My name is Donna and I am a children’s physiotherapist. I am also Mum to Jack (7) & Bennett (3) who were both born preterm (<37 weeks).

I became interested in babywearing when Jack was discharged home from the neonatal unit. After having to leave him behind in hospital for several weeks, I just wanted to snuggle him, and I am pretty sure he felt the same!

With him being born preterm however, I soon came across a problem that Jack was too small for most of the carriers available. Luckily one of my friends had used a stretchy wrap with her child and she was able to show me & support me with using this. It was like being able to cuddle, but with my arms free! Bliss!

Babywearing with a preterm baby had been shown to have lots of benefits (Grisham et al, 2023) including positive biological & behavioural effects on both the mother and the infant. However, due to challenges with breathing stability, size, muscle tone, and airway protection associated with preterm birth, it is viewed as higher risk, and needs to be done with care. (Miller et al, 2000)

If you are wanting to baby-wear with your preterm baby, I would highly recommend you get support from your local baby-wearing consultant or sling library. Most importantly make sure their airway is clear and you can monitor their breathing.

I am currently undertaking some research looking into parent & whānau experiences of babywearing with a baby born preterm in Aotearoa. If you have experience of using babywearing with your preterm baby and would be interested in sharing your story, please email me at donna.smith@otago.ac.nz

Hold onto the magic!

Grisham LM, Rankin L, Maurer JA, Gephart SM, Bell A. Scoping Review of Biological and Behavioral Effects of Babywearing on Mothers and Infants. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecological & Neonatal Nursing. 2023 May

Miller RR, Bedwell S, Laubach LL, Tow J. What Is the Experience of Babywearing a NICU Graduate? Nurs Womens Health. 2020 Jun 1;24(3):175–84.