by Gillie Saane

Baby is crying and you’ve done everything! Diaper is dry. She’s not hungry. Aaacckkk!!! Why is your baby crying? If only she could talk to you. That’s silly. Babies don’t talk. They don’t? Sure they do. Babies talk all the time. They just don’t talk in English.

When your baby is screaming at the top of her lungs, her face blue from lack of oxygen intake, and her eyes are bulging out like one of the muppets, you think, just maybe, it’s because she’s trying to tell you something? Good guess. Her tears are from utter frustration because even though she’s making more noise than a rock concert, she thinks you can’t hear her! If you were listening you’d help her!

Ah. What we have here is a basic failure to communicate. Two entirely different languages are being spoken here, and you don’t happen to have a U.N. interpreter. You speak English and your baby speaks Bbbfflltt!

What if you could speak to her in a language she understands — and she could talk back in that same language? Why not teach your baby sign language?

Teach my baby sign language? Now there’s a bright idea. Okay. Let me see, maybe I can squeeze it in between her chemical engineering class and her opera lesson. Thanks for the advice, and I’ll see ya later.

Hold on there, mom of the year. Wendy Jensen says — Yes! Yes you can teach your baby sign language! She knows because she’s done it (well, she taught her babies, not yours). And she’s taught other parents (successfully, by the way) to teach their babies, too.

Well of course you’re skeptical — but I’m telling you that she did it. In fact not just Wendy, but thousands of other moms out there. And these weren’t Harvard graduates we’re talking about. In fact, many of them didn’t even graduate Cal State Fullerton (or even attend any school in the Cal State system). Truth be known, they aren’t any brighter than any other of the mommies out there. And probably nowhere near as bright as you. (You’re reading this, aren’t you? Smart girl!)

Okay. Now if that weren’t enough, there are still MORE benefits from teaching your baby sign language.

Here’s the first BIG benefit. From now on, little Gretchen will no longer have to scream at the top of her lungs because she wants you to know her toe, on the foot which she just removed from her mouth, hurts like heck because she just bit it with her new tooth. Now she can let you know in signs!

And hold on there, mama, there are side benefits, too. Long lasting ones.

Young kids develop better language skills when they have learned sign language as a baby. Kids don’t have to have hearing impairment to be helped. They are helped because they learn to communicate better. They will be much more interested in the world around them. Now who would have guessed that? But it’s true.

It works out this way, perhaps, for the following reasons:

All little kids are mimics. Little girls want to wear lipstick and little boys want to shave (we hope for your sake it is not the other way around). When a child learns sign language they begin mimicking their parents at an earlier age. So they start younger doing adult things.

And If you are going to be a mimic, first you have to be a quick-study. You can’t dance like Britney without first watching (studying) Britney dance. Pretty logical. Therefore, signing develops attention skills. Kids study the person signing in order to “hear and understand” This keeps kids focused and their little mushy brains working full speed to keep up. And they love it!

Teaching your kids sign language is fun. Kids think they are playing an action game (side point: kids love action games!) because signing takes action.

Now just imagine this from your little moppet’s point of view: instead of mom and dad telling her to shush (kids hate to shush), or dumping her back in the play pen, (kids hate to be dumped back in the play pen) her parents are giving her a whole bunch of positive attention!

Will your little darling get a full paid scholastic scholarship to Columbia if you teach her sign language. Probably. Well, actually, maybe. Anyway, she will be heads and knees above the other kids because you provided her with a very basic skill set. And you taught her that learning can be fun. Give a baby a fish and she eats tonight. Teach your baby to fish and she eats for a lifetime. Get it? It’s simple. Teach your baby sign language and she will benefit for her whole life.

by Katie Wilber

No doubt about it, babies love to be held. Unfortunately arms get tired and as busy parents know, arms have things to do. That means holding your baby all day long is a near impossibility. Or is it? Baby wearing was designed to not only give babies the attention and security they crave, it also gives parents the freedom they need.

Baby Wearing Defined

Baby wearing is the practice of wearing or carrying a baby in a carrier ” most often a sling. Baby wearing is part of the attachment parenting philosophy which believes that a strong emotional bond with parents during childhood is a precursor of secure, empathic relationships in adulthood. While baby wearing is a factor in the attachment parenting philosophy, parents don’t have to adopt the philosophy to practice or receive the benefits of baby wearing.

Baby Wearing Benefits

Less crying. Science has proven that babies who are held cry less. That’s not just a benefit for busy parents; it’s a benefit for babies. Their needs are met and they’re happier.

The world is an open book. Babies who are worn learn more about the world at a younger age. When they feel safe and secure being held close to their parents, they feel more at ease pay attention to the world around them.

Multi-tasking. Baby wearing is the single best way to keep your baby safe and secure in your arms while at the same time being able to take care of all those daily tasks which require both hands.

Safe sleeping position and less risk of misshapen heads. Wearing your baby provides them a safe sleeping position, much like the pediatric association recommended position, which helps prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. However unlike sleeping on their back, the recommended position, sleeping in a baby carrier doesn’t put pressure on the back of their soft heads. The result is a baby who is much less likely to develop that telltale flat spot on the back of their head.

Mothers are less likely to suffer from postpartum depression. It is theorized that contact with the baby increases a mothers progesterone levels. This increase strengthens the bond between mother and baby.

Baby wearing moms are afforded private and comfortable breastfeeding whenever and wherever Babies often need to be fed in the most inconvenient of times and places. A baby carrier or sling enables the mother to feed their baby with all the comfort and privacy they need. Additionally, the job can be accomplished hands free.

Not all baby wearers are created equal. Make sure the baby carrier or sling you invest in is a safe one which allows for proper support and positioning. Used correctly a baby wearer provides busy parents the ability to both bond with their baby as well as get things done and babies grow up feeling safe and secure.

Get into baby wearing in comfort and style. Kate Marie Wilber is the owner of Barefoot Bella Children’s Boutique, your premium source for baby carriers, slings, girls & boys clothing, accessories, furniture and more. Visit www.BarefootBella.net for the perfect baby sling for you.