A Baby Sling is a pouch-like carrier that holds your baby in cradle position across your chest while allowing your hands to remain free for other tasks. However, slings aren’t 100% stable so always be ready to use your hands to provide a bit of extra support.

Baby Slings

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Infant Carriers

Baby Wraps

Baby Carriers

Infant Baby Carriers: Baby Slings

Slings are only really useful with young infants since they only allow the baby to lie across the chest. The benefit of a sling over a baby carrier and a baby wrap is that putting on a sling is relatively easy. For most slings you just put the single strap over your head and shoulder so that it crosses your body like a side-carrying school bag. The pouch of the sling should be positioned across your torso. Then put the baby in this pouch with the head at the highest angle. Most people can easily take a baby in and out of a sling without any help.
Overall, parents are mixed about their enthusiasm for slings. Some parents love them, especially for newborns since they provide a womb-like atmosphere for the baby inside the pouch and close to the carrier’s heart, while at the same time allowing the person carrying the baby to have their hands free for other activities. However, some parents find that babies feel too constricted in slings since they can’t see the world around them as the pouch usually restricts any view of the surroundings.
A friend of mine loved using a sling with her baby whenever she had computer work to do. The baby was positioned comfortably for her to be in a seated at her desk and it allowed her to easily work on the computer undisturbed while at the same time being able to maintain eye contact with her baby.

Helpful Advice: If possible, hold off on your purchase of an infant carrier until the arrival of your baby. Then take your baby along to the store to try out the sling or wrap, or carrier. Most stores will not object to you testing the product with your baby. See how your baby responds to the different items and then choose the one that best pleases both you and your baby.