May is Pregnancy Awareness Month and with the recent recalls on baby slings, parents and parent-to-be should think hard about getting a baby carrier.
Not only does wearing a carrier help free a parent's hands, experts on babywearing suggest that wearing a baby in carrier eases the process of going back to work for both caregivers and parents. Research has shown other advantages to babywearing that range from reducing infant crying to promoting bonding, helping to soothe colic, encouraging preemies to develop, and possibly reducing the incidence of postpartum depression.
Togetherbe Company Co-founder, Melissa Radcliffe have the following safety tips on how to know if your baby carrier fits correctly:
Mimics the in arms position
When a baby is in a baby carrier, he should be in the same position as when he's being held in your arms. This is the single most important part to any baby carrier. If it is an upright baby carrier, the baby should be snug against your body, high on your chest, and in the same position your arms hold them in. If it is a side laying carrier, the baby should be between your breasts and your belly button, in the same position, and location as when you hold the baby in your arms. If you put the carrier on and let go of your baby and the baby moves away from you, drop downs, or slumps to the side etc, then your carrier is not on correctly.
Close Enough to Kiss
The baby's head should be close enough to you that you can bend down and easily kiss the top of her head. If you cannot bend far enough to reach the baby, then she is too low. If the baby is too low, there is a higher risk of breathing difficulty, and you may feel that the baby is insecure or may fall out of the carrie. Wearing a baby too low will also cause backaches.
Held Tightly
Make sure your carrier is tight enough you and the baby. When you lean over, or to the side, there should be little to no space between you and your baby. If you feel like you need to hold onto your baby to keep him falling out of the baby carrier, it probably needs to be tightened or you need a smaller size. If a baby carrier is too large, when you lean over, your baby will swing away from you. This will make it harder on your back, and will potentially put your baby in an unsafe position.
Eye to eye contact
Your baby's face needs to be visible. His head should not be covered with any fabric. You should be able to look at your baby's entire face when he is in a carrier.
No Back Pain
A carrier should not hurt your back or neck. If this happens then the carrier is not being worn correctly or the carrier is not designed correctly. There are hundreds of baby carriers on the market that can be worn with a baby that is 25+ pounds. Parents who are feeling pressure points or experiencing neck or backaches need to adjust the carrier until it is comfortable or perhaps try different carrier that will work better.
Melissa Radcliffe is the creator of the innovative Peekaru and FreeHand baby carriers.
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