Babywearing is a more intimate way of carrying a baby

Some cultures, like the Native Americans, valued babywearing for its simplicity and practicality. It wasn’t complicated to do and it allowed parents to stay in constant contact with their children. It’s hard for children to wander off and get into trouble when you’re wearing them.

Sometimes revisiting old methods of doing things is a smart thing to do. While we wouldn’t want to give up many of our modern medical advancements, like antibiotics, returning to a more natural, less plastic way of life definitely has its appeal.

In honor of International Babywearing Week from Oct. 2 to Oct. 8, Momlovesbest.com has put together an infographic which highlights some of the biggest benefits of babywearing. In celebration of IBW 2017, here are 5 excellent reasons we think you should consider wearing your baby.

You’ll meet parents who share your interests

Meeting other cool parents who want to find more natural, simpler ways of doing things is a welcome byproduct of babywearing. When babywearing parents see other parents who prefer to ditch the plastic stroller in favor of strapping their baby on their chest, they want to know them. And when they introduce themselves, great things begin to happen. They share tips, provide encouragement and validation. Having a strong support group is always a good thing when you’re a parent.

You can go anywhere

When you push a stroller around outside, you’re pretty limited as to where you can go. Want to go on a mind-clearing walk through the woods? That’s not going to happen because strollers are too hard to navigate through that kind of terrain.

But with a baby carrier, you can go anywhere your feet can take you. Your options are wide open, whether you want to take a wood-chipped trail or a gently sloping hill.

You’ll save some money

Strollers are pretty pricey, especially when you factor in how much other baby gear you’ll be buying for your little bundle of joy. Baby carriers don’t cost as much, which can be appealing for parents on a tight budget or those who don’t want to put in extra hours at work away from their babies.