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Peaceful Parenting
Babywearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby or child in a sling, a wrap or other form of carrier for a substantial part of the day. The constant motion and touch has beneficial effects on the neurological and emotional development of the baby. Babywearing is an instinctive parenting style, as old as parenting itself. In much of the rest of the world, babies are and always have been carried or worn in a sling all day until they could walk. In industrialized western cultures, parents have been conditioned to believe that picking up and holding your child too much would "spoil" the child and discourage independence Modern research reveals quite the opposite: babies who are held and carried all the time and have their need for touch met in their first year do not become clingy and overly dependent. They cry much less and they grow to become happier, more intelligent, more independent, more loving and more social than babies who spend much of their infancy in infant seats, swings, cribs, and all the other plastic baby-holding devices that don't provide babies with human contact. The physical and psychological benefits associated with baby wearing encourage children to feel secure and content and build a solid sense of self-esteem. Babies feel safe when their needs for food, warmth and touch are met; and when they are within close proximity to their trusted parent or care-provider.
“It is especially necessary for the parental generation of the human species to fully understand what the immaturity of its infants really signifies: that the infant is still continuing its gestation period, passing from uterogestation to exterogestation. Among the most important of the newborn infant’s needs are the signals it receives through the skin, the first medium of communication with the outside world.” By Ashley Montagu
Ashley Montague, who was an anthropologist, scientist, and humanist, talked about the eighteen-month gestational period: nine months in the womb and nine months without. That is, the newborn actually needs at least another nine to ten months of “womb” environment outside of the womb to mature. This is a period of time that Dr. Montagu designates as being the exterogestation. It is also around this age that the infant begins to crawl around and is capable of mobility independent of the mother. This period of exterogestation requires the constant care of a loving and nurturing human being who can learn to respond appropriately and quickly to the newborn’s many needs. When a helpless infant needs assistance, be it in the form of cuddling, nourishment, or warmth, it is crucial that a human being respond to that need with affection and loving interaction.
As a pediatrician with more than 30 years of clinical experience I can fully support the concept of carrying. Despite opponents of carrying who occasionally warn about damage to the spine, compression of the body and various orthopedic problems, I have never seen any healthy child that has been carried from the very beginning which developed a hip dysplasia or scoliosis. I have, however, seen many "back to sleep” babies (who lie on their backs based on the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to decrease the risk of SIDS.) who have deformed skulls (flattened on the back, called plagiocephaly). None of the babywearing positions require infants to lie supine while being carried. Infants can even be worn while they sleep, so babywearing presents a more natural form of SIDS prevention. It is true that proper position in the carrier is important for the infant's hip, pelvis and spine growth. The carrier must avoid putting all of a baby's weight on a narrow band of fabric at the crotch. Soft carriers such as the ERGO appropriately disperse most of the infant's weight between the hips and thighs, holding the baby in the correct sitting position on a wide base of support for the baby’s bottom. This allows for normal development of the hips, pelvis and spine.
There are so many baby carriers available on the market today it can be quite confusing for parents to decide on one particular type. Some important issues are that the carrier design offers various carrying positions for the baby and the wearer (front, sides and back), and that the child’s growth and postural development are accommodated.
Front/back babycarriers are made for simple front or back carry. They are worn over both shoulders, thus distributing the weight of the baby. Only front carrying is suitable for newborns.
Soft carriers are easy to use and can come in a selection of beautiful fabrics and designs. These are usually the ones that modern western parents most associate with baby carriers. They are lighter and more secure than a hard-frame baby backpack. More structured ones may have buckles and padded straps as well as shaped sitting/baby carrying part. It is possible to breastfeed in front positions. Soft carriers distribute weight well, so they are comfortable for the older child. An example of soft structured carrier is ERGO. The ERGO enables parents to purchase one carrier for all their needs from infant to toddler and it can be worn on the front, back and hip positions. It is comfortable, ergonomically designed for a growing baby, light and easy to use, adjustable to fit any size adult and any size baby or toddler, and it allows the baby to nurse as well as sleep comfortably while in it. The ERGO was specifically designed to support Attachment Parenting International's Ideals of Baby Wearing:
- Babywearing helps satisfy the baby's need for closeness, touch and affection.
- Babywearing promotes and strengthens parent's emotional bond with their baby.
- The movement that naturally results from carrying your baby stimulates their neurological development.
- Babies cry less when worn or held.
- Holding helps regulate their temperature and heart rate.
- Baby feels more secure. Babywearing facilitates easy outings and travel.
Peaceful parenting for a peaceful world is a choice that every parent can make. Babies who consistently receive physical contact and emotional security are more likely to act with compassion and kindness towards others as they grow and mature.
Susan Markel, M.D.
www.AttachmentParentingDoctor.com
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