The Research‑Backed Carry: Unlocking Babywearing’s Full Potential
A curated overview of foundational and emerging studies on the body, mind, and bonding benefits of Infant Carrying.
Babywearing Research & Evidence
We believe in evidence‑based education and advocacy. When people ask, “Where’s the research?” we want to provide solid answers. That’s why we actively promote, facilitate, develop, and support studies on early infant development—including babywearing.
Since 2008, we’ve been pushing for academic research across many fields of study and are happy to see the growing body of evidence. Engaging in the research process early ensures that babywearing is properly understood, studied, and represented in scientific discussions.
Our Research Approach
- Promote: We champion evidence‑based inquiry by raising awareness of critical questions in babywearing and early infant development—both within academic circles and among caregiving communities.
- Facilitate:Â We bridge the gap between researchers and practitioners, connecting study teams with experienced babywearing educators and healthcare professionals to ensure accuracy in both methodology and interpretation.
- Develop: We’ve created a standardized Babywearing Protocol for training both parents and researchers. This protocol aligns terminology, positioning guidelines, and data‑collection methods—minimizing discrepancies across studies and in everyday practice.
- Support: We support the funding and grant application processes, offering guidance on proposals and providing logistical resources so that promising investigations can move forward without delay.
Real research takes time, so check back regularly as we share ongoing studies, completed research, and emerging discussions.
Published Research & Articles
Highlighted Studies (scroll down for more)
A comprehensive review linking ergonomic “M‑position” carrying to healthy hip development, reduced parental depressive symptoms and enhanced paternal engagement.
📌 Anisfeld et al. (1990) Does Infant Carrying Promote Attachment?
A randomized trial showing infants carried daily in soft carriers were significantly more likely to be securely attached at 13 months than those in infant‑seat controls.
Ongoing Research Projects
🔬 The Babywearing Language Project
This exciting project, led by linguistic anthropologist Dr. Christine Schreyer, explores how different cultures describe and communicate about babywearing. By analyzing language use, we aim to understand the historical, social, and emotional significance of carrying practices worldwide.
🌍 Investigating how babywearing terms evolve across different languages.
đź“– Examining historical records to uncover forgotten words for carrying techniques.
đź—Ł Engaging with communities to document current babywearing vocabulary.
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🔬 Smart Baby Carrier – Exploring how babywearing's physiological and developmental outcomes compare to traditional skin‑to‑skin care.
📱 Wearable sensors to capture real‑time heart rate, temperature, and motion data.
🔄 Directly comparing infant and caregiver responses between carrier‑based and skin‑to‑skin holding.
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🔬 Baby Carrier and Hip Development Intervention – Investigating whether an ergonomic carrier and time can optimize hip joint development with at‑risk infants.
🦴 Using carrier time and ultrasound imaging to track hip development over time.
🤝 Partnering with pediatric orthopedics to evaluate functional and potential therapeutic outcomes.
Get InvolvedÂ
Are you a researcher interested in studying babywearing or an organization looking to support research funding? Let’s collaborate! Email us.
 Join Our Research Updates Newsletter
We'll send periodic updates as new and relevant studies are published.
The Definitive Review of Babywearing Research.
Summary of Norholt et al. (2022)
Kick off your exploration with a thorough review of the science behind babywearing—from stronger bonds and longer breastfeeding to healthier hips and happier families.
Evidence of Autonomic Coregulation while Babywearing.Â
Summary of Han et al. (2024)
This study focuses on the physiological and emotional impact of babywearing on infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and their parents.
How Babywearing Tunes a Father’s Brain to His Baby’s Cries.
Summary of Riem et al. (2021)
Discover why six hours a week in a soft carrier can sharpen dads’ neural sensitivity to infant distress—and why it matters for new fathers with challenging pasts.
