10 reasons to baby wear

Here are ten great reasons to wear your baby in a sling:

1. Happy campers. Tiny people that are carried cry less, they love the comfort and security of being snuggled next to mummy or daddy.



2. Seeing eye to eye. Being carried enables tiny people to observe and interact with older people at eye level, as opposed to knee level.
   



3. Taking it all in. Tiny people that are carried spend a lot of time being passively alert and absorbing what’s going on around them.
   



4. Sleepy heads. Wearing your tiny person is a great way of helping them to sleep. You can either carry your sleeping tot around with you or place her down after she’s dozed off.
   



5. Hands free kit. By wearing your tiny one, you are hands-free to play with older siblings, cook the dinner, do the shopping, whatever…………
   



6. Baby love. Who doesn’t need more hugs? The comfort factor for parents is not to be underestimated. There is nothing quite like having your little person right there snuggled up to you.
   



7. Off-road adventuring. A sling is the ultimate off- road travel system. With a sling and a backpack you can go where no buggy has been before!
   



8. Cheap and cheerful. Slings can be bought reasonably cheaply both new and second hand or you can even make your own.
   



9. Are we nearly there? Even when your tiny one is not so tiny anymore a sling is great for when little legs get tired.
   



10. Handy as a small pot. A sling is not much bigger that a shopping bag and so can be popped into your changing bag, coat pocket, glove box or buggy bag for when you need it.

Check out tinygreenpeople for sling patterns, baby wearing information and a list of sling suppliers.

Happy Baby Wearing Week

all photographs are copyright of tinygreenpeople.com

Sling types

The tinygreenfamily have something of a sling habit. We are at 5 slings and counting, but then again, we don’t really use buggies.

The types we’ve used are:

Wrap sling. A stretchy wrap is our newest purchase. We’ve found it very simple to use straight away and our Primrose has been snug as a bug in it from 3 days old, leaving mama hands free to chase 15 month old Buttercup. We’re just beginning to experiment with breastfeeding in it but with the purchase of a breastfeeding top or two it should be no bother.

Photo of Moby wrap

Ring sling. We have two of these (one in outrageous pink) and have used them since Buttercup was 3 months old. This was our first sling (and our first baby) so it did take us a little while for us to get the hang of this but it was well worth it. I carried Buttercup comfortably in this up to eight months pregnant (she was 14 months at the time) and will use it for her again now that her sister has arrived. We are also using it easily for Primrose at only days old. This sling is really versatile and great for breastfeeding.

Photo of Zolowear Ring sling

Mei Tai (or Asian Back Carrier). This is another great versatile sling that we’ve found simple to use straight from the package. We purchased this whne Buttercup was about 6 months old. Dada uses this to carry Buttercup on his back for our expeditions and I use it front carry when out and about.

Photo of Freehand Mei Tai

Structured carrier. These carriers with buckles and clips are a favourite of the Dada’s. They come in many shapes, sizes and price ranges. This is the first sling type we used before becoming total sling addicts and we got great use from it for the first six months. They are usually easy to use and are often sized for different age babies

Photo of Scootababy sling

Another type which hasn’t formed part of our collection (yet) is:

Pouch sling. Similar to the ring sling but with no adjusting. They are sized to the wearer and straightforward to use.

Photo of Peanutshell sling

For more information on baby wearing and to source sling suppliers see www.tinygreenpeople.com/adventurers

Why sling?

Why do we like using slings and baby wearing?

Well, our babies really like it for a start. We’ve found that carrying them around in a sling means they suffer a lot less from wind and are generally very content. They like being at adult height where they can interact with peoples faces as opposed to their knees! Buttercup was never a big fan of the buggy so we’d always pack a sling for when she got restless on a day out and now that she’s walking it’s handy for when those little legs get tired.

And there is the convenience of it. Slings are so much less cumbersome than buggies or prams and leave your hands free for playing with older offspring, pushing shopping trolleys or preparing dinner. We always keep a sling in the car for popping into the shops or petrol stations, so much more comfortable than trying to balance baby on your hip while locating wallet and carrying shopping.

I’m working on a guide to sling types which I’ll post soon……….