By: Kyle Lasalita
I’ve only been a dad for a little over two years and I still have a lot of things to learn about parenting. But, one thing that made a massive change in my parenting life is babywearing.
When I first heard about babywearing, I had a weird picture in my mind. All I knew is it was something that a lot of parents are raving about, but I still didn’t understand why. What’s so great about wearing your kids? I mean, isn’t it scary to sling your child in a piece of cloth hoping they don’t slip and fall?
Fast forward to today, and I still can’t believe how babywearing has made our parenting life a breeze and made my child also healthier. My son was prematurely born. In the beginning, we had to do kangaroo care or skin-to skin-care consistently. Wearing him around that time became more natural for us and better for him.
In recent years, we’ve seen a surge of baby carriers in the market because of the increasing demand. Parents are becoming more mobile, life is fast-paced than ever and more than anything else, having two free hands is better than having just one.
Let me share five more ways babywearing has changed our parenting life and how it could change yours too.
We can travel light
Don’t get me wrong; we still carry a couple of bags when we travel. But what’s different now is we don’t have to bring a lot of heavy stuff like a stroller. Yes, some strollers are compact, lightweight and can be folded easily. But the convenience you get from a baby carrier outweighs any of these features.
I often see parents struggling with strollers and trying to squeeze their babies into crowded and narrow places. But for us babywearing parents, we can quickly go anywhere, climb the stairs, and squeeze into densely overcrowded places without any problem.
You’re already carrying so much when you have kids in tow. You don’t want to be restricted by a stroller. Leave the stroller at home and enjoy your freedom when traveling.
It reconnects us after a long day
Nothing compares to coming home after a long work day to your baby and getting them physically close to you. Studies show that a lot of full-time working parents only have an average of 30-minutes of undivided attention during weekdays. Start thinking about how you wish to spend those precious minutes with your kids.
Wearing your baby when you get home helps you get reconnected with them. It’s also one of the best ways to give them your undivided attention. We used to wear our son when we prepare for dinner to get him settled especially after spending some time apart.
Our child cries less
I can’t stand crazy and constant crying. My girlfriend knows this about me, so she told me that wearing the baby helps eliminate those problems quickly. At first, I didn’t believe her and I was thinking that she was only saying that so I wear the baby all the time. But when I tried to do it, I saw a considerable change in our son’s behavior.
Babies that are worn get much more sleep than those that aren’t. They don’t quickly wake up because they are close to your body and you can easily rock them back to sleep. Ultimately, this means that they are less likely to become grumpy.
Most parents plan their chores around babies’ nap time and sometimes finishing anything during this time can prove to be impossible. Babywearing gives you the freedom to move and do things (with care, of course) without worrying about the baby crying. Having a baby should not restrict you from running, you have to plan your way around it.
It boosted our confidence as parents
Parenting is all about being confident and taking some calculated risks. When we had my son, I wasn’t so keen on carrying him because I wasn’t confident with myself. I was scared that I might break him or he might fall when I carry him. Babywearing helped me with that problem because it boosted my confidence in carrying my son.
When you wear your baby, you immediately understand and see their cues which means that you can respond quickly. Take for example a mother who breastfeeds; she can immediately act if the baby needs feeding. Your responsiveness to your child’s needs helps develop their confidence in you which ultimately leads to a stronger parent-child relationship.
It helped us save some money
Baby carriers can be incredibly cheaper than strollers. Yes, there may be strollers that are within the same price range as baby carriers but their safety can sometimes be questionable. We were given a stroller when my son was born, and we sold it just after a few months of use. The main reason was that our son was so used to being worn that he does not feel that comfortable being in a stroller.
You have to understand that a stroller has a lot of moving parts and the most important factor that you need to consider when buying one is durability. An excellent and dependable baby carrier costs a fraction of a stroller, and they are easier to use. You know what’s good about it? We can still use our baby carrier for our future kids. We don’t have to worry about it corroding or getting rusty. It’s inexpensive and handy.
All parents are unique and each of us have our own different styles and techniques. But babywearing has made our parenting journey easier and much more comfortable.
Yes, it can sometimes be tiring to carry your baby around all day but, you only get to experience them this little for a while. Our kids are growing up too fast, and If I were you, I’d have them close to me as much as I can.
My name is Kyle and I’m a father, a writer, and a struggling entrepreneur. I believe that dads are just as awesome as mothers, only cooler. When you don’t see me changing my son’s diapers, you can see me on my blog – Daddy Set Go.