Babywearing Research

Coregulation

Some new research has shown the positive effects of the close contact between infants and caregivers while babywearing, especially for vulnerable babies
The study focuses on coregulation which is the process by which the parents and infants autonomic nervous system influence and synchronize with each other. This system regulates heart rate, breathing and digestion. Parent and infant heart rates were monitored before during and after a babywearing session.

​It was found that babywearing strengthened the correlation between parent and infant heart rate and that babywearing may facilitate emotional communication by providing a a physically close environment which allows the infant and parent to respond readily to each other's emotional cues, especially touch. Babywearing also allows the parent-infant dyad to handle mental stressors such as pain and anxiety more easily by promoting a calming emotional state. The research article can be found here https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2024.101996

Babywearing supports emotion regulaton and attachment

A  recent study (2025) has explored the long term impact of babywearing on parenting  Previous studies have suggested that frequent close physical contact increases maternal sensitivity and responsiveness.  This particular study followed mothers from postpartum to the time their childeren were preschoolers and found that babywearing enchanced parental relective functiong  (PRF) at 3.5 years old. 
PRF refers to the caregivers ability to reflect upon their own mental expreriences as well as those of the child.  PRF is believe to play and important role for fostering the infants capacity for mentailizing which is important for the development of emotion regulation, a sens of personal agency and secure attachment relationships.

Infant carrying to enhance parental relective functioning in early childhood: a model of direct and indirect pathways in a sample of adolescent mother by Linnea B. Lind-Krieger and Lela Rankin Published 21 March 2025
https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/94BT7Q7RJXDTNB85FQGS/full?target=10.1080/14616734.2025.2480066

Do you know of any interesting studies looking at babywearing? Let me know in the comments below.