Choosing a baby carrier: Proper positioning is essential

When choosing a wrap, sling or soft-structured baby carrier, it’s important to keep your baby’s developing body in mind.

Your baby’s spine begins naturally curved, much like a Fiddlehead fern, and slowly unfurls as s/he develops. Your baby’s hip joints sit in their sockets shallowly and will deepen as your child grows and their legs and hips straighten. There’s a great article with illustrations of a baby’s developing hip joints over at The National Hip Dysplasia Institute, as well some excellent illustrations showing unsupported and supported positioning in a baby carrier.

With your baby’s developing spine and hips in mind, choose a baby carrier that will support your baby’s developing body properly. Please take a look back at this excellent research-based post by Dr. Andrew Dodge for a detailed description about newborn and baby positioning and its importance. He also eloquently describes why babywearing is preferable to carrying your baby around in a car-seat.

When it’s time for you to go shopping for a sling, wrap or soft-structured baby carrier, we hope that this information, as well as Dr. Andrew Dodge’s informative post, will help you choose the carrier that’s best for you.

Whichever type of carrier you choose, know that your baby – and your back – will thank you for choosing a well-designed one.

Happy babywearing!