BabyWearing Institute

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Most parents interested in babywearing are familiar with the benefits of babywearing. Because we are a school providing the best information on babywearing we can find world wide, we are going to add a few benefits that might not be so well known. We do have a list of benefits for baby and the babywearer as part of our curriculum. We hope you'll take the opportunity to join us in class and learn all the research, tying ways, and benefits of babywearing along with lots of other relevant information.

Until 1970 there were only two categories of progeny, the nidicolous animal (staying in the nest) and the nidifucous animal (leaving the place of birth immediately).  Bernhard Hassenstein, a biologist and behaviorist, seeing a need to introduce a term describing a set of young not able to immediately leave the nest but also not able to be left in the nest, coined the new word, parent clinger (Tragling). This describes all offspring not able to function without a caretaker and in need of being in close body contact with their caretaker, usually the mother. The newborn human fits into the category of "parent clinger." The newborn is not able to function immediately after birth nor does the baby feel safe to stay alone in a "nest." Because humans have been migratory for thousands of years, being left alone without body contact, signals to a baby she is being left behind the tribe and in danger of being attacked by predators. The baby will signal, the only way a baby can, by crying to be restored to her feeling of right, being part of the community by being held close to another body. You can feel the reflexes of a baby's hands and legs being straddled around you whenever you turn suddenly. Baby will hold on with her hands and tighten her legs. 

For a baby being close to the persons they know best, mother and father usually, this means

Psychologically

• Feeling of being loved and good (no anxiety of being deserted)
• Feeling of being secure because all needs are met immediately
• The child does not feel anxiety or stress when approached by strangers
• A worn child is usually more respected
• Being able to trust
• Experiencing a gentle way that will later turn into a gentle adult
• Baby learns to be active in life
• Baby is part of a family system, not center of attention
• Human energy exchange
• Enjoys exploring in safe environment (quiet alertness state)

 Physically

• The neural system is stimulated
• The equilibrium sense is stimulated
• All senses are trained
• The metabolism is stimulated
• The digestive system is stimulated
• The brain is stimulated
• Breathing is more regular (no stress)
• The Spine is supported in every developing stage
• The hip joint is supported in its correct position
• Due to shifting the muscles are wonderfully stimulated

 For a mother or father babywearing means:

Psychologically

• Calmer parents
• More confident as parent
• Happier due to the release of the hormone oxytosin
• Therapeutic for those not having had this closeness as baby's themselves
• getting to know every curve, facial expression, and smell of your baby helps us feel the oneness

Physically 

• More time to get things done
• Both hands free
• No need to slow down an active life but lots of room to enjoy the outdoors with the family
• Shopping made easy
• Hands for siblings