Buying Guide to Baby Slings

Baby wearing has become a popular alternative to strollers in recent years. Mothers from all over have realized they too can have that fabled “third arm” by wearing their offspring in a sling. Many mothers have also realized the physical and emotional benefits of baby wearing on both baby and her parents. Studies show that babies that are regularly worn in a sling cry less, learn more, humanize earlier, and communicate more clearly than babies that are routinely placed in a stroller or play pen. Baby wearing also allows for more bonding opportunities between daddy and baby and often gives mom more mobility in public than possible with the traditional stroller or travel system arrangement. Slings can also reduce strain on the back and shoulders that may result when carrying an infant often.

There are many different styles of slings. The classic rebozo or wrap sling is pretty much just a large piece of fabric, properly folded and knotted. The wrap sling comes in long and short varieties and is particularly attractive for its portability and simplicity; however, many women feel uncertain that they’ve tied these sling styles properly and prefer ones with more padding such as the Over the Shoulder Baby Holder. Other styles of slings include pouches and mei tais. Pouches have no knots to tie or rings to buckle. Pouch slings just slip over the shoulder and head. Mei tais are an Asian style of sling that wrap around the torso to carry the baby on the front or back.

When choosing a sling, look for comfort and ease. Make sure you’re comfortable putting the sling on, putting baby in the sling, and wearing the sling for extended periods of time. Make sure the sling is well made and very, very strong. Rings used in popular rebozo style slings like the Maya Wrap should be weight tested. Remember, the sling is supposed to make life easier – if it is uncomfortable in any way, makes you nervous, or is difficult to put on, it’s probably not the proper style for you.