Why do professionals recommend baby carrying?
Carried babies...
- cry less, and lower level of stress hormone is produced in their bodies, consequently, they are more peaceful and joyful,
- develop in a healthier manner, grow faster, have better coordination and motor skills, and they have a more developed muscle tone and sense of balance,
- suffer less from colic, moreover, the continuous movement and the upright posture reduce acid reflux and stomach cramps,
- will sooner become independent, as they always feel our presence and can develop a sort of trust that we will always be there if they happen to need us. Therefore, they will be more self-confident when discovering the world,
- sleep better, fall asleep faster and take longer naps,
- learn more, as inside the baby wrap, they have the possibility to watch the surrounding world as peaceful observers, which is the most appropriate condition for the development of the nervous system,
- get way more kisses on their heads than their un-carried fellows.
What should you be carrying in?
Stretchy baby wrap
Ring sling
Woven wrap
Lili-Tai
Buckle carrier
Mini buckle carrier
4in1 mama coat is essential for winter baby carrying!
Summary
What sort of fabric are our carriers made of?
You can trust Liliputi® products, as our high-quality and loveable products are made of baby and environmental friendly materials, and with local, artisan-based manufacturing technologies. All of this in an attempt to continue working on the matter of healthy baby carrying and attachment-based child-raising, and contribute to a happier, more sustainable future for our children.
In case of our stretchy wraps and buckle carriers, the part of the carrier that comes in contact with the baby’s skin—or the entire wrap in case of the wraps—is made of organic cotton with an OEKO-TEX or GOTS certification.
Ring sling, woven wrap and Lili-Tai are all sewn of 100% organic cotton, diamond weave fabrics with a GOTS certificate, as a consequence of which our carriers will be able to embrace every inch of your child, and ensure an anatomically perfect, so called “physiological posture” for babies in all situations, and support the baby’s spine point by point.
Ensure the longetivity of your Liliputi® carrier. Always follow the washing and care insructions, and do not store it under extreme conditions (e.g. locked in a car parked in the sun, musty place, ect.).
Front, back, or on the hip?
You can carry your baby comfortably in the front until s/he reaches the approximately 7 to 9 kg weight. After that, it becomes more and more tiresome, as your waist muscles will need to compensate the weight in front of you. On your waist you can carry your baby with a heavier weight, however, it can also become uncomfortable in the longer term, since the bigger your baby’s body grows, the less elbow room you will have. Furthermore, you can protect your spine if you choose to carry on your back after a while. On your back, you can even carry a newborn child in a woven wrap by applying the rucksack carry wrapping technique; in Lili-Tai and buckle carrier, you can safely carry your baby once s/he is able to hold his/her upper body independently.
By the time babies learn how to focus on remote objects (typically when they are 3 to 6 months old, depending on the baby), they will start paying more and more attention to the outside world. Some babies indicate this with clear movements: they lean out of the carrier or try pushing away themselves from your upper body to see as much as possible. Since one of the fundamental points of healthy baby carrying is that we do not carry our baby in a way that s/he faces outwards—in other words, the baby’s chest comes into contact with the body of the parent in each carrier and under all circumstances—, this is the time for us to change our carrying position. On our hip or on the back, we can provide them enough space to explore the world, moreover, now that they are facing forward, they can observe the different types of motion, which can facilitate the maturation of their neurological systems and the development of their movement.
Don’t make them face outwards!
There are a number of reasons for that. First and foremost, this position is harmful to the baby’s spine, moreover, it has an adverse impact on pelvic development, as it forces the child’s body to an unnatural back arching. Secondly, babies initially start exploring the world throughout their parents (observing the parents’ facial mimicry, heartbeat, pulse), consequently, they need to maintain a direct relationship with the carrying person. Making him/her face outwards can be overwhelming for the baby, moreover, s/he will not be able to turn inwards and hide in the secure protection of the parent’s chest.
Kangaroo?
The anatomical and psychological dangers of carrying outwards have been proven several times, however, kangaroo carrier manufacturers keep ignoring this. Do not let yourself be fooled by the fact that many people are carrying this way, as it takes a long time to change commonly accepted beliefs. There is one further important difference between kangaroos and correct baby carriers. The rigid body of kangaroos is unable to follow and support the body line of the baby, and due to its tight bottom, the entire weight of the child will be centered on his/her groin, which is unhealthy as well.
The anatomically correct posture
A good carrier is able to support the baby in accordance with his/her motor development, that is the entire upper body, the skull, where necessary, and his/her legs from one popliteus to the other (stretchy wraps, long woven wraps and ring slings, and moreover buckle carriers and LiLi-Tai are all capable of this).
Each age and life situation is different, just like every parent-child duo has different needs. That is exactly why unequivocally recommending one carrier is not easy, as it is worth giving it some thought which type could be the most suitable to us.
The smaller our baby is, the more advisable it is to be aiming at a physiological posture. The above position can be achieved both with the woven wrap, the ring sling wrap and the stretchy wrap, which is able to ensure appropriate body posture even to newborn babies. When carrying in these carriers, make sure that your baby’s tights are slightly spread, and his/her knees are at the height of the belly button. We should also ensure that their lower legs are parallel, their femur and foot are held parallel, as this is when each of the baby’s joints are in a resting position. This way, the wrap’s fabric—pulled tight per each bar—does not only support this body posture, but softly massages the baby’s small body throughout our movement. Their lifted legs ease digestion, eliminate stomach ache, and the rocking movement of our walking has a beneficial effect on the development of their neurological system.
Waist carriers
In these type of carriers (LiLi-Tai, buckle carrier), the baby’s tights shall be running horizontally with the waistband, the legs are slightly spread, and are supported from one popliteus to the other. Both carriers are suitable to adjust the width of the legs’ spread in accordance with the baby’s growth, so make sure to check the adjustment of the carrier’s width on a regular basis! When you can put one finger between the edge of the body and the baby’s popliteus, it is worth making some adjustments on the carrier.
The correct technique
It is primarily important in case of carrier wraps. This is also where you need to practice the most. It is great if you have someone to teach you the right wraps, moreover, it is worth attending a course on wrapping techniques. LiLi-Tai also has its own wrapping tricks, but you can easily learn these from the pictures or the description. In case of buckle carriers, you will need some practice to learn how to put your child on your back by yourself, however, once you are sure about the technique, you will realize how easy it is to use these carriers.