The advantages of baby carriers
Read here how much easier daily life is for parents who carry their babies in Asteraki carriers.
Easy peasy! With an Asteraki
The opinion of those who carry their babies in an Asteraki.
How is this way different from the carriers we know?
In Greece and in many Western countries, it’s much easier to find “conventional” carriers, in which the child is placed with its legs dangling down. The fact that they are more common, however, doesn’t mean they are better.
Compared to the usual, conventional carriers, baby carriers (slings) have many advantages:
In slings, babies are always in natural positions, lying down and fully supported, or comfortably seated with their legs spread (which is the most suitable position, more ergonomic, perfect for the baby’s hips).
The soft fabric of baby carriers adapts as it should around the baby, supporting it correctly, without forcing it into uncomfortable positions (e.g. with legs dangling down or the back unnaturally stretched).
read more: Spine and breathing in newborn babies
Why the correct position in the sling matters.
Generally, proper carriers are those that “mimic” the way we would hold our child in our arms, in front or on the side. Imagine where you would feel more comfortable: lying in a hammock (sling) or “hanging” by the crotch from a hot-air balloon (conventional carrier)?
What’s more, baby carriers (slings) are much easier to use than the usual vertical carriers (which have loads of straps and buttons and buckles). Putting your baby in a sling is a matter of seconds.
Conventional vertical carriers have an age limit of about 6 months. With a baby carrier (sling), you can carry your child up to at least 3 years old.
With the usual carriers there are few positions you can hold the baby in, and they’re usually always in an “upright” position. With a baby carrier (sling), however, you can carry your baby lying down, upright, in front, on the side; the possibilities are many.
Just take the above as food for thought the next time you think about buying a carrier, for your baby or as a gift…
What does it offer the mom?
She can do chores, cook, tend the garden, even dance while at the same time calming her baby and giving it stimuli for learning.
She can breastfeed hands-free while talking on the phone or shopping.
She can have her baby close and content while playing with her older child.
She can go with her baby where a stroller can’t, on stairs, in the narrow aisles of the supermarket, in the snow, to an exhibition at the museum, to the beach…
By carrying her baby, a mom has the most wonderful way to “bond” with it and give it the stimuli it needs, without the need for verbal communication. This also helps a great deal for moms who have postpartum depression.
Working mothers in particular, who are away from home for several hours, have the chance to give their child the cuddles it asks for when they get back, easily and comfortably!
read more: What you can do together with your newborn baby!
Ever so easily and comfortably.
What does it offer the baby?
Babies cry less when we “wear” them. Studies have shown that babies whose parents carry them cry (on average) 43% less overall and 54% less during the evening-night hours.
We help their mental development. Babies spend more time in a state of “quiet alertness” when we carry them, that is, the ideal state for learning. Their senses are stimulated in the best way. From our arms, babies see the world the way we see it, and not the ceiling above the crib or the knees of grown-ups from the stroller. And these stimuli favor their mental development.
We help their emotional development. Babies can quickly develop a sense of security and trust when we carry them.
We help their physical development. Babies “find their rhythm” much faster when we carry them; they manage to adjust more easily to life “outside the womb”!
Babywearing is also an easy way for parents to help their baby feel comfortable when spending a lot of time with other people (e.g. a nanny, grandma, etc.). Being used to being inside the sling, the baby is more likely to feel familiar and at ease even if someone other than its mom is “wearing” it!
read also: The opinion of those who carry their babies in an Asteraki carrier
Real opinions from parents.
Special cases
Studies on premature babies have shown that when their moms “wear” them, they gain more weight than babies who don’t enjoy this “warmth”.
Carrying your baby helps in cases of reflux: babies can be in an upright position (and breastfeed in an upright position), thus minimizing reflux problems and helping enormously with colic, etc.
Parents of twins or of two children close in age find babywearing a valuable helper. Carrying two babies at once, breastfeeding two babies hands-free, carrying your baby while dealing with your older child are solutions that will definitely make your life easier!
Children with disabilities or developmental delays benefit especially from babywearing. Parents of children with disabilities, developmental delays, or simply high needs, often give a lot of their time and money trying to offer their children the special stimuli they need. A wonderful, super-easy and economical way is babywearing! Let’s think about the stimuli the child receives when we carry it: it hears what we hear, sees what we see, moves the way we move, because it constantly sees our face, it’s close to our eyes, our ears, our mouth, close to us. The child is in constant physical contact.
Parents with mobility difficulties can also find significant help in babywearing. If they use a wheelchair, or are in a situation that prevents them (temporarily or permanently) from walking, they can hold their baby in their arms, rested and comfortable, with their hands free for their movement.
Note: The sweet mommy in the photo needs to stay seated for a while. She is carrying her newborn baby boy after a difficult operation, and she’s smiling! Her sling helps her not to get too tired. I’m so glad that she’s up and strong again, with her baby in her arms!
read more: Babywearing in special cases
Premature babies, reflux, twins, disability, and more.
The benefits of babywearing are also mentioned by pediatrician Stelios Papaventsis (MRCPCH DCH IBCLC) in his book "Gifted Babies, Inspired Parents - for a different preschool age", where he makes positive remarks about the art of carrying our baby and the power of the embrace.
At a glance
Happy babies
Comfortable parents
Handy and easy
The ideal solution
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