British Association of Babywearing Instructors

The UK qualified babywearing instructors have got together and created an assocation called BABI (British Association of Babywearing Instructors), and the website has just gone live. It's still under construction, but you can have a look here, and there is a page telling you how to train to become an instructor.

More Qualifications

I have just completed another set of babywearing instructor training this week end. This time I did the basic course with the Dresden Trageschule . It was great to meet the trainers from Trageschule UK, and I particularly enjoyed learning wrap knotting techniques and how to do carries with a short wrap. I am looking forward to passing on my new knowledge on to other parents :-)

Carrying your baby in a sling can help with postnatal depression

Carrying your baby close in a sling can help prevent or alleviate the symptoms of postnatal depression.
This is partly because babywearing makes mothering easier (baby cries less, sleep better, it increases the mother's confidence, and lets her have her hands free). But most importantly, the close contact between mother and baby stimulates the release of oxytocin in the mother. Oxytocin, the hormone of love and bonding, which also creates a feel-good sensation, and promotes feelings of calm and trust.
Here you can read Babywearing international's flyer on the subject

Carrying ergonomically

When carrying a baby in a sling, it is very important to know how to position the sling and baby to allow a posture that is gentle on the baby's developing spine and hips.


At birth, a baby’s spine and hips are still immature. The spine is naturally rounded, in a c-shape, and not designed to be straight. The spine and the hip joints are still soft and flexible.
To support and protect a baby’s developing spine and hips, it is important that the carrier allows the baby to assume the “frog leg” or M position, with the knees higher than the bottom, as shown on the picture below .

This allows for the baby’s back to assume the correct rounded position and for the balls of the hips to sit properly in their sockets. It is also important for the carrier fabric to support the baby’s back. It is not recommended to carry your baby facing out in a sling, as it does not allow the baby to assume the frog leg position and forces the baby's back to be straight.

Sadly, most high street "front pack" type carriers do not provide a good posture for the baby.
In this type of carrier, baby is seated with his legs dangling, with all its weight on his crotch. His back is forced into a straight position. His body is both extended and compressed.
This type of sling also  places the baby too low, with the head at mid chest level, which is not a normal carrying position. Finally the design of this type of carrier and the low position of the baby are also not ergonomical for the carrying adult and carrying a heavy baby can quickly become uncomfortable.

For more info, read some articles here and here

Different perspective from a sling and from a pushchair

This video shows the same scene seen by a baby sitting in a pram and by a baby in a sling on her mother's back. The difference is quite striking. The video is in Swedish but you get the message from the images

Womb to world conference- babywearing presentation

I will be giving a talk on babywearing at the Birthlight Womb to world conference on Saturday the 2nd of October, in Cambridge.

How slings allowed human brain to grow

According to archeology researcher Timothy Taylor, the baby sling was the invention that allowed the human brain to achieve its current size. The development of the upright posture in humans caused a narrowing of the woman's pelvis. Human babies had to be born immature so their head would be small enough pass through the pelvis. Mothers had to keep their baby close to keep them warm and protected from predators. The invention of the sling, about 2 millions years ago, allowed mothers to nurture and protect their babies, whilst carrying on with their daily activities, and gathering food etc. This "extended gestation" outside the womb is what allowed human brains to reach their increased size.
Read the Guardian and the Humanist articles on Timothy Taylor's research.