The benefits of babywearing are multiple – offering physical and emotional closeness for babies and their parents, allowing adults to complete a lot of the practical aspects of their day whilst being hands free and it’s often so much more convenient for travelling and when out and about with your child.
So, what’s not to love about babywearing?
While it seems like the answer to a lot of new parents’ problems, babywearing can actually be done in a way that does not provide ergonomic positioning for both the parent and the child. Mention slings and baby carriers to most people and they’ll mention a range of brands and styles. Not many however are fully aware of the “M” position, and the importance of this optimum posture for babies to be carried in, to support healthy hip and spine development. So make sure you are carrying your little one in and Ergonomic Baby Carrier that supports your baby in this “M” seat position.
What is this “M” position?
Imagine the baby, being carried tummy-to-tummy by a parent, then imagine that the baby’s bottom is the central dip of the “M” and the two bent legs are the peaks. The ideal position is achieved when your little ones knees are actually higher than their hips. This is the “M” position and orthopaedic specialists and babywearing experts all agree that this is the best way to be carried while hip and leg joints are still developing in the first few months out of the womb.
The “M” position allows a gradual transition to straight legs
With a number of other types of slings, the baby’s legs are allowed to drop down due to gravity while the bottom is held up by a narrow strip of padded fabric that doesn’t support the legs. After spending the last part of gestation in a curled-up position, suddenly having extended legs can be uncomfortable and in some (rare) cases, this might lead to problems with the hip joints later in life. It takes several months for a baby’s hip joints to fully stretch out and for the legs to straighten naturally. For an infant – particularly in those first few months of life it is important that they are supported in the optimum “M” seated position for maximum ergonomic comfort.
Babywearing in ergonomic comfort is a wonderful way to enjoy life with your baby.
