How Babywearing Supports Your Baby’s Nervous System &
Development
There’s something deeply instinctual about holding your baby close. The way they settle into your chest, the steady rise and fall of your breath, the warmth of your skin against theirs.
From the very first moments of life, babies are wired for connection. They don’t just crave closeness; they need it for their nervous system to develop properly. And that’s exactly where babywearing comes in, not just as a convenient way to keep your hands free but as a powerful tool to support your baby’s development, regulate their nervous system, and strengthen your bond.
How Babywearing Supports Your Baby’s Nervous System
1. Regulates Stress & Promotes Emotional Security
When baby is held close, their nervous system learns to co-regulate with yours. Research shows that babywearing helps stabilize baby’s heart rate, breathing, and cortisol levels by keeping them in direct contact with a caregiver.
What does this mean in real life? Less crying, more calmness, and an easier time settling into sleep. Babywearing gives babies the sense of security they need to develop emotional resilience as they continue to grow and develop.
2. Encourages Healthy Brain & Sensory Development
Being worn allows babies to observe the world from a secure place at eye level with caregivers, rather than lying flat in a crib or stroller. This stimulates their vestibular system, which controls balance and coordination, and strengthens neural connections that shape brain development.
The gentle movements of walking, swaying, and shifting positions provide constant sensory input, which are essential for developing their motor skills, spatial awareness, and overall coordination.
Babywearing Benefits Mom Too
Babywearing isn’t just for baby, it also provides powerful benefits for mothers and caregivers.
1. Supports Postpartum Recovery
Carrying a baby properly distributes their weight across your core, back, and shoulders, which can help reduce postpartum strain. When done correctly, it also encourages good posture, making it a great complement to chiropractic care for postpartum recovery.
2. Boosts Oxytocin & Reduces Stress
Skin-to-skin contact and babywearing trigger the release of oxytocin, the “love hormone,” which strengthens the parent-baby bond and helps reduce postpartum anxiety and depression.
Babywearing also makes breastfeeding more accessible, supporting with milk production and feeding on demand, another beautiful way to support both mom and baby’s nervous systems.
The Key to Safe & Supportive Babywearing
Our chiropractic team Crescent Health Collective loves babywearing, but proper positioning is key to making sure both you and your baby are comfortable and supported. Here are some things to look for when choosing your carrier.
- For baby: A well-fitted carrier keeps their spine in a natural C-shape and hips in the M-position to support healthy development
- For mom: Ensuring that weight is evenly distributed prevents back strain and helps maintain proper spinal alignment, which is especially important if you’re navigating postpartum recovery.
Babywearing isn’t just about making life easier, it’s about supporting your baby’s nervous system, promoting secure attachment, and creating a sense of ease in your everyday life.
Curious about babywearing and want to learn more? We’ll be offering another babywearing workshop soon. Send us an email to get on the waitlist be first to know all the details.
Looking for a baby carrier? We love Heritage Baby Designs for their beautifully crafted, eco conscious, handmade carriers that make babywearing feel effortless.