Wearing your baby

Baby-wearing is an art-form which gives your new baby the comfort of nestling against your chest or back, and the benefits of a “grown-up” view. It can also reduce the amount of crying, or lull a difficult napper into a sound sleep. Added to those benefits, wearing your baby can give worn-out arms a bit of a break; and as your baby grows, the right carrier can grow too.

A good basic carrier for parents of newborns is a sling. Slings come in two basic forms, adjustable and pouch. Pouch slings are designed to fit a specific size, and have less room between sizes. Rather than having a tail of fabric to pull through for fit, they are constructed with snaps or buttons, and less fabric. If you are sharing your carrier with someone, consider a more adjustable design. However, a well-fitted pouch can be incredibly comfortable.

An adjustable sling usually consists of a large piece of material, with metal or plastic rings to hold the material at your shoulder. When shopping for a sling, it’s important that you look for something with padding on the shoulder, as your baby will be gaining weight in leaps and bounds as the months progress.

Adjustable slings range from simple material and rings to padded slings with pockets, and prices from $30 to $75. Be aware that more padding can mean less adjustability. If you are sharing your sling, look for something that can be adjusted comfortably for both body types.

A good carrier to have on hand for longer walks and hikes is a backpack. While there are heavy-duty backpacks out there, with metal framing and extra storage pockets, a lightweight, easy to pack around carrier can be surprisingly difficult to come by in a traditional baby store. Online, you can find the Ergo Baby Carrier, which is $85. With good back support, properly padded shoulder straps, and a handy carrying bag, this carrier is a great compact backpack. Suitable for children from five months on and up to 60 pounds, the Ergo keeps your baby snugly on your back, without the awkward center-of-gravity problems that come along with metal frame backpacks. Since getting it I’ve taken my toddler on many long walks, including some hiking up at Denny Creek. It fits my husband equally well, and most importantly, our daughter is always happy when riding in it.

For more information on the benefits of baby-wearing, as well as an enormous amount of good general parenting information, you can look in The Baby Book by Dr. Sears, or online. Both are excellent resources for baby-wearing tips and advice.