Porter son bébé, porter le monde : une histoire de peau à peau

Skin to skin: an archaic , vital, instinctive need

A universal practice with ancient origins

In many cultures, even today , this immediate and prolonged contact is considered essential to the survival and well-being of the infant.

Skin-to-skin contact stabilizes body temperature, regulates breathing, reduces stress, and promotes milk production. It's a natural, gentle, and free medicine—and yet it's still too often overlooked.

In maternity, a simple gesture with powerful effects

Today, hospitals increasingly encourage skin-to-skin contact from birth, even (and especially) after a cesarean section or premature birth. This suspended moment calms the baby, reduces crying, stimulates breastfeeding, and accelerates natural microbial colonization.

The benefits are also emotional: skin-to-skin contact activates oxytocin, the attachment hormone, in both parent and child. It then becomes the invisible foundation of the budding relationship.

Not just for the mother: the role of the second parent

Skin-to-skin contact is often associated with the mother… but it's just as beneficial when practiced by the other parent. A father, a second mother, or a co-parent can create this strong tactile bond by placing the baby on their bare chest, under a blanket, in an armchair, or against their heart.

These moments create deep emotional security and allow the intimacy of the bond to be shared within the family.

Carrying: extending the bond in movement

Skin-to-skin continuity in daily life

After the first few days of static skin-to-skin contact, carrying in a wrap or sling extends this contact in a mobile way. It allows the baby to be close to their parent while discovering the world—much like they did in the womb.

The carried baby hears the heartbeat, feels warmth, and perceives movement, all while being contained. It is a sensory extension of gestation, a space where he feels safe, without being isolated.

The benefits of babywearing

. Reduction in crying (up to -43% according to some research),
. Better motor and postural development,
. Better digestion (reduction in colic),
. Easier falling asleep,
. Strengthening of the attachment bond.

The carried baby is often calm, more awake, more connected.

The benefits of babywearing for parents

. Keeping their hands free while still meeting their child's emotional needs,
. Gaining parental confidence by closely observing their baby's signals
. Feeling competent and active, even in times of fatigue or uncertainty.

Many parents speak of a feeling of connection and clarity when they discover babywearing.

Choosing your carrying method

There are many options: woven wrap, stretchy wrap, sling, physiological baby carrier...

The main thing is to respect the baby's natural position (rounded back, knees higher than the hips) and to ensure that his head is well supported.

It is recommended to test different systems (in workshops or with babywearing consultants) to find the one that suits your lifestyle, your comfort and your baby.

Skin-to-skin and babywearing across world cultures

Universal gestures, multiple forms

Babywearing is not a recent trend. All over the world, generations of women—and sometimes men—have carried their children with whatever means they had: cloth, scarves, knotted blankets, wraps, etc.

In West Africa, the loincloth is worn on the back; in Japan, the onbuhimo allows for high carrying; in Latin America, rebozos are an integral part of maternal culture. These practices demonstrate how prolonged contact with the baby is the norm, not the exception.

An intergenerational transmission

In many traditional societies, the knowledge of carrying is passed down naturally, from mother to daughter, between sisters or neighbors. These are gestures learned by observing, trying, and imitating.

In the West, this knowledge was set aside in the 20th century in favor of technical objects (baby bouncers, strollers, separate cribs). But since the 2000s, we have seen a return to babywearing, encouraged by research in affective neuroscience and the proximal mothering movement.

Babywearing as a philosophy of parenting

Carrying is much more than just moving a baby. It's a way of relating: we adapt to their signals, we keep them close, we build a bond of trust and security.

This physical proximity also develops mutual bodily awareness: the parent senses when the baby is agitated, sweating, or relaxing. And the baby, in turn, integrates the rhythms of the adult's body.

→ Carrying your baby in a soft knit like the Mistricotine bra means extending the cocoon of birth with tenderness and refinement.

An opening to the world… in the arms

It is sometimes said that a baby being carried “sees nothing”—quite the opposite. He sees the world at adult eye level, participates in conversations, and observes everyday gestures.

Babywearing doesn't confine; it offers a reassuring and rich world, at the right distance. It develops joint attention, curiosity, and emotional anchoring.

Practical advice for getting started with skin-to-skin contact and babywearing gently

Establish a daily skin-to-skin ritual

Skin-to-skin contact isn't just for maternity. It can (and should) continue at home for the first few weeks, even months. Simply:
. get comfortable, bare-chested, with your baby in an open diaper or bodysuit,
. cover your baby with a blanket or soft clothing,
. stay calm, without external stimulation,
. let yourself go slowly and be present.

This moment can become a daily meeting, at the end of the day or after bathing, conducive to refocusing.

Choosing the right baby carrier equipment

Here are some criteria for choosing a suitable system:
. Baby's age: for the first few weeks, choose a stretchy wrap or sling
. Season: in summer, a lightweight fabric; in winter, a thick woven wrap or a babywearing coat,
. Wearer's comfort level: choose a simple installation if you are a beginner.

It is often useful to be accompanied by a certified babywearing instructor, to learn the right techniques from the start.

What babywearing and skin-to-skin contact teach

More than a tool, carrying gradually becomes an inner posture: that of proximity, of fine response to needs, of loving observation.

It teaches:
. to slow down,
. to trust your body,
. to listen to your baby differently,

. to wear without forgetting yourself, with precision.

Conclusion: a finding closeness, a tenderness in motion

Carrying your baby isn't just about carrying them. It's about connecting them to the world with you as an anchor. It's about telling them, through gestures, before words: "I'm here, I'm holding you, you can grow up in peace."

Skin-to-skin contact and babywearing are not techniques. They are rituals of love, to be reinvented every day, with gentleness, fluidity, and awareness.

To accompany these precious moments, Mistricotine merino wool bras offer a natural comfort, knitted in France, designed for the most delicate skin.