Benefits of Babywearing

There are many benefits for both baby and parent in wearing your child in a sling. Some of these are outlined here:

• Wearing your baby helps to regulate their temperature and breathing.

• Slings can help with skin-to-skin contact, which is great for bonding.

• A sling can provide a secure place for baby to rest, with familiar smell and sounds (heart beat, voices, etc).

• Being held upright in a sling can help babies with reflux and colic.

• Keeping a baby close can help with breastfeeding, as it helps to stimulate a mother's hormones, and also allows her to respond quickly to feeding cues.

• Slings hold a newborn at the perfect distance for them to be able to see their parent's face.

• Being carried in a sling rather than spending time lying on their back can help to prevent flat-head syndrome.

• Being worn in a sling allows a baby to explore and learn about the world from a safe place.

• Experiencing all the varied movements of their parent, whilst being worn in a sling, can help to develop a baby's vestibular system.

• Wearing your baby in a sling gives a parent their hands free for other tasks e.g. looking after another child, chores, shopping, etc.

• Babywearing allows parent and child to interact easily, particularly when out and about in a noisy environment, as their faces are so close to each other.

• Slings make it easier to go places that are difficult to go with a pushchair/baby in arms, e.g.walking over rough terrain, public transport, narrow doorways, staircases, etc.

• A sling spreads the weight of child over your entire upper body, making it a lot easier than carrying your child in your arms, reducing the strain on your back and joints.

• Babies have been shown to thrive through touch and the physical contact of a carer.

• Babywearing is something that can be done by either parent, or even grandparents or older siblings.

• Slings allow a new baby to simply become part of your every day life.

• Its great physical exercise for the wearer! You can even join in special sling-exercise/dance classes in different venues around the UK.

Many people discover their own personal advantages of using a sling aswell. Whatever reasons you have for choosing to use a sling, you can rest assured that there are many other advantages aswell! After all, a baby's instinct is to stay close to their parent for survival, and slings allow us to do that whilst still being able to meet the demands of modern life.


Just a few of the things we've found easier with slings over the last couple of years:

Dancing at a wedding.....

.....hill walking.....

.....visiting the Olympics, London 2012.....

.....visiting places on holiday.....

.....and doing the Race for Life!