Every time an attorney, CEO or professor slips a book bag over a shoulder and heads off to work, a mom somewhere in America slips a ring sling, pouch or Moby wrap over her head and gets on with the rest of her day -- "wearing" her baby.

Between 2006 and 2008, overall sales of industry-certified carriers rose 43 percent to $21.5 million, according to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, The New York Times reported in 2010.

At the Bella Vista Assembly of God Church, half a dozen women gathered Saturday morning to offer tips about baby wearing and cloth diapers. All of them had plenty of experiences to share.

Lisa Schrag, the founder of the NWA Cloth Diaper Buy/Sell/Trade/Chat group on Facebook, has a 9-year-old boy, a 4-year-old girl, a 2-year-old girl and baby Annabelle Juliet, 91/2 months old and (mostly) happily snuggled in a baby pack on Mom's back. Chelsea Rustad, wearing 6-week-old Emmett Keith, has girls who are 9, 8 and 5 and a 3-year-old boy. Penney Cunningham, "due any day," has boys 22, 7, 5 and 3 -- and yes, the baby is a boy, named Joshua Ethan.

The only newcomer to baby wearing was Amanda Gerick, whose son Brantley James is 61/2 months old. She's raised boys who are now 16 and 12 and girls now 15 and 13, but she said her experiences with Brantley are completely different.

Beyond choosing baby wearing and cloth diapers, "just the way I look at everything is completely different," she said. Part of her interest in baby wearing? "I worry more."

SAFETY FIRST

Baby wearing is not new or limited to this country, according to slingbabies.com.

Aboriginal mothers used to keep their babies in carriers made of bark, similar to the cradleboards used by Native Americans but without the cloth covering. Maori women carried their babies in a cloth inside their cloaks, or in a flax Pikau (backpack). African mothers use a "khanga," which is a shortish piece of cloth tied around the torso, so the baby sits low on the back.

Baby Wearing International supports the current belief that baby wearing makes for happier and healthier infants.

• In a study published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers found that baby wearing for three hours a day reduced infant crying by 43 percent overall and 54 percent during evening hours.

• Research has shown that premature babies who are touched and held gain weight faster and are healthier than babies who are not.

• Baby wearing helps build bonds with not just mom and dad but all the adults in a baby's life.

And then there is the ultimate practical benefit: Free hands.

"I did it for survival," Schrag said of baby wearing. "I had three kids in four years."

She was quick to point out, however, that "there is safe baby wearing and unsafe baby wearing." Simply put, a baby facing mom should snuggle against her "like a frog, with his knees higher than than his bottom." Babies dangling from a crotch-only seat like some commercial carriers offer are not comfortable and not safe, she said, and that's where opposition to baby wearing is generally focused.

Baby Wearing International lists four "absolute rules" for baby wearing:

1. Make sure your baby can breathe:

• Never allow a baby to be carried, held or placed in such a way that his chin is curled against his chest. This position can restrict the baby's ability to breathe. Newborns lack the muscle control to open their airways. They need good back support in carriers so that they don't slump into the chin-to-chest position.

• Never allow a baby's head and face to be covered with fabric. Always make sure your baby has plenty of airflow. Check on her frequently.

2. Never jog, run, jump on a trampoline or do any other activity that subjects your baby to similar shaking or bouncing motion. "This motion can do damage to the baby's neck, spine and/or brain," explains the American Chiropractic Association.

3. Never use a baby carrier when riding in a car. Soft baby carriers provide none of the protection that car seats provide.

4. Use only carriers that are appropriate for the baby's age and weight. For example, frame backpacks can be useful for hiking with older babies and toddlers but aren't appropriate for babies who can't sit unassisted for extended periods. Front packs usually have a weight range of 8 to 20 pounds; smaller babies may slip out of the carrier, and larger babies will almost certainly cause back discomfort for the person using the carrier.

Baby wraps are as individual as the moms who wear them, Rustad added to the exchange. She prefers a ring sling, a long strip of fabric held in place by a large metal ring on her shoulder, placed "where you wear a brooch or a corsage," she said. She likes them best because they can be perfectly fitted to suit mom and baby. And the same ring sling can be used to quickly contain a toddler up to 35 or 40 pounds so he can be carried on a hip to the car or across a parking lot while holding other children's hands.

Rustad recommended a pouch without a ring for a beginning baby wearer, however.

"It's low on the learning curve."

Schrag added that baby wearing isn't confined to slender moms. She has found comfortable ways to wear Annabelle, even though she is a curvier mom.

CLOTH CALCULATIONS

Another bonus to baby wearing, the moms agreed, is the same pouch, sling or frontpack can be used for multiple children. And that's also one of the big reasons they use cloth diapers. On Saturday, Schrag displayed a table full of styles, shapes and colors that went far beyond the white diapers used for decades.

Prefolded cotton diapers -- called "prefolds" -- are the easiest for many people, she said, and the least expensive, running about $1.25 a diaper. Rustad added that she's used the same diapers for all of her children. "They may not look pretty, but they still work."

The trick, Schrag said, is learning to "jelly roll" the legs of a cloth diaper and properly add a hook-and-loop cover to make sure nothing leaks out.

"Without a cover, you probably don't want (the baby) on the carpet or a white couch!"

The moms agreed there's no reason not to use cloth diapers until a toddler is toilet trained, and Schrag said the financial savings is significant. Her numbers add up to $381 for a child until toileting is accomplished versus $2,600 for disposable diapers. Plus they make for a smaller contribution to the 20 billion disposable diapers that go into landfills every year.

But cloth diapers require some specific accoutrements and some dedication. For example, there are sprayers that can be attached to a toilet to rinse the cloth diapers before bagging them to be washed.

The moms' decisions on laundry detergents varied widely, from regular shelf brands to homemade to sports wash from the hunting department. But they agreed the important part is to make sure they're clean. If odors linger, bleach is the only solution to kill the bacteria that's present.

What makes cloth diapers worth it, Schrag said, is the variety of options available. She showed off bamboo diapers, hemp diapers, overnight diapers and flat diapers, which are among her personal favorites. She tie-dyes hers, she said, to cover stains and make them more attractive. She also loves wool diapers, which she said are surprisingly soft and breathable.

What makes cloth diapers fun is the variety of covers, Schrag added. Moms who sew can make covers for every occasion or buy them -- which is not inexpensive, she admitted.

"But it's my hobby. I don't buy shoes or purses or clothes. I buy diapers."