The benefits of babywearing

If there’s one thing all babies have in common, it’s that they were born to be carried. After nine months in utero, it’s only natural that your baby will continue to want to be soothed by your movements. Wearing your baby fulfills this need for physical contact and proximity.

But the benefits of babywearing don’t stop there. Research has shown that wearing your baby can have a significant impact on his emotional, intellectual, physiological and neurological development.

Babies who are worn cry less
When you wear your baby, you’re always right there to read and respond to his cues. According to a study conducted in 1986 by a team of pediatricians in Montreal, babies who were worn more cried 43% less overall, and were less fussy.

Babies who are worn learn more
Less time spent fussing and crying means more time in a state of quiet alertness, which is the optimal state for learning. When you wear your baby, it’s natural to talk out loud, sing and ask questions. And because your baby loves listening to your voice, it’s all music to his ears (yes, even if you sing off key). What’s more, every word helps promote communication and speech development.

Babies who are worn adjust better to the outside world
A natural extension of his experience inside the womb, babywearing allows your baby to continue to feel your movements and listen to your heartbeat. This can help regulate and balance your baby’s irregular rhythms, enabling him to better connect with and respond to his environment.

Babies who are worn are more intelligent
Babywearing teaches the brain to make the right connections. When you wear your baby, you intimately involve him in your everyday life. By connecting with you and experiencing what you experience, your baby is able to create models of behaviour that his brain can then file away for future reference.

Babies who are worn can be worn by anyone
Babywearing gives everyone—dads especially—the chance to establish a close physical bond like the one usually reserved for mother and child. Being worn by someone else not only gives you a much-needed break, it gives your baby the chance to experience and learn from other people’s heartbeats and rhythms, like the soothing deep vibrations of his father’s voice.

Whether you’re new the parenting game or a seasoned pro, the benefits of babywearing can help boost your confidence and strengthen the natural bond between parent and child—giving you the opportunity to experience and enjoy all that life has to offer, together.

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