Benefits and How-tos of Baby Wearing
Published Date:June 16, 2026
By Ali Weatherford
When asked about my top three most essential baby supplies, a baby carrier always makes the list. I didn’t have a baby carrier on my baby registry, and I didn’t receive one as a gift. My awareness and understanding of baby wearing came after my first baby was born, but then it quickly became an absolute necessity.
What Is Baby Wearing?
Baby wearing just means that you attach your baby to your body using some kind of device. That could be something as simple as a large piece of fabric, or as technologically advanced as a metal frame backpack with lots of straps and clips. Baby wearing has probably been around since the beginning of parenting. Early humans made baby carriers out of animal skins or woven plant fibers like a basket. Later, some cultures began to use fabric devices to hold their babies in place. There is even a famous 14th century painting in an Italian church showing Mary on a donkey, carrying baby Jesus in a fabric sling.
Benefits to Babies
There are so many benefits of baby wearing for babies.
- Baby wearing can contribute to secure attachment. A secure attachment means that a baby learns and deeply believes that their parent will meet their needs and be their primary source of comfort. Keeping babies close can contribute to a secure attachment. Babies with secure attachments tend to be confident, manage stress well, and have better relationship skills as they mature.
- Baby wearing is shown to significantly reduce crying in babies. It can be hard to know how and why this works to prevent crying exactly, but it’s likely that a parent can anticipate a baby’s needs and attend better when they’re close. When a baby’s needs are met, crying is not usually necessary!
- Baby wearing can soothe a fussy baby. If your baby is fussy, sometimes a ride in a baby carrier can calm them. They usually like movement and being close to you, and baby wearing checks both of those boxes.
Benefits to Parents
Like I said, I didn’t know anything about baby wearing until my first baby was a few months old. She had been a very sleepy newborn and it was easy to put her down ANYWHERE! I have very clear memories of vacuuming the house while she slept away on a blanket on the floor. I remember watching my sleepy baby being passed around the room at a family gathering, and she never woke up. At around four months, she woke up and decided sleep wasn’t all that important to her anymore. It felt like she wanted to be held all the time. I started to feel very confined and restricted by this. It was hard to get anything done. And then I saw my friend holding her baby in a sling. It changed my parenting forever.
- Baby wearing can give you your hands back. Once I figured out baby wearing, I felt like I could soothe my baby AND ALSO do other things. That relieved a lot of stress for me. I didn’t feel like I had to choose between getting some things done and taking care of my baby. I could do both at the same time. This was especially helpful when I had a baby and a toddler. I’ll warn you though, that this can go too far. Your baby also still needs your undivided attention sometimes, and you should take it easy on yourself and not expect to always be doing two things at once.
- Baby wearing can be great for breastfeeding. Keeping your baby close to your chest encourages regular feeding. This is especially important in the early days when you’re working to get a plentiful and stable milk supply.
- Baby wearing can help you or another caregiver get your baby to sleep. Once you get the hang of it and your baby is used to the carrier, they will often fall asleep in it easily. It became a very reliable method for me, and I loved the flexibility it gave me. I could go places and know that if my baby needed a nap, it could happen in the carrier. It can also make it easier for someone else to get your baby to sleep.
- Baby wearing is great for travel. Sometimes a stroller is handy, but they can also be heavy and bulky and take up a lot of space. A stroller is also not hands free. A baby carrier can be small enough to fit in the diaper bag, and keeps you hands free so you can pull a suitcase or hold a toddler’s hand through the airport.
- Some people find it easy to breastfeed in the carrier, and it offers a measure of privacy when you’re in public if you need it. It can take a little fiddling and some practice, but there are many carriers that make it possible.
Types of Carriers
There are so many different types of carriers on the market now. Some of them are designed to be lightweight and easy to store. Others are designed for comfort. Some carriers are made for specific situations like the metal-frame backpack-style carriers used for hiking, or the ones that look like shirts that are specially designed to help you have skin-to-skin time with your newborn in the NICU. But in general, there are three main types of carriers:
- Slings: These can be purchased in the right size to fit you, or you can opt for adjustable slings like a ring sling. These are very simple carriers that can easily fit into a diaper bag. You can use them with a newborn or for carrying an older baby on your hip. Most parents find them very comfortable, but it might take a little practice to get the fit and position right.
- Wraps: These are usually one very long piece of fabric that you have to wrap and knot around your body just right. There are hybrid versions now which can be a little easier to use. They can be very comfortable and can accommodate newborns and older babies. Your baby can face your body or face out when they’re older, depending on how you wrap it. It can be a little intimidating to use them at first, but it just takes a little practice to become an expert.
- Soft-structured carriers: These are the backpack style carriers. They have belts, shoulder straps, and buckles to attach them to your body and to clip your baby in safely. Some are more comfortable than others, but if you find the right one, it can be very comfortable and easy to use. Some of these allow the babies to face out, but most of them require the baby to face your body. A lot of babies go through a phase where they prefer to face out, but then will usually tolerate facing in again. A lot of them can also be worn on your back if you prefer. My babies spent the most time in these carriers. I found mine very comfortable and easy to use in any situation once my babies were a little older.
Tips For Using Baby Carriers
- I would definitely recommend finding a place to try them on if you can. There’s a baby store in my area that has a weighted doll so you can try them on and decide on one even before your baby arrives. They have a baby wearing expert to help you put them on and use them correctly. In some areas, you might be able to find a baby wearing group and borrow different carriers so you can try them out while you’re trying to decide what to purchase. Breastfeeding Success has a parent group that meets at one of our outpatient clinics, and we have a carrier lending library so parents can check out lots of different styles while they’re there.
- You might also prepare to get more than one type of carrier. I preferred a ring sling or wrap for my newborns, and I had both. I liked the ring sling for outings because it was portable and I could easily take it on and off. I preferred the wrap at home, because I could do more while I was wearing it and I was more comfortable in it for longer periods. I had a different soft-structured carrier when my first baby was about 4-6 months old because she only wanted to face out, then I switched to my favorite and most comfortable soft-structured carrier when she liked facing in again. Also, your partner might prefer one type and you might prefer another!
- Consider fabrics. If you live in a very hot or cold climate, you might decide on a carrier based on how comfortable you’ll be. There can be a lot to choose from, and it can make a big difference in your comfort level and your baby’s.
- You can borrow carriers from friends and family to try them out or take hand-me-downs. You can also find them secondhand either on local buy/sell sites, resale shops, or even on some manufacturer or specialized refurbished/returned product websites.
- Don’t give up! It can be confusing or complicated to get them on or to get your baby settled into a baby carrier. Sometimes the baby will fuss or cry, and sometimes you might get frustrated enough to fuss or cry. Watch videos to see how other people put the carrier on. Practice putting it on without your baby a few times before trying to put them in. Make sure your baby is clean, fed, and in a good mood before trying it for the first time. Sometimes it can help to put them in a carrier and then head out for a walk for a change of scenery.
Look out for local baby wearing events in your area, and join new parent groups if you can. Even just watching other parents use baby carriers can give you some ideas, and some confidence, if you’re feeling a little nervous about it or are having trouble deciding what to get. It can be a big purchase, but there are now so many very affordable options. Don’t worry about finding the most perfect one. You will likely be able to make just about anything work for you and your baby if you have a little patience. Or you might end up with a very big collection of baby carriers, one for every occasion. That’s OK too!
References
Increased carrying reduces infant crying: a randomized controlled trial – PubMed
The importance of attachment in infant and influencing factors – PMC
