How do you Sling?

Well, I am excited to see what kinds of slings all of you babywearing bloggers out there have! As I am pretty new to the babywearing club, I only have two slings. They are both pouch type slings, one by Infantino that is perfect for a newborn until they can sit up/hold their head up very well. It is the black and white one draped over the chair in the pic below. It is super padded and comfy and Little Dude loved it until he was 2-3 months old and started wanting to be able to look around at stuff besides me.



My other one is a Buddy Sling that I got off ebay as my first experiement in babywearing. The stay at home mom that makes them started out her store on ebay, and made it just to my size and measurements. Now, 2.5 years later, she has her own store online! I also got the matching diaper bag, that I LOVE SO MUCH.



It is super soft cotton, (just like the sling), super easy to clean and throw in the wash and it has tons of pockets and hooks for keys, pacifiers, sippy cups and mommy stuff. I have been using it daily for almost 2 years now and you would never know it had been through so much wear! The diaper bag and sling are FABULOUSLY made. (The bag and sling look especially new after I wash them, so far nothing has stained them-I dunno if she put something on the fabric to help with that or if I have just been lucky).

Also, you cant tell in the picture, but I am almost 9 months pregnant and the sling still works for the hip carry because of how it was made to my height and torso measurements. Though now I can't carry for too long just because of JR weight and Little Dude weight together get me too tired!




I went with the pouch type again because I wanted something that I felt couldn't come undone. Since I did not know anyone In Real Life who used slings and could show me what to do with them, the pouch seemed the best way to start. As you can see in the pic below, my Little Dude still loves to be carried around in it.

I did get a hand made ring wrap as a baby shower present back before I even knew what babywearing was, but because I felt so uncomfortable trying to figure out how to use the wrap, and the girl that gave it to me had never used one, but had seen one in use and thought I would like it, I felt terribly uncomfortable about using it on my baby. The first time I tried using it with a doll I felt so awkward that I was sure I would drop Little Dude or end up smothering him, so I ended up giving the ring wrap to good will. I really regret that now, as I think that with some experience with the pouches and being able to find directions online in how to wrap, I would be able to do it and it probably would be a great one to have for discreet public nursing. Sigh. Live and learn.

The following slings are some I would like to try, but I may not get to buy one until after this baby comes and I find out how much I can keep working from home for Dakno. (hopefully I can fit a lot of work in, then I can justify splurging on some of these!)

A Mei Tai
A Beco Butterfly
A Ring Sling I am particularly in love with the Zolowear Silk Ring Sling-I can only imagine how soft that must be!

Well, thanks Steph for getting us babywearing parents together to share our slings! Head on over the her site, Adventures in Babywearing, to see what other sling recommendations and products other Babywearers (is that a word?)have!