The 10 Real Reasons I Wear My Baby

There are a world of scientific and practical reasons to wear your baby, but at the end of the day, parenting tiny people is hard, chaotic work. While I love oxytocin and skin-to-skin as much as anyone, here are some of the honest, real-life reasons I wear my little one:

1) Because my older toddler is a bit of a runner and someone has GOT to hold her hand or we're doomed.

2) Because I feel like a parenting superhero rockstar when baby and I can walk quickly through stroller traffic and crowded spaces at street fairs, amusement parks, and on city streets. Whether or not I hum the Indiana Jones theme while I do this is really nobody's business.

3) Because - lets be real - when my shopping cart basket has a car seat in it, I have no idea where to put the groceries.

4) Because my to-do list is about a mile long and my newborn will NOT LET ME put her down.

5) Because getting out for a hike or a beach walk is a necessary part of my new parent survival strategy, and pushing a stroller on the beach or trail is pretty close to impossible.

6) Because having my baby up at eye level lets me show her the world, point out exciting new things to look at, and teach her to interact with friends and neighbors. And when I realize I'm talking out loud to myself in public as I run through our plans for the day, I can play it off like I was talking to her. Just me?

7) Because I've chosen to breastfeed, and it hasn't been as easy as I thought, but keeping baby close helps with milk production. There are also definitely milk stains on this t-shirt that my Baby K'tan is conveniently hiding.

8) Because I've made great friends in the babywearing community, chatting about our favorite carriers and offering each other advice and support, and having other adult humans to talk to is EVERYTHING.

9) Because I know that close to me is the safest, most secure place for my newborn to be, and also the top of her head smells impossibly good.

10) Because the days are long, but the years are short, and I want to savor every last snuggle while these precious months are still ours to share.

What are the real life reasons you wear your little one? We'd love to hear them!

Wishing you all the snuggles for this short little longest time. <3