While I was pregnant, I joined a lot of pregnancy and parenting forums and came across a lot of terms being banded around that I was completely unfamiliar with.
"Cloth Bums", "Controlled Crying" and "Baby Led Weaning" to name but a few...
Truth be told, I have yet to really look much further into any of these things as of yet - but one term I saw being used a lot was "Baby Wearing".
Now this one I didn't really need to read up on - it was pretty self-explanatory!
Baby Wearing is the practice of using a carrier or sling to "wear" your baby on your body rather than simply carry it.
Baby Wearing has, of course, been practiced for centuries all around the world - but has become very on-trend with modern mamas in western society in recent years as more and more parents are leaning toward the principles of "Attachment Parenting".
The Benefits of Baby Wearing include:
*Increased physical contact between mother & child leading to a closer maternal bond, easier breast feeding and generally better care therefore lowering the chances of post partum depression.*Increased physical contact between father & child leading to a closer paternal bond*Parental rhythms are shown to have a soothing and calming effect on a baby - leading to a calmer baby*Decreased risk of "Flat Head Syndrome" - which can be caused by babies spending a prolonged time laying in a cot, chair or car seat.*Practicality - Babywearing means you have your child close to you but you have both hands free - meaning you have the freedom to carry out household tasks, etc.
So - after reading all of this while I was pregnant - why was I not convinced by the idea of baby wearing?!
To be honest, it just didn't appeal to me. I tend to get quite irked by the current trend of Au Naturel parenting (fair enough if thats your thing, its your choice - but I dislike the preachiness and holier-than-thou attitude associated with it) and in my eyes, baby wearing was just another aspect of this.
I couldn't imagine anything I wanted to become less as a parent than a Trendy Hippy playing whale song as lullabies in between recitals from my wind flutes, whilst nursing my child - still attached to his placenta until his umbilical cord drops off naturally. (Again - fair enough if this is your bag, to each their own - its just not for me!)
I also worried that spending a lot of time with the baby so close to me would result in a very spoiled baby who would squawk away as soon as he was put down.
But once Tyne arrived, and we had discovered that a pram isn't always practical when going for days out in crowded places etc - I did start to wonder if perhaps we should give the whole baby wearing thing some more consideration.
So when I was asked to trial the Baby Bjorn miracle carrier - I was only too happy to give it a try.
I must say that I did remain skeptical but I tried my best to go into it with an open mind....
When the BabyBjorn Miracle Carrier arrived I have to admit - I took one look at it and thought it looked massively confusing!I practically threw the carrier and its instructions at my partner and told him to figure it out.
To my surprise, he had a quick flick through the instructions - clipped a few things into place and before I knew it - this had happened:
Yep - within minutes Tyne was all strapped in and ready to go! And he seemed to be loving it!We decided to give the carrier its first run out on a shopping trip to Kiddicare - I hate having to get the pram out just for a five minute shopping trip, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try the carrier.
Once again, I allowed Jon to take the lead - still a bit weary about the whole thing - and again, within seconds he had the carrier on with baby inside - ready and raring to go!
Tyne seemed to be very happy and content in the carrier. He likes having a good look around and being able to look up at Daddy too - Jon had his hands free to browse around, but Tyne felt perfectly secure. Within a few minutes Tyne had dropped off to sleep in the carrier - which only goes to show that he must find it comfortable!When we were paying for our goods, the cashier girls commented on how snug he looked and what a good idea the baby carriers are.
The next time we went out with the carrier, I decided to bite the bullet and give it a try myself.
I was amazed at how easy it was to adjust! You simply clip it around your waist, unclip the top while you slide the baby in and put his legs through the holes provided, then re-clip the top and adjust if necessary - and thats it! You're good to go!
I was also shocked by how secure it felt - I worried that I would feel the need to hold on to Tyne but I could tell he was held safely in position so I didn't need to cling on to him. I found the carrier very comfortable to wear - in fact I barely noticed it was there!!
So what are the benefits of the BabyBjorn Miracle Carrier?
*You can adjust the waist belt to transfer the weight of the baby to your hips to relieve your back and shoulders*The carrier can be used from birth until approximately 15 months*Adjustable head support*Available in either cotton mix, organic cotton or breathable mesh - all fabric used is suitable for sensitive skin and is extra soft.*Available in a range of colours
To see how easy the carrier is to wear and adjust, have a look at this video:
All in all, I am surprised to say - I have definitely been converted to baby wearing!I love using the Baby Carrier and regularly "Baby Wear" both around the house and on any outing where we feel the pram might get in the way.
Tyne & I give the BabyBjorn Miracle Carrier our Stamp Of Approval!
The BabyBjorn Miracle Carrier is priced at £114.99 for the cotton mix, and £124.99 for the organic cotton and mesh.You can purchase the Miracle Carrier from www.BabyBjorn.co.uk or click HERE to locate your nearest stockist.
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