How Does Babywearing Influence Baby’s Development?
I hear a lot of caregivers, especially grandparents and new parents, express concern that children won’t develop properly if they’re carried all the time. Most of us who work with children are familiar with the push for tummy time and how important it is for baby to be able to reach those physical milestones—we all want our babies to reach their full potential! But despite the fact that baby isn’t on the floor, babywearing doesn’t hinder development; in fact, I feel confident in saying it enhances it.
The root of this misunderstanding about babywearing and development comes, I think, from a view of babywearing as a passive activity. When most people think about wearing their babies, they’re picturing those golden newborn snuggles. You know, the days where you pop a crying newborn in a cozy carrier and they snuggle right in and go to sleep…and they sleep A LOT.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a magical part of babywearing. But in reality, the newborn sleepy phase is so short! It really doesn’t take long for baby’s instincts to kick in and urge them to start practicing moving their bodies and getting into new positions. This is generally a time when I will hear people complain that their baby doesn’t want to be worn anymore, or wants to face outward, or needs a different carrier, or or or or or…
It’s confusing for people who’ve only ever heard about the power of babywearing a newborn in that sleepy phase to understand what baby’s up to once they really kick into gear. But if you know what to expect as your baby gets older and approaches those exciting physical milestones, babywearing can be a wonderful way to help your child work on those skills they are interested in!
Babywearing Milestones
Below, I’ll list some of the most common developmental phases that your child will likely go through and how it can affect your babywearing journey. All the time frames given are general guidelines—remember, babies do everything in their own time. If you have any concerns at all about your child’s development, bring it up with your pediatrician at your next well visit!
~6 weeks: Standing reflex
Around this time, most babies will be pretty well uncurled from their fetal position and may start to practice straightening their legs in a standing motion in a carrier. If you haven’t already, this is the time to start carrying them legs out! Otherwise they might just stand up in their carrier.
Some wearers feel frustration with their child while wearing them during this time, because it feels as if baby is constantly straining to straighten their legs instead of just snuggling down for sleep like they used to. Never fear! It’s completely normal and will likely pass in a few weeks as baby adjusts to this new skill.
~2-4 months: Rolling over
This is such an exciting time for you and your baby! Rolling over is a huge achievement for your child, and it takes a LOT of work for them to coordinate and strengthen those muscles. In a carrier, babies around this age will often press strongly against your chest and turn their torsos—many interpret this as baby desiring to face out to the world. While it’s possible baby is trying to see who you’re talking to, usually what they’re actually doing is practicing the push-and-turn movement they need to roll over. Baby is using you as a gym! This is the same thing they do during tummy time on the floor, except without the heavy push of gravity. So if your child is in this phase, don’t be discouraged and think your baby is bored with you—turning them around or taking them out of the carrier robs them of the opportunity to work on this exciting new skill. Usually baby will relax a bit once they get confident in their ability to roll.
~3-5 months: Reach & return
Oh, this one can be frustrating if you don’t know what’s going on! Around this age, many children will flail and lean in increasingly exuberant ways to try to reach for the things around them. If you’re used to a snuggly, sleepy infant while wearing, this can be alarming! But if you know what to expect, you can use this time to help your child perfect the skills needed to lean and reach for an object, then return to an upright position (which they’ll thank you for when they’re sitting on their own!). Encourage baby to reach out with their arms by carrying them with their arms out, leaning your body near a desired object, and then straightening to encourage them to straighten once they get their mitts on it. And keep those sharp knives out of reach!
~4-6 months: Sitting
This one always comes as a bit of a surprise to even seasoned babywearers. While your baby is working on the core strength they need to sit independently, they are actually using a lot of strength while being carried. Once they get the skill down, however, all of a sudden they relax in the carrier again, and man do they feel HEAVY! Think of it as the difference between carrying a 10 lb baby and a 10 lb bag of flour—that flour isn’t doing a thing to help you out, so it feels much heavier!
This is usually the time when babywearers begin to feel that their carrier is no longer comfortable and may want to search for a new one. While you can always try a new carrier, patience and some simple fit adjustments can usually alleviate the strain of baby’s “new” weight. Plus, now that baby is sitting independently, this is also a good time to explore backwearing if you haven’t already, as this can distribute the weight in a way many find more comfortable.
~ 6-9 months: Crawling
Babies and caregivers alike are usually excitedly awaiting this milestone! It’s your child’s first big step toward mobility. At this stage, you may find that your child seems as if they are trying to crawl right out of your arms or over your shoulder when trying to load them into the carrier, both on front and back. This means you will need to take extra care during the process of getting baby in and out, making sure to tune in and pay attention to your child and not get distracted. And be sure to give them plenty of time down on the ground whenever possible so they can practice their newfound independence!
~9+ months: Walking
This is it folks: the big one. Your child’s first steps are a moment of pride and joy for everyone involved—a whole new world of mobility has opened up for them! Usually children who have just mastered walking go through a phase of resisting being carried. And who can blame them?! They’ve got important things to do! This marks a point when your babywearing relationship may change—maybe your child will be worn for short stints when having them walk isn’t practical, or only for naps. Some children come back to wanting to be worn frequently, and some prefer short ups for a while—that’s something you’ll have to work out based on your needs and your child’s personality.
Now that you’re prepared for how your baby’s development can affect your wearing relationship, you can recognize these behaviors for what they are—the wonderful signs of baby growing and achieving their goals.
