Why Wear Your Baby?

   Whether you use a sling-style carrier for a young infant, or an upright carrier for an older baby or toddler, wearing your baby is a great way to bond with your child.

   Young babies cry less when carried. Being close to mother calms and soothes the baby, decreasing the level of stress hormones in his body. This helps him digest food better and sleep better.

    Wearing your baby helps you to be aware of his needs. And as the baby grows, he can explore the world around him from a safe, secure place. Being carried helps to develop a baby's motor skills, sense of balance, and cognitive learning.

   Carrying your baby will also benefit you. A comfortable sling or upright carrier involves far less strain on your body than arm carrying, so you can enjoy your baby longer. Grandparents and others with reduced arm strength can also hold baby close. And a carrier allows you to keep both hands free as you go through your day. You can have the best of both worlds: accomplish your daily tasks while nestling your child close!

A recent medical study at Columbia University compared a group of mothers who carried their babies in plastic infant seats with another set who used baby carriers. At the end of the year-long study, the investigators concluded that babies carried close to their mother's bodies in the first year of life showed a significant increase in bonding and emotional health over those carried in infant seats.