I am a big fan of babywearing. I do believe that infants thrive on touch and close contact, and wearing a baby in a carrier truly helps a baby feel comfortable, safe, and secure. I have had babies that cried and needed held all day long, so carrying my baby in a carrier really helped keep my hands free and gave me the chance to get things done around the house. It also helped my little ones feel close to me, so they were able to sleep better and stay content.
I have had a lot of obstacles with my OCD and close contact with other people, and I also think that babywearing has helped me a lot during the times when my little ones really needed me.
I wanted to start a series that explains the types of carriers there are and my top recommendations for which brand is best. My recommendations are based on my own opinions, experiences, and research. What works for one mom or dad may not work for another, so I do encourage parents to try out several different carriers to find what works best for them.
I will start the series by going through the different types of carriers, such as mei tais, soft structured carriers, rings slings, wraps, and pouches. I will also cover what carriers not to buy, as some are actually potentially dangerous for your baby. Safety is important when using a carrier, so I will also cover tips on how to wear a baby safely.
For now, I want to start out by offering some resources for parents that may be interested in babywearing. There are plenty of wonderful sites on the Internet where babywearers can find support and ask for advice.
The Babywearer - This site offers wealth of information. I started my babywearing journey by visiting this site, and I received so much information and plenty of advice and tips. They have vendor and product reviews, so you can look up the brand of carrier you want to buy before you buy it, then see what other people thought about it. They also have a forum, with plenty of wonderful parents that are there to share advice. Make sure to check out the forum and look for babywearers near you, so you can find meetup groups to find play dates for your children, test out new carriers, ask questions, and make some new friends.
Slingbabies - This is a wonderful site for all babywearers, but they do have groups that meet in New Zealand. One of the best articles on the site covers the correct positioning of a baby in a carrier, which is a must read for those new to babywearing.
Babywearing International - This site has articles on babywearing safety and how to choose a baby carrier. They also have a page where you can find BWI Chapters throughout the US.
Are there styles of carriers you would like me to include? Is there any information you would like to know more about?
