Studies have shown that the more babies are held, the less they cry and fuss 2 . In indigenous cultures where baby-wearing is the norm, babies often cry for only a few minutes a day in contrast to Western babies, who often cry for hours each day. Crying is exhausting for both the baby and his parents, and may cause long-term damage as the baby s developing brain is continually flooded with stress hormones. 3 Babies who do not need to spend their energy on crying are calmly observing and actively learning about their environment. A long walk in the sling is also an excellent way to help a tired but over-stimulated child fall asleep.
Toddlers appreciate the security of the sling.
The world can be a scary place for toddlers, who feel more confident when they can retreat to the security of the sling when they need to do so. It can be very helpful in places like the zoo, aquarium, or museum, where a small child in a stroller would miss many of the exhibits. Baby-wearing helps you and your baby to communicate with each other. The more confidence we have in our parenting, the more we can relax and enjoy our children. A large part of feeling confident as a parent is the ability to read our baby s cues successfully.