Baby Wearing

Aiden loves his slingling! A friend recommended I get one and I wasn't sure if I'd use it very much but we sure do! www.slinglings.com These are great because there are a number of different positions for baby to be worn and can be used for children up to 35 lbs! They are great for soothing fussy babies, promoting parent-child bonding, discreet breastfeeding, and there are about 10 different sizes so that you get a comfortable fit! They also have a variety of fabrics to choose from and even some foo-foo designer styles for the fashionista mama! :)
The best thing about baby wearing is that it satisfies baby's need to be close to mama and allows you to get things done at the same time! There have been studies done which conclude that babies worn rather than always put in baby carriers and strollers tend to be more calm, secure and happy babies overall. They enter this state of alertness called,"quiet alertness," which means they feel confidant being close to mom or dad so they are able to take in and learn more from their surroundings. Makes sense.

Another good option is the classic Baby Bijorn. Going on a quick trip to the store? "Let's bijorn him," my husband says. This front carrier can be worn with baby facing you, (mainly for sleeping newborns) or when they are able to hold their head well, facing outward. It's very easy to put on and feels very secure as well.
And as of this month, (April 2010) I have discovered the Ergo Baby Carrier which if I would have known what an awesome carrier this is, I would have probably bypassed my two former picks and just gone straight to this one! One day while at a friend's house, I tried on her Ergo with Aiden in it and was amazed at how light he felt in this carrier. I had stopped using the Bijorn because he was now too big for it and when I put him in the hip carry in the Slingling, it wasn't as secure as I would have liked. Slingling was still useable, but not ideal for long amounts of time. The Ergo however, holds baby very securely on your front or on your back. I was amazed at how light my now 23 lb. baby felt! It is also very easy to use unlike some others that I've tried which require an instructional video before you even put it on! With the Ergo, I just took it out of the box and put it on with ease as soon as it arrived on my doorstep. :) Aiden was thrilled to be able to be worn again after a period of a few months where this was impossible having grown out of the other options. One more great aspect of this carrier is that it supports a natural sitting position for babies, eliminating compression of the spine and hips that can be caused by unsupported suspension. With many of the other carriers on the market, baby hangs from their crotch which can cause poor ergonomics later on. The Ergo also balances the weight to the parents' hips and shoulders and alleviates much of the potential physical stress for the parent. Go get one, it is soooooo worth it to be able to hold baby close to you while you still can!

Ergo at Apple Hill