Ring Slings

Ring slings are a length of fabric with two rings sewn into one end. The opposing end is threaded through the rings creating an adjustable pouch that is carried over one shoulder. The child can be worn tummy to mother's chest or on the hip as they get older. Ring slings are appropriate carriers for birth to toddlerhood. Nursing mothers find ring slings very convenient for nursing on-the-go. There is a small learning curve to using a ring sling.

Beware of unestablished etsy or work at home brands. It is important that the proper rings be used as well as fabric and shoulder stitching around the rings that can withstand heavy weight without ripping or compromising the integrity or safety of the carrier.



Pros: Easy poppability (getting the baby in and out of the carrier), great for nursing in, broad age range for use.
Cons: One-shouldered carries may not be as comfortable with heavy children for long periods of time.

Brands:
Sleeping Baby Production (Eesti or pleated shoulder style)
Kalea
PSling

Asian-Inspired Carriers

This post will cover the basics about mei-tai, wrap conversions, pods and soft-structured carriers (SSC). These carriers are appropriate from age of good head control (usually 4-5 months) and up unless paired with an infant insert that will provide proper head, neck and spinal support.

Mei Tai
Mei tai are Asian-style carriers that tire around the waist and shoulder straps. They should have wide seats that hold the baby's bottom from knee to knee. Some have seat darts to provide and even deeper seat. A mei tai may or may not have a padded waist and shoulder straps. Mei tai should be constructed using only high-quality and sturdy fabrics and implement x-boxes. Beware of etsy/work-at-home brands unless they have been around for a while and have earned a reputation of safety and comfort.

Wrap Conversions
Wrap conversions combine the style of a mei tai with the comfort and snuggliness of a woven wrap.

Pods
Pods are a piece of fabric/wrap that has straps attached. Unlike a mei tai, there is no waist strap.

Soft-Structured Carriers (SSC)
SSCs are backpack-style carriers. Similar weight distribution to a mei tai, but with buckles instead of straps that tie. These are fairly popular and mainstream. A good SSC should provide a wide seat that extends from knee to knee for proper positioning and does not accomodate for forward-facing out carries.

This picture shows Daddy wearing a 2 month old in an Ergo with the Heart2Heart insert.

SSC Brands:
Ergo
Beco
Boba
Oh Snap
Kinderpack

Stretchy & Gauze Wraps

Stretchy Wraps
Stretchy wraps are wonderful option for beginner wrappers with babies under 18 pounds. Stretchy wraps can be pre-tied and the baby can easily be popped in and out of the carrier. These are safe for front-carries only, and should only be used with the child facing mother. In a back carry a child can easily lean out of the wrap and fall. Stretchies are usually not supportive or comfortable for the mother after 18 lbs and can be unsafe to use with larger children because of the stretch.

Stretchy wrap brands:
Sleepywrap
Moby
Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Stretchy
Natibaby Stretchy
Anaju

Pros: They are one of the easiest options for beginner babywearers. They are very snuggly for newborn wearing and are machine-washable.

Cons: The material gets very hot in warmer temperatures/climates and they are only comfortable until about 18 pounds. They cannot be safely used in back or hip carries.

Gauze Wraps
Gauze wraps are recommended for warm weather wearing. The breathable material allows for good air flow through the carrier so that neither baby or mama get too warm. These wraps are not stretchy and therefore should be wrapped like a woven. These can be safely used on the front, back or hip and are generally used with multi-layer carries such as a Double Hammock Carry because of the thin nature of the material.

Gauze wrap brands:
Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Breeze
Babyette

Pros: The breathability
Cons: May be diggy for larger babies

Woven Wraps

Woven wraps are essentially long pieces of fabric woven on a loom specifically for carrying newborns through preschool-aged children. They come in a variety of brands, colors/patterns (referred to as "colorways"), fiber blends, and lengths (typically measured in meters). The recommended length for an average-sized mother or father just learning to wrap is a 4.6 meters. This will allow length for most people to do most of the carries. The next length up would be 5.2m for someone who would like extra length.

Woven wraps are the most versatile carrier in our opinion. They can be worn in front, back or hip carries safely and can accomodate as much weight as the wearer wishes. They are appropriate for newborn and up. Many parents happily wear their pre-school aged children, and there are several wrap weaves woven to accomodate heavier weights. There is a learning curve to wrapping. Only a few of the carries can be pre-tied, most involve holding the baby while wrapping the fabric. Carries can be practiced over a soft place like a bed, couch or pillows and can be perfected in front of a mirror if need be.

Brands:

• Didymos



• Natibaby



• Hoppediz



• Colimacon et Cie



• Storchenweige



• Girasol

Proper Babywearing & Safety

Why not the Bjorn/Snugli?
Bjorns, Snuglis, and other carriers that allow for the forward-facing out position are not ergonomically correct for babies spines. A good carrier allows for a seat that spreads from knee to knee and positions the knees above where the bum rests, allowing for a comfortable seated position (picture here). When the seat is too narrow (as is the case with Snugli and Bjorn carriers) the baby's weight is all put on the baby's crotch, putting pressure on not only the crotch area but the hips and spine as well.

Why Not Forward-Facing?
The carriers recommended here all utilize proper positioning to prevent hip dysplasia, hollow-back positioning, and over-stimulation that can be caused by a child facing outward away from the mother. When a child faces outward he or she is forced to watch the world around them without the option of nuzzling into the wearer if he or she becomes overstimulated. When a child gets to the age where he or she desires to watch his or her surroundings, we recommend using a back carrier. This will allow the child the option to look around, but still the ability to nuzzle when tired, frightened or overstimulated and allows for proper, safe and healthy positioning.

Please view our links in the right-hand sidebar under "Why not the Bjorn/Snugli?" and "Why not forward-facing?" for resources and more information.

Close Enough to Kiss
When worn on the front, a child should be high enough in the carrier for you to easily kiss the top of their head. This allows for optimum comfort and, most importantly, the safety of your child. When he or she is close to you it allows you to make sure that they are breathing properly and that they are comfortable. Always make sure your child has proper air flow and that his or her chin is not pressed up against their chest, blocking easy air flow. A child should never be worn in a low-hanging carrier such as a bag sling. This carrier not only puts a child in an unsafe position, but also places the child so low that it makes it difficult for the wearer to make sure the baby is breathing properly. Furthermore, they are not comfortable for wearer or wearee. Many of these have been recalled.

Carry Links

Coming Soon...

Our Mission

This blog was created to be a basic resource for those who may be interested in babywearing but aren't sure where to start. After being asked by many people about our carriers and babywearing in general, we realized that we needed a simple, user-friendly way to share our knowledge and opinions with others in a way that hopefully won't overwhelm.

This blog is an opinion blog, and the opinions shared here should be treated as such. Facts about proper babywearing have been linked and cited. As far as which carrier would work best for you, we encourage all readers to do their own research and field study ;). While we cannot tell you which wrap or carrier to buy, we can share our opinions based on our own experience. Ultimately what works well for one mother may not work for another, hence why there are so many types of carriers. The best way to find out what will work for you is through research and, our personal recommendation, jumping right in and trying them yourself.

Last but certainly not least, we are not a paid or sponsored blog. The opinions expressed here are solely our own and come from our own personal experience with babywearing. We are not compensated in any way for linking to vendors, site, videos, tutorials, brands, or elsewhere.