A Primer On Baby Slings

Baby Slings are rapidly gaining popularity as more and more parents discover the many benefits they have to offer. Babywearing is a convenient, portable, hands free method of transporting your baby with ease, and gives babies a sense of calm, security and trust when they are carried in a sling wrap or baby carrier.

Recently I spoke with Keren Levi, founder of My Baby Nest™, to get her insight on the babywearing phenomenon.

David: How long has babywearing been around?

Keren: Babywearing has been around for thousands of years, and has only very recently been reintroduced into western culture. In fact, it’s still a common sight to see women in tribal cultures carrying babies around on their fronts, sides or backs in slings, as it makes it easier for them to work this way.

David: Why is babywearing so important?

Keren: Babywearing fulfills a baby's need for physical contact, affection, security, stimulation and movement. The nurturing touch stimulates growth-promoting hormones, improves intellectual and motor development, and helps regulate babies' temperature, heart rate, and sleep/wake patterns. The babies who receive a nurturing touch will gain weight faster, nurse better, cry less, are calmer, and have better intellectual and motor development.

David: When it comes to babywearing, what are some of the benefits to a child’s mental development?

Keren: Babies carried in a baby sling spend a greater amount of time in the "quiet alert" behavioral state, the optimal state for learning. They are intimately involved in their parent's world, more exposed to and engaged in what is going on around them. Recent studies have reported that babies carried in a sling show advanced speech development and enhanced visual and auditory alertness.

David: I’ve read that babywearing is also very beneficial to the mother after pregnancy, can you tell me a little bit about that?

Keren: Yes it is true. Studies have found that Post-Partum Depression occurs much less in mothers who wear their babies. This may be due to several factors, including the mother's hormonal stimulation and her baby's reduced crying. Babies who were carried for at least 3 hours a day cried 43% less during the day and 51% less at night.

David: I take it with the reduced crying, babies that are carried in a sling are better behaved, are they also easier to discipline?

Keren: The deeper the connection between parent and child, the easier discipline will be. Wearing your baby in the sling will enhance this connection. Credible research comparing well-connected children with poorly connected children has shown that connected children are more secure, settled, trusting, sociable, considerate, cooperative, willing to share, empathetic, sensitive, positive, adaptable, confident, affectionate, persistent and eager to learn.

David: For parents new to babywearing, what are some recommendations when is comes to purchasing a baby carrier?

Keren: Parents interested in babywearing should purchase a soft, flexible, stretchy baby carrier rather than one of the carriers with bulky padding and a frame. Bulky carriers are often uncomfortable for both the parent and the baby. For the parent, a bulky carrier will cause discomfort to the back and shoulders and for the baby they often they spread the baby’s little legs too far apart. So I would recommend purchasing a sling or some sort of soft fabric carrier that is designed to accommodate a baby’s growth.

The Baby Nest Carrier ™ is the next step in the evolution of babies on the go: as simple as the traditional carrier, it provides better support and more evenly distributes the baby's weight; as sturdy and practical as the modern baby carrier, it is less bulky and keeps you in direct contact with your baby for constant bonding.