Slings have travelled a long way from their 1970s sandal-wearing, hippy-dippy roots. Like lentils, crochet and tank tops, they've come in from the cold and are now just cool, with endorsement from A-list celebs such as Brad Pitt, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Gwen Stefani - who matches her sling to her outfit.

Forget your bulky Bugaboo pram, these fabric wraps make them dinosaurs in the fashion stakes.

It's not just fashionistas who wear their babies in slings; they're enormously popular on the high street too. Rather than wrestle enormous pushchairs through shop doors and over steps, mothers are skipping into shops with babies strapped to their front, bypassing the nightmare of pavement works, traffic cones, steep kerbs and other street nuisances.

In fact, slings have become so mainstream that the ubiquitous Myleene Klass has just launched her own for Mothercare. And sales are booming. Mothercare has reported a 100 per cent increase in the past year.

“Baby websites where parents recommend products to each other has meant that people have become more aware of them,” says Alex Fisher, the head of merchandising. And the increase in demand is changing retailers' attitudes. John Lewis, Maman JoJo and Mothercare now stock a variety of slings, not just BabyBjörn, the grandaddy of structured slings, which has been on the market since 1973.

See you at the 'slingmeet'

Another sign of their popularity is the mushrooming of “slingmeets”. In 2006 two mums set up the first group, a place where mums can get together and talk about “baby-wearing”, as well as try each others' slings. Now there are 40 nationwide (www.slingmeet.co.uk ).

For many mums it's not just a way of transporting their child from A to B, but a lifestyle choice. That is certainly the case for mother Miriam Berlow-Jackson. She carried her baby Ellie, now 21 months, for the first four months. “The baby has been inside you for nine months and he or she needs to continue that closeness. But it's not just about wearing a sling. It's the way you live too. Co-sleeping and breastfeeding are part of the approach. With a baby in a sling you can get on with everyday life, while they satellite around you. Babies have been in your belly for a long time and they need that continued movement,” she says.

Putting on a sling for the first time can be an intimidating prospect, especially when they require instructional booklets and DVDs. But help is at hand; for clear instructions go to www.calinbleu.com/baby_sling_instructions.html .

Sue Gerhardt, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and the author of Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain (Psychology Press and Routledge) agrees that slings are excellent for a newborn baby. “Breast-feeding and close contact are a bridge between the womb and becoming a separate person. The baby is establishing physiological systems and by being close to a mother can pick up signals quickly and make adjustments. A sling is a very practical way of managing that stage of becoming a human,” she says.

Desmond Morris, the zoologist, agrees. In his new book Baby, The Story of a Baby's First Two Years (Firefly Books) he says that a mother's heartbeat is a calming influence for her child, as he or she will have been listening to it for the nine months preceding birth. What better way to maintain that reassuring background noise than snuggled up in a sling?

Other benefits include a reduction in crying. A study published in the US journal Pediatrics concluded that new-born babies fuss and cry 43 per cent less overall if they are carried, and 51 per cent less between the witching hours of 4pm-12am. The study suggests that the relative lack of carrying in our society may predispose normal infants to crying and colic.

But can wearing your baby take its toll on your back? Chris Johnson, an osteopath who used a BabyBjörn for his son, says: “Every person's posture is different so there's no one sling that is right for everyone. If your sling is correctly adjusted and fits well, you shouldn't have to deal with any aches or pains as a result of using it. If the sling you're wearing doesn't feel comfortable, adjust it until it does, or try a different type that works better for you.”

Other tips include making sure the baby's weight is distributed as evenly as possible, perhaps using a wrap sling (see box, far right)because the wide straps distribute the baby's weight more evenly. For some mums who are already experiencing upper back and shoulder pains from breast-feeding, a front-loading sling can exacerbate tension. So if the baby is old enough and can support his or her head, a sling worn on the back might be more comfortable.

And it's not just mum's back you need to think about. Johnson says: “If you are going out for a two to three-hour hike, take the baby out of the sling now and again and move them around. Too long in any one position isn't good.”

Sue Gerhardt has other reasons to be cautious about continued baby-carrying. “If you need to hold the baby all the time, you should check that you're using it as an aid for the baby and not for you. You might even be holding the baby back. You don't want to push a baby into independence but to support the baby as he moves forward.”

“Babies can become accessories”

Gina Ford, the childcare guru, also has concerns. “All babies are different and I don't think carrying a baby all the time results in a more clingy baby, but I have noticed that some 'baby-wearing' mothers interact less with their baby, and the baby can be treated more like an accessory than a human being.”

But what a great accessory! Especially when coccooned in one of the lovely slings available. Linen and silk wraps raise the stakes for the most stylish sling. Sakura Bloom Artisan slings are made in handwoven silk and cost from £130. Cool dads can carry Bill Amberg's papoose made from soft bridle leather, £325, which is available in manly black and brown. But don't worry, a good-quality sling need cost only about £30.

Whatever design you decide on, make sure that the sling is correctly adjusted and fits well. This is where sling groups can be helpful. Most slings are available only online, so it's difficult to try before you buy. A “sling meet” enables you to speak to other mums and find out what type of sling will meet your needs. Some groups even hire them out.

But be warned, the search for the perfect sling can be addictive, with mothers ending up with cupboards full of them. If that's you, help is at hand at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKbabywearingSWAP , where you can swap slings with fellow addicts.

To find out about your nearest slingmeet, and to join a baby-wearing walk in your town taking place tomorrow, www.slingmeet.co.uk.

From newborns to toddlers, the lowdown on carriers

BEST FOR NEWBORN

£35, www.littlepossums.co.uk

Stretchy wraparound slings The Kari-Me Wrap is suitable from birth to about 30lb. It's perfect for the first year as it can be put on and left on; the baby pops in and out easily for nappy changes.

BEST FOR TODDLER

£45, www.sasaslings.co.uk

Buckle carriers The Patapum Toddler is designed with the older baby in mind. One size fits most parents. Suitable from about 18 months to 62lb.

BEST ALL-ROUNDER

£50, www.bigmamaslings.co.uk

Tie-on carriers The Babyhawk is a modern version of a traditional Chinese Mei Tai carrier, which can be used from birth to about 35lb. Can be worn on the front and back.

BEST FOR BACK PROTECTION

from £50, www.littlegreenangels.com

Woven wraparound slings The Didymos, made in Germany for more than 35 years on special looms, is known as the Rolls-Royce of baby slings. Suitable from birth onwards.

BEST FOR BREAST-FEEDING

£45, www.littlepossums.co.uk

Ring slings The Maya Lightly Padded is adjustable through strong rings. These slings allow you to breast-feed on the go and are ideal for parents with an older toddler as well. Suitable from birth to 35lb.

BEST FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Silk and linen slings, from £44 to £170, www.bigmamaslings.co.uk

The Sakura Bloom Ring Slings are ideal for occasions when you want to look your best. Suitable up to 35lb.

BEST FOR FASHIONISTAS

£325, www.billamberg.com

If the earth mother style doesn't quite fit with your oh-so-stylish lifestyle (and you're choosing to ignore the credit crunch), this Bill Amberg sling will satisfy all your cravings.

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