Baby wearing or Baby Carrying is thankfully becoming increasingly popular, as are prams that are parent facing after the baby moves out of the carry cot. It is wonderful to see more and more Baby Care products being made available that truly take into consideration infant physical and emotional development.
For the duration of pregnancy your baby is held securely, supported in the womb, keeping them the perfect temperature; they are fed constantly and never experience the feeling of hunger, they are rocked and soothed and can fall asleep with ease whenever they wish, secure in the knowledge that they are safely held by their mother. And then your newborn is propelled into the outside world, and faced with a sensory overload of light, new sights, new sounds, smells and physical sensations of cold, warm, dry, wet and hard.
It is no wonder new babies cry so often, this extreme change in environment would make many adults anxious.
When your baby is born, they do not know that the environment they live in is safe, they have not yet been socialised to understand they live in a cosy apartment with a parent who will protect and keep them safe. They need to learn to trust this.
As far as your baby is concerned there is the very real risk that a Saber-toothed tiger is lurking outside the cave that you call home. There is only one place that your baby will feel truly safe and that is in the arms of their parents. (And even better they’ll keep you on your feet, don’t get too comfy you need to be ready to run from that Saber-toothed tiger!)
When considering what your baby needs in the first three months, the answer is - to be close to you. To feel the warmth and security of your arms. Your baby needs to feel safe in order to thrive.
This is an exhausting ask though, a near on impossible task for most to hold your baby for 100% of the time.
There is a reason why you never see adverts for second hand bassinets stating “ well loved and used”…. The beautiful wicker bassinet is perhaps the least used baby item out there… It is of course helpful to have a safe space to lay your baby down when you need to put them down, but the notion of happy sleeping babies in bassinets is a bit of a myth.
Most new babies will not abide sleeping for any length of time in the bassinet due to the fear and anxiety of being laid down alone. Even when put down once asleep, your baby knows, they are smart creatures with incredible survival skills and they will call you to let you know the Saber-toothed tiger is coming.
This is why I recommend all new parents to consider looking at purchasing or hiring a baby sling or carrier. Having a sling will enable you to have your baby skin to skin, secure and close to you, and let you have your hands free as well as give your biceps a rest.
There are many styles and types of slings and carriers:
Ring Slings
Wraps
Structured Carriers
Carriers integrated into clothing
Most towns and cities have sling libraries that allow you to hire a sling or carrier so you can get used to and try out different styles and find one that suits your needs.
Some brands that have been recommended by parents include:
Custom Rings Slings - https://ringslingsbyclaire.com/
Beco Gemini https://becobabycarrier.com/collections/beco-gemini
CloseCaboo https://www.closeparent.com/product-info/caboo-babywearing-advice/which-caboo-is-for-you
Lalabu - babywearing clothes https://www.lalabu.com/
There are baby carrying advisors who can help insure your carrier is fitted correctly and give you information on how to dress your baby in the carrier for outdoor weather. I would always recommend finding a carrier that supports your babies back, bottom and hips, allowing them to sit in a frog-like position, supporting under the upper leg. Old style Babybjorn carriers do not do this.
So now you can let me know which is used more in your house during the 4th trimester, the bassinet or the sling?
Most importantly Please remember you can not over hold your baby, over respond to your baby or OVER LOVE your baby. Keeping your baby close to you will help them thrive and it will categorically NOT spoil them.
If you’d like to know more about Saber-toothed Tigers and Baby’s you may also like to follow Infant Neuroscientist Suzanne Zeedyke, and check out her book Saber-Tooth Tigers and Teddy Bears, I really recommend it. http://www.suzannezeedyk.com/
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