Our baby carriers are a purely African product, handmade from the finest and most durable cottons. Using the benefits of modern materials, the African Baby Carrier assists the carer in going about their daily business whilst creating a supportive and healthy environment for the child.

It provides strong support for the correct development of the child’s spine and hips, and the specially designed hood offers 100% support for the child’s head while sleeping. Ideally, baby should be carried on the front of their carer during the first 3 to 5 months, and thereafter on the back.

A carrier can be used until the child is around 4 years old, and so our carriers are designed to meet the different stages of development.

The benefits of babywearing are now widely acknowledged; and while in the West we have only recently rediscovered these benefits, babywearing is still the most universally practiced baby carrying method.

 

1. hood & hood straps
2. chest straps
3. d-ring for hood strap
4. shoulder strap
5. waist buckle
6. padded waist belt
7. pouch pocket
8. hooded adjusters

It is healthy for a baby’s back to be rounded

The baby is born in a rounded position. This is caused by the splayed “frog”position.

The spine straightens in three stages, taking about one year. This straightening starts at the top, at the cervical vertebrae, and progresses down.

Lying on her stomach, the child can lift her head, hold it up, turn it, etc. Later the child also does this lying on his or her back. This means the seven cervical vertebrae are completely straightened (cer vical lordosis).

Then, the child strengthens the flexor and extensor muscles in its body (flexor muscles in the chest and stomach, extensor muscles in the buttocks and pelvic area). Gradually, the whole central part of the spine with the twelve thoracic vertebrae straightens (thoracickyphosis).

This straightening is completed when the child can sit up on its own. Finally, the five lumbar vertebrae straighten (lumbar lordosis).

When the child can walk alone, this stage has been completed and its spine is fullystraightened.

 

Benefits for baby and carer:

  • Facilitates and improves attachment and bonding
  • Reduces colic and crying
  • Mothers heart beat and breathing support and stimulate baby’s physical functions
  • Excellent head and neck support
  • Splayed legs facilitate better development for hips, legs and spine than dangling legs
  • Reduces incidences of and improves existing ‘flathead’
  • Reduced incidence of SIDS (cot death)
  • Improved milk supply as baby wearing increases lactation.
  • Frees the care giver, allowing far greater freedom of movement and action than would a pram.
  • Lowers the incidence and severity of post natal depression

This knowledge about spinal development results in the following requirements for the ideal sling:

  • The sling must be supple, but at the same time support the child firmly and steadily.
  • It must enclose the baby’s body like a firm bandage, and should be tied in such a way that it absorbs the wearer’s movements and jolts.
  • It should be tied in such a way that it absorbs the wearer’s movements and jolts, carrying them away from the child’s spine, back to the wearer.

This protects the child´s delicate vertebrae and vertebral discs. Particular attention must be paid to the “frog” position,as this produces both a healthy back and healthy development of the hip joints, which are still cartilaginous.

Explore using your carrier to find which is the most comfortable method for you.