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Babywearing and Carrying: Not all carriers are created equal!

by Lauren Feder, M.D. (from her upcoming book, Natural Baby and Childcare)

The use of handmade devices to carry a baby is as old as parenting itself. In many cultures, babies are strapped onto parents, allowing parents to keep their baby safe and warm while they work, cook, or walk. Similar to the concept of swaddling, wearing and carrying your baby in a sling simulates the feeling of being nestled in the womb and replicates the natural motions experienced for nine months in utero. Many child care experts talk about the eighteen-month gestational period-nine months in the womb and nine months without-and the swaddling and carrying of your baby is effective in providing just this kind of extended womb experience. And baby carrying offers benefits to parents and infants alike: studies have shown that infants who are frequently carried cry and fuss 43% less than babies who are kept in a stroller or crib. In cultures that practice natural child-rearing, most mothers or caregivers carry babies for months before their little feet literally touch the ground. Many parents here, on the other hand, worry that wearing their baby consistently will be an impediment. Often, however, quite the opposite proves true. Newborns worn in a sling are often quiet and unobtrusive company. When Étienne was six weeks old, we were at a friend's party in a restaurant and I was wearing Étienne in the sling. One of the guests exclaimed that she did not realize there was a baby in there until she saw a little hand emerge.

Upright Baby Carriers
Not all carriers are created equal. Nowadays, I see more parents "wearing" their baby; however, many are using upright baby carriers, or harness. You may be surprised to learn upright carriers can be harmful to your baby's spine, leading to back problems. Your baby is born with two normal curves: middle back and base. (The adult spine has four normal curves: neck (cervical spine), middle back (thoracic spine), lower back (lumbar spine), and base (sacrum).) In the popular upright carrier, in which your baby is harnessed with her legs dangling from either side, her body weight is being held in her pelvis at the base of the spine.

As with baby walkers and jumpers, the upright infant carrier places your baby in a position where the spines bears all of her weight, a posture your baby is not physically ready to handle. This can influence her back development, and according to chiropractor Rochelle L. Casses, sometimes "cause[s] spondylolisthesis (a painful back condition in which the vertebra of the lower back slips out of place). In addition, it places baby's legs in a bowlegged position, and can hinder circulation." The upright vertical carrier can also lead to a whiplash type of injury in the neck if used before a baby has proper head control. Moreover, the front carriers do not allow for a baby to change position. Given the risk of lower back conditions, I strongly urge you to avoid the upright infant carriers, as well as baby walkers and jumpers that place the weight on the base of the spine.

The Sling
My preference for carrying a baby is a sling, used by families for centuries, which allows baby to be held in many different positions (worn front or back of the parent, and baby can be facing out or in) and makes it easy to take her in and out with minimal disturbance, especially if sleeping. The baby is comfortably confined in a horizontal or inclined position, and as she matures (around five months), will be ready to begin sitting up in the sling, preferably in a cross-legged position, which helps disperse the weight throughout the legs. The sling can be used up to toddler age.

For infants, the sling is recommended for its versatility and ability to accommodate your infant in a position that is natural for her . Babies who are carried are more involved in the family life, as they are right there in the middle of all the action. Carrying a baby also promotes breastfeeding and bonding.

Just be careful when wearing your baby in a sling. Try to avoid walking through narrow places. Do not drink hot beverages when wearing your baby.

The Backpack
From the time our babies were older and sitting up, we ventured out on hikes with them in tow in the backpack. I even used it around the house, as I found it a comfortable way to keep my sons close while I did other things. The backpack, constructed with a metal frame for support, is different than an infant carrier. Before you use it, your baby needs to have adequate head control and should be able to sit up unsupported. Typically, you can begin using a backpack when your baby is approximately six months old and can continue until she is about four years old (or when she is around 40-45 lbs). Our backpack lasted through both of our children. Limitations to the backpack include a lack of eye contact with your child and the fact that your child will only be able to sit in one position.

Backpacks come in all shapes, sizes, and prices, and many can accommodate different toddler weights.

Be sure to try it on for comfort before you buy one, if possible with your child in it. My husband is nearly a foot taller than I, but we managed to find a frame that was equally comfortable for both of us.

I preferred one with padded straps at the shoulder and waist.

Book of the Month February 2008

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