Dislaimer
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baby, please seek the advice of your midwife, doctor or paediatrician.
The Benefits Of Using A Baby Sling
Parents around the world have ‘worn’ their babies in
various types of hand-made slings for years. Today we use the term ‘babywearing’
to describe a way of carrying or transporting infants that creates a positive
experience for both the parent and the child.
A stroller transports a baby from A to B, with the parent pushing the stroller
and the baby either facing the parent or facing the world. Babywearing is more
than just a transport method; it’s a creative way to meet the functional needs
of daily life while serving the more emotional and developmental needs of
babies. Babywearing is a natural and human way to introduce our children to the
world, and to nurture their confidence in the world around them.
New parents are often counselled by well-meaning friends not to hold or pick up
an infant too much for fear of spoiling him. When the baby isn’t being fed,
bathed or played with, he is ‘put down’ to sleep. If the baby doesn’t want to
sleep he might cry or simply stare wide-eyed at whatever is available to grab
his attention – likely a mobile or some corner of the ceiling!
Parents who use baby slings carry their child around with them throughout
various parts of their day. The child’s sleeping schedule fits in with mom or
dad’s schedule.
Many claim that babywearing results in children who cry a lot less. This claim
has been observed in cultures throughout the world where women carry their
children around in slings as they go about their daily work or routine.
Advocates of babywearing believe babies worn in a sling learn more and learn
faster. The babies spend more time in a state of ‘quiet alertness’; a behavioral
state in which an infant is calm and content and more likely to have a real and
positive interaction with his environment. During these periods, as a child
listens to his mother speak or watches others as they speak and gesture towards
his mother, he is learning about language, movement and social behaviors.
Experts believe that brain growth and development is spurred by the
environmental experiences made available to an infant who is carried in his
parent’s sling. Sling positioning (across the chest, along the hip, facing in or
out) allows infants to be closer to people. With this kind of proximity, babies
can study facial expressions, develop language skills and learn body language
much faster than they would positioned in a car seat, stroller or crib.
Some contend that parenting abilities are enhanced through babywearing because
the mother’s progesterone (mothering hormone) is increased through the constant
and close physical contact with her child. More progesterone can help a mother
to feel more positive, relaxed and happy caring for her child.
Breastfeeding is another activity that can be enhanced by babywearing. The
positioning of the baby in the sling can make breastfeeding more comfortable and
accessible for babies and mothers. Depending on their physiology, some mothers
can nurse ‘hands-free’ while doing activities in the home or outside. Where
breastfeeding is not possible, babywearing can help to encourage closeness
during bottle feeding.
One of the best things about babywearing is that it brings parents and their
children together in a way that enhances the parent/child relationship and the
natural development of the child.
You might also be interested in:
Choosing A Baby Sling
A discussion of the various types of baby slings available to you and advice on
finding the one to suit you.
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