Many healthcare providers have now started to support and recommend upright carrying for babies and say that it may benefit your child’s health.
I found an interesting article about it. This is what it says:
The average infant between the ages of three weeks and three months is carried little more than two and a half hours a day. Infants, who are placed on their backs during this time, frequently develop a flattening of the back of the skull (plagiocephaly) and poor muscle tone of the upper neck. This positioning straightens the natural c-shaped curvature of the cervical spine and may also negatively influence the development of the hip joints.
Proper upright carrying involves wrapping the baby facing you with knees flexed against your chest, while supporting underneath the baby’s bottom. Swaddling the baby in this way, instead of artificially straightening his legs, is ideal.
Upright carrying tends to be a less stressful position on a baby’s developing spine. It reinforces the natural c-shaped curvature of the spine and allows the baby to practice compensatory movements that aid in the development of fine motor skills.
Also, parents who upright carry have reported improved respiration, digestion, sensory development and reduced ear infections in their child.
A word of caution: some 1980s-style upright carriers which resemble backpacks and have the baby facing outward, do not offer enough neck support and tend to artificially straighten the legs. Look for wrap-style carriers that have the baby facing towards you, such as the Sleepy Wrap.
Read the rest of the article here.
