Babywearing Voices: Banner Heath Hospital System
Jul 14, 2025
At Banner Health in Arizona, innovation meets compassion in the NICU through an extraordinary program that combines state-of-the-art healthcare with the age-old practice of babywearing.
Spearheaded by neonatal nurse practitioners, staff nurses, physical therapists, researchers, and the Center for Babywearing Studies (CBWS), the program is revolutionizing care for NICU infant, especially those experiencing neonatal opiate withdrawal syndrome (NOWS).
A Journey Rooted in Research and Personal Experience
The program’s roots trace back to 2017 when Lisa Grisham, a neonatal nurse practitioner with nearly 25 years of NICU experience, sought better ways to support infants with NAS. Inspired by her personal experience using a baby carrier with her own colicky newborn, Lisa saw parallels between the calming effects of babywearing on her son and the needs of these fragile infants. Research, she believed, could pave the way for integrating babywearing into hospital care.
In collaboration with Lela Rankin, a researcher in the field, and supported by our founder, Joanna McNeilly, Lisa introduced babywearing under a research lens. Early studies highlighted measurable benefits: reductions in heart rates for both infants and their caregivers, especially biological parents, who showed the most significant improvements.
“You’re the best one for your baby.”
From Research to Standard Practice with CBWS Training
Bringing babywearing into a hospital setting was no small feat. As Shari Weise, NICU Developmental Coordinator at Banner Estrella and one of the program’s champions, recalls, it required navigating numerous bureaucratic hurdles, from obtaining buy-in from risk management and infection prevention teams to securing supply chain agreements for carriers.
“It took almost two years to get everything in place,” Shari explains.
But the effort paid off. With five hospitals in the Banner system now implementing babywearing, the program has become a model for others nationwide.
CBWS played a pivotal role in this transition by developing the Certified Neonatal Babywearing Educator-Healthcare (CNBE-H) training, specifically designed for healthcare settings. This certification was developed in collaboration with Banner Health to ensure that nurses, physical therapists, and other healthcare professionals could learn how to safely and effectively use babywearing as a clinical tool.
The training emphasizes both infant safety and nurse ergonomics, addressing concerns about infection prevention, proper carrier use, and risk management. The CNBE-H curriculum includes real-life case studies, hands-on practice, and a comprehensive approach to teaching that impressed even seasoned educators like Shari.
“Every single week was fun,” she says. “Joanna addressed every concern the system had through education.”
Transformative Impacts on Care
For the NICU staff, babywearing has proven transformative.
“About 99% of the time before babywearing, the nurse’s only recourse was to hold a baby in the crook of their arm while trying to chart,” says Shari. “This placed the nurse in positions of awkward posture, poor ergonomics.”
The consistent pressure and closeness provided by babywearing have shown remarkable calming effects on infants, particularly those with NAS or severe reflux.
“It’s incredibly soothing for them,” says Melissa Watras, a NICU physical therapist. “We’ve even seen a decrease in withdrawal scores when babies are held as much as possible.”
The program also integrates education for parents, teaching them how to safely wear their babies after discharge.
“Parents often see us babywearing and ask questions,” Melissa explains. “We tailor our classes to their baby’s specific needs, whether they’re preemies or medically complex.”
Because this population of babies is at a higher risk for breathing difficulties, this means educating parents and caregivers on when NOT to use a carrier, discouraging them from using a carrier before their child meets the minimum weight limit of the carrier.
“The hospital’s use of weighted dolls during these sessions allows parents to practice safely before trying it with their own infants, so that when their baby is ready to be worn, they are already comfortable with the concepts and educated on how to use their carriers,” says Shari.
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, the team hopes to expand their efforts by offering community classes and continuing to share their program as a blueprint for other hospitals.
“Having more certified trainers and a wider range of carrier options would make a huge difference,” says Shari.
Melissa also envisions using babywearing as a developmental tool beyond the NICU, highlighting its benefits for preventing head deformities, supporting tummy time, and promoting caregiver interaction.
“Parents talk more to their babies when wearing them,” she says. “It’s a game changer for both bonding and development.”
An Inspiration for Hospitals Everywhere
The Banner Health NICU babywearing program stands as a testament to what can be achieved with dedication, collaboration, and a commitment to innovation.
As Shari puts it, “Don’t give up. It takes time, but it’s worth it. This is the right thing to do for these babies and their families.”
