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Baby Slings

Many parents wonder about the safety and convenience of wearing their baby in a baby sling. While it is true that baby slings are safe for both you and your baby, deciding to use them is more a decision of preference than anything else. Parents who love baby slings point out numerous benefits to owning and using one.

• Using a baby sling is convenient. They allow the parents to have both hands free and still hold the baby in a secure way. They also double as a layer of privacy when breastfeeding, as a blanket if you lay the baby down and as a changing station when nothing else is available.

• Using a sling cuts down on baby's crying time. Studies have shown that in cultures where babies are help often, they cry up to 80% less each day. This aspect is beneficial to both babies and parents. Parents are less stressed out and tired when their baby is happier and baby's are free to observe their world more freely when they are not crying or upset. Plus, the lack of stress can be beneficial to babies, since they will not have to deal with an overload of stress hormones.

• Using a sling increases baby/parent communication. Since the baby is help closer to the parent and at a higher, almost eye level, the parent and baby are able to learn each other's facial clues and meanings more readily. Another benefit of this increased communication is that the parent can respond quicker to baby's needs and that, in turn, will lead to a more trustful relationship.

• Using a sling will help parents get their exercise. Not only will a parent benefit from the walking but also the added weight of the baby in sling will help them build and maintain strong muscles and bones. Plus, the angle at which the parent is carrying the baby is less stressful to their bodies than if they were carrying the child on their hip or in only one arm.

• Using a sling offers a bonding opportunity for fathers and other caregivers. Unlike mothers, other adults do not get a chance to bond as early and as often with the baby. Carrying the baby in a sling will help to keep the baby in close contact and allow the baby to be come accustomed to the person's breathing, heartbeat, voice and other movements.

• Using a sling is inexpensive. Considering all the uses of a baby sling, it costs far less than having to purchase a stroller, a baby carrier, a changing pad and a backpack. Plus, since baby slings are made of inexpensive material and they lack all the gadgets and extras of all the other carriers, they are cheaper in price.

Even with all of those benefits, some parents still do not like or promote the use of baby slings. These parents cite many different reasons, but the most common reasons are as follows.

• Baby slings are hard to use. Baby slings take some learning and instruction to use, and some parents never master the technique.

• Baby slings do not feel safe. Some parents feel as though the sling does not hold the baby tight enough. For these parents, the concern they feel overrides and pleasure they may take from using the sling.

• Small babies seem to get lost in the folds of the material. Some parents feel that a new baby is too hidden in the sling when they are small. They prefer to carry their baby in a stroller or carrier where their baby can look out and enjoy the world.

Readings other's opinions on baby slings is a good start, but the only way to truly tell if a baby sling will work for you and your baby is try one out for yourself.


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