Babywearing and baby’s age

When is the best time to start babywearing? The earlier, the better! You can start wearing your baby from the very first day after birth, as long as there is no serious health problem. (In that case it is best to discuss it first with your doctor or physiotherapist.)

And when our children are tiny babies, that is exactly when they most need to be on us all the time. When we place newborns in cloth baby carriers (ring slings, pouches, mei tais, wraps), it is as if we are, in a way, “recreating” pregnancy. Babies feel our body, hear our heart, sense the warmth of our body, our breath, our voice, our movement… just as when they were in mummy’s tummy.

That is why these carriers are ideal for newborns!

read more: What you can do together with your newborn baby!

Of course! A baby who goes on their first “outings” in a carrier up to the age of 2–3 months will love babywearing! In some cases, with babies older than 4–5 months, you may need to give your baby the chance to adjust. After 6–7 months it may be harder to start for the first time; it depends on the child, on their personality, on how much they want to be held, on how comfortable you feel while wearing them, and on what you do together. If you are using a baby carrier for the first time with a baby older than 6 months, make sure your baby is well-rested, changed and fed, and it is a good idea to do something enjoyable together right after you put them on, such as a walk outside! All babies prefer movement, so start walking once you have put them on; they will surely enjoy it much more than watching you sit at your computer!

read more: What does a baby see from the stroller when you go for a walk?

You can wear your baby for as long as you both enjoy it! For as long as you need to have your child in your arms and, at the same time, keep your hands free.

Weight is not an issue: all proper slings are made in such a way that they can hold many kilos more than a 2- or even 3-year-old usually weighs. (How many kilos can you manage to lift? Most parents I know stop feeling comfortable once the child is over about 15–18 kg. It depends on your stamina, on how cooperative the child is, on the type of sling you use, and on the “motivation” you have!)

Baby carriers (slings) can usually hold more weight than the parents can! So in the end the question is how much we, and our children, want them to be held. If you have a baby who does not walk yet, you will probably agree that, at least for that period, the answer is almost constantly…

But even later on, it seems that children, even after they start walking, often need our arms for a long time. There are many occasions when parents go somewhere on foot and the child says “Mummy, I’m tired, I want to be held”. When they take the child to church for communion and hold them the whole time. When they are watching something (say a christening, or an event) and the child wants to be held in order to see. When they need to go somewhere a stroller cannot reach and the ground is not suitable for… little feet (in the snow, at the Acropolis, on streets full of rainwater). When they go somewhere with the child and have to wait in line for a long time. When they are somewhere very crowded and worry that, if their little child is down on the ground, they will get lost or be stepped on (at the airport, at a children’s music event, at Christmas in the big department store)…

read more: Age and weight limits for baby carriers