Slow Motherhood Challenge: Celebrate Babywearing Week
It’s International Babywearing Week, so this month’s Slow Motherhood Challenge is to Celebrate Babywearing. This week and every week after. Because babywearing has so many benefits to both mama and baby, from the practical – (yes, you can vacuum and get your toddler dressed!) to the physiological (it soothes the baby and relaxes the mother), to the emotional (oh, those baby snuggles).
This year, International Babywearing Week is from September 30 – October 9. It is a week-long opportunity to promote, advocate for, focus media attention on the benefits of, and celebrate babywearing. So, my slow motherhood challenge for October is to celebrate Babywearing Week.
Benefits of Babywearing
Anyone who has fallen in love with babywearing the way we have will tell you the benefits.
oh my! It feels so good. I love having their little heads so close I can smell them and snuggle all day long. You can actually get stuff done around the house when you wear your little ones! And, wearing a baby also allows you to have two hands available for your older children (or your glass of wine!).
But, aside from the practical benefits, there are 23 science-backed benefits to babywearing (WetheParents.org has a great infographic that is worth the click):
- Baby cries less, are less fussy, and are physiologically calmed
- Secure mother-baby attachment
- Makes mother more responsive to baby
- Improves breastfeeding rates (also, if you can, gives you a way to hand-free breastfeed if necessary!)
- Relaxes the mother
- Eases transition into the world
- Aids in baby’s digestion
- Reduces risk of flat head
- May increase mothers’ resilience and parental confidence (I believe babywearing was a big help in developing my confidence).
If you have a little one (or are expecting one soon!), I invite you to celebrate babywearing this week and every week.
Ways to Celebrate Babywearing Week:
- Family Adventures! One of the biggest joys we’ve had is hiking and otherwise enjoying the outdoors. This is one of the best ways to celebrate babywearing week. When we wear our babies, we are more confident and more able to get outside and go on family adventures. With no clunky stroller and free hands to help a toddler maneuver and play, there is no better way to get outside with your little ones.
- Cozy snuggles. The best part of babywearing!
- Work. Yep, babywearing has been the key to bringing my little ones to work, especially when they were infants. If I knew I had to be out of the house longer than a few hours and wanted to feed them while I was working.
- Household responsibilities. Yes, I realize that vacuuming isn’t exactly a way to celebrate, but celebrate that you can do it, while snuggling your little one right to sleep!
- Relax. Put on your baby, put your feet up, pour yourself a glass of wine (with your two free hands) and relax. For at least a few minutes. You certainly deserve it.
How will you celebrate Babywearing Week?
I know we are ending our babywearing season. As I write this, I feel a little break in my heart. We have had almost four years of wonderful babywearing, and I will miss the closeness so dearly. But, I will cherish these babywearing days and memories.
