SLINGS **How, why, when to carry your baby** - an online course!

[Papillon]

Promoted by the arrival of our 2nd child, the sling is now back in our lives. I have found the use of a baby sling so beneficial and really want to share with others my experiences and would love to hear the experiences of others who have used slings or baby carriers. As my sister says "Sharing is Caring"

We found using a sling with our dd to be practical, easy and vital to enhanced peace and harmony indoors and outdoors.

If you are interested in buying a sling, most of your local midwifery centres will either sell them or direct you to where you should be able to buy a sling in your area. Hopefully your local hospital will also have information. My local hospital even has a Sling carrying course.

I found that practising with a large stuffed toy, like a bear or rabbit helped me gain confidence before I ever attempted putting my baby in the sling.

Some benefits in my experience:

Use of both hands
Bonding
Baby loves it - the baby is with you for increased periods of time
Diversity of sleep habits
Warm, safe environment
Do Household chores while baby is in sling
Extended carrying time (years) over a baby carrier
Outdoors - Toddler keeps the pram whilst baby is in sling
Outdoors - 1 child - ease of mobility

Here is a good link with some illustrations and tips on how to carry your baby / toddler.

Baby sling tying tricks

If you find the price of a sling unaffordable then perhaps you could try to sew one. After all it is just a long rectangular piece of material. Get a breathable material which is as natural as possible. If you live in a hot country, then I recommend you get a strong, light weight material to make the sling.

Sew your own sling

Thats about all I can think of for now. Will be back tomorrow to try and answer any questions you may have

If anyone else has some good ideas, stories or thoughts - please post!!

Pap can you reccomend where I can get one?

Really interested in this - thanks for this, Paps! Want to use a sling more with this baby than with DS (was a very hot summer when he was born and he hated being in the sling - we just made each other unbearably hot - he'd just headbutt me!).

flutterbeedreaminofawhitexmas - whats your location? Someone might see the post and be able to recommend a shop.

Other than that I recommend you ring your local midwifery centre or contact your local La Leche League Groups worldwide and in Great Britain

AwayInAMunker a light weight sling would be perfect for you I know here in Switzerland they are available for sale, so should also be available elsewhere.

Sooo excited about getting to use mine . Didn't have one for DD, and really looking forward to it for this one!!!!

What type of sling have you got?

The sling-tying diagrams are v interesting!

Paps, when you say a lightweight sling, what kind? Just a tied piece of fabric like these? Are they easy to feed in if you are gifted in the nork department? I knew people who could feed in a wilkinet, but my bosoms laughed in my face (well, at my navel ) about that plan!

I have an Ellaroo wrap sling - it's 3 times the length of me and I stopped using it after about 3 times in favour of a a Baby Bjorn one because it was just too tricky to put on. Actually, seeing as he was then practically a new born and therefore only had one choice of wrap (the "newvorn wrap"), I might dig it out and have another go with a different wrap technique now he's a bit older. It's very beautiful fabric. Hand woven in Guatamala you know.

Can you do the tying tricks with a slingeasy? Pleeese don't tell me I've gone and ordered the wrong sling! Esp. the back one - I would love to carry him on my back, as I've seen Africans do that, and it looks so comfortable for both.

I love slings for so many reasons - just one that springs to mind is carrying your older baby / toddler in it while you do the shopping. You can chat, smile at each other, have lots of eye contact, share the same viewpoint etc. So companionable, and babies at adult height don't get bored and crotchety the way they do when demoted down to knee level. Other adults talk to them more and they get to join in with all your conversations. Stairs, escalators and narrow places are no problem any more. It makes going out a completely different experience. Such good exercise too!

I am that my 'little' boy is too big for me to carry everywhere now. I did manage until he weighed nearly 2 stone.

I will drop into this thread again if I may as I am a sling evangelist

Pap -- I am in Polegate East Sussex if anyone does know of a shop then please let me know.

Some links for you all:

Baby Pouch , OK for bf, pattern available}

Big Mama Slings

Earthkind different types of sling. their pros and cons page of each type of sling is helpful.

HTH

flutterbeedreaminofawhitexmas Haywards Heath Group/Heathfield (East Sussex) Group - look in your phone book or email La Leche - they should tell you of a shop local.

AwayInAMunker I mean lightweight fabric that is very breathable. So as natural a fabric as possible. Sling fabric does tend to have a little stretch / give in it.

inameeting my sling is the maximum length that we could get... I just wrap it around my waist. Saves having to buy a larger one as the baby grows!

Beartime there is no such thing as the wrong sling. And we all have our personal tastes. Mumsnet have reviewed the Slingeasy HERE

My Sling is from LANA and is chocolate coloured. Personally I do like that it is just a length of material, no rings etc. Then it can go on my front, on my back, on my side. Then just tie a knot - in the front or back. It does take some practise and confidence building, but once you are away its fantastic and very versatile.

Also a good thing about Slings is that you can breast feed outdoors and the sometimes judgmental public will be none the wiser! Takes abit of practise again.. try at home before attempting outdoors. The lying down position best for this when your babe is very young.

kids with their slings - so cute!!!

online kids sling sites - we have a scarf from gualemala that my brother gave me... dd uses that. Baby bjorn carriers etc are easier for kids to navigate though - don´t need parental assistence so much

this site has lots of piccys and info

Forgot to say last night... DD has only seen a sling in use with my friend, and already she asks me to tie piglet onto her with a scarf ... tis soooo sweet to see.

the baby wearer looks like a good site - has a sling forum and lots of info about slings.

flamerobin it is so cute is it not... and teaches much about love imo

beartime from what I can see the slingeasy is for front use only. Can´t access there site atm ... www.slingeasy.co.uk

Fantastic Papillon THANK YOU!

Oh BTW, I use a Wilkinet sling, was lent to me by cousin has already been throgh 5 babies and is like new....v. comfortable...designed by a mum of course...sorry don't seem to be able to post a link....

If you want to try before you buy you can hire slings from www.bigmamaslings.co.uk

My personal favourites are a decent fleece pouch sling ( like brightsparks coorie ) and a wilkinet for small babies, and then an ergo or patapum for 6months +.

Wilkinet website

Mumsnet review of Wilkinet

Pap - is there a cheap fabric one like yours which I could get for on my back to supplement the other one? I actually ordered it because of that review!

Can you tie them in an over the shoulder position? ds definitely likes that one!

Hub2dee - pros and cons site interesting - do you know which one the slingeasy is?

I loved my sling, and now wear a hip seat out and about with ds. He will not walk through car parks because he hates having his hand held - but he will voluteer to sit on the hip seat. He is also very accomodating about sitting on it in shops. The rest of the time he walks. He is fit as a butchers dog and the buggy only gets used to go to the veggie shop (because it's on a 50MPH country lane with no pavement.

I have never understood walking around with a car seat that weighs more than the baby it contains when slings exist.

In Jan we are going to Wellington for a city break - and he will either walk or go on the hip seat.

sorry, beartime, no idea... am sure the sling experts on here could help out.

DD and I LOVE our sling. It keeps her close and means that we don't have to take our bulky buggy everywhere.

I particulary like using it in the supermarket. DD hates sitting in those seats on the trolley, and this way shopping is alot less stressfull. It's the one thing I would recomend to every new mother.

I've never tried a tie-on sling, but have a baby bjorn sling which I love. I find it really easy to put on by myself and it detaches in such a way that you don't have to lift the baby in and out (very useful if the baby is asleep). Very comfy on my back too. TBH I've never wanted to try another because it ticks all the boxes for me

I'm evangelical about slings too - at the last count I think I had 8 of them I think it's much more natural to carry your baby close to you then to push them in a pram, and babies do seem to prefer it. They're also a godsend for getting difficult babies to sleep. Plus they're so much more convenient than a pram, because you can hop on a bus or the tube, go into any shop you want etc. And they're loads cheaper than a pram too. So I would definitely recommend them!

Beartime - for backcarries you will want either a wrap or a mei tai. I thnk mei tai's are easier to get the hang of - check out www.kozycarrier.com for a good example. If you go to www.thebabywearer.com you'll find a lot of secondhand carriers for sale on the message boards.