Infant-carrying techniques: which is a preferred mother-friendly method?

Mbada, Chidozie Emmanuel, Adebayo, Owanike Shakirat, Olaogun, Matthew Olatokunbo, Johnson, Olubusola Esther, Ogundele, Abiola Ogundele, Ojukwu, Chidiebele Petronilla, Akinwande, Olabisi Akinwande and Makinde, Moses Oluwatosin (2022) Infant-carrying techniques: which is a preferred mother-friendly method? Health Care for Women International, 43 (6). pp. 535-548. ISSN 0739-9332

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Abstract

Infant carrying is still trendy among African mothers than in other climes, however, carrying techniques vary mostly along cultural divides. Using a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design, the authors evaluated the effect of three types of infant-carrying techniques on cardiopulmonary function, metabolic expenditure, fatigue demand, and locomotion. Front wrap infant-carrying technique led to a marginally higher cardiopulmonary demand. Hip sling technique resulted in greater metabolic expenditure and oxygen consumption with high rate of perceived exertion, while back wrap technique did not significantly decrease locomotion parameters. The authors recommend back wrap infant carrying technique based on its slightly lower effects on cardiopulmonary function, metabolic expenditure, fatigue demand, and locomotion.