Babywearing Resources: Top picks of the year

As we look back on the passed, and as we look ahead to the future, we thought it might be helpful to share five of our favorite posts from the Onya Baby blog. One of our biggest goals is to provide you with information and resources, safety tips and helpful tricks to make it easier and more comfortable for you to wear your baby. We hope that these posts will be helpful babywearing resources for you in your babywearing journey.

The first three of our top favorite posts on this list were written for us by Dr. Andrew Dodge, DC. We are so grateful to him for sharing his extensive knowledge of both babywearing and chiropractic care with us. We’re also thankful to his wife Nicole, who leads the Valley Babywearing Library in Staunton Virginia, for reaching out to us initially. We love her enthusiasm for and knowledge of all things babywearing.

Benefits of Babywearing vs. Carseat Carrying:

As a chiropractor that treats mostly expectant mothers and children, I see both baby-wearing and car seat carrying parents on a daily basis. I work with several other doctors in a clinic outside of Forth Worth, Texas, and collectively, we see much more car seat carrying than baby-wearing, and we try to discourage our patients from using their car seats outside of the car. Baby seat companies have made it incredibly easy for parents to transport their child in a car seat from house to car to final destination without ever having to move baby. It is such an easy thing to do, and with many families with multiple kids and crazy schedules rushing from here to there, I completely understand and sympathize with parents that choose to carry their kids this way. There are, however, many reasons why both my wife and I, as parents, and my colleagues and I, as doctors, do not recommend this type of baby carrying. We will take a look at why baby wearing is one of the best things you can do for optimal structural, neurological, physiological, and emotional development for baby. (read more…)

Biomechanics of Babywearing:

Part one:

How to wear your baby can be a confusing and, at times, very controversial subject. There are so many different carriers out there and just as many different positions in which to wear your baby. This post will focus on the biomechanics and development of your baby’s spine and hips and the most optimal carriers and positioning for both. It will also touch on physiological and neurological effects that certain positions have on baby’s development. (read more…)

Part two:

In part one, I discussed the proper biomechanics and positioning of baby while being worn. This blog will cover the best and most comfortable ways to wear your baby as a parent. There are so many different types of carriers and so many carriers within those different categories that it would be very difficult for me to touch on each one; so, instead I will talk about a few types of carriers and why they may be more beneficial than others. (read more…)

Can Babywearing Eliminate the Need for Tummy Time?

Do you think babywearing can eliminate the need for tummy time in the prevention and/or cure of positional plagiocephaly (a.k.a., flat-head syndrome)?

In 1994, the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) released its recommendation to parents to put their baby on their backs to sleep. According to the AAP, the recommendation, which became known as the “Back to Sleep” campaign has reduced the incidence of SIDS by 50% since its inception in 1994 (1). While the reduction of SIDS is clearly a positive apparent outcome of the program, there have been some unpleasant side-affects as well. Since the “Back to Sleep” campaign’s inception, the incidence in positional plagiocephaly has risen dramatically ². (read more…)

Find a Local Babywearing Group:

As we know, we’re all built differently, so it can be really helpful to find a place to go where you can find lots of different baby carriers in one library to try on, get the feel of and borrow. It’s also incredibly helpful to talk with babywearing group leaders, who have the knowledge of all the different types of slings, wraps and baby carriers to help you decide which would be right for you and your baby. And, of course, it’s wonderful to find a community of like-minded mommas to just hang out with. But where to find these groups? Well, here’s a handy list with links to all of the regional babywearing groups that we know of, both within North America and internationally. (read more…)

Babywearing Resource Guide:

Babywearing is an excellent way to keep your baby close to your heart while you go about your daily routine. We all have things to do, and wearing your baby in a sling, wrap or baby carrier allows you to keep your hands free without neglecting your baby. But if you’re new to the world of babywearing, or if you’ve been out of the loop between babies, you might have a lot of questions and feel overwhelmed by all your choices. (read more…)