EcoCrazy Mom

A Mom’s Take On Baby Wearing by Heather Moreau

May 5, 2012 By Terri 2 Comments

Guest post about babywearing, from Heather Moreau, mom and founder of WovenWraps.com.

When I first began searching for a comfortable and easy to use baby carrier, I tried everything, often purchasing on impulse, then making my husband return it to the store! I wanted a carrier I could put on in seconds yet wear comfortably for hours, but the number of options overwhelmed me. Now, after a long process of trial and error, wrapping with a long woven wrap is my carrier of choice. I heard a great analogy about wrapping your baby: It’s like learning to tie your shoe. It looks so complicated in the beginning; you’d rather wear velcro. But once you have it down, it’s easy – and it’s also a skill you’ll use for a very long time!

Baby wearing is so helpful to integrating your baby into your daily life; I can’t imagine managing without it. There are so many benefits that I won’t presume to station myself as a scientific expert; I’m just a mom who fell in love with this bond-strengthening practice. One of my favorite benefits is the constant interaction between mom and baby. The thing a baby needs most, after milk and safety, is human touch. Constant contact helps to make a baby secure and comfortable, both in the short and long term. Parents and babies constantly shape the other’s behavior, and when your baby is in your arms, your speech, reactions, touch and comfort help to mold their future and personality. No bouncer, rocker or swing can replace this.

Baby wearing is also magical in freeing your hands to take care of everyday tasks, all while still interacting with your baby rather than leaving baby to stare at a dangling toy or ceiling. Activities become learning experiences, because you can talk to your baby the entire time about taking out the trash, washing dishes, folding laundry, a neighborhood walk…. all these things are utterly fascinating for this new human being. Because their brains are still developing, they are really taking in each moment you wear them, talk to them and let them watch you react and converse socially with other people. The list goes on in an endless experience of learning.

One of my favorite benefits of baby wearing is being able to nurse “on the go” in a carrier - especially in a wrap. It’s easy to do this discreetly, and I finally felt like I wasn’t a prisoner to my glider chair anymore! In a carrier, I can see when my son is getting hungry and nurse him before he gets to the late stage hunger sign of crying. Another amazing benefit is nursing baby in an upright position rather than cradled, which decreases reflux and upsetting stomach bubbles. Any mom knows how important this can be to the happiness of baby- and everyone around them.

Today, my son is two years old. He’s healthy, happy, independent, smart, well mannered, and well, you get the idea! What can I say? I’m a mom, so of course I think my son is a shining star. I won’t try to say I’m positive of what part was nature versus nurture in his development, but I will say that my mommy instinct tells me all this baby wearing we’ve done has truly contributed to his sense of independence, confidence, intelligence and development. Our rich daily interactions have made me a believer in this attachment style of parenting, and I hope you will find the same with your little one.

Discover affordable carriers in a variety of styles, colors, patterns and sizes at Woven  Wraps’ used carrier marketplace, Carrier Classifieds, accessible at www.wovenwraps.com/carrierclassifieds. New wraps and carriers are available at www.wovenwraps.com.

Terri
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