If there were such a thing as a BBAA (that’s Baby Bjorn Addicts Anonymous), I may be forced to join. Since she could hold her head up, I would tuck my little walking-weight right up in the front and go anywhere my legs would take us. She liked to snuggle close to mommy, and I was glad to have her secure next to me as we got in shape. Even now that she’s walking, I still load my daughter up in the Bjorn and go. It keeps my hands free to accomplish things and keeps her hands away from everything on lower shelves. She’s never been a huge fan of the 
stroller, not to mention the detours we get to avoid not having to find elevators to get around.
My sister-in-law, on the other hand, swears by her sling. Her daughter loved the “snuggliness” when she was itty-bitty. Nowadays, my sis-in-law prefers the fact that her lovebug can sit right on her hip. She says it’s much more comfortable than the straps across her back. When I read the article on the Motherlode about the controversy surrounding the safety of slings, she was the first person I considered.
There seems to be lots of reasons to be extra careful using a baby sling, specifically the “bag style” version. There are reports of babies getting “doubled-over” which then causes suffocation.
In any case, there are several ways for sling-wearers to ensure that baby is safe and that mom’s back will be happy by the end of the day. First of all, the position in the sling should be the same as the position when holding the baby in your arms. Keep them “close enough to kiss” (which is easy to do when you are as hooked on the scent of baby like I am and can’t go more than 17 seconds without planting a sloppy one on her little self). To prevent the sling, and resulting the baby) from swinging away if you bend over, make certain the sling is tight against your body. Always make sure that your baby’s face is not covered in any way. The best test of proper sling-wearing is if you experience any back pain after wearing it. If you do, go back to your owner’s manual and make sure that your sling is being used properly. Be careful when you’re carrying other items such as a diaper bag.
While baby slings may be the current rage in mommy-fashion, I hope these thoughts help keep your little one snuggled in and safe!
Image Source: flickr.com/photos/normis/4210251089
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