Buy a sling for every new mom you know!

My daughter was born expecting to be held every second of the day. She was a tiny little thing (under 6 pounds at birth) and wouldn't tolerate any of the soft carriers...she would disappear into them, except for her skinny little legs, which would dangle out the bottom and make her feel exposed. I was at my wit's end, carrying her every waking minute and unable to get anything done. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would have to spend my entire maternity leave sitting on the couch watching M*A*S*H reruns and holding her, when one night, at a baby store buying her a crib, I came across the Nojo Original Baby Sling.

It seemed to be more adjustable than any other carrier I'd seen, with the ability to hold her up to age 3. I took it out of the box in the store, put her in it, and she immediately fell asleep. I wore it out the door!

Imagine the luxury, after 3 weeks of not being able to even make myself lunch unless I could do it with one hand, to be able to do a load of laundry, wash the dishes, and brush my hair! My daughter loved being in the sling, and would sleep in it for hours as a newborn. Now that she's nearly 6 months old, she won't sleep in it anymore, but instead rides in it sitting straight up. She can see the world, feel me snugly against her, and I can go to the store, synagogue, absolutely anywhere with her and get this...SHE DOESN'T CRY. I can't remember more than two or three times that she ever cried in the sling. Babies are just so happy in slings.

Everyone I know who has a baby is getting one of these from me. The Nojo is particularly nice because it has thick padding for your shoulder and nice padding for the baby's arms when s/he is riding in the upright-seated position. It's also very easy to wash -- just throw it in the washing machine and drier.

The only thing I notice is that people think it's a strange carrier. I get lots of stares in public and people often ask lots of questions -- my favorite is "Is she comfortable in there?" I'm tempted to answer, "No, she hates it. See how loud she's crying?" as she laughs and smiles at them.

It takes some getting used to, as it's not impossible for the baby to fall out if you play rough while wearing it. Nothing "straps" the baby in, so you have to be careful. You can't use it on a bike or while jogging or anything. However, walking, even briskly, is perfectly fine, as is climbing stairs, bending down (carefully), and most household chores.

Get one for the new mom in your life, or yourself! It's wonderful!