What: Babywearing is using a soft sling or pouch to carry your baby close to your body. The theory is that it’s soothing for babies, strengthens the bonds between baby and mommy, leaves your hands free for other tasks and also reduces the stress on your body by more evenly distributing your baby’s weight when you carry him. If celebrities (think Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow) are anything to go by, babywearing is coming back big time.

What the experts say: From Babyzone.com: “Babywearing is another age-old practice that’s come back in vogue in recent years…but now companies like Kangaroo Korner are bringing babywearing to a whole new level. This Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company is using a variety of fabricsâ€�?from silks to polar fleece, organics to water-friendly, UV-blocking materialsâ€�?to create baby slings and pouches in a multitude of styles. They’ve even designed a pouch that will fit infants through preschoolers, so you need only purchase one sling for your child, rather than several for each growth stage.â€?

What I say: I love the slings and pouches made for babywearing! I find them much more comfortable for mommy and baby than the backpack-type baby carriers we’ve been seeing for the last few years, and they come in great colors and fabrics. They’re also less expensive (around $40 at Target)  than most baby carriers, especially when you consider that they expand as your baby grows, so you can use them much longer than the alternatives.