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Make the Most of Your Newborn Sling
http://www.familymaker.net/articles/2831/1/Make-the-Most-of-Your-Newborn-Sling/Page1.html
Art Gib
Able Kitchen (http://www.ablekitchen.com) sells kitchen supplies and other restaurant equipment online for great prices due to large bulk purchases. The author, Art Gib, is a freelance writer. 
By Art Gib
Published on 10/15/2008
 
When carrying your newborn in a sling, the baby feels at home with the sound of your heartbeat while curled into the familiar position felt before while in utero. This is a great way to introduce your baby from birth and into the world by slowly adapting your child from what's familiar and into exploring the unknown.

Newborn babies yearn to feel the familiar security of the womb, the warm cradling inside a mothers stomach is all they know. This is why they crave to be held all the time; they seek this familiarity for comfort, especially if they are in motion. While riding in a newborn carrier they have the luxury of doing both as the baby gets to feel the bond between you physically through your breathing and the heartbeat against your chest. The weightlessness of being cradled is comforting for babies finding it difficult to adapt to life outside the womb. There are many models of baby carriers for baby wearing from the basic fabric wrap to the fashionable carriers to personalized hiking backpacks but for newborns slings, the items made available are designed specifically for this very young age group of 0-3 months.

The benefits of the newborn sling for the parent are the hands free ability to continue doing your day to day activities, without having to cradle a newborn in your arms. The convenient pouch in newborn slings allows babies to be soothed into a familiar cuddly environment while the parent is trying to do all the simple things taken for granted until dealing with a colicky or needy baby. There is also the advantage for breast feeding mothers to be able to nurse on demand while still wearing the baby carrier, an advantage for mom to be hands free since there is a supportive head rest built into most carriers for this reason.

The newborn carrier is one of the best ways for parents to tote their child around without the bulky weight or inconvenient size of a stroller. A carrier is light, small and provides an intimate experience for you and your baby. Newborn slings are designed with one strap going over the parent's shoulder, open up the pouch and put your baby inside for the most comfortable ride outside the womb. By having the freedom to see over your shoulder a newborn can see what you do and be stimulated enough to avoid fussing from boredom. Once cuddling against your chest while riding in this kangaroo like pouch a newborn can relax, sleep or nurse while you are on the move. Many carriers have the convenience of a privacy flap that flips out of the pouch, enabling you to protect your baby so you can nurse without having to take the carrier off.

Parents should keep in mind that learning to use any newborn sling will take a considerable amount of patience and lots of practice to place your baby inside securely. Once you get comfortable with using a newborn carrier you will be able to enjoy the many optional positions like the chest to chest hold, the cradling position, the hip straddle, and the kangaroo carry. As with any baby product, there are confidence issues that are bound to arise. Try to remember there is more success with your newborn if the child is well rested, in a good mood and already fed.