« Babywearing » strengthens the child-generator bond and helps mothers to find autonomy after childbirth

Bringing the baby to the band or in the pouch is not simply comfortable, but it is important because Contact with mom or dad favors the emotional development of the baby and strengthens the parent-child bond. Virginia Scirè, consultant of « bringing », in his book « Mom, dad, keep me close » (Red Edizioni) tells everyone The benefits of babywearingreveals the most useful strategies to use the band (and not only) and, above all, breaks down the false myths that hinder the relationship. « This book is a clear and very simple tool, created to help parents understand why children need contact and to break down the great prejudice of vice, because contact is not a vice but a need necessary for growth », says the author.

Entrepreneur, founder of « Wear Me and Life Coach », why did he become a Babywearing consultant?
«I approached babywearing when, in 2013, I became the mother of my second daughter, who suffered from reflux. He spent a lot of time in his arms because he had to always stay in an erect position and, even when he slept, I always had it on me. I started bringing out of desperation, I have to tell the truth. The band, however, helped me to overcome the post Partum, but also – while always keeping my close daughter – to regain autonomy and live more and more simple days ».

So did it be well both to the girl and the mother?
«Yes, because recovering autonomy, seeing that trivially I fell asleep in much less time, cried less, made me feel competent and safer. In addition to the fact that I have gained physically because when we carry the weight of the child it is supported by the support and therefore I arrived in the evening less tired ».

Has also with the first child he experienced the need for contact?
«With my first child I had made the changing therapy, in intensive care, because they were premature born. At the time I did not know anything about bands, but I had learned to wrap myself in a sheet, which was a hospital sheet, while I kept the child on the chest sitting motionless on a chair. Through that cloth, I could contain my son better and at the same time, I also felt better, I relaxed more. Then, when I went home from the hospital I started taking it with a baby carrier. Unfortunately, it was not the right one, it destroyed my shoulders and at the time, about 17 years old, I did not turn to a consultant, because this practice was not so widespread. So, I put it aside ».

What is the difference between the baby carrier and the band?
«They are two completely different tools. The band comes from the historicity of bringing, in the sense that it has always been brought with the bands, which once were simply sheets, because the first prams are at the end of the 800, early 900 and only the rich mothers used them. Some cultures, like the African one, are millenary, while in Europe the culture of babywearing came in the seventies, with Erika Hoffmann. She taught to bring with the bands, which are the most adaptable tool to the needs of the child. Marsuples can also be useful and valid, but you have to buy a model that does not create problems for the child or the parent ».

What are the benefits of babywearing?
«Contact is a primary need in the first months of life, just like maternal nourishment. But it’s not just that. Babywearing, for example, helps thermoregulation, because babies do not know how to regulate their body temperature to the external ones. In summer, for example they do not sweat, if not in some parts, as behind the head. Therefore for the thermoregulation, they need to stay on the mother’s bodyWhy The skin of the mother from the chin to the thermoregola pubis that of the child both with the heat and with the cold. The other benefits are given by the sense of safety and the containment that comes not only from carrying in her arms, but also by being surrounded by a fabric, which recalls the uterine environment. Everywhere the child touches always finds a border, which is the same thing in the belly. The children brought accordingly drastically reduce the colic, cry about 30 percent less than the non -brought children and first reach the motor stages because, always maintaining the erect position, they are more stimulated at the muscle level ».

Instead, for mom?
« There is first of all a physical benefit, because the support, holding the weight of the baby, reduces the effort on the arms and back and promotes correct posture ».

Until what age can the child be brought?
«Marsupis can bring up to 25/30 kg, while the bands have weight limits that depend on the fabrics used and the tests carried out, but also in this case we are between 20 and 25 kg. Obviously, the major need are the first months of life or in any case until the baby is able to walk; Then usually bringing is more linked to moments of necessity ».

« Mom, dad, keep me close » is not only a manual, very practical, but also a guide against prejudices and guilt. What are the most common ones?
«The most frequent is the fear that the child gets used to contact and that he can no longer detach himself from his mother. Studies, however, demonstrate the opposite. The more the child is supported in his contact needs, the more he grows autonomous and safe. Then I wanted to give voice to the difficulty of welcoming the need for contact of the child, in the sense when you are in certain situations, as happened to me that I had a child reflux that slept only in my arms, it is not easy to devote himself completely to another human being, spend the motionless days and renounce his autonomy and needs « .

Is it a very common effort, which often causes shame and a sense of inadequacy?
«I notice that there is still a lot of difficulty in women in recognizing that they have a problem and also in communicating it. If some mothers, having the child on all day, begin to feel sensations of discomfort or, worse still go into depression, they must not be afraid to say and ask for help, even experts ».

Three tips for mothers who are waiting and would like to use the band?
«The first advice, which actually applies to everything, is inquire and studied. The second is to waste time, to try and try, because it is not said that, putting a child in the band, the first time falls asleep immediately. Maybe they need two or three times. Often the parent buys the support, try it online, the child is not good and makes it. It must be understood that it is a practice that requires time and the little one, as with all new things, only needs to get used to it. The third: if you cannot, you have to ask for help from the consultants. There are many and very often they are professionals with more skills. For example, there are many obstetricians, childish, breastfeeding and sleep consultants ».

But where can you contact?
« There is no register and there is no association of consultants. They can be searched for online or in the area, in groups of mothers, in the consultors or in hospitals, because very often of babywearing we also speak in the prepared courses ».