The Morning Show (with Liza Fromer): babywearing recap

Thanks to those of you who tuned in to The Morning Show with Liza Fromer on Global TV this morning! What a fun segment, talking about one of my favourite things: babywearing.

Check out the segment, followed by some more information about babywearing and each of the carriers I featured today – including how much they cost in Canada and where to buy them.

Now, a bit more about the importance of babywearing…

• Studies show that babies are born too early (thanks to our big noggins) and need to be carried for an extra nine months outside the womb; this is called EXTEROGESTATION
• BOBA has an excellent exterogestation study posted that’s worth a read if you want to know more about the science-y stuff
• Most primate infants are carried wherever they go. Human babies don’t have the strength to cling, so using a wrap, sling or carrier – versus a stroller – is the next best thing
• Carriers keep your baby warm and close; she’ll be able to hear your heartbeat and feel you breathing. You can also simply get on with the things you need to do in a given day (sweep, cook, run after an older sibling), and it’s a great way for Dad to get involved in baby-care
• This site lists many different benefits of babywearing, including:
• Carried children are neurologically different than children who are not carried
• Anthropologists are unanamous; baby carriers are the first tools ever invented by man. Before the hammer, fire or wheel
• Until about nine months of extra-uterine life, human babies believes they’re a physical part of their mothers
• A child who has been carried will have higher I.Q., greater immunity, better digestion, fewer skin problems, fewer colic-y symptoms, greater memorization and learning capacities, better frustration tolerance, better integration capacities and more creativity
• On average, children who are carried walk earlier (true for The K Man and a big, fat NO for Miss Q!)
• One study showed a 48 per cent reduction in daytime crying and a 51 per cent reduction in nighttime crying with continued carrying
• Average crying in carrying societies is five minutes a day. Average crying in North America is two hours per day!

And, remember:

• Babywearing isn’t just for moms
• Babywearing isn’t just for babies, either – toddlers and preschoolers who get tired easily (at the mall, at the zoo, etc.) also benefit from being carried
• Many people using dangling-from-the-crotch-style carriers probably don’t know that facing baby OUTWARDS is actually terrible for spinal development and can cause hip dysplasia
• In many baby-carrying cultures, “colic” doesn’t exist

Some of my favourite carriers:

• Bamboo & organic cotton monkeywrap; 100 per cent made in Canada, this is a one-piece wrap that’s my favourite for newborns through five months (although it could certainly be used throughout the entire first year). It acts like a second skin – you can wear it all day and pop baby in and out as much as you need to. Retails for about $80, and you can buy it directly through Monkeywear

• Koala Pouch; handmade in Canada in some cases with Canadian-sourced fabrics, this is a sling that’s got padding for baby’s legs and a little snap to which you could attach a toy or pacifier tether. Beautifully made! Be sure to check the sizing guide before you order. Find out where to buy a Koala Pouch here; it retails for about $75

• I just love the Serene Sling story – a 90-year-old Japanese widower, who’d worked in the knitting industry for 50 years, met a family at a restaurant and watched as the mother struggled to get her baby in and out of her carrier. Designed in part with Dr. Sears, this Oeko-tex Standard 100-certified organic knit sling is versatile and comfortable. Prices range from $150-185 depending on the colour/pattern and you can order them directly from Serene Sling (a $10 shipping charge is added)

• Hotslings adjustable sling; represents the standard “sling” category but is adjustable, so one size fits most in just two regular or large size options. Organic fabrics are available. Regularly retailing for $65 to $75, Pookababy has a few colours/patterns on sale right now. Gorgeousbaby also has a great selection of Hotslings

• The Balboa Baby Adjustable Sling is what I’d call a “ring sling” and that means you can only order one size and it will fit just about anyone. It’s 100 per cent cotton, so unlike the other pouches and slings above, it doesn’t have any stretch to it, but the ring means you can get a very customized fit for you and your baby. It retails for $68.99 and you can buy it here

• The Dad favourite is the ergobaby Original Carrier; with lots of room for Dad’s broad shoulders and larger waist, the ergobaby is one of the world’s favourite soft-structured carriers for good reason. Holds up to 45 pounds, so even an average four-year-old kid can get strapped on to mom or dad’s back! Retails for about $125, and can be purchased at many Canadian stores, including Barla Banana, bynature.ca and lussobaby, to name a few. An organic option is also available! Don’t forget to get some ergobaby Organic Teething Pads ($19.50 at Evymama) and a ergobaby Travel Pouch ($21.99 at SnuggleBugz), too – both of which can work with similar carriers

• I just love my BOBA 3G! Good from birth through to 45 pounds without an infant insert, this is a grow-with-your-baby soft-structured carrier. Features a detachable hood and footstraps. It comes in some of the prettiest designs, too. Buy one for about $140 at Baby on the Breast, Belly Laughs or Ava’s Apple Tree. Organic fabrics are also available. An absolute must-have is the BOBA Stuff Sack, which you can get at Belly Button Baby for $17.95

What’s YOUR favourite baby carrier and what do you love most about it?