Being an eco-conscious parent often means taking a look at the footprint of all the baby gear we are told we just have to have in order to properly raise our children. Sometimes this means finding greener choices (like cloth diapers instead of disposables), sometimes this means reusing hand-me-down onesies from your older sister, and sometimes this means opting out altogether from purchasing things that will become quickly obsolete.
When reducing your family resource consumption, consider whether or not you really need a stroller. Strollers are expensive, use a lot of fossil fuel resources and generate a lot of toxic waste from manufacture, to packaging and shipment to your local store, all the way to their final resting place in the landfill after they inevitably break.
Not only do strollers have a large ecological footprint from cradle to grave, but they may not be very good for your child’s development either. Recent studies have shown that strollers in which your baby faces away from you could risk long-term development problems in your children. 1
For most of human history, there have been no strollers. Even today, most of the world’s parents use cloth wraps of various types to wear their babies on their bodies. In the last couple of years, many Americans and Europeans have taken up the practice too. Studies have shown that babywearing has many benefits for infants and young children as well as for the carrying parent. Here are five of them:
Babies who are carried often cry less. A 1986 randomized, controlled study by Hunziker and Barr showed that carrying an infant 2 additional hours per day reduced crying overall by 43%, or one entire hour.- Babywearing is good for babies physically. According to Dr. Eckhard Bonnet in a 1998 article published on Didymos, a baby wrap or sling holds a baby’s body in a comfortable, correct position, much as the womb carries a fetus before birth. Upright carrying also massages your baby’s abdomen which promotes healthy digestion, and prevents physical abnormalities associated with infants who spend large amounts of time lying on their backs or bellies (such as hip dysplasia, frog legs, or flattened skulls on the back or sides).
Note: The exception to this are the baby carriers that dangle your baby from his crotch. These facing-out types of carriers (Baby Bjorn and others) are harmful to the development of your child’s hips.
- Babywearing encourages healthy mental and emotional development. Since in-arms parenting meets your baby’s needs for warmth, comfort, and access to breastfeeding, babies cry less and spend more time in a quiet, alert state. While in this state they are better able to learn about their environment and develop mentally and socially. As long as you can carry them, toddlers also enjoy being worn, and benefit from interacting with others at eye-level instead of being looked down upon in a stroller.
- Babywearing makes parenting easier. Carrying baby in a sling, wrap or pack frees your hands to work, or assist in the needs of older children while still being able to give your baby the closeness she needs. Many slings also allow for breastfeeding while on the go. If yours is the type of baby that needs to be held during naps, like mine, doing it with a sling allows you to get some work done, or to do almost any other activity.
- Babywearing promotes attachment. Babywearing allows you to bond with your baby and learn to meet your child’s needs more quickly. Babywearing also helps mothers who may be suffering from depression to nurture their babies with less effort. Preemies and sick infants also grow and heal faster when worn, especially when the baby and parent are skin-to-skin.
There are many types of slings and carriers available to meet a variety of needs. Some of them are beautiful works of fashion art any new mom would love to wear! (And there are gender-neutral carriers for Dad, too.) We primarily use an Ergo structured carrier, which is most comfortable for all of us, but we keep a ring sling on hand for quick trips and errands. Between the pack and the sling, my arms never get tired carrying my 25-pound 17-month-old—even when vacuuming the house or doing the dishes!
Baby carriers can be purchased at retail stores, but you can find a much better selection online. My favorite online store is Attached to Baby, which has the biggest variety and best pricing on the Net. There are also many online groups, forums and local clubs dedicated to babywearing.
So, unless you have multiple babies, are a runner who plans to go running with your baby, or are unable to carry your child on your body for medical reasons, why not enjoy all the ecological and developmental benefits of wearing your baby? You could save between $200-$700, and avoid the plastic, fossil fuels and packaging waste of a stroller!
1.http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/21/baby.buggies/index.html
Being an eco-conscious parent often means taking a look at the footprint of all the baby gear we are told we just have to have in order to properly raise our children. Sometimes this means finding greener choices (like cloth diapers instead of disposables), sometimes this means reusing hand-me-down onesies from your older sister, and sometimes this means opting out altogether from purchasing things that will become quickly obsolete.
When reducing your family resource consumption, consider whether or not you really need a stroller. Strollers are expensive, use a lot of fossil fuel resources and generate a lot of toxic waste from manufacture, to packaging and shipment to your local store, all the way to their final resting place in the landfill after they inevitably break.
Not only do strollers have a large ecological footprint from cradle to grave, but they may not be very good for your child’s development either. Recent studies have shown that strollers in which your baby faces away from you could risk long-term development problems in your children. 1
For most of human history, there have been no strollers. Even today, most of the world’s parents use cloth wraps of various types to wear their babies on their bodies. In the last couple of years, many Americans and Europeans have taken up the practice too. Studies have shown that babywearing has many benefits for infants and young children as well as for the carrying parent. Here are five of them:
Note: The exception to this are the baby carriers that dangle your baby from his crotch. These facing-out types of carriers (Baby Bjorn and others) are harmful to the development of your child’s hips.
There are many types of slings and carriers available to meet a variety of needs. Some of them are beautiful works of fashion art any new mom would love to wear! (And there are gender-neutral carriers for Dad, too.) We primarily use an Ergo structured carrier, which is most comfortable for all of us, but we keep a ring sling on hand for quick trips and errands. Between the pack and the sling, my arms never get tired carrying my 25-pound 17-month-old—even when vacuuming the house or doing the dishes!
Baby carriers can be purchased at retail stores, but you can find a much better selection online. My favorite online store is Attached to Baby, which has the biggest variety and best pricing on the Net. There are also many online groups, forums and local clubs dedicated to babywearing.
So, unless you have multiple babies, are a runner who plans to go running with your baby, or are unable to carry your child on your body for medical reasons, why not enjoy all the ecological and developmental benefits of wearing your baby? You could save between $200-$700, and avoid the plastic, fossil fuels and packaging waste of a stroller!
1.http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/family/11/21/baby.buggies/index.html