A baby spends the first nine months of his life inside his mama. Giving baby another nine months outside (but on) mama is a gentle way to introduce him to life outside the womb.
Baby hears mama's heartbeat, feels safe and nurtured, easily develops a strong emotional bond and secure attachment to mama, has a bird's eye view of the world, interacts with others in mama's surroundings, and enjoys an increased amount of quiet alert time. According to the famous pediatrician Dr. Sears, "sling babies" cry less, learn more, are more organized, get "humanized" earlier, and are smarter than non-sling babies.
On the flip side, mama is inherently more available and responsive to baby, and can carry baby comfortably and hands-free. Mama can cook, clean, do laundry, go grocery shopping, take a walk, care for other children, nurse discreetly, and on, and on, and on, all while wearing baby. Baby wearing is especially helpful for mamas of high needs babies (babies who have a greater than normal need to be held and nurse - often virtually nonstop).
My baby is now 18 months and I still wear him throughout the day - when he wants to see what I'm doing in the kitchen, when I want to take a walk or go hiking, when he needs a little extra calm cuddle time, when we're in an area that's not safe for babies, when I think he's getting sleepy... ... ... In fact, his newest word this week is Ergo!
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