Ever wondered if babywearing is just a trend or a parenting game-changer?
From ‘Is it safe for my baby?’ to ‘Can it really ease my day-to-day life?’, I’m uncovering the most asked questions about babywearing with a leading expert, Paris Earle at Max Mamas in Norman, Oklahoma. My recent interview with Paris was FULL of helpful information and resources available at this amazing store.
Can you explain what babywearing is for those who may not be familiar with the concept?
I’d say in its simplest form, babywearing is the art of actually physically having a baby on your body without you using your arms to fully support them. So that could be a plethora of different styles: you can back carry, you can front carry, you can hip carry. I’ve even seen those really nice hiking ones where you can put them up on your shoulders. So it’s the act of relieving your hands so that you can use them for other things but where baby is still snug and secure on your body or on your person.
What are the primary benefits of babywearing for the baby and for the parent?
The biggest benefit is that babies that are worn cry much less. They also speak sooner which has to do with baby being in close contact with mom and listening to her engaging – they’re actually picking up on more than you would think. So they’re typically earlier talkers.
They typically cry less or are less colicky, they sleep better, and they mimic your breathing. So it helps if you have a kid who struggles with low oxygen or if you have a mom who is anxious about things such as like SIDS. Them being close to your chest, they’re going to learn to mimic your breathing so it lessens those concerns.
For Mom It can help with breast milk flow. Having baby skin to skin will help with breast milk and you can actually breastfeed in most carriers. So it eliminates the need to have a pump.
For beginners, what are the essential tips to start babywearing safely and effectively?
This is a little bit more complicated because there are so many carriers out there. First you’ll need to narrow down which one is best for your body type. The good news is that there are lots of options out there.
For newborns it’s important to focus on the less bulkier carriers. These don’t start until seven pounds which most people would assume is about the size of a newborn. But just because it says that there are other things to take into account like baby’s length, baby’s height, baby’s neck strength and baby’s hip strength and development. So for itty bitty babies, we typically recommend something a little bit more secure and snug like a ring sling or a stretchy wrap, which are also the most accommodating to all different body types because you can buy them in extra long.
Finding someone local who is a babywearing educator that can actually size your baby to the carrier to make sure you’re picking one that’s appropriate for that size baby is very beneficial. If not, you’re going to risk their hips being in the wrong placement and them not having the appropriate neck control or neck support which could hurt baby.
There are plenty of carriers and there’s no right one over another, but finding the right one that fits your body and fits baby is really important. This is why finding a local place where you can test them all out is vital.
What common challenges do parents face with babywearing, and how can they be addressed?
I think the biggest challenge is picking the right kind of carrier. And I say this a lot about car seats too – if it’s on the market, it’s safe, it’s passing the safety standards or it wouldn’t be able to be sold on the market or would have a recall of some kind. So if you’re picking something that fits your budget, and you think is the right carrier for you, it’s probably going to be the right one. But a huge part is making sure you have the right fit. I would say that’s the biggest challenge.
What inspired you to become a babywearing consultant?
Really, it was working here. Our goal is to support moms in any stage they’re in, as far as motherhood and baby wearing. Baby wearing has so many benefits and it really is a long stage because you can baby wear from immediately after birth all the way to about three years old. They even have Kinder preschool carriers, and you can continue extended carrying, and there’s carriers built for special needs kids who are much larger. So this is really a stage that mothers are going to be in for an extended period of time, and there’s very little education out there.
I remember with my first kid walking through Target, and registering for a baby carrier but no one had ever talked to me about it. I had no idea what I was getting. It just looked like one of the things you should put on your register. And I’m happy I did, but I had so little knowledge. So I think that was the biggest motivator – I just wanted to be able to provide that knowledge for moms so that they can get all the benefits of baby wearing and not be as intimidated by it and truly just enjoy their motherhood journey without stressing and being able to be hands free, or have a calm, soothing baby right on your chest.
If it’s going to make mom feel good, it’s going to make baby feel good. And if both of those things are satisfied, the whole house is going to be happy.
Thanks so much for talking to us about baby wearing! Can you let us know where to find you and what other services you offer?
We are located at 2214 Tecumseh Dr, Norman and can be found online at www.maxmamasok.com and on Instagram and Facebook.
Our car seat services are another large service we offer. We are car seat techs – even if someone chooses to not buy a car seat from us, they can come get a free installation or check any day. They don’t have to feel obligated to purchase from us, it’s just a free service that we do to help out the community.
We also buy back cloth diapers and we buy back maternity clothing, which is new, but it’s been super successful for us because maternity clothing is something that’s a large expense, and you use it for such a small time. And with other maternity shops closing down, I get calls daily for people looking for maternity clothing. So we buy back a pre-loved maternity clothing, and then we’ll wash it and we’ll put it back on the floor to sell.
It’s the same with cloth diapers and we also do cloth diaper rentals. So for someone who’s interested but doesn’t want to put a whole bunch of money up front, it’s a good way for them to test it out and see if it’s even something they really want to do before investing all the money.
We also offer registries, wish lists, and curbside pickup, so if a mom doesn’t want to get out of the car, she can call us and we’ll bring anything to her.
I love how Paris shared insights that opened up a whole new perspective on babywearing! It’s not just about convenience; it’s a beautiful way to nurture the bond between you and your little one.
Ready to learn more about baby wearing? Click here to work with Paris at Max Mamas
Click here to learn more about Oklahoma City Birth Photography!
Curious about how to interpret your newborn cries? Click here to read Oklahoma City Parent’s Guide to Interpreting Newborn Cries!
comments +