A common complaint of a new parent is that they don’t have time to exercise! The good news is that if you are using a baby carrier then you already are.
Even a newborn is going to weigh upwards of 10lbs soon after birth. When you carry them in a baby carrier then you suddenly get better value for all of your physical activities and will burn extra calories.
But how many calories does babywearing really burn? We will look at this, and more, in the following article.
Does Babywearing Really Help Me Lose Weight?
Babywearing will help you lose weight due to the extra calorie burn required to carry the extra weight of your child when performing any kind of physical movement.
Whether this will specifically lead to weight loss will depend on a number of other factors:
- Diet
- Level of physical activity
- Whether you are breastfeeding or not – milk production is another big calorie burner.
So while you cannot guarantee a weight loss outcome, you can be sure that regular babywearing will burn more calories and challenge some of your muscle groups in ways they may not have been before.
How Many Calories Will I Burn Wearing a Baby Carrier
When you wear a baby carrier you will burn 5%-15% more calories compared to completing the same physical exercise without the extra load.
As a rough guide, we have used various scenarios that are comparable to carrying a baby carrier – like a hiking pack with various weights contained.
- Regular walking: 112 calories
- With a 15lb baby carrier: 119 calories (+6.25%) – from My Fitness Pal
- With a 30lb baby carrier: 125 calories (+11.6%) – calculated with an equivalent hiking backpack.
The more weight you carry in your baby carrier, the more calories you will burn if you maintain the same walking speed.
How to Increase the Calories Burned
The simple answer here is to increase the intensity or duration of your physical activity when babywearing.
It is common for moms to complete a whole workout while wearing a baby carrier. You will have to be extra careful to keep your back straight and avoid twisting, but this will be fun for you and your baby while you also return to a habit of regular exercise.
Check out the video below for a manageable workout you can complete with your baby strapped in. You can imagine the extra challenge with 10lbs-20lbs of baby hanging on!
Note: you should only use a soft structured baby carrier when working out. A wrap may stretch and a ring sling just won’t be comfortable enough.
Final Word
If you are babywearing regularly you may need to adjust your diet to increase caloric intake. Especially if you are breastfeeding as well.
You will need lots of energy as a new parent and while babywearing can help get you into shape you also need to meet the demands you are placing on your body with nutritious food, and lots of water!
Remember that babywearing is a lot of fun and can be the ultimate fitness hack for time-poor moms and dads. So strap your baby in and start burning those calories!
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