We feel that babywearing is a healthy option for our babies and ourselves, but what about the science to back these instincts up? Here are 14 evidence-based benefits of babywearing (with references below):

1. Promotes secure mother and baby attachment: The high level of maternal touch associated with babywearing is related to enhanced mother-infant bonding and secure attachment.
2. Reduces infant crying and fussiness: Babywearing for three hours a day reduced infant crying my up to 54 percent.
3. Aids baby’s health and physical development: Tactile stimulation in the form of massage or passive movement of limbs lead to weight gain and an increase in bone density.
4. Makes mother more responsive to baby: Mothers who wore their babies in a carrier were more responsive to their infants, indicating that the close physical contact promoted nurturing behavior.
5. Reduces reflux symptoms: Infants set in an upright position (as opposed to reclined on their backs) had fewer "reflux related symptoms", ie, less spitting-up, vomiting, coughing, or breathing problems.
6. Helps depressed mothers to nurture their babies: Babies respond positively to touch even when their depressed mothers remain quiet with a "still face". Touch stimulation may compensate for a depressed mother's flat vocal and facial expression.
7. Improves breastfeeding rates: Mothers who used baby carriers for at least one hour per day during the first month of life had significantly higher breastfeeding rates at three and five months.
8. Improves wellbeing and relaxation in both mother and baby: Warmth and touch stimulate oxytocin release which is known to induce anti-stress-like effects such as reduction of blood pressure and cortisol levels.
9. Eases transition into world by mimicking womb: At birth, every parameter of the infant's environment changes abruptly which is stressful for newborns. It is therefore thought that infants feel most comfortable in an environment approximating that before birth.
10. Touch and motion physiologically calm baby: Infants carrier by a walking mother exhibit a physiological calming response that is a coordinated set of central, motor and cardiac regulations.
11. May lessen postpartum depression: Mothers who provided their newborns with skin-to-skin contact for five hours daily during the first week and two hours daily during the first month reported significantly lower scores on a depression scale.
12. Reduces risk of flat head: Odds of developing flat head are increased when infants sleep on their backs. To prevent SIDS it is recommended that infants sleep on their backs. Babywearing is a safe option that reduces the risk of flat head at other times during the day.
13. Uses less energy vs. carrying baby in arms: The burden of carrying in-arms is 16% greater that using a baby carrier.
14. Promotes neurobehavioral development and speech: Carried babies have a constantly changing view of the world. They are exposed to varied voices, emotions, and facial expressions, all of which is crucial for neurobehavioral development. Carried infants usually hear more language. The more words a baby hears, the more words he or she will say as a toddler.

References

1. Anisfeld E et al. (1990). “Does infant carrying promote attachment? An experimental study of the effects of increased physical contact on the development of attachment.” Child Development, 61(5):1617-27.
2. Hunziker UA, Barr RG. (1986). “Increased carrying reduces infant crying: a randomized controlled trial.” Pediatrics, 77(5):641-8.
3. Field T et al. (2010). “Preterm Infant Massage Therapy Research: A Review.” Infant behavior & development, 33.2:115–124.
4. Anisfeld E et al. (1990). “Does infant carrying promote attachment? An experimental study of the effects of increased physical contact on the development of attachment.” Child Development,61(5):1617-27.
5. Jung WJ et al. (2012). “The Efficacy of the Upright Position on Gastro-Esophageal Reflux and Reflux-Related Respiratory Symptoms in Infants With Chronic Respiratory Symptoms.” Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research, 4.1:17–23.
6. Peláez-Nogueras M et al. (1996). “Depressed mothers’ touching increases infants’ positive affect and attention in still-face interactions.” Child Development, 67(4):1780-92.
7. Pisacane A et al. (2012). “Use of baby carriers to increase breastfeeding duration among term infants: the effects of an educational intervention in Italy.” Acta Paediatrica, 101(10):e434-8.
8. Uvnäs-Moberg K. (1997). “Oxytocin linked antistress effects–the relaxation and growth response.” Acta Physiol Scand Suppl. 640:38-42.
9. Gatts J D, “Infant environmental transition system and method”, US Patent, US5385153A.
10. Esposito G et al. (2013). “Infant calming responses during maternal carrying in humans and mice.” Current Biology, 23(9):739-45.
11. Bigelow A et al. (2012). “Effect of mother/infant skin-to-skin contact on postpartum depressive symptoms and maternal physiological stress.” J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs., 41(3):369-82.
12. Mawji A et al. (2014). “Risk Factors for Positional Plagiocephaly and Appropriate Time Frames for Prevention Messaging.” Paediatrics & Child Health, 19.8:423–427.
13. Wall‐Scheffler CM et al. (2007). “Infant carrying: The role of increased locomotory costs in early tool development”. American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 133(2):841-846.
14. Ferber SG, Makhoul IR. (2004) The effect of skin-to-skin contact (kangaroo care) shortly after birth on the neurobehavioral responses of the term newborn: a randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics 113(4):858-65.