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close means you can often read his body language well before he
starts to cry or tell you something is wrong.
Will I spoil my baby and make him dependent on me?
Imagine you are thirsty. Sometimes you are given a glass of water and
sometimes you are not. Your thirst is not quenched. You are forced to
wait until the next time someone else decides you can have a glass
of water. You become increasingly nervous and frustrated. You begin
to constantly ask for water, even when you are not thirsty, because
you are not sure that when you will be thirsty, you will be given some
water. You become insecure when you do not have water available.
You are so preoccupied with having enough water that you are unable
to think about anything else.
Now imagine the opposite scenario. You are thirsty. You are imme-
diately given water, however much you need to quench your thirst.
You are satisfied and can go on about whatever you were doing with-
out worry. You are reassured because the water is in abundant sup-
ply and you can have some whenever you need it. You feel secure in
this knowledge and the physical presence of the water is not always
necessary. You are worry free and can put your energy into other ac-
tivities.
Now imagine these two scenarios with your baby and his need for
close physical contact and reassurance. You decide.
Will my baby be able to breathe tucked into a sling?
Tucked snuggly into the sling, your baby is still able to move. If he is
uncomfortable in any way, he can turn his head or wiggle his body in
protest. Either he will shift and rectify the situation, or you can help
adjust him to a more comfortable position. Held close to you, your
baby will synchronize his breathing to your heartbeat and the rise
and fall of your chest. This stabilizes his respiration.
Will my baby be too hot or too cold in a sling?
Newborn babies are not capable of regulating their body tempera-
ture. The adult's body will stabilize the baby's body temperature
when holding them close. Dress yourself and your baby accordingly.
Remember that your body heat will be considered one layer and the
sling itself is a second. In cold weather, your coat over both of you is a
third layer. Just make sure that whatever extremities are exposed are
well protected from the sun and/or the cold.
Meeting your baby's needs by carrying him close to you creates
a secure and self-confident child.
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