There are dozens of sites out there cataloguing the various benefits of baby wearing. Baby slings provide parent/child bonding, leg and muscle development, a calmer child, reduced post partum depression, and on and on and on. These are all very important, and I encourage parents and care givers to read up.



However, I wanted to take a slightly different approach. In this cyber world of emoticons and acronyms, I'm going to do my darnedest to make these pixels express my feelings about baby slings and why I do it.

Reason 1: It feels good

Flashback. The year, 2002. Handsome hubby and I have been married for just 10 months when our baby girl couldn't wait to surprise us. Nine months later, there she was: head full a black hair, big blue eyes with the loooongest eyelashes, and that funny gobbler chin. We were both in school and working, but I knew I couldn't bear to ever leave her, and my incredible husband afforded me the great blessing and honor of staying home with my baby. Were we poor? Heck yes! But we had faith, a beautiful baby, and we were happy. I carried her in the ugliest baby sling ever documented, but she was cute enough to make up for it. Her first year I'm not sure her head ever hit a pillow. What does a stay at home mom of one delightful infant do with her time? Nothing! And that's just how it should be. She never left my side. I talked to her. Sang to her. Sat with her. And I was happy.

Reason 2: You can get things done AND hold your baby

Now it's 2004. 10 days overdue in the record-breaking end of August heat, and 9.5 pound baby boy finally decides to join us on the outside. Fuzzy white hair. Blue eyes. And once again, looong eyelashes. My newly graduated husband has accepted a real grown-up job in Portland, Oregon, and we make the move with our two year old and two week old. Fortunately, I came across some slightly stretchy, sweet striped fabric on clearance and made a killer baby sling. Baby boy was all cuddled up in there while I packed with him. I talked & sang to him. I barely sat down. I was happy!

In Portland, I didn't know anyone, didn't know where the grocery store was, how the streets worked, nothing! We moved just as the rains were taking their permanent winter spot. Our families were hundreds of miles away. My husband was working full time for the first time in our marriage. I became depressed. My greatest solace was in those rare occasions of blissful silence when I looked at my baby's fat roll little body sleeping sweetly in the baby pouch against me. My two year old was a hilarious handful, so my chubby buddy practically lived in that baby sling carrier while I chased his big sis around the house, around the gymnastics studio & around the grocery store. I could hear his little baby sighs & see his little baby twitches. He could hear my heart beat while I rubbed his squishy little back through the sling. I talked to him about unpacking. I sang a song of settling in & I finally got to sit. I was happy.

Reason 3: It saves my sanity

Another couple of years and another move later, baby 3 shoots into this world in just 36 minutes flat. We've bought our first home with all of its ensuing projects. We started a business. We volunteered. Some days I can't, can't, can't do it all. Sometimes I snap under the pressure and turn into Momzilla - which always makes me cry as I take my precious little ones under my wing, yelling "TO HECK WITH HOUSEWORK!" and read book after book after book & then go to the park until it's too dark to see the slide.

I think about baby number one and mumble, "What on earth did I do all day with just one?" Now I barely stand still for thirty seconds at a time. Mom, make breakfast. Mom, we have no clean clothes. Mom, there's gum in my hair. I'm still hungry. He's stinky. I'm tired. That spilled. School fundraiser. Dozen cookies. Lost shoe. Hungry. Baby crying.

Oh, that baby crying. He hardly ever cries. He's the happiest little clam. But when he does cry and I say "I'm just doing this one more thing. Just a minute." My heart breaks just a little. I put him in my spiffy new cocoa brown HugaMonkey baby sling. He reaches up with a smile and tugs on my hoodie strings. Oh, those eyelashes! I ruffle the long black hair. He smiles more. I give him a little hug and soar with joy that he's curled up in front of me in that baby pouch. He sees my face. I sing while I cook. I talk while I wash. I sit while I tie shoes. I'm immensely happy.

Reason 4: I love my kids

I always want to spend every waking moment with my kids. I miss my grown up girl when she's at kindergarten for three whole hours. We have tea parties and dress up plays and car races. These are my three best friends. Any device that helps me be a better Mom while being practical, simple, and beautiful should win some sort of major award. If you can't surgically attach bionic arms to your body, then go for the next best thing. I love my baby sling.