Parents and carers share their experiences
of using slings.
"My younger daughter was
carried in a sling on my hip for most of her first year.
We had excellent eye contact and were very tuned into each
other's physical and emotional states. Needless to say,
communication flowed."
"I carry my baby in a sling
a lot and I talk much more to her when I do this."
"Decent slings and soft carriers
are by far and away the best option for talking to your
child and keeping them safe. When they are up at adult height
more people talk to them and they get a better view than
people's knees and shopping bags!"
"I use a sling to carry my
child around and maybe 'babywearing' should have a greater
profile in the National media, not only for developing a
greater bond with your child but also enhancing their language
development."
"Slings and carriers are
generally much cheaper than pushchairs and allow for much
better communication than a pushchair. Many parents use
baby carriers for newborns, but can't take the strain on
the shoulders by the time the baby is about 6 months old.
I use a carrier with my three-year-old, which has a hip
belt to take the strain, just like a rucksack. The child
can be either in front or behind, either way communication
is easy."
"Although I occasionally
use a stroller with my toddler I find much the easiest and
cheapest way to interact with her and ensure she's safe
is to carry her in a sling or backpack - she's at the right
height to talk to and now at two and a half she's very bright
and articulate. I used a sling all through babyhood, so
she's always been used to being part of the adult world
- when we go into shops people always talk to her if she's
being carried, but she hardly ever gets noticed if she's
down in her pushchair."
"Supportive slings enable
carrying and easy and constant communication with the child
right through the toddler/pushchair years, allowing the
child to join in with your day-to-day life and benefit from
close contact with a parent/carer. Slings are much more
affordable than a pushchair.most are in the sub-£60 bracket,
and many good pouch slings are available for under £30."
"I'm an advocate of baby-wearing
and slings. it ensures that the little one is involved in
what's going on, watches and takes part in conversations,
and is at eye-level on public transport, etc, so that you
can converse. Plus it is also more practical for taking
your child to interesting and/or busy places."
"We use slings rather than
buggies as they keep our (34lb) son close to use and he
is always at eye-level so we can show him things and talk
to him all day long."
"I prefer to carry my son
in a sling, and my son prefers to be carried too. The sling
has the benefit not only of ensuring you are close and communicating
with your baby, but also that they are at adult height and
other people communicate with them too.the minute I discovered
the sling (at 3 weeks old) he went from a very unhappy baby
to a calm, content and sociable baby."
"I use slings and backpacks
most of the time - partly for improved communication and
partly for convenience. These also put the child at adult
eye level, meaning more interaction with passersby as well
as with the parent."
"Babies and toddlers who
are carried next to their parents' bodies in a sling benefit
from an increased level of comfort and communication, plus
seeing the world from an adult's point of view and being
more part of 'everyday life'. The papoose type baby carriers
available in most high street shops are typically uncomfortable
by the time the child is 6 months or less, and the framed
backpack type are bulky, heavy and very expensive for the
time they are used. However there are a wonderful range
of carriers available that allow you to carry your child
very comfortably to toddlerhood."
New mothers may soon be bonding better with their babies
with the help of baby slings funded by Cheltenham Sure Start.
The project is being organised by child psychotherapist
Robin Balbernie, who said: "We know from research on kangaroo
care for premature babies how beneficial it is to 'wear
your baby'. There has also been some research in America
measuring the attachment among high-risk mothers and their
babies. A group was given slings to encourage them to have
body-to-body contact with their babies and they had a better
relationship when they became toddlers than the control
group who had not used the slings."
Midwives and a health visitor attached to the Sure Start
group will work with the chosen mothers. The £1,000 grant
will pay for 33 ring-slings, which are totally adjustable
and can be used for carrying a child from birth to toddlerhood.
Mr Balbernie said: "These slings are hard-wearing and washable.
They come in a range of colours, some in quite muted shades
so the dads won't feel too conspicuous."
But Professor Tina Bruce of Roehampton University said:
"Realistically, I am not sure how much these slings will
be used. It might be ok when you are pottering about at
home, but when you have to lug the shopping back from the
supermarket or take children to school it is easier to put
the baby in the buggy. What is important is to have a buggy
where the baby faces you, so you can talk to your baby."
According to Andreja Mclean of Natural Mothering, the company
supplying the slings, babies who have been carried habitually
develop early independence. "When babies are born they do
not perceive themselves as separate from their mothers.
Babies who are carried will develop a sense of independence
because they know mummy is there, compared with children
who have been pushed into independence and who are much
more clingy."
(Mary Evans, Nursery World, 02.03.06)
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 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 www.slingmeet.co.uk,
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.
(Guardian, 14.10.06)
The following are sites that have been recommended by parents
using slings:
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