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Neck support with a baby carrier
Dear Dr. Markel,
I'm from Vancouver, Canada but living in St. Petersburg, Russia. My wife and I had a baby girl on May 22nd and we have begun using an Ergo Baby Carrier with the Infant Insert. Our baby likes the carrier and sleeps most of the time when we are out for a walk. Unfortunately some doctors here have told us it's bad for our baby daughter's neck and spine. Is this true? Is our daughter too young to be carried in an Ergo Baby Carrier with Infant Insert?
Our daughter was born with a small neck problem because she was tall and there wasn't enough room in my wife's womb. She has been wearing a neck brace since May 22nd and the doctor recommended that she wear it for two months. We've have also had a massage therapist come to our home for the past two weeks to give our baby ten sessions of massage.
We have a Maya Wrap sling too but it's difficult to use and we've had no success with it.
Please let us know as soon as possible because we're worried about our daughter's health.
Thank you.
I'm from Vancouver, Canada but living in St. Petersburg, Russia. My wife and I had a baby girl on May 22nd and we have begun using an Ergo Baby Carrier with the Infant Insert. Our baby likes the carrier and sleeps most of the time when we are out for a walk. Unfortunately some doctors here have told us it's bad for our baby daughter's neck and spine. Is this true? Is our daughter too young to be carried in an Ergo Baby Carrier with Infant Insert?
Our daughter was born with a small neck problem because she was tall and there wasn't enough room in my wife's womb. She has been wearing a neck brace since May 22nd and the doctor recommended that she wear it for two months. We've have also had a massage therapist come to our home for the past two weeks to give our baby ten sessions of massage.
We have a Maya Wrap sling too but it's difficult to use and we've had no success with it.
Please let us know as soon as possible because we're worried about our daughter's health.
Thank you.
St. Petersburg,
The ERGO carrier, by providing excellent support for your daughter's head and neck, will help her to develop her neck muscles properly. Rather than constraining mobility, as would be the case with plastic type carriers and seats, the ERGO carrier encourages her to look around, thus loosening up the tight muscles. In that respect, I am not sure about the value of the neck brace, although I cannot advise you on that specific issue. Passive motion exercises, where you gently stretch the muscles that are tight, is probably being done by the massage therapist, and you can do that yourself as well.
Regarding the spine, as long as she is positioned properly, babywearing encourages proper growth and development of her hip, pelvis and spine by providing excellent support for hips, legs and back. So despite what you have been told, you need not have concerns about that.
The ERGO carrier, by providing excellent support for your daughter's head and neck, will help her to develop her neck muscles properly. Rather than constraining mobility, as would be the case with plastic type carriers and seats, the ERGO carrier encourages her to look around, thus loosening up the tight muscles. In that respect, I am not sure about the value of the neck brace, although I cannot advise you on that specific issue. Passive motion exercises, where you gently stretch the muscles that are tight, is probably being done by the massage therapist, and you can do that yourself as well.
Regarding the spine, as long as she is positioned properly, babywearing encourages proper growth and development of her hip, pelvis and spine by providing excellent support for hips, legs and back. So despite what you have been told, you need not have concerns about that.
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