3 Ways My Happy Baby Wrap Makes Me A Better Mom

I'll be honest: I never thought of myself as a "baby wearing mom".  I just figured I'd hold my babies or put them in the swing or bouncer if I needed to when I was at home and keep them in the car seat, cart or stroller when we were out.  But do you know what I've learned since having my first baby over six years ago?  That I am a baby wearing mom and when I use my wrap, I am a better mom because of it.

This post is sponsored by Happy Baby.  All thoughts and opinions are 100% mine.

Hands-On and Hands-Free
Even though I'm a third time mom, this is the first time I've done any kind of baby wearing.  But now that I've done it, I'm realizing that having the use of both my hands would have been really helpful.  From preparing meals to helping with homework and other activities, we use two hands for so many things.  Using my Happy Baby wrap helps me be a more hands-on mom with my other kids because I have my hands free.

Safety
Being a month into taking care of three kids, I can definitely see why so many people say that the transition from two to three was their hardest.  With two kids, you have two hands so it's easier to keep track of them and attend to their needs, whether it's in the store, the parking lot or at home.  But once you hit three, all of a sudden you are really wishing for extra arms!  This is one area where having my wrap has helped me be a better mom.  I can keep my baby close and still have two hands to help my kids.  Plus, when you are wearing your baby, it is more likely that people will keep their distance from your little one's face, which can help with the spreading of germs.

Mother-Baby Bonding
Baby wearing has been shown to help both mother and baby form an attachment to each other.  It can also help decrease the likelihood of postpartum depression (source) due to the release of oxytocin (a hormone important to mother-baby bonding).  This all ties into what is called attachment parenting, which is "a parenting philosophy that proposes methods which aim to promote the attachment of mother and infant not only by maximal maternal empathy and responsiveness but also by continuous bodily closeness and touch." (source)  Postpartum depression is something many women struggle with and while I haven't personally experienced it, I can say that baby wearing definitely lifts my mood because it enables me to keep my baby close while also allowing me to assist my family.

Why the Happy Baby wrap?
When it came time to choose a wrap, I did a lot of research.  I asked my friends and family what companies they had used, learned about the difference between a wrap and a carrier, sling vs wrap, etc.  Ultimately, I decided to go with Happy Baby.  They offer a great selection in colors and patterns, the fabric is breathable and they are affordable, all of which were important to me when making my final decision.  Plus, the material is so soft!  If you are looking for a great wrap, I highly recommend Happy Baby.  (They also sell baby carriers.)

Have you tried baby wearing?  Do you like it?