Blog Post: Benefits of Baby Wearing

Baby wearing can help prevent flat head syndrome/cranial flattening. When a baby lays for a long period of time on their back, the back of their head starts to conform to the surface they are laying on therefore flattening over time. Flattening especially on the back of a baby’s head can also be attributed to restricted range of motion of the baby’s neck/head. This can be tied back to the birthing process or positioning of the baby in the womb. For example, 98% of births whether vaginal or C section have tension and stress in their upper cervical spine/neck (ICPA). This can then lead to a head preference or head tilt to one side resulting in flattening on that side. With baby wearing, baby is spending less time on their back preventing flat spots from settling in.

Baby wearing can also help increase your milk supply. When baby wearing, a mother and baby’s bond and closeness increases especially when performing skin to skin contact. This closeness helps increase the release of the hormone oxytocin which is responsible for the let down of milk. In addition, this closeness and convenience of being in the carrier can lead to more frequent feeds which are also important for maintaining and continuing to increase milk supply as milk supply is also dependent on supply and demand. (International breastfeeding Institute)

Another benefit of baby wearing includes the freedom and convenience it offers to continue to do regular activities. It can free up your hands to get chores done around the house, go out and do errands, or even get back to a regular exercise routine. Getting back to a normal routine can also help new moms decompress. With so many changes happening at once, skin to skin contact or close contact associated with baby wearing can help to reduce the release of cortisol (stress hormone) in both mom and baby. Therefore, This can help improve overall mood and energy levels through out the day but also help keep your little one calm and content.

With so many baby wearing options on the market, finding the right one can feel overwhelming. Things to consider are whether the baby wearing item is comfortable for both mom and baby or whether it is appropriate for various types of weather (hence one that is bulky can cause it to feel too hot). Essentially they are all meant to do the same job but one that we love at Ignite is Solly baby. There are also videos on their website that provide tutorials on how to start baby wearing and other various tips and tricks.