So any new Mom to be knows that the baby market is filled with tons of interesting, gotta have it items. From baby spa baths to little trinkets that really have no use, a Mom can get overwhelmed really quickly. I was no different. I had spent countless hours reading reviews, researching products and bombarding more experienced Moms with questions of what they recommend before ever purchasing or adding items to our registry. There was however, one item that I knew that I had to have for our little one and that was a baby sling. I am not sure when I fell in love with the idea of "baby wearing", I just knew that it was something I wanted to do with our child as well, and after lots of research on the topic, I decided that it was the best choice for our family to make.
Before I get into the benefits of why I choose a baby sling, I want to share with you my choice of sling. From research, there are many kinds of slings on the market. From cloth ones that require little work, cloth ones that require some skill, to the regular carriers that you normally see everywhere. I decided that I wanted a cloth sling, but I am not skilled as yet into actually tying a sling on my own, so a cloth sling that requires little skill was the best option for me. For this reason, I chose the Baby K'tan slings (pictured above). After looking at the product, the videos, reviews and hearing some Moms talk about it, I was sold. Even though baby is not here as yet, it's one of the items in my possession that I am most excited to use (I even tried it on one of my stuffed animals just to see..lol). I figured until I get skilled at tying cloth into a sling, I can use this knowing baby is safe.
So here are the top reasons I wanted a sling:
1. It improves attachment: Sure, as a mother, the one carrying the baby for 9 months you have a bond and attachment already there. So what's a little more attachment! Think of it as an outside womb where baby can feel your warmth and hear your heart beat!Studies show that this physical attachment with your baby improves bonds between mother/father and child through adulthood and who does not want that! I think its also a good way for Dads to get in on carrying baby and creating that bond too. Ladies you probably don't want to get a pink sling if you intend to share with your husband :)
2. Fosters communication between Mom and Baby: Wearing your baby helps the mother become more attuned to the gestures and facial expressions more easily. Mothers learn very quickly what each expression/gesture means. Because of this, we are able to attend to the needs of baby sooner, and in some cases, women report, without baby even crying! The more we can attend to the needs of the child as a mother without them becoming too fussy, the more their trust in us increases. However the benefit does not stop there, in addition to possibly less crying, mothers get to build confidence in knowing that they can attend to their baby's needs without too much guess work.
3. Breastfeeding!: Some say that breastfeeding and baby wearing go hand in hand, and I have to agree. Baby wearing will place baby always near to his source of food! Making it not only convenient for baby, but for Mom too. This was one of the main reasons I wanted a sling as well (other than wanting to be close to baby for attachment purposes)
4. Convenience: Yes, this is a good reason to consider doing something as well! When I think about how busy my day gets, I think that this is a great way to have baby with me always. After all, at the moment, baby is with me all the time. When I am hustling around the kitchen, or on catering gigs, he is with me...on the inside sure, but he is very used to all my motion and movement. When he is a little older, with the ways that I can use a sling, I can wear him in the kitchen and around the house for certain simple tasks. I will be able to have two free hands and baby will be developing his vestibular system which controls his balance.
5. Ok, ok, I think its cute!: Yes, I think its adorable to see parents wearing their babies in a sling. What's wrong with that?! I also think its very natural to wear your baby.
So for all the reasons and more (you can read about benefits of wearing baby HERE), do you think wearing your baby is something you'd do? And if so, what product will you use?
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