It is natural to want to hold your baby close to you – and they love it to. Holding and carrying your baby close creates a special bond that lasts forever and has been used by parents for thousands of years
A pram dominated culture has made some parents forget about the importance of closeness, nurturing and comfort, this is exactly what babywearing encourages, it is important to be well educated in this ancient tradition so that you can get the best out of babywearing.
Celebrating its third year of success, Babes in Arms, babywearing specialists and founders of Australia and New Zealand Babywearing Week (8-14 Octber 2012), initiated the celebration in 2010 to raise awareness about the benefits of babywearing. The week of activities also demonstrates how modern parents can enjoy peaceful and active post-baby lifestyles by using baby slings and carriers, the oldest parenting tools known to mankind.
Recognising this year’s theme of carrying on traditions it is important to know how you as a parent, or soon to be mum and dad can get the best out of babywearing this year. Anita, founder of the initiative gives the following tips:
1. Know your needs – Consider the age of the child, which parent will be wearing the carrier and the reasons for using a babycarrier and how it will best suit your lifestyle that you live.
2. Start well – You don’t want your child to feel fussed on their first time, rhythm and movement will help to settle them and the aid of a carrier is maximised when a child is happy, fed and well rested.
3. Safety first – Spend time learning a few key safety points to ensure that you and your baby enjoy the freedom of this ancient wisdom safely. Visit ‘Babes in Arms’ blog for more information about babywearing safety.
4. Buy from authorised dealers only – It is crucial to be able to recognise counterfeit products, always check with the manufacturer or local distributor to see a list of authorised stockists before being tempted by a too-good-to-be-true deal.
5. Combination of options – As seasons change and your child grows up change your babywearing tecnniques and there are also a number of choices available to suit the climate.
Planning is well underway for babywearing parents across Australia and New Zealand and their local communities to join babywearing events that they have initiated and organized, such as babywearing picnics, babywearing beach walks and sling demonstration days via the Australia and New Zealand Babywearing Week Facebook Page and the Australia New Zealand Babywearing Week website.
Babywearing has many benefits for babies, including decreasing crying and fussiness by up to 51%; promoting healthy sleep patterns; accelerating infant growth; increasing the learning ability and a baby’s sense of security and attachment to their caregiver.
Babywearing also benefits parents and other caregivers, significantly decreasing the stress associated with crying and anxious babies as well as allowing them to more easily and comfortably care for their children while attending daily tasks of living.
For more information about babywearing and to view various babywearing options, please visit www.babesinarms.com.au – founders of Babywearing Week.
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