Carrying babies close to an adult’s body, as human beings have evolved to do, is vital for normal physiological and psychological development.
However it is not just babies who need the close contact; parents and caregivers also benefit hugely from holding their offspring and interacting with them closely. The same biochemical pathways that help babies and young children to thrive are present in adults too, and families flourish when the needs of all its members are met. Adults need loving contact too; and a child who calms when comforted in arms or a sling provides positive reinforcement that parenting is manageable after all. Many parents find that babywearing can help with low mood and improve their confidence, as well as giving them freedom to get on with their lives in the societal constraints in which they live.
Carrying in arms and in a sling really does make a significant difference to the overall wellbeing and physical and mental health of all members of society, both now and for the future. A society where children’s needs and rights are taken seriously, where knowledge of how to build securely attached children and adults is put into practice, and where the most vulnerable among us are treated with love and kindness, is one in which we would all wish to live. This is why carrying matters; it can change the world around us.
To find out more:
- Positive Effects of Carrying For Baby
- Positive Effects of Carrying For Parents and Carers
- Positive Effects of Carrying For Society
This article was republished with permission from Carrying Matters – Dr Rosie Knowles.
Rosie is a mum of two and a family doctor in the UK with a particular interest in holistic medicine as well as children and women’s health and mental health. She is a passionate advocate of building secure attachment relationships between children and their carers, due to the long lasting effects this has on future health. Her book, “Why Babywearing Matters“, was published by Pinter and Martin in May 2016 and she has written for a wide range of publications. She trains carrying advocates, peer supporters and health professionals.
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As a family we carry out babies and we love it. Some parents are unable to do so or it just isn’t practical for them, but they can still be responsive and nurturing parents that have a lot of contact with their babies. I feel articles can be too narrow in their conclusions or summary of why something works, yes baby wearing is great but it isn’t the only source for your child to get their needs meet, plenty of parents baby wear but may not be in tune with their children and parents that don’t baby wear can be very in tune
I think it’s important not to put everything onto one method of parenting, I’ve seen this happen with co- sleeping, breastfeeding and other parenting methods, I feel it can put a lot of pressure and guilt into families,