When mamas ask us how soon they can start babywearing, we always recommend going “from womb to wrap.” Unless you’ve been told otherwise by a doctor, you’re good to start wearing your Solly Wrap as soon as your little one is earthside. Birthing a human is no easy feat, and it wreaks all sorts of havoc on your body from the inside out. But babywearing can actually help ease the healing process, all while helping you bond with your newbie.

It’s all in the hips (and the back)

Pregnancy can lead to torsion in our sacrum and lower back, labor and birth can leave our hips and pelvic floor out of balance, and awkward breastfeeding positions can cause tension in the shoulders. The Wrap is a great carrier that offers a balanced support while wearing your baby. It can make it feel like your baby is still a part of your body, making for a gentle transition from carrying baby in your womb to carrying them in the Wrap. Because the Wrap distributes weight evenly around your upper body, both are comfortable for healing postpartum.

The best first postpartum exercise

So many of us are quick to get “cleared” at our six-week follow-up and eagerly throw sneakers on and start running or working out—but it’s often too soon. Babywearing is like a mini workout, and it’s the simple act of carrying our baby that leads to a healthy recovery of our core and pelvic floor. It should be regarded like a squat workout, but you’re at your couch and not the gym. If wearing baby at home doesn’t cause any pain or discomfort, then the next step is to go for a 10-20 minute walk while babywearing. These short stints can grow into longer wrap 'n' walks with time as you and baby both build your endurance.

Perception and connection

One of the most important reasons for babywearing is its role in facilitating baby’s neurodevelopment and brain function. Touch helps to heal, grow and connect. Can you imagine being cocooned in a perfectly cozy womb for 40 weeks, 100% of the time, and then transitioning into the outside world where people actually have the audacity to put you down? Babywearing helps to ease the transition from womb to world, for both mama and babe. Baby's bodily functions are automatically regulated when in the womb, and babywearing, according to Dr. William Sears, acts like an outside womb, which makes its the next best thing.

When baby places their ear against your chest to hear your heart or feels your skin on their cheek, it creates new experiences that wire the brain and create neural pathways, all while feeling safe and secure. When your baby is “on your level” in their wrap, they are able to experience some of the world you see, hear, feel and touch. And you benefit from having them close to your heart while you bond and regulate together. Plus, having the ability to tilt your head down and sniff baby’s head whenever you want is unscientifically proven to cure just about anything.