What sling do you think is the best?

In a sling shop, this is a question I hear a lot. And it is a perfectly reasonable question which you think I would have an answer for because, well, let’s see :

1.       I  own a sling shop

2.        I am a sling specialist

3.        I have trained as a sling consultant

4.        I try different slings whenever I can

5.       I  have used slings with my 3 children, and am still using them

6.       I  have been helping people choose and buy slings for nearly 9 years.

And herein lies the problem – I have had many different favourites, depending on my experience, current interests and, lets face it, the day of the week.  My youngest child is approaching 3 fast, and there are still about 10 different  slings that I would like to add to my personal collection but I know that I cannot justify the cost of buying new slings when I struggle to find the time to use the ones I already have.

 Most people want one, maybe two carriers that they can learn to use and then get out and about with their child. The real difficulty for newcomers to the world of slings are people declaring one type of sling to be better than any other – not just their favourite – but the best, and anything else as inferior with inherent flaws or problems. Of course people are not doing it to be difficult – they want everyone to discover the joy they have in the sling they love – my job is to help people find that same joy and love for the right sling for them and their child.

So – back to the open ended questions....

Which Sling would you recommend?

So how can I answer this question? By asking questions.

The only way I can find out what people want is by talking to them about their baby, their lifestyle, their likes and dislikes and their current needs. The sling they choose has to fit their baby and the adults who will be using it, so knowing if they are going to be out on brisk dog walks with it, or popping in and out of the shops is really important.  Sometimes there are medical or physical conditions that might affect the choice of sling and it is not always possible to predict what will work best – some experience from a sling consultant is helpful, but it needs to be combined with the knowledge of the parent and in some cases the advice of the relevant medical professional.

So trying different slings, talking about how they feel, how they fit and making sure the parent is

confident in how to use it safely and comfortably is really important.  

Some people strike lucky – they buy something on recommendation and it works brilliantly, but more often than not people are given something, or buy something, that just isn’t quite right, or they can’t get to fit them properly. This is a real shame as there really is a sling of some sort to fit almost everyone – and finding a sling you love can make a huge difference to how you feel about carrying your baby.

Aren’t some slings terrible for baby’s hips?

There is a lot of sling shaming – big brands that have enabled many, many parents to carry their baby safely and securely are routinely slated and used as examples of narrow based carriers that do not provide ‘optimum’ positioning. Usually the brand name is used, without any consideration for the fact that the brands now actually have a wide range of carriers including some that carry the baby in the same style of many of the carriers that they rave about as being best for baby. Sling consultants will encourage you to find a sling that allows your baby to sit a in position where the knees are higher than the baby’s bum,  and it does make sense that this will be more comfortable for the child – I am not going into the whys and hows in this post. But I have met many parents for whom a narrow based carrier has been a great solution for them, due to the way it is put on or the security and confidence it gives them to carry their baby. I can help them check their baby is safe in it and look at ways of making it as comfortable as possible. I have not seen any solid scientific evidence that a narrow based carrier causes any damage to a healthy baby. My nine year old certainly shows no adverse complications from spending 6 mths in one.

So come on - What is your favourite?

OF COURSE I have favourites (note – not just one!)– but that’s not helpful to my customers.  It’s good for a slightly nerdy chat with other sling consultants and enthusiasts, but my favourite may be really unsuitable or undesirable for someone else. I would not want to put anyone off a carrier that could be the ideal solution for them, by telling them that I prefer something else.

And if you asked me again next week i would give a different answer anyway..........

So – what are you waiting for? Come and try some SLINGS!