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Babywearing
The Benefits and Beauty of This Ancient Tradition
I was very excited about getting this book in to review, and I was not disappointed when I read it! Babywearing: The Benefits and Beauty of This Ancient Tradition
by Maria Blois is easy to read and well organized. It's filled with photographs and even has a small section of color photos.
The first portion of the book deals with some reasons for using baby carriers. These reasons range from convenience for parents to true medical benefits that are being shown through babywearing research. The second part of the book reviews each style of carrier and goes how to choose and use each style of carrier.
The first section of the book was a great explanation of the benefits of wearing your baby. Reading many "attachment parenting" books will give you an overview of why you should wear your baby, but Babywearing really gets into why it's best for babies - and parents.
Blois has included a brief history of babywearing before she dives into a discussion about how using baby carriers in the modern day became popular. The book then moves into how using a baby carrier helps you to bond with your baby, how it enables you to work while being close to your baby, how babywearing can enhance breastfeeding - the list goes on. There's a special section for working mothers as well. Another section tackles the "fussy" or "high needs" baby.
The book moves into special situations and includes sections on wearing multiples, special needs babies, and adopted babies among others. There's a section for parents who have special needs. An entire chapter is devoted to how "kangaroo care" babies thrive from being "worn."
The book has remarks from several child development experts and gives details from studies done on babywearing. One of the most interesting pieces of information the book gives is that the time your baby spends in the carrier is considered "tummy time." Tummy time is given a lot of emphasis nowadays and is sometimes given as a reason why you should put your baby down. But research shows that the time your baby spends in the carrier gives him the same benefits (perhaps more) than time on the tummy.
The second half of the book is an excellent guide on to how to choose a baby carrier and to the different kinds of baby carrier. I wish that this book had been published when I was pregnant with my first baby and was searching for babywearing resources. The second portion not only covers the baby slings that are becoming more and more popular today, it also delves into all the different baby carrier options that are available today.
There are chapters on slings, on wraparound carriers, on front/back pack carriers, and torso carriers (such as the Korean Podaegi). Each chapter has an overview of the carrier and complete instructions for the different positions you can put your baby in.
Perhaps the most attractive part of this book is the step-by-step detail given to the instructions. Each set of instructions also has pictures that follow the steps. There are also reviews of many popular baby carriers in each category. The comparisons are done within the content of the book, as well as being laid out in a chart at the end of each chapter. Blois gives a thorough, unbiased review of different carrier types and brands. There are also directions for making different baby carriers throughout the book.
The appendices of the book have a list of babywearing resources and an extensive list of vendors for each type of baby carrier reviewed in the book. Though the book is thorough, if you wish to seek even more information on wearing your baby Blois gives you the resources to do so.
Babywearing does not cover heavy-duty backpack-style carriers, so if you're looking for information on a carrier with a built in frame, look elsewhere. It also has a bias against the Baby Bjorn-style baby carriers. If you love you Bjorn, you may dislike the way Babywearing brushes it off. However, the book is focused on versatile carriers that you can use to keep your baby close through infancy and beyond, and the Bjorn does tend to be a very limiting carrier. Blois may give you a reason to look into more than just a Bjorn. Babywearing is an accessible, well-written guide. If you are new to baby carriers, this book will give you a clear overview of all of your options and great instructions to get you started. If you love wearing your baby and are interested in even more versatile baby carriers, Babywearing will help you decide which carriers you'd like to try next. Choose this book to learn more about the wonderful tradition of carrying your baby, or give it as a gift to someone you want to share the convenience of babywearing with :)