What is babywearing/babycarrying?
A brief overview of what babywearing is and the benefits of it
Babywearing or babycarrying is practice of carrying a baby close against one’s body in a sling or similar carrier. This is such a simple sentence, but when you start to find the carrier or sling that is for you then you start to see that there is a wealth of different products out there. Unfortunately there is no ‘perfect’ carrier or sling, there is only the perfect carrier or sling for you! The way I like to think of it is that I need to try on a pair of shoes to know if they work for my body and one pair of shoes isn’t going to be suitable for every wearer. And this is where a sling library and a sling consultant can help you in your carrying journey.
So why Babywear?
A human baby when they are born are completely helpless and rely totally and utterly on their parent or care giver to keep them safe and alive. We are therefore, known as a carrying mammal and we can do this by carrying the baby in our arms or by using a sling or carrier in order to allow us to use our hands for other chores.
By having the baby close we are able to keep them warm, provide them with comfort
Babywearing safety
As with everything in life there are risks, and this is no different when it comes to babywearing. However, there are precautions that can be carried out to minimise these risks. One of the most commonly known is T.I.C.K.S (see poster)
Always make sure that you are fully able to monitor baby’s breathing and airways as your priority.
