Babywearing 101: Part 3

Wearing your baby in a sling

The first time I ever wore Isaac, he was a month old and I was with a friend at Mayfest. Not long after I loaded him in the stroller, stowing our 10-pound diaper bag beneath, he began to fuss. It was my first all-day outing with my new baby boy, and I was afraid I’d have to pack it in and head home before it even got started.

Then my friend handed me her pouch sling and suggested I try wearing him. She helped me maneuver my infant into the sling and, not five minutes after we got him settled, he was asleep. The next day, I went to Natural Lullabies (back when they still had a storefront) and bought a sling identical to the one Tasha lent me.

I love that sling. I wore Isaac in it until he was well over a year old — basically until he got so heavy that it hurt my back to wear him. I use it for Ben, too, though not as often as I did with Isaac, since I also have a Moby wrap (that video coming next time) and a mei tai.

What I love about the sling is that it’s so simple and yet so versatile. You can wear your baby or toddler in front, in a kangaroo carry or a cradle carry, on your hip and on your back. Even more versatile is the ring sling, which I always wanted but never did purchase. The beauty of the ring sling is that you can adjust it so that it fits you and your baby just right. With the pouch sling, you have to buy a size that matches your body measurements (there’s a chart on the package that helps you determine what size you are), so you can’t share it with your partner unless the two of you have similar body styles.

Here, my friend Alicia Chesser, who acted as a babywearing consultant for Natural Lullabies when it was open and knows virtually everything there is to know on the subject (I grilled her several times on the benefits and downfalls of various types of carriers before finally deciding on one suitable for summer’s stifling heat), demonstrates the ring sling.

Here, she shows us how to use the pouch sling — the same one that sold me on babywearing.

If you have any questions about any of the videos in this series, please post them in the comments. If I don’t have the answer, I’ll ask Alicia. 🙂

Next is the final blog in the series, in which we’ll demonstrate Moby and woven wraps. Thanks for watching!