Slings Are All The Rage....

I have thoroughly enjoyed “wearing” my baby (i.e. using a baby carrier) since he was born. With my first child, we used a stroller everywhere we went, but this time around, I love having my little buddy right in front of me.

Slinging my baby frees me up tremendously…I have my hands available to assist my toddler when she needs my help, and it also gives me more mobility to get things done around the house. And as it turns out, I am not the only one who is enjoying one of the oldest and most widely accepted parental practices in the world.

An article in the New York Times entitled, “The Latest in Strollers? Mom and Dad,” discusses how many parents are dumping their strollers in favor of wearing their little one in a baby carrier or sling.

The article states that between 2006 and 2008, overall sales of industry-certified carriers rose 43 percent, and is now a $21.5 million dollar industry. That’s a lot of baby carriers!

You may be wondering why so many people are choosing to carry their baby in a sling or carrier? Well, there are many wonderful benefits to babywearing! Many highly acclaimed pediatricians have identified that babywearing is a good practice for babies and provides benefits that unslinged babies do not receive. Research has shown that:

- Babies who are carried in slings cry at least 40 percent less than those babies who are unslinged.

- Babywearing can help reduce colic in infants.

- Babies worn in slings show more alertness, both visual and auditory, and absorb information much quicker.

- Because your baby is close to you when worn in a sling, he or she is not scared by loud noises, thus allowing them to absorb more sights and sounds around them.

- Babywearing also helps promote speech development, as babies are exposed to more conversations and sounds when held closely to their parents.

- Using a baby sling or carrier can simply make life easier for you and your baby. It is a convenient way to breastfeed while caring for an older child, working or getting chores done around the house. It also is a great way to snuggle babies that liked to be held frequently, but it frees your hands to complete other tasks.

Are you going to join Team Babywearing? Or are you still Team Stroller? Or are you like me and think they both have a place in your life? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.