your little one in tow.

You may be able to find a used carrier at a consignment shop, Craigslist, or maybe you have a friend that will lend you one for a few months.  It can be tricky to figure out how to use it in the beginning.  If you purchase new, most carriers come with an instructional DVD.  If you borrow or purchase used, you can find instructional videos on YouTube.  Once you and your baby get comfortable using baby carriers, you will find that you have the freedom to do so much more together.  The added bonus is the memories you will make together as you snuggle and bond during this special time in your child’s life.

Lauren Gordon just survived her first year of motherhood and is finally well-rested enough to write about it. She is not an expert, funny, or particularly good at writing, but she still feels compelled to share what she learned with other new moms.

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