Baby & Toddler / 1 October, 2019 / My Baba

5 Surprising Benefits of Babywearing & Why Every Parent Should Try It

Let’s talk about babywearing. Leave the pushchair at home and get out and about hands-free with your baby strapped to your chest. Choose between wraps and carriers or opt for something in-between, just like what Izmi has to offer. We have a quick look at what babywearing is, why it’s so popular and how you and your child can benefit.

What is babywearing?

Literally wearing your baby! Well, technically, babywearing is carrying your baby in a carrier or wrap, as a way of moving them around. It’s very practical and offers support for you and your baby throughout the fourth trimester, as baby adapts to the world around them. Babywearing can benefit you in so many ways: from helping parent/baby bonding and reducing crying to combatting post-natal depression, there is a whole range of ways it can help new parents.

What is International Babywearing Week?

International Babywearing Week is a celebration of babywearing, a parent and baby tradition that has been ongoing for hundreds of years throughout the world. It is only relatively recently that babywearing has stopped being the norm in many Western countries and International Babywearing Week is committed to changing this. Why? Because of the huge range of benefits that comes with wearing your baby strapped to your chest.

What are the benefits of babywearing?

• It eases the transition from womb to world. Leaving the womb can be quite a shock, so you’ve got to appreciate it’s going to take some time to transition. Babywearing offers baby a warm and contained environment, similar to the confines of the womb.
• It helps you bond with your baby. Babywearing maximises parent and baby closeness for both parents. It’s an ideal way to continue the bond of your pregnancy and helps to reduce feelings of detachment and fear for baby.
• It reduces stress. Not only does the closeness of babywearing increase oxytocin (the bonding hormone), it reduces stress hormone levels.
• It can reduce crying and soothe anxiety. In fact, babywearing can dramatically reduce how often babies cry because babies feel safe and reassured while attached to their parent.
• It’s hands-free. You’re bound to be busy when you have a baby to look after, so babywearing ensures you can get on with things without putting baby down. Also, a carrier puts  less strain on your body, especially your back and hips, than carrying a baby in your arms.
• It has also been linked to improved digestion for babies, reducing acid reflux and the frequency of vomiting by keeping them in an upright position after feeding

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What are my babywearing options?

Traditionally, babywearing involved wrapping material around the baby and the parent to hold baby against their chest or back and this method is still used effectively today. Nowadays, there is a wide range of different methods of babywearing and carriers for each and every family.

You can choose between stretchy wraps, woven wraps and buckle carriers.

Finding the one for you depends on what you feel comfortable using and your unique body type. A wrap that is fitted correctly should feel comfortable and your baby should feel lighter than when you carry them in your arms, but they are better suited to newborns and young babies so you may find you need more support as your baby grows.

Izmi offers a carrier that has been designed to offer the softness of a wrap with the convenience of a more structured buckle carrier and can be adjusted using straps rather than wrapping and tying. The best of both worlds! It combines the best of the traditional method for babywearing, with the benefits of modern design and manufacturing.

What do we like about the Izmi carrier?

You can babywear for a long time using the Izmi carrier because your baby is carried in an M-shape that supports their spine with their knees tucked above their bottom. This hip healthy design will help support your child as they grow. In fact, many babies are happy to be carried in this way well into their toddler years, whilst reducing the strain on parents too!

There’s an option for front and inward-facing positions. As your baby develops its strength and is able to support its own head, you can try moving it to a different position. Many children appreciate being front facing so that they have a good view of everything that’s going on around them. You can also carry your toddler on your back, a position they usually find comfier.

Find out more on IzmiBaby.co.uk

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