13Thirteen Blog
From Necessity to Fashion Statement
By Rynette Tan Managing Director & Babywearing Consultant, 13Thirteen --- How to look good while babywearing - Cordelia’s Style File Babywearing brings about a host of benefits for both parent and child. It allows parents the convenience of being hands-free and out and about with baby. Babywearing also helps parents build a secure attachment and bond with their children, and allows them to soothe a cranky or clingy baby without tiring out their arms and shoulders. For many parents, babywearing is a necessity. While some mothers lament at the change in wardrobe that motherhood may bring due to breastfeeding and babywearing, others...
Babywearing during a pandemic
By Rynette Tan Managing Director & Babywearing Consultant, 13Thirteen --- In times of uncertainty and distress such as during a pandemic like the covid-19, babywearing offers comfort and security to your child. It is also an excellent way to ensure that your child is kept close to you, to minimise unnecessary exposure to harmful diseases. While it is best to stay at home during such times, certain situations may necessitate going out with your child, for example leaving your home to buy groceries. In cases where no alternative caregiver is present and you have to leave the home with your child,...
Babywearing - common areas of complaints
By Rynette Tan, Babywearing Consultant & Louise Yow, Principal Physiotherapist at Phoenix Rehab Shoulder/neck pain --- The large majority of caregivers tend to carry babies on their front using a soft structured carrier, or full buckled carrier. In this position, the carrier’s straps sit on the caregiver’s shoulders, in rucksack style. With the baby’s weight on the wearer’s front, the caregiver’s shoulders tend to be pulled forward. For many caregivers who are not mindful of this forward pull and do not or are unable to extend back, pain can result at the top of the shoulder/neck area as well as at the...
Exercises to help with Babywearing
By Rynette Tan, Babywearing Consultant & Louise Yow, Principal Physiotherapist at Phoenix Rehab -- For marathon runners, training helps to keep you in shape and prepares the body to take on the task of running long distance. Similarly, babywearing can be viewed as a sport that you can prepare and train your muscles for, to take on the extra load of carrying your child. It is very much like strength and endurance training. As the child grows in size and weight, there will be more demands on the person’s body to carry a heavier load. Here are 3 exercises that you...
Babywearing - is it for me?
By Rynette Tan, Babywearing Consultant & Louise Yow, Principal Physiotherapist at Phoenix Rehab -- Babywearing is the art of carrying your child Babywearing is a practice from olden times that has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. It has regained popularity due to the convenience of allowing caregivers to be handsfree, thereby allowing them to attend to other daily matters. It also enables closeness to the child, and facilitates bonding and attachment. Common questions that potential babywearers ask are: Why should I carry my child in a carrier instead of just using my arms? Will I get back aches carrying...