There's has recent been in the news the tragic story of the death of a five day old baby whilst being carried in a sling which inevitably has brought into question the safety of slings and babywearing.

Nothing can detract the depth of tragedy in this case yet I also think it's important to keep perspective.  The reports all cite there have been six recorded deaths in the UK of infants in slings.  One is right in thinking that any death, let alone six, is devastating yet this six isn't quoted as per week nor per month or even per year so one can only assume that that figure is six deaths, total.  Lets also note that whilst throwing this figure around they do not expand on the matter as to whether the babywearing safety guidelines were followed nor the types of sling used especially as Infantino recalled two of their bag slings due to safety issues.  If you dig around long enough you'll find stats to support human death in many commonly used and unlikely things too.

The various reports state that the sling was used correctly as per instructions however it fails to disclose the type of sling used.  There is a world of difference in technically putting a sling on properly and in wearing it responsibly.  Instructions may state what goes where yet whilst wearing there are several important factors to be aware of and check referred to as TICKS which are not found in any of the paraphernalia the NHS give to your nor in many slings bought.  I'd like to see a copy of this displayed on the noticeboards, in the birth to 5 book even in the pesky bounty packs.  If people don't know this information exists and is out there, how can they familarise themselves with it?

Anything can be potentially dangerous.  There have been multiple incidences of infant deaths due to prolonged time in car seats, do we roar about banning carseats or do we raise awareness and educate on the correct use-age of them?  No baby should die it goes against everything we should believe in yet they do.  It's awful, devastating and as a mum, quite frankly terrifying.  In cots, in beds, in car seats, in prams, in slings and even in their parents arms.  Although dubbed 'Cot Death' that is a misleading term for SIDS as SIDS doesn't discriminate, it can happen anywhere.

We now know that infants should not spend prolonged periods of time in a cars seat and should not be encouraged to nap/sleep in them.  We now know that you shouldn't co-sleep if you smoke or drink etc.  We now know that baby should be places in a cot with feet to the bottom, on their backs.

All we can do as parents is to assess risks and address them.  To make whatever we do as safe as possible.

It's like co-sleeping, when done safely it has many benefits yet rather then educate on how to do it safely, the media regale us with horror stories of bed sharing gone wrong.

It's potentially dangerous to cross a road, to travel in a car etc do we cease to do so or do we educate ourselves to minimise the risks?

My deepest and sincerest condolences go out to the parents of this baby and indeed to any parent who has suffered the agony of infant loss.  There are simply no words that can eradicate your pain.  Just the very existence of such tragedies chills me to the bones and makes my heart ache. 

I'm a babywearer.  Will I cease to do it?  No.  Will I babywear Moomin when she arrives?  Yes.

Am I being irresponsible?  No.  It's about being informed.  In my opinion the benefits to both mum and baby from babywearing, when combined with safety awareness, far outweigh the potential dangers.

So, once you've mastered a) putting the sling on and taking it off and b) putting baby in and taking it out again it's vital you familiarise yourself with TICKS.

Remember the babywearing ABC's:

Be it a wrap, ring sling, pouch or structured character baby should have a nice deep seat and together their bum and legs should create an 'm' shape as shown below:

Image from JPMBB

Your newborn will naturally assume a C shape of the spine curled up.  Until recently many recommended that when wearing your newborn you have them 'legs in' (froggied) yet research has now concluded that optimal positioning is legs out from birth.  Moomin was an incredibly curled up baby for many months yet even she was legs out happily:

Please also keep in mind that the 'cradle position' is no longer recommended nor safe to carry your baby.  Regardless of sling your newborn should be in a tummy to tummy position.

If you're at all worried about using your sling and would like some advice, please do look up your local trained Trageschule consultant or pop in to your local Sling Meet.

Useful links:

Research on positioning 
TICKS - for safe babywearing
Trageschule UK 
Sling Meet
Information on car seat safety for infants
Information on safe co-sleeping
Information on prevention of SIDS

Babywearing a pre-schooler

The Toddler always gets a choice of Buggy or Sling when we go out, he used to always choose the sling yet lately more and more often it's the buggy.  So, just when I feared our baby wearing days were winding down he surprises me and asks for the sling.

When in the sling, he never shuts up.  Ever.  Wherever we go regardless of how far he will talk, and talk and sing  and it's so lovely to actually hear him.  Most of the time when he's in the buggy, we simply can't hear him with the traffic, wind, how low down he is and the fact he's facing forwards.

He loves the perspective from up there, the way he can reach out and touch the trees and bushes as he passes savouring the textures across his playful hands.  He loves to wave at passing fire engines and the fact that when he's being worn, they too can see him and nearly always wave back at him.   Often i'll find his little hands pawing through my hair gently or holding on gently to my arm, relishing the contact and the endless availability of it.

There's so many presumptions regarding babywearing a toddler or preschooler...

I bet that's back breaking!

Actually, no.  If you use a proper sling that keeps the child in an anatomically correct position, the weight distribution is even and it's actually, believe it or not, comfortable.  I'm not masochistic enough to intentionally and repetitively inflict excess pain upon my being, I carry him because it's often easier then using the buggy.

He'll never walk being up there all the time.

He actually learned to walk at 8months and 3weeks of age.  This is despite the fact he was exclusively worn in a sling without using a buggy until 18m and even then the buggy was only used VERY rarely for the next year.  He can run too...and jump, climb, hop, forward roll do stunts, you name it.

Aww poor kid, he's so upset he must hate being up there in that contraption.  It's cruel!

He hates queuing unnecessarily and being at a standstill.  Regardless of whether he's in a sling or a buggy.  As such he'll display this by moaning, shouting, tantrumming etc.

I frequently see babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers throwing tantrums in buggies yet nobody ever seems to think it's because they're in a buggy it's always because they're tired, hungry, hot/cold or bored yet should one in a sling show a similar reaction people often immediately assume it's because they're in the sling.

It's not all bad, you do get genuinely curious people who positively remark on how comfortable and cosy he looks with a lovely old woman once declaring how nice it was to see a wee one close to their mum being carried like they should be.

Regardless of age, whether it's your wee newborn or your pre-schooler there's many parental benefits to babywearing:

* You're hands free, this is ideal for when out and about and even more so if you have another child with you who wants to hold your hand or be chased etc.


* Public transport is infinitely easier.  I'll admit there is an element of satisfaction being able to walk straight onto the bus and sit anywhere whilst seeing many parents with their Mercedes style prams being unable to fit on having to wait for the next bus in the dark, cold, wet weather and hope that one isn't busy too.

* Navigating around shops is so much easier.

* When your little one fancies getting down and having a walk, you're once again hands free to chase after them without having to juggle pushing a buggy one handed.

* It's lightweight, if your toddler wants to walk you can even fold it up and pop it in a bag or in the case of some carriers, keep wearing it totally unencumbered.

* Eating out is easier, no trouble having to find somewhere to stash the buggy or struggling through doors and up steps.

* You don't have to worry about terrain if you go offroad or want to take a shortcut.

* Much easier when attending events like school assemblies for older children.

* Personally I find the buggy, in comparison, cumbersome, difficult to navigate with, murder to push up hills and uncomfortable to steer.


So although these days it's mostly buggy or walking, I'll cherish these now rarer occasions when he chooses the sling, feeling him close and enjoying the freedom to explore.

As he's our last baby, I'm all to aware of how fast time passes and that i'll never again have my own squishy newborn to wear.  Do it whilst you can, and experience the special connection it brings.

Babywearing The Toddler

I hate using the buggy.  It's roguishly awkward and to be honest, a pain in the posterior not to mention frightfully knackering to push. Thankfully for the most part we only use it when convenient or necessary yet have walked miles on end with him comfortably on my back.  However, recently The Toddler has been showing a preference for it, so respecting his wishes, I always give him the choice if practical.  However, on Thing One's birthday meal (yes, I haven't forgotten I will indeed bore the pants off you with one of those terribly mumsy posts all soppy and whimsical about the little bugger soon.  Lucky lucky you.) it would have been impractical to take it with us yet the walk afterwards is simply too far for his little legs (and our sanity) to endure so into the sling he went.  It's so nice to actually hear what he's saying again, I adore the hugs, the way he plays with my hair....the grip of his little soft hands idly on my arm.  He can see more, interact more and it's quite frankly easier all round.  I forgot how much I'd missed him being on my back.  Babywearing isn't just for wee babies.  With it not being all the time now, it merely makes it more precious when we do.  It just feels....right,

A very brief introduction to slings.

Babies are born with only one curve in their spine (as opposed to the adult 4). the baby bjorn (also tomy and other carriers of same sort) is a poorly designed carrier that allows all of babies weight to hang from his/her pelvis which puts undue stress and pressure on the pelvis and spine (bare in mind the risks are more of a problem if you want to babywear and not if you just want to use a carrier now and again)
http://www.continuum-concept.org/readin ... tress.html
http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/show ... php?t=1281

For a VERY BASIC introduction to the types of slings

The type of sling you want will depend entirely on you and your baby. Its such a personal choice.

The main types are:
1. Pouch sling (such as hotslings, peanut shells and brightspark slings)
These are generally 'sized' (so it's important you measure yourself correctly) They're quite small, easy to fold up and store under the pram or in the changing bag and super easy to slip on and off as there's no adjustment factor so you just pop baby in and pop baby out. They can be used from birth to toddler with many different carry positions and can be used when breastfeeding for handsfree feeding etc.
The cons however...the weight is distributed on one side only and they offer no lower back support to the parent. Also as they're sized generally only you can use it and not dh etc.

2. Ring slings
Just like Pouch slings except they're adjustable so can be worn by anyone and you can tailor the fit and support. Wrap conversion ring slings can be especially supportive and comfortable such as Girasol, Oscha etc or You can get your own woven wrap converted by a company such as Ocah.
Ring slings have a variety of shoulder types such as gathered, hot dog and SBP so It's worth experimenting to see which suits you.

3. Wraps
Probably the most versitile sling out there. Endless carrying positions, multi-user possible due to the sheer adjustability of it, excellent support for mum and baby. Bare in mind 'stretchy' slings like a moby are especially good for young babies yet aren't really supportive enough for an older baby or toddler yet woven slings like storch, Kokadi, Natibaby, Oscha, girasol etc are.
Cons? The main con is that they're a learning curve to use, once mastered they're easy peasy but you may be bemused at first as you're presented with what is essentially a very long piece of cloth!

4. ABC / SSC (asian baby carries / Soft Structured Carriers)
These consist of the Mei Tais, Connectas, Ergo's, Yamos etc etc
Both of these are like the more structured mainstream carriers you can by but infinately better for baby's phsyiology and mums. SSC's often have buckles or clasps whereas ABC's are usually with ties.
The MT is my absoute favourate sling. It's VERY comfortable,. versitile and easy (mine is a joeysling) I used a MT until my daughter was around 2, walking many miles...with Sciatica and lower back issues that were not at all exacerbated.

It can be trial and error. Many sites often have end of line and ex demo slings going cheap. They have excellent re-sale value and there's plenty of places were people sell and trade/swap their carriers.
You can buy off the peg ones such as babyhawk, joey slings, rose and rebellion, wompat etc or You can get custom made ones from the likes of up & away carriers, Madame Goo Goo, Ocah, Kitten creations, babies in space, kinderpack, Melkaj and many more.


One of the first places to look up is your local slingmeet:
http://www.slingmeet.co.uk/
Here you can meet up with other babywearers, experiment with their carriers ask them questions etc.
www.thebabywearer.com is like a bible on babywearing and the review section is helpful as it doesn't just review types of slings but loads of different makes/brands of each type too.
www.naturalmamas.co.uk is a fabulous resource and community with a wealth of advice and experience not to mention a great preloved board.

Slings have a very good resale value and many mums love selling and trading them etc so if you get one and don't get on with it, fear not you can easily trade it for something else or sell it.
groups.yahoo.com/group/UKbabywearin...

Old yet useful

It's not often I babywear The Toddler around the house. He is simply far too active and independent and would much rather be wrecking the lounge, stage diving off the window sill or making puddles on the carpet with his beaker.

However there are times when needs simply must, times when quite frankly I need to know exactly where he is and be assured he can't go anywhere. Not that he minds in the slightest he is rather enamoured with being worn on my back happily peering over my shoulder, restyling my hair with sticky fervent hands and burping repeatedly down my ear.

I have never been fortunate to be a true slingaholic, predominantly down to the financial bones of it or rather the lack of finance not to mention an inability to justify the albeit practical, frivolity of it. The most slings I have possessed at one time has been four with generally two of those up for sale. I have flirted briefly with pouches, rings and wraps yet I fundamentally lack the necessary patience and skill to be aquainted with them long term. I'm strictly a soft structured carrier mama.

My current 'stash' is my beloved toddler Wompat which I use everytime I babywear him out and about (selling both my fabulous Madame Goo Goo and a decidedly pretty Oh-Snap to fund) and my sentimental old Joey Sling which is the first 'real' sling I fell in love with when Thing Two out grew our bushbaby cocoon. There's something awfully poignant about a sling you have worn more then one of your babies in and as such I simply can't bare to part with it. IT has remained throughout the comings and goings of numerous other slings.

Yet It's not been used regularly since he was wee and is no longer knee to knee on the little chap.

Yet when I need to wear him at home its the Joey I turn to. I adore the familiarity of it, snuggly and soft like an old cherished t-shirt and even with a 26lb 28month old, still so comfortable. Unlike my stunning custom Melkaj I once owned, the Joey has much shorter and more manageable straps for a quick up.

So wether It's hanging washing in a wet garden or cooking tea whilst The Husband runs errands and the elder spawn play outside, if I need to sling him at home, the Joey comes out to play (he often resents being in his highchair whilst I cook and should I let the little bugger loose he turns the stereo on, the microwave on, the washing machine on, shouts at the dog, helps himself to biscuits from the cupboard and generally causes sweet bloody mayhem)

Although as I mentioned previously It's no longer knee to knee on him he always seems decidely happy and remarkably comfortable in it.

It's so easy to forget how lovely old outgrown slings were and so nice to see them in use again. So although often neglected and retired from daily duty, replaced by the Wompat, it does still have its place and use and not just within my heart.

Hopefully we have a lot of babywearing days left yet and get to venture into pre-school carriers, perhaps reviewing and road testing (first I'll need a lottery win) a few to banish the idea that you can only wear little babies and show case some of the amazing talent out there such as Up & Away carriers, Opitai, Monkey Mei Tai, Madame Goo Goo, Softai etc to name just a few of the immensely talented and creative sling makers out there.

I'll leave you with a few snapshots of The Toddler in our old Joey this evening.