Did you know using the wrong type of carrier in the wrong way can harm your child's spine? Did you know that placing your child on his/her back in a pram/stroller can harm his/her head? Did you know that putting your child in a "cage" (infant carrier, infant seat) for long periods of time can be socially counterproductive? I didn't know a lot of these things when I was a new parent so I made some mistakes. This article is very good at summing them up and giving some useful tips.
There is a Proper Way to Wear Your Baby
- Thread starter thanka2
- Start date
2010-NewDad
Registered User
Isn't that article written by a manufacturer of a type of baby carrier, the use of which they surprisely come to advocate?
It doesn't look like a dispassionate examination of the potential issues, more looking for evidence to support the conclusion we should all go and buy their product.
There are a number of things that jump out straight away - I would think most young babies spend a lot more time sleeping (on their back) in cots than they do out and about in strollers. If this really was a big issue then keeping your baby sleeping in cots for 10+ hours a day would be far more "destructive" than a couple of hours in a stroller.
I am instinctively wary of articles like this that
1. Make serious sounding claims that don't gel with my perception of reality (didn't anyone notice all the deformed, spatially unbalanced, slow learning "stroller" babies?)
2. Are written by someone with a clear profit motive
3. Are written by someone with no or unspecified credentials
It doesn't look like a dispassionate examination of the potential issues, more looking for evidence to support the conclusion we should all go and buy their product.
There are a number of things that jump out straight away - I would think most young babies spend a lot more time sleeping (on their back) in cots than they do out and about in strollers. If this really was a big issue then keeping your baby sleeping in cots for 10+ hours a day would be far more "destructive" than a couple of hours in a stroller.
I am instinctively wary of articles like this that
1. Make serious sounding claims that don't gel with my perception of reality (didn't anyone notice all the deformed, spatially unbalanced, slow learning "stroller" babies?)
2. Are written by someone with a clear profit motive
3. Are written by someone with no or unspecified credentials
howardcoombs
Registered User
3) Her credentials == owner of Sleepy Wrap, a manufacturer of stretchy wraparound carrier
Best way to get sales : write a nice long boogie-man article, parents go nuts trying to protect their little ones from the latest scare.
If you want to further increase sales : after the boogie-man article, write a few more touting your own product with all kinds of pseudo benefits:
http://icpa4kids.org/Wellness-Articles/the-benefits-of-baby-carrying/Stimulating-the-Senses.html
*smile*
Best way to get sales : write a nice long boogie-man article, parents go nuts trying to protect their little ones from the latest scare.
If you want to further increase sales : after the boogie-man article, write a few more touting your own product with all kinds of pseudo benefits:
http://icpa4kids.org/Wellness-Articles/the-benefits-of-baby-carrying/Stimulating-the-Senses.html
*smile*
I agree with Gataloca. But I will say we used the Sleepywrap and it was great. However, not so great once it starts getting hot here in HK. We love it especially the first few months with baby because it feels so secure for baby and parent and that you don't need different sizes for each parent...it's one big piece of fabric. We moved onto the Ergo once baby got bigger and heavier.
I don't use the sleepywrap but these issues have been examined on other sites--the article was useful because it combines a lot of issues into one article. You should look at the footnotes because the article makes use of research--not just marketing of it's own product. One of the issues is the "dangling leg" thing (which I see every day on the street in HK) can hurt your baby's hip and back development. I have a close friend who is a chiropractor and for that reason he also dissuades people from using those type of baby carriers. I think before you discount it as a "total salespitch" you'd better check out the reference page. Anyway, a seated position is much healthier for your baby's spine than the "feet dangling" position. And there is definitely evidence pointing to baby wearing as healthier for your baby's head than having it up against a firm surface all day long. My son's head was a beautiful round shape at birth but because of negligent overuse of his carseat it flattened in the back. My daughter had the same head shape at birth and has mostly been worn with very little use of a stroller or carseat and her head has no shape change. This has been my experience.
Here is the reference page listed if any of you care to take a browse.
I have no product to defend here because I don't use this product at all but these issues were first mentioned elsewhere in a PDF pamphlet a friend sent to me here which is from this website. Similar issues discussed. Not sure if this website has "an agenda" but I'm guessing it doesn't.
I have no product to defend here because I don't use this product at all but these issues were first mentioned elsewhere in a PDF pamphlet a friend sent to me here which is from this website. Similar issues discussed. Not sure if this website has "an agenda" but I'm guessing it doesn't.
Here is the reference page listed if any of you care to take a browse.
I have no product to defend here because I don't use this product at all but these issues were first mentioned elsewhere in a PDF pamphlet a friend sent to me here which is from this website. Similar issues discussed. Not sure if this website has "an agenda" but I'm guessing it doesn't.
I have no product to defend here because I don't use this product at all but these issues were first mentioned elsewhere in a PDF pamphlet a friend sent to me here which is from this website. Similar issues discussed. Not sure if this website has "an agenda" but I'm guessing it doesn't.
howardcoombs
Registered User
Yes, there is valid research out there, but this woman is cherry picking the research, packaging it very nicely and in the end saying "buy my product". Very common tactic, perfected decades ago by tobacco companies 
She is a self serving pitch-woman at best and an alarmist trying to scare parents at worst. Clearly she is succeeding with you because she has made you feel bad as you feel like you made mistakes.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23385948-are-you-giving-your-baby-flat-head-syndrome.do
There is a great line in that article : "This is another example of the tendency to create medical problems out of normality. It is not a problem"
You didnt make a mistake, you were not negligent and your son will grow out of his flat head in time.
The fact that this unqualified salesperson has made you feel like this should anger you.
HC
She is a self serving pitch-woman at best and an alarmist trying to scare parents at worst. Clearly she is succeeding with you because she has made you feel bad as you feel like you made mistakes.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23385948-are-you-giving-your-baby-flat-head-syndrome.do
There is a great line in that article : "This is another example of the tendency to create medical problems out of normality. It is not a problem"
You didnt make a mistake, you were not negligent and your son will grow out of his flat head in time.
The fact that this unqualified salesperson has made you feel like this should anger you.
HC
Thank you thanka2 for sharing.
I'm interested in research about babywearing in general and would like to see more information on both sides.
Here is more info about babywearing at Dr Sears' website. Warning though, his parenting style is attachment parenting so his advice is very biased in that direction.
I'm interested in research about babywearing in general and would like to see more information on both sides.
Here is more info about babywearing at Dr Sears' website. Warning though, his parenting style is attachment parenting so his advice is very biased in that direction.
No, actually using carseats and strollers the right way for extended periods of time can give your child a flat head and using your Baby Bjorn the right way (legs dangling) puts pressure on the hips and lower back and can cause improper alignment of your child's back. These are the recommended ways to use these products but may not be the best for your baby. I made some mistakes with my firstborn because I was really unaware of the issues of hip, spine and cranial development discussed not only in this article but in others (see reference page). Again, it's not about the product--I couldn't care less about that product--don't even recognize the name--it's about the principles and concepts behind what the author was writing.
howardcoombs
Registered User
Thanka2, you're missing the point. The article is there just to alarm you and scare you into buying something, nothing more. Even if you choose to buy nothing, clearly it has spooked you. Did you actually look up any of the references cited? When you do, you will clearly see that the connections are minor at best.
Here, let me try to do the same with something completely different:
Here is my study: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/06/01/peds.2010-1079.abstract
And my words : You should keep your baby completely out of the sun. Even small amounts of exposure to the sun can cause irreparable damage. Until babies are 2 years old, their defenses are not fully developed and we should not take any chances.
And a nice alarmist article to cap it off : http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/06/sun.exposure.babies/index.html
Did you make a mistake with your first child by taking him out to the beach in full view of the sun?
Will you keep your #2 indoors all the time lest they get exposed even a tiny amount that may cause cancer?
Its bad science combined with bad writing.
I would urge you to read carefully with a very critical eye. Just because there are tiny shreds of truth in the article (and my paragraph), that doesnt make it good and should not be propagated because all it does is raise alarm needlessly in parents heads.
Here, let me try to do the same with something completely different:
Here is my study: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/06/01/peds.2010-1079.abstract
And my words : You should keep your baby completely out of the sun. Even small amounts of exposure to the sun can cause irreparable damage. Until babies are 2 years old, their defenses are not fully developed and we should not take any chances.
And a nice alarmist article to cap it off : http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/06/sun.exposure.babies/index.html
Did you make a mistake with your first child by taking him out to the beach in full view of the sun?
Will you keep your #2 indoors all the time lest they get exposed even a tiny amount that may cause cancer?
Its bad science combined with bad writing.
I would urge you to read carefully with a very critical eye. Just because there are tiny shreds of truth in the article (and my paragraph), that doesnt make it good and should not be propagated because all it does is raise alarm needlessly in parents heads.