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 Baby
Wearing Basics
Baby wearing, the practice of carrying your child
next to your body in a sling made of cloth or in a front or back
carrier, is gaining popularity among families. Long touted as a
beneficial practice for the development of young babies by Dr.
Sears,
wearing your baby is becoming more conventional and is no longer reserved
for the “earth” mothers. Even mainstream moms and dads
see the benefits.
Baby wearing has been practiced for millennia in some
cultures and, in its simplest form, is simply holding the baby close
to mom using a long piece of fabric wrapped around the body. In
times past moms needed to work and care for their household all the
while watching their small babies...baby wearing was a necessity.
Fore example,
American Indians used the “papoose” to hold the baby on mom’s back
while she worked. There are many benefits to wearing your baby: two
free hands to attend to other needs, the baby is comforted by your
closeness and the sound of your heartbeat providing a gentle
transition from the womb, the stimulation of seeing the world from
higher up as opposed to being in one place, and the ease of going
for a walk without a stroller, just to name a few.
Today there are many options to choose from including
wraps that you tie or slings that secure with rings, pouches and
tubes, Asian-style slings, front carriers, and back packs. They fit
numerous body types and come in all different colors and fabric. One is
sure to be right for you.
Do a Google search of the term “baby wearing” and you’ll get over
six million hits while searching on “baby slings” will net you over
one million links. There are a myriad of resources in print, online,
in discussion groups, and most importantly, family and friends. When
you see someone wearing their baby, stop and ask questions if you
are curious.
Dr. Sears has an excellent online resource that covers baby wearing
in great detail at
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/t051100.asp.
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