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Best Newborn Baby Carrier + Common Baby-wearing Questions Answered

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Mamas, if you are tired of messing with your baby carrier's crazy wrapping configurations, we've got a product for you; the Nesting Day's Newborn Carrier. This carrier has no buckles or straps, it's super comfortable, and is as easy to put on as your shirt.

We've interviewed Julie, Nesting Day's chief officer, to discuss some of the common questions moms have when it comes to babywearing.

Q: What are the benefits of babywearing?

Mothers have been attaching their babies to their bodies since the beginning of time, but we only recently have discovered the hidden benefits of being ‘connected’ and snuggling our babies skin-to-skin. The simple truth is, newborns only need three things: warmth, nourishment, and love. Nesting Days provides all three.

WARMTH

Newborns can't maintain their body temperature and there is no better way to do that than with the warmth of another human body…yours.

NOURISHMENT

Closeness releases prolactin for lactation to provide the almost constant nourishment a newborn needs, while also stimulating the newborn's innate ‘rooting reflex’. Think of it as the first ‘conversation' the two of you have.

LOVE

Physical connection boosts oxytocin while also lowering cortisol, which results in ‘bonding,' which is just another word for falling in love.

Q: How should I dress my baby and myself when babywearing?

Since one of the key features of Nesting Days is being in skin-to-skin contact, keeping the skin on your baby’s chest in contact with your skin, means dressing your baby in only a diaper, or lightweight legging, and leaving their chest bare. The warmth from your body keeps them cozy and warm. For your own comfort and convenience, wearing a comfortable bra, tank top, or nothing is also ideal. It is all about being connected at the heart.

SUMMER

You can wear our newborn carrier in the safety of your home and indoors throughout the summer where the temperature is controlled and is between (68° to 75°). If you must go out on hot days, do so with caution. Keep your baby well hydrated with frequent feedings. Seek out the shade, and cool parts of the day for walks. Use baby wipes for quick sponge-baths to cool off. Check your baby often for signs of overheating.

WINTER

Depending on the weather where you live you can layer a light sweater or wear a cozy coat over you and your baby.

RUNNING ERRANDS

Wear it while driving. The baby is in a car seat, of course. When you arrive at your destination pop your baby in the carrier and go about your business. No need to drag out the stroller. Keep it simple.

Q: Can you spoil a baby from wearing them too much?

Moms frequently tell me, “My baby is only happy when he's ‘on' me. What can I do?” We now have the science and research that proves that you can't spoil a newborn in the 4th trimester. In fact, all the research points to just the opposite. Comforting your baby, on-demand feeding, and learning to anticipate your baby's are all what the ‘doctor ordered' today.

What used to be seen as a bad habit we now know is a survival mechanism that is critical to physical, cognitive and social development. Early experience matters. It is when the bonds that last a lifetime are formed. Some say they are the ‘longest – shortest days' because they are so intense and yet so brief. They are the days that I made the Nesting Days for!

Q: Can I nurse while wearing the carrier?

Absolutely! In a postpartum doula and I know a bit about breastfeeding! Easy breastfeeding was the top of my design criteria list when I was making Nesting Days. Newborns need almost constant nourishment and frequent on-demand breastfeedings. The crisscrossed design (or ‘wings') opens like the petals of a flower to let you move your baby to the breast easily in a variety of positions. I recommend being seated as you get the hang of it, and loosening the side tie, to make it easier to slip the shoulders off to position your baby. With practice, you can learn to nurse in the carrier hands-free as well. And the ‘wings' are a built-in ‘coverup’.

Leaky boobs? No problem! Wash it just like you would your favorite yoga wear. Being close also stimulates your newborn's ‘rooting reflex’ which is nature's way of making sure that your baby gets the nourishment it needs to grow and thrive. It may cause them to cry and fuss in the carrier, especially when they are first popped in or wake up in it.
A turn at the breast, bottle or pacifier usually settles them down right away.

Q: Will babywearing hurt my back?

When I get asked this question, I know what the person asking has in mind is the construction and use of a traditional baby carrier. Nesting Days is designed specifically for newborn 7- 18 lb. and is worn as a piece of clothing. Designing a shirt that holds a baby, hands-free, was a real challenge! The ‘core strength' of the garment is the tubular center that surrounds your body 360° and distributes your baby's weight evenly over your body, and doubles as a body-shaper that supports your internal organs as you recover from pregnancy and delivery.

Remember, you are a new mother and it is important to give your body time to recover from pregnancy and delivery. There are no buckles, bulky knots to dig into you when you are wearing Nesting Days, and no complicated wrapping and unwrapping to deal with either. When you need a break from being on your feet, just prop yourself up at 45° and kick-back. Your baby is in the safest place possible, nested heart-to-heart with you.

HAPPY NESTING!

BIO: JULIE ARVAN, Chief Mother Officer, Nesting Days

 

Mothers, motherhood, and babies are central themes that are woven throughout Julie's life. She is the mother of two boys (now men), a former preschool teacher at Stanford Children's Center, a VP at Gymboree, a postpartum doula, and a life-long advocate for maternal health. Providing ‘a better welcome to the world' for thousands of families is her dream come true. Invited by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to show Nesting Days to the world at the Kangaroo Mother Care Conference In Rwanda was the encouragement she needed to start to become an entrepreneur, and every day since then, her passion for changing ‘how we welcome babies into the world' has grown. Julie lives in San Francisco where the carriers are made and love having a business with a heart.