"I would like to carry my baby facing forwards - that way he can discover everything easily!"
Read our blog post here to find out why you shouldn't do this and what consequences it can have for your baby!
The ergonomic aspect - the right posture counts!
The unfavorable posture that the hips assume due to forward-facing carrying does not usually ensure a good posture. Squat-spread posture. This posture is important to support natural hip maturation and prevent the femur from slipping out of the hip socket. In the worst case scenario, you run the risk of hip dysplasia of such severity that it can only be treated by surgery or by wearing a so-called spreader brace. Furthermore, this leads to severe stress in the pelvis and can lead to compression of the genitals, especially in boys.
Another important point is the spine, which straightens up from the 8th-9th month at the earliest and changes into an S-shape as we know it. The so-called hunchback should be Baby Carrier be supported vertebra by vertebra. However, if a baby is placed in a Baby Carrier with a fixed fit - for example an upright position - or facing forwards, the back is stretched or even pushed into a hollow back. This unnatural strain on a baby's spine can have far-reaching consequences. consequences into adulthood into adulthood.
Also unhealthy for the parents:
Forward-facing carrying also means that the baby's center of gravity is further away from the parent's body. This leads to Tension and pain in the back and neck.
Less control:
Your baby cannot put their head down when being carried facing forward. Babies who lack head control in particular tend to drop their head in a jerky manner, which can cause their head to fall. great pain for the baby causes great pain. Your baby also has no opportunity to snuggle up to you and seek protection - something that is important after the quiet, warm, dark womb in this cold and noisy environment. This often leads to overstimulation and sleepless, screaming nights to process the experience.
By the way: babies learn a lot through interaction and eye contact with their father or mother and it is known that babies who are carried develop cognitively faster than babies who are not carried. However, this direct interaction is missing when babies are carried facing forward.
Myth - the baby wants to see:
It is now known that babies only develop color and binocular vision at around four months of age. This is when spatial vision develops, as both images can now be combined into one. Babies are only able to fixate something and perceive contrasts to a large extent at six months. And at seven or eight months at the earliest, babies show a clear interest in their surroundings. This is when hand-eye coordination improves and the world is discovered by putting everything found in the mouth! The fact that the baby "wants to see" something is often just something that misinterpreted misinterpreted. If it is already well over six months old and now wants to discover the world, there are alternativeswhich nevertheless ergonomic for your baby are!
Your alternatives:
To show your baby the wide world and pursue their curiosity, you have the option of on the back (recommended from safe head control at around 6 months) or sideways on the hip to carry! This way, they can look over mom's or dad's shoulders, especially when being carried on their back, and at the same time feel safe with you and even fall asleep. What could be better?
Our Baby Carriers:
The original KOKADI Baby Carriers you can by the way all in front of your stomach or on your back. This gives you a comfortable weight relief and a variable carrying method if you need it. The TaiTai and the WrapStar you can even sideways sideways! If you need help here or have any questions, our free babywearing advice with help and advice!