By Carol J Pearson

As a mother I have owned a lot of baby equipment designed to make my life easier. If I had my time again and I could choose only one piece of equipment I would choose a baby sling in one form or another (after the disposable diaper of course).

There are many brands of baby front carriers with slightly different features. Graco and Baby Bjorn are two of the more popular brands. With these carriers, two padded shoulder straps go over your shoulders and criss-cross behind your back. The straps will adjust to allow the carrier fit most people. The baby is then slid into a supportive pocket with leg holes allowing the baby to nestle against your chest facing you.

As the baby grows and gets bigger, many carriers will allow the baby face outward. The things I didn't like about the baby front carrier is that it seemed awkward to me. If the baby fell asleep while in the carrier, it was challenging to gently remove her to lay her down in the crib.

Also, having your baby in front of you means she is physically in the way. This prevents you from easily performing many common household duties such as preparing meals, cleaning or looking after your other children.

After struggling with with my first child I was finally introduced to ... cue up the Halleluah chorus ... A BABY SLING!!! There are several kinds; my preferred sling style was a long piece of fabric that fed through two metal fastening rings, leaving a "tail" of fabric.

My absolute favorite was the Maya Wrap with a pocket sewn into the tail, which I used to carry a couple extra diapers and wipes, and often my car keys and wallet! With this style baby sling, I could carry the baby high or low, on the front, side, or back, facing forward or facing me, and lying down or sitting up. I was also able to breast feed in a discreet, usually hands free manner, covering any accidental exposure with the tailpiece of the sling, which easily went over my shoulder.

As you can see, I am a bit biased towards using a sling, but the other hands free baby carriers may be absolutely ideal for your needs. Look at all choices and try a few out. Whichever you choose, you will be a happier, more productive new parent as you learn to incorporate the joy of nurturing your newborn with the other long list of tasks that you have.