Babywearing: Slings

Once the carrier of choice among the natural living crowd, baby slings have become widely accepted by mainstream parents in recent years. They can often be found in big box stores, which has its pros and cons. It's great that so many moms are being exposed to slings and babywearing in general, but I see far too many of them wearing their babies incorrectly! As with any carrier, be sure to fully educate yourself about your carrier and how to use it before ever popping your baby inside. If you're not comfortable wearing your baby, try adjusting your carrier, or consider buying another size (if it's a sized product). Babywearing shouldn't hurt!

Slings are so popular because they're one of the best carriers for newborns. Hand anyone a newborn baby and they instinctively cradle their arms. It only makes sense to use a carrier that cradles baby as well. There are two types of slings: Pouch Slings and Ring Slings.

Pouch Slings
Pouch slings consist of a length of fabric that you wear across your body, and your baby sits in the pouch. They are usually sold by size, and it's very important to have the correct size both for safety and comfort! Pouch slings are fairly easy to use since there's no adjustments to make. I have one by Dittany Baby, and I was able to pop Savannah in it and walk around the yard within minutes of it arriving in the mail. Shannon, the mom behind Dittany Baby, was very helpful in determining which size sling I needed. She has really cute fabrics to choose from, and I've been very pleased with the quality of her pouch sling.

Ring Slings
Ring slings are basically a very long length of fabric with two sturdy rings sewn into one end. The fabric is threaded through the rings and the sling is worn across the body. The fabric creates a "pouch" for baby to sit in (similar to a pouch sling), and the entire sling can be adjusted by tightening or loosening the fabric threaded though the rings. Sakura Bloom has fantastic videos on their site demonstrating every aspect of using a ring sling. I highly recommend them to anyone learning a ring sling, since ring slings are probably the most difficult baby carrier to learn.

I have a Sakura Bloom ring sling, and I am so thankful for Lynne, the mom behind Sakura Bloom. She has been incredibly patient and supportive with me. We've had e-mail consultations, twitter correspondence, and phone conversations where she's walked me through how to use the ring sling. Just when I think I've figured it out, I goof it up the next time. It really has been a struggle to learn, but I can tell it'll be worth it. The Sakura Bloom ring sling is so comfortable when I get it right! And honestly? It is an amazingly beautiful baby carrier. The one I have is constructed of Irish Linen and is just breathtaking!

The biggest problem we're having with slings right now is Savannah's size! She's such a big baby that she isn't comfortable in a cradle carry. She prefers an upright carry, but she still needs good head support. The pouch sling doesn't give enough support in the front carry position right now. By playing around I discovered I can pop her in and wear her in a modified cradle carry, as you can see in the video. This only works for short periods of time though, because her legs turn purple! The ring sling works well for an upright carry, but only provides enough support for her head if I have it adjusted really tight. Unfortunately, when the ring sling is too tight it's quite uncomfortable to wear for any length of time! I look forward to using slings more often when she doesn't need as much head support.

Sling Stats:
Potential carrying positions: cradle, front (facing in or out), hip
Weight range: Begin at newborn. Upper weight limit varies by manufacturer.
Adjustable?: Ring slings are very adjustable. Pouch slings are not adjustable at all. Pouch slings are sized, so there is a chance the sling won't fit if you gain or lose weight. A sized pouch sling probably won't fit both parents either, unless they're the same size.
C/section friendly? YES! Because these slings go over the shoulder and across the upper body, they don't come anywhere near your incision site. You should be able to use a sling as soon as you feel up to it!

Sakura Bloom ring slings can be purchased online. They are available in linen or silk, and some organics, starting at $88. Product was provided for review purposes.

Dittany Baby pouch slings can be purchased online, starting at $28. Product was provided for review purposes.

Dittany Baby has provided coupon codes for my readers!
Take 10% off a $20 order with code 10off20
Take 20% off a $50 order with code 20off50
Take 35% off a $100 order with code 35off100