Baby slings are one of those things that have been in existence for thousands of years but have only just recently made a comeback in modern society. It's hard to imagine how previous generations of mothers manage without something like baby sling carriers to help them carry their babies.

There are several advantages to using a sling to carry your baby in. First of all, baby is comforted by the presence of your body. This has both a calming influence and creates more of a bond between parent and child.

Fathers can particularly take advantage of sling carriers. With these items hey get to participate more in the life of their new baby. When carrying a baby in a sling, you become closely attuned to her breathing rhythms and movements. This allows you to anticipate your child's needs more fully.

There is evidence that the babies cognitive abilities develop more rapidly when he is transported in a swing. One of the reasons for this could be the reduced stress because of the soothing effect of being close to the parent. Seen in this light a sling or carrier is a 2-way street where both parent and child will benefit.

Yet another big advantage of sling carriers is that they free your hands and allow you to do other household tasks while carrying your baby. You can look after older children and do household chores while the new baby is safely tucked into the sling.

You can adjust the position of the sling to make both you and baby more comfortable. Baby can be placed on the hip, the belly, or even on the back, but this requires some skill to get used to doing safely.

Mothers can nurse their babies while they are in the sling, providing both privacy and mobility -- the sling can be adjusted so that baby can nurse on her own, leading Moms hands free to do other things.

Slings are most often used with newborns, but they can also be used for toddlers up to 35 pounds. Carrying around a big baby like this can be tiresome, though, and most parents opt for a stroller at that stage.

Some parents may find that sling carriers are not as comfortable as other types of baby carriers. Parents with back problems in particular may find a sling to increase their back pain.