What Even Is Babywearing (and Why Do I Say Babywearing and Baby Carrying ALMOST Every Day)?

Look, I know. I say babywearing a lot. And if your ears perk up at baby carrying, that makes perfect sense. The latter feels simpler. But yes, I say both. Because strictly speaking, “babywearing” means using a carrier. But “baby carrying” can be broader: carrying a baby in your arms too, no carrier needed. So if that’s what you meant, you’re not wrong.

How the word babywearing was born

You might think Dr. Sears invented babywearing, but here’s the scoop: he credits his wife, Martha, with the actual phrase. According to Sears, Martha rigged up a sling out of an old bedsheet and said, “I really enjoy wearing Mathew… the sling is like a piece of clothing… I put it on in the morning and take it off in the evening.” And voilà, “babywearing” was born in the Sears household in the 1980s [Ask Dr Sears][1].

Baby carrying is ancient

The actual practice is way older - think prehistoric. Humans were carrying infants long before wheels were invented, in cloths made of animal skins, plants or woven fibers [3], [4]. Cultures from

• Inuit amauti (built-in pouch in a winter coat),

• Mexican rebozo,

• East African kanga or kitenge,

• Asian mei tai / bei dai / podaegi,

  have all carried babies on the body for generations [5].

Why it's widespread today in Europe & North America

Once associated with carriage-based Victorian parenting and class boundaries, intimate baby carrying fell out of favour in Western societies. But by the 1980s, with Ann Moore’s Snugli (based on Togo-style carriers) and Sears’ teachings, babywearing was rediscovered by urban parents, attachment-parenting advocates, and on social media [6]). Now babywearing is mainstream across Europe and North America - hip city dwellers and countryside parents alike weave it into daily life.

Alternative names or terms you might hear

– Baby carrying (broader, includes arms-only)

– Sling carrying, wrap carrying (more descriptive)

– Papoose (older US term originally meaning “child” from Algonquian, sometimes used informally for the carrier or the baby wrapped in one) [3],[7],[8].

In babywearing circles (especially Europe), you’ll hear: ring sling, mei tai, soft structured carrier (SSC), woven wrap, stretchy wrap, rebozo, selendang, amauti, and more [5].

So yes, I say babywearing and baby carrying - among parents sometimes both meaning roughly the same. One is narrower, one more flexible.

Why we carry babies

* Babies cry less and feel calmer when worn, classic studies show up to 43% less crying when infants are carried a few hours each day [7], [9].

* Caregivers stay hands‑free and mobile while keeping baby close.

* It enhances bonding, development, mental health, and even breastfeeding in those early months [7].

Babywearing myths- quick‑fire style

"It spoils baby?" Nope. Carried babies often feel more secure and independent.

It’ll wreck my posture?" Not if done right - but yes, try a certified educator if you’re fumbling straps.

"Only hippies or poor people do it?" Actually, it's global, timeless, and chic in today’s Europe & North America culture.

"It’s just for newborns?" Nope, carriers can hold toddlers up to packing weight limits!

"Men don’t do it?" Less but yes, they do. It works for all caregivers.

If you’ve ever felt guilty tossing carrier packaging because baby carrying sounds better, or tapped your foot because “babywearing” sounds fancy, you’re in good company. What matters more? That you and your baby are comfy, safe and close.

Want more babywearing basics, style swaps, and maybe a dad joke or two?

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Hi, I’m Michaela. Certified babywearing consultant, founder of carry.coach, and mom of 3. After watching parents wrestle with every carrier out there for a decade, I stopped recommending and started designing. Join me at babyloop, where we are redefining babywearing with style, safety and simplicity. Let’s make carrying your

Sources

1. AskDrSears.com – The Babywearing Story (Dr. Sears credits Martha Sears with coining the term)

2. Babywearing – Wikipedia (history and popularisation of the term)

3. Jenni Jenkins – The Origins of Baby Wearing (prehistoric and cultural practices)

4. Baby Transport – Wikipedia (historic carriers, Inuit amauti, rebozo, etc.)

5. Central Iowa Babywearing – Glossary of Babywearing Terms (mei tai, selendang, SSC, etc.)

6. The Baby Historian – From Baby-Toting to Babywearing (Western adoption and Sears’ influence)

7. NCT (UK) – Slings and Carriers Guide (benefits, research, UK practice)

8. The Forever Years Blog – Babywearing Through History and Today (crying reduction and attachment research)

9. English Stack Exchange – “Papoose” term discussion (historical/linguistic usage in English)