Babywearing Safely - Introduction

*This is Part 1 of a series.

I am not a babywearing expert nor I claim to be.  I'd rather call myself as a babywearing enthusiast.  I have my own collection of carriers all purchased [thank you Black Friday!] except for the following given to me: Ring Sling from Jen, Ring Sling from Jonie, Ring Sling from Clarice and Abie, Ruxpin Hybrid and MeiTai from Buding.

my collection: Peanut Shell adjustable pouch, Next9 ring sling, Ruxpin Hybrid,  shower sling, Maya wrap, Mamaway ring sling,  Moby wrap, Blissfulbabes Pouch, Saya carrier, BabyHawk Meitai, Olives&Applesauce Soft structured carrier, Patapum Toddler Carrier, Ruxpin Meitai and Hotslings Adjustable pouch

My interest with babywearing started with N, who is now 4 years old.  S and I started wearing her at about 6 months in a Baby Bjorn, (gasp! what was I thinking?! I hadn't researched well at that time) and eventually in a pouch and Saya (a hybrid carrier).  I am now babywearing E (who is turning 4 months on April 21) in a ring sling.  Meanwhile, S babywears E in his soft structured carrier.  I am transitioning E into our other carriers like the meitai and Ruxpin hybrid.

This series of posts is a result of my online research (thank you Ma'am Ampy for the research skills) and email correspondence with Steffany Kerr, founder and President of Babywearing International of Kansas City and a certified Babywearing Instructor.  I have also inputted some information obtained from a consultation with  Hosanna Camacho, a pediatric physical therapist, who I was able to meet thanks to Jen of Next9 Baby.

As an enthusiast, I had been organizing meet-ups since early 2011 but my interest in babywearing correctly and safely was piqued by this article written by Steffany for the Natural Parents Network.  Next9 Baby and I are trying to bring a babywearing educator to the Philippines but high costs and lack of interested participants have caused us to temporarily shelve this project.

In the meantime, I have decided to compile the resources I obtained so I can easily access them when necessary. I hope readers will find this compilation useful.

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Babywearing is becoming more and more popular in the Philippines - and the list of locally made baby carriers is growing!! However, as with all products, safety issues have also cropped up. I put my legal research skills to good use and found several excellent resources on babywearing safety. Babywearing is fun and easy but needs to be done properly for it to be safe.  My purpose in writing this series is to to inform, educate and compile the various resources available on babywearing safety.

The major concern that parents usually have with babywearing is that their babies might become bowlegged.  If you check the physiological position of babies, spine is curved, limbs closed together and elbows/knees bent.  Babies' legs are not straightened out [as is the desire of some parents to prevent babies from being bowlegged].  Proper babywearing actually responds to this as the goal is to keep the babies in their physiological position, even while wearing them.  In fact, in an interview with Hosanna Camacho, a pediatric physical therapist, she emphasizes that what is dangerous is for parents to try to "straighten" their babies' legs and try to exercise them by going forward and backward. 

So tell those naysayers that babywearing won't cause your baby to be bowlegged! More on babywearing myths in a future post!  Next part of the series will be up next Thursday.

Update:  Next9 Baby previously wrote a post about the STICK rule of babywearing.  Read about it HERE.
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Babywearing Safely: Introduction
Part 1 - Why Cradle Carry is discouraged
Part 2 - Front Facing, Front Carry?
Part 3 - Legs Out Position