Baby wearing safety!

One of my friends got a new wrap and it made me think of some baby wearing safety tips!

First, never use a sling or wrap that is made of a stretchy material. It can give way and not support the baby.
Second, and I see this waaaaaaaaay too often, there is really only ONE position a baby should be carried in while in an infant carrier, and that is facing IN. The baby's legs should always be "froggied" which is when their knees are above the hip. If the baby is worn facing out, it puts too much pressure on the groin and puts baby's hips in an unnatural position. Here is some info a friend of mine posted a while back:

Proper Positioning in any Baby Carrier: Upright Facing In

This positioning applies to any carrier – ring sling, pouch, wrap, mei tai & soft structured (buckle) carriers and to babies of all ages. If the carrier does not allow for this positioning, it is not suitable. Older babies (6 months+) should be carried in this same position on your hip or your back.

We recommend always ensuring that your baby is positioned in your carrier as follows:

Vertically, on your chest, with baby’s bum at or above your navel
Knees above bum, in a frog legged or M position
Spine rounded
Head turned to the side, with baby’s chin well above his chest to avoid closure of the airway

The fabric of the carrier needs to be properly tightened to support your baby in this position. Fabric should be spread from one knee to the other & must not block the baby’s mouth or nose in any way.

You may notice that the manufacturer’s instructions provided with your carrier suggest positioning that does not meet these requirements - forward facing or cradle positions specifically. We recommend against wearing your baby in either of those positions.

Research consistently shows us that when babies are held vertically skin to skin on the parent’s chest, their heart rate, respiratory rate & temperature are stabilised*. Additionally, they cry less, breastfeed more effectively & grow more quickly*. Dr Nils Bergman, a physician & researcher who has extensively studied the immensely beneficial practice of keeping babies in their habitat - vertically, between the mother’s breasts, says: "The baby is in the right place and therefore has the right behaviour."

The cradle & the forward facing positions continue to be taught by some manufacturers & educators, but we recommend you avoid using these positions. They make it difficult to position the baby safely, are ergonomically incorrect for the baby as well as the wearer & appear to contribute to breastfeeding problems.

Babywearing is a wonderful tool that gives babies the minimum they expect - to be carried by their mother. It is also a learned skill that requires a bit of background knowledge to safely perform. Please always be certain that your baby is safely carried, you are always responsible for your baby’s safety.


Babywearing is a wonderful bonding tool, when done correctly! Happy babywearing, friends!

<3



Bibliography used to develop Proper Positioning

-Skin contact (kangaroo care) shortly after birth on the neurobehavioral responses of the term newborn: a randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics 113(4):858-65.
-Tessier R, M Cristo, S Velez, M Giron, JG Ruiz-Palaez, -Y Charpak and N Charpak. (1998) Kangaroo mother care and the bonding hypothesis. Pediatrics 102:e17.
-Anisfeld E, Casper V, Nozyce M, Cunningham N.
(1990) Does infant carrying promote attachment? An experimental study of the effects of increased physical contact on the development of attachment. Child Dev 61:1617-1627.
-Quebec Coroner Jaques Robinson warning as reported in The Globe & Mail, Feb 05 2009
-Bergman, N.J., Linley, L.L, & Fawcus, S.R. (2004). Randomized controlled trial of skin-to-skin contact from birth versus conventional incubator for physiological stabilization in 1200- to 2199-gram newborns. Acta Paediatrica, 93, 779-785.
-Charpak, N., Ruiz-Pelaez, J.G., Figueroa, Z., & Charpak, Y. (1997).
Kangaroo mother versus traditional care for newborn infants <2000
grams: A randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics, 100(4), 682-688.
– Hunziker UA, Garr RG. (1986) Increased carrying reduces infant
crying: A random-ized controlled trial. Pediatrics 77:641-648 -Durand, R., Hodges, S., LaRock, S. Lund, L., Schmid, S. Swick, D., Yates, T., & Perez, A. (1997). The effect of skin-to-skin breast-feeding in the immediate recovery period on newborn thermoregulation and blood glucose values. Neonatal Intensive Care, 10, 23-29.
-Messmer, P.R., Rodriguez, S., Adams, J., Gentry, J.W., Washburn, K., Zabaleta, I., & Abreu, S. (1997). Effect of Kangaroo care on sleep time for neonates. Pediatric Nursing, 23(4), 408-414.
-Christensson, K., Siles, C., Moreno, L., Belaustequi, A., de la Fuente, P., Lagercrantz, H., Puyol, P., & Winberg, J. (1992).
Temperature, metabolic adaptation and crying in healthy full-term newborns cared for skin-to-skin or in a cot. Acta Paediatrica, 81, 488-493.
-Wahlberg, V., Affonso, D., & Persson, B. (1992). A retrospective comparative study using the kangaroo method as a complement to standard incubator care. European Journal of Public Health, 2(1), 34-37.
-Meyer, K., & Anderson, G.C. (1999). Using kangaroo care in a clinical setting with full-term infants having breastfeeding difficulties.
American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing, 24, 190-192.
-Gray, L., Watt, L., & Blass, E.M. (2000). Skin-to-skin contact is analgesic in healthy newborns. Pediatrics, 105, 14.
-Ludington-Hoe, S.M., Lewis, T., Morgan, K., Cong, X., Anderson, L., Reese, S. (2006). Breast-infant temperature synchrony with twins during shared Kangaroo Care. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, 35, 1-9.
-Insel, T.R. (1997). A neurobiological basis of social attachment.
American Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 726-735.
-Carter, S.C. (1998). Neuroendocrine perspectives on social attachment and love. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 23, 779-818.
-Lamb, M.E. (1982). Individual differences in infant sociability:
Their origins and implications for cognitive development. In H.W.
Reese & L. P. Lipsitt (Eds.), Advances in child development and behavior