Baby Slings 101

Having a new baby brings many new changes into a parent's life. After a few weeks of rest, parents face a whole new set of challenges. How do you get things accomplished around the house, run errands while at the same time attending to the needs of a new baby? If you are forced to choose between holding your baby and getting anything accomplished, you will feel guilty no matter which you choose.

Baby Sling Rings are a type of baby carrier that allows the baby to be close to mom or dad and allow parents to have their hands free to do many other activities. They may sound like a dangerous game to play with your baby, but actually, it's a twenty-first century term for the ancient practice of wearing your baby. Our ancestors instinctively knew that new babies needed more time to complete the transition to the outside world after spending nine months in the comfort of the womb. The natural response to these needs of the newborn was to tie the baby to the mother using a shawl.

A Baby Sling Ring is made a long, loose piece of fabric, usually cotton, with two large rings at one end and a long, fabric "tail" at the other end. The tail end is adjusted through the metal rings to form a pouch to hold the baby snuggly against the caregiver. It works through the use of dynamic tension. Basically, the baby's weight pulls, or puts tension on the cloth and this combined with the positioning of the rings locks the sling into place. Because of the "buckle" effect of these baby slings, once put together, they can be adjusted for different sizes and shapes, allowing for different people to carry the baby in comfort.

There are padded and unpadded versions, depending on how much support you want for your baby. Typically, you will find pads at the shoulder for greater carrying comfort and also in the sling itself, forming a type of seat for the baby. If the shoulder padding seems bulky an unpadded model may be preferred to one with padding. It boils down to individual taste as to whether or not you want pads on your ring sling or not.

The Benefits of Baby Sling Rings

• Keeping a baby in a Baby Sling Ring on his mother's chest or back helps the baby sleep better and longer, helps the baby regulate his breathing, and of course, deepens the mother/baby bond. Your baby in a Baby Sling Ring learns more, socializes more, and realizes greater developmental potential.
• Wearing your baby in a Baby Sling Ring has benefits for the mother as well. The sling leaves the mother's hands free so she can do chores and tend to other children. Wearing the sling also strengthens the mother's balance coordination while helping baby learn balancing skills.
• Offer all possible comfort to your baby. The top rail of the carrier enables the parents to position their baby in the perfect manner to provide discreet breastfeeding. Almost all the variety of ring slings come in a very compact shape. This makes the ring slings diaper-bag friendly.
• The Baby Sling Rings are easy to use. The strap is made adjustable, so you will find that almost all the Baby Sling Rings will fit you. The size only dictates the tail size. It involves a very easy process for handling. In fact it is of great help for those who find comfortable in using it. The usage of ring slings also involves much lesser time to handle your child comfortably, but it is a great sling for all those who find it handy.
• The baby can be held lying down or sitting up, on the back or front or hip, and facing the caregiver or facing out, away the wearer.
• Two other factors that add to the popularity of Baby Sling Rings are the "pop ability" factor and their use to facilitate breastfeeding. Pop ability factor refers to the ease with which a baby in a carrier can move a lying down to a sitting up position, or how easy it is to "pop" a toddler in and out of a carrier. Baby Sling Rings are particularly effective for this purpose. They are also known for being discreet and easy to use for breastfeeding, both at home and in public.

The Downsides of Baby Sling Rings

The only drawback to a Baby Sling Ring is that it does place the weight of the baby on one shoulder, which can be uncomfortable for some wearers, especially if worn for long periods or if the child is heavy. The long piece of fabric takes some getting used to. Some people have difficulty mastering the adjustment of the rings and the tail for the first time and it can be uncomfortable.

Carrying Positions with Baby Sling Rings

Cradle Hold

This is the perfect carry for a newborn. It's ideal for hands-free nursing, and it's comfortable for both mom and baby. The baby is snuggled into the sling in a horizontal position, and the tight wrap of the sling around its body creates a swaddle effect. However, many moms find this carry uncomfortable because they don't adjust the sling correctly: they leave it too loose or too low. When not adjusted properly, this carry will cause the sling to drag heavily on the adult's shoulders and back and will quickly be very uncomfortable.

1. Cradle baby in your non-dominant arm.
2. Open pouch of the Baby Sling Ring with your free hand and slide baby into Sling, bottom first, with feet crossed on top of baby’s body.
3. Pull the rails up around baby until baby is nestled into pouch.
4. Tighten the rails through the rings so that baby is supported in the desired position, with head cradled by the outer rail

Hip Carry

This is the most common carry with a Baby Sling Ring. It can be used the time your baby has head control till he is too heavy for you to carry comfortably--usually around four or five years old. The hip carry  allows you to use the Baby Sling Ring to hold the baby in the way that many older babies and toddlers like best-- on your hip so he's close to your body but able to sit up and see the world. Many adults find it easy to fit a baby or child into the hip carry with a Baby Sling Ring. As with the cradle carry, the key is to make sure the Baby Sling Ring is tight enough and the weight of the baby is high enough on your body.

1. Take baby over your non-dominant shoulder.
2. Open the pouch of sling to form a seat, and slide baby’s bottom down into the seat. Tighten Baby Sling Ring by pulling tail through the rings
3. Adjust the inner rail to baby’s knees and outer rail to baby’s armpits (for comfort and security).
4. Tighten each rail by pulling them through the ring until baby is supported snugly and close to your center of gravity.
5. Make sure the Baby Sling Ring is sitting at corsage level, and that baby is sitting upright, rather than leaning away your body.

Back Carry

The back carry is more difficult in a Baby Sling Ring than in other carriers, and many moms choose to use a different type of carrier when they need to put their little ones on their backs. However, in many traditional societies, the back carry is the staple of women who need to be able to work with their hands with their babies out of the way. For many of them, Baby Sling Ring are the only carriers they have. If you are careful, it is possible to safely carry your baby on your back using a Baby Sling Ring.

1. Place the baby on your hip in a hip carry. Make sure the Baby Sling Ring is tight and snug and that baby's bottom is lower than his knees. Also make sure that the rings are high on your shoulder and not on your chest.
2. Carefully slide baby and sling toward your back. Let baby spread his legs until he's riding piggy-back on your back.
3. Double-check that baby's bottom is still lower than his knees, and tighten the sling if necessary.

Kangaroo Carry

Kangaroo carry is typically used from 3 to 6 months, when baby wants to see the world but can't sit up unassisted.

1. Put the sling on with rings in corsage position
2. Adjust the main body of the sling to the right height - just below your navel for kangaroo position
3. Spread the fabric around the rings and loosen the outside edge.
4. Leave the top rail of sling - the edge away from your body - loose until baby is in sling.
5. Create a wall of fabric against your body. This is the pocket that baby will sit in.
6. Hold baby on your shoulder opposite the rings. Baby's back will rest on your shoulder. Cross baby's legs.
7. Pull front fabric around baby with one hand as you settle baby into sling, keeping baby's legs crossed in front.
8. CHECK to make sure wall of fabric is between you and baby. Baby should be centered in pocket of fabric.
9. Once baby is in position, tighten slack in the top rail (the edge away from your body) by pulling up and over across the body. Pull shoulder folds out to cup your shoulder.
   
10. Baby should lean back against you, not lean forward. Use caution not to pinch baby's fingers in rings.CHECK your positioning in a mirror. To take baby out, loosen the top rail. Reach under both of baby’s arms with both hands. Pull baby straight up onto your shoulder.

Snuggle Hold

Snuggle hold (or tummy-to- tummy). Most young babies prefer to have their knees bent and feet inside the sling. Older babies prefer their legs out and straddling your waist.

1. Hold the sling in one hand with the rings and tail facing away from you.
2. Slip the sling on over your head, keeping the rings in front.
3. Slip the sling onto your shoulder
4. The rings should end up in corsage position, in the hollow beneath your shoulder

When putting baby in the sling, create a wall of fabric against your body, and make sure baby is safely within this pocket. When baby is reclining, fabric should wrap around both sides of baby's body. With upright carries, fabric should go from baby's neck to knees. Try your sling on in front of a mirror to make sure baby is securely in position.

Tips for Comfort

• Most people find it comfortable to wear the Baby Sling Rings quite high, on or just below the collarbone. If you like them lower, that's fine too, but keep in mind that the 'pouch' where the baby sits will be smaller.
• If the shoulder is padded, centre it on your shoulder rather than letting it crowds your neck. This is even more crucial for hip carry, where your baby's weight will tend to pull the sling against your neck.
• Spread the back of the Baby Sling Ring as widely as possible. The more you spread it, the less strain you will feel. Spreading it as low as possible is the key - even a small amount can make a lot of difference to your comfort. If you pull your Baby Sling Ring down at the back, in conjunction with moving it away your neck, you should notice a definite improvement. This sling can be spread very wide!
• The top rail (top edge of the Baby Sling Ring) needs to be snug to stop the baby leaning back, which can be unsafe and is tiring for you. Tighten it by pulling on the top edge of the tail.
• Once your baby is old enough to want her legs out of the Baby Sling Ring, they should be wrapped around you (like straddling a horse), and not dangling down. It's safer, better for your baby's hip development, and more comfortable for you.

Safety Tips

• Baby Sling Rings are not approved safety seats. Do not wear your baby in a moving vehicle.
• Use caution around mechanical equipment. The tail could get caught.
• Fabric is not flame resistant. Do not wear the sling near open flames, including stoves.
• Do not bend over while your baby is in the Baby Sling Ring, as baby could fall out. Squat instead.
• If baby resists being held in the Baby Sling Ring, gently take baby out of the sling and try again later.
• Do not leave the Baby Sling Ring wrapped around an unattended baby.