Impact of Baby Carrying Methods on Females Balance During Standing

Babywearing is defined as using a supporting device that helps to keep an infant close to a caregiver's trunk.

The practice of babywearing has many benefits to both children and caregivers as it is an extension of "skin-to-skin care (SSC)" or "kangaroo care" which has well-known therapeutic benefits. Such benefits for the infant include: improve physical and cognitive state, good sleep, less likely to continuously cry, better breastfeeding, temperature stability.

For mothers, many benefits were found as well for example lower stress and anxiety levels, decrease in heart rate HR and blood pressure BP, higher breastfeeding rates, increase maternal satisfaction, increased bonding of mother with their neonate .

Despite the great advantage of infant carrying, there are many adverse effects on the musculoskeletal system and ergonomics of the mother. Women who carry their babies throughout the day will probably have similar consequences as carrying an extra load so pain and injuries will occur.

It has been reported that infant carrying in-arms caused acute muscle soreness in the ipsilateral upper limb that was used to support the infant over the left shoulder. While during the front infant carrying methods (ICMs), the pressure of the infant carrier shoulder straps caused shoulder discomfort and pain.