About Baby Slings
Baby wearing is one of the oldest methods of carrying babies. Women of many generations have enjoyed the hands-free convenience that baby slings provide. In fact, Native American women could be found wearing their babies while working in fields years ago. In places like Peru, women still use slings as a primary means of carrying their babies. Since they're simple to make, they are also affordable for most any budget and perfect for any waistline.
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Function
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While dads and caregivers may sport baby slings too, they are most commonly worn by mothers. This is because they are designed for mothers to "wear" their babies and are often worn by mothers who subscribe to the principles of attachment parenting. Baby slings are also worn by mothers for convenience since they provide a hands-free method of carrying their babies. For mothers of two or more children, baby slings help give them the flexibility they need. She can feed a toddler, push a stroller or help a child on the potty, all while wearing a baby sling to hold her other child.
Types
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Baby slings come in four main types. Ring slings, pouch slings, wrap slings and soft carriers. Ring slings have fabric that is threaded through a set of rings to form a loop. The sling is adjusted by pulling the fabric through the rings. A pouch sling is a piece of fabric sewn into the pattern of a sash. The fabric folds into a pocket for the baby to sit in. A wrap sling is simply a long piece of fabric that is wrapped around the wearer's body and tied and twisted to hold the baby in place. Soft carriers have more rigid structures than simple fabric slings and can have buckles or ties to hold the baby in place. Baby slings can be made out of any material, but most are made from woven cotton or stretchy materials. You can also find slings made out of eco-friendly materials like bamboo.
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Benefits
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Wearing a baby sling keeps your baby close to you and promotes bonding between the baby and the wearer. Mothers can even discretely breastfeed while wearing a sling, using the additional fabric to cover herself and her baby up. While wearing your baby hands free, you can get a lot done around the home. Laundry and cleaning are much easier when you wear your baby while doing chores.
Considerations
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It takes a little bit of practice to wear a baby sling. Figuring out how to adjust the material to the proper position can be a bit tricky, at first. Fortunately there are lots of videos available online that can help you (see Resources). Baby slings are also a great option for parents who want to take turns carrying their baby. Since slings are self-adjustable, they are one size fits most. Some slings, however, are ordered by small, medium or large size. If you have basic sewing skills, making your own sling is possible.
Warning
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Young babies are at risk of positional suffocation. Positional suffocation is when the baby's chin is pressed against her chest and prevents her from getting adequate air (see Resources). For this reason, it's important to look at your baby often to assure that your baby's chin is not pressed against his chest. Since slings don't distribute the weight of the baby across horizontally and vertically, some baby sling wearers encounter back aches when wearing slings. Assuring that the sling is properly positioned on your shoulder, rather than on your neck, and that your baby is sitting or lying about your waistline can help ease back pain (see Resources).
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