Wearing our babies is a healthy, economic and safe way to move around with our children, above all
if they are very little.
The babywearing
is a philosophy, a “practical” philosophy, as ancient as the man history and it
is absolutely safe if carried out with a bit of common sense!
Hera are some recommendations and advices
for a 100% safe babywearing:
1)
MAKE SURE YOUR BABY
CAN BREATH!!! This
means:
a)
Make sure the face
of your baby is NOT covered at all by the fabric of your sling;
b)
If you are wearing your baby in the “cot” position
(cradle carry), make sure that between
her chin and her chest there are at least two fingers space. The weigh of
the baby’s head on her chest could cause chocking!
2) DO NOT USE A BABY CARRIER IN PHISICAL ACTIVITIES THAT
COULD BE DANGEROUS FOR YOU BABY!!! Even if you feel confident and expert
about babywearing, avoid jumping,
climbing, go up a chair or a ladder, etc.;
also avoid using wraps or slings while cooking or near any kind of fountainhead
3)
DO NOT USE A BABY
CARRIER IN THE CAR
instead of a car seat!
4)
CHECK YOUR BABY
CARRIER BEFORE USING IT (the wearing effect of time could make your baby
carrier less safe)
These are helpful
advices to keep always in mind, aside from your baby’s age. In case you are wearing a newborn, keep extra caution.
Newborn have a high self preservation instinct which
could make us think that, in case of pain or discomfort, they would let us know by crying or complaining. This does NOT
mean that if a newborn is not happy in a baby carrier, he or she will always be
able to let mommy know he or she cannot breath properly or is to tight or just
uncomfortable.
Be always extra
careful when wearing your baby!
Searching the net,
I found a very interesting document that talks about safe babywearing for newborn: Correct positioning, for the safety& comfort of your newborn (if you cannot open it, here is an other article by the same
authoress: Correct Positioning, For the Safety & Comfort of your Newborn). Here is part of
it:
“Often parents
assume that if the baby has difficulty breathing he will fuss or cry. The
majority of infants will protest if they are struggling to breathe; however
newborns, babies born prematurely or infants with low tone or developmental
delays may not communicate their distress. When cradling a newborn in a carrier
it is important to make sure the infant is positioned properly”
POSITION YOUR BABY CORRECTLY IN THE BABY CARRIER if your child cannot
breath properly (breathless, snorts, restlessness, etc..) adjust her
position
Pouch Wraps
You will need to
modify the pouch wrap accordingly to your baby’s weigh and size; usually, the
only adjustment would be adding a
thickness (i.e. a fold towel) inside the pouch, behind your baby’s back (NOT behind her head!) to keep your child
in a higher position and avoid sinking
into the pouch.
Ring Sling
To position
properly your baby in a cradle carry, start from the “tummy to tummy” position
and then move her on the side; your baby should not lie parallel to the edges
of the sling, but diagonally. Her head will be closer to the external edge of
the sling while her legs will be closer to the internal one. This will allow a
more comfortable position for you baby and will avoid the material of the sling
to cover the face of your baby.
Mei Tai
Pull well the
braces so your baby won’t slide down
into the Mei Tai; tie the braces behind your child back to support her better.
Wraps
It is a common
mistake not to stretch well the fabric.
Stretching it properly guarantees the right support for your baby’s back.
To check if your
wrap has been stretched enough, press your hand against your baby’s back, if
she will move forward towards your belly, then the wrap has not been tied
properly.
Those advices are effective
for any kind of baby carrier you chose. Above all thou, just use lots of common
sense and you will be sure you are wearing your baby correctly!
Happy babywearing
everyone … safely of course!!
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