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Personal shopper - slings

14 Oct 2006

Annalisa Barbieri provides advice on slings in an article in The Guardian. Following is an extract.

"I can't recommend baby-wearing enough. I only wish I had discovered it earlier than I did. We had a Wilkinet, £36.50, from birth, that was fab but it took me ages to work out I could also use it indoors and get on with things while carrying my baby, which is what they love, so they're more contented and cry less. My daughter was four months old before I discovered ring slings and even older before I discovered mei tais - traditional Asian carriers - and all the others out there.

"There are a few studies that show that babies who are in a sling (I use the word as a generic for all baby-wearing) cry far less. This is because babies are programmed to want to be close (no, it doesn't spoil them, quite the reverse) to a parent. But also we're all busy and have lives, so carrying a baby for any length of time is hard work. A good sling frees up your hands, distributes the weight over your back and shoulders and also holds the baby in a position that's good for their developing spines (avoid baby carriers that hold babies with their entire legs dangling and so put all the pressure on their lower back). A few things to remember: the closer your baby is slung to you, the lighter he will feel; you may get addicted and start a collection of slings; what works for one person may not work for another - I cannot stress this enough - so try a few out before you buy.

"A great way to do this is through Slingmeet, which is a website dedicated to meeting other sling wearers in your area to get information and try out their slings (as in the ones they own; it's not a shop). The other thing to remember is that slings take a bit of getting used to - there is a learning curve. Don't let this put you off, because like all good things, it's worth it."

(The Guardian, 14 October 2006)

Tags: Talk To Your Baby