I wish, I had known about 'baby-wearing' earlier in my pregnancy. Well - to be honest - I did know that slings existed, as I had seen them being worn by a few mums. However, the idea scared me a bit and I really had the assumption that it wouldn't be for me. I, like many mums that I meet, couldn't wait to head out for long strolls with my carefully selected, very over-priced pram.
One of my Mummy friends, looked like she had it all together. I would see her power-walking with her two boys everyday. I moaned one day that I couldn't even hang the washing out or cook and there she was, a vision of every mums envy.
The next day she was around at my house with her sling collection. She told me to try them, choose one I feel comfortable with and I could borrow it. So the story goes, I borrowed it and never gave it back. OOPS!! This sling was my saving grace. I could do everything from feeding, to cooking, baking, washing and even go to the loo wearing my baby. I even traveled solo back to Ireland and not a pram in sight. Everything was just so much easier, a real game changer.
Here are my top 5 reasons to 'baby-wear' :
Proven that babies cry less
A good sling will carry your baby comfortably and securely similar to that of the womb carrying your foetus
Upright carrying massages the baby's abdomen, promoting healthy digestion
Great for mental and physical development due to eye contact
Promotes development bond with baby as needs are addressed and met more easily
So, I hear you say, "well not one sling fits all"... and you'd be right! Thankfully there are many slings available on the market today to make your life easy.
But, with so many how do you choose whats right for you? Wouldn't it be awesome if there was somewhere to go and try before you buy. Somewhere to get expert advise and not just a sales pitch.
''Purchasing a sling is like shopping for your Wedding Dress. The idea of what you want is rarely what you leave with."-Ruth Grint
Enter, Ruth and the Wirral Sling Library run by Emily. This is a great facility that allows you to go and get solid advice, they help with fitting and choosing the right sling for you. Better still, you can find a sling you like and for a small fee take it home, as a rental, before deciding to purchase one.
Ruth also runs her own private Sling Consultancy business: Carrying Connects, which is really worth checking out.
Carrying Connects offer a personalised one-to-one, 90 minute consultation. My personal favourite service is Ruth's Before & After consult. This beautiful service provides information prior to birth so you can get your head around styles, safety and pricing and then offers a follow up visit with your sling when baby arrives to ensure you are baby wearing correctly.
If you have been gifted a sling or, like me, a welcomed hand-me-down, Ruth offers a 'fixerupper service', which allows her to assess and make adjustments to your wearing for safety and comfort.
Babywearing is discussed at all of my Hypnobirthing sessions along with other tools to make your pregnancy, birth and parenthood easier.
I'd love to see all your baby wearing photos. Comment below, why you love your sling?
Thanks for Reading!
Terri Irvin
Owner & Founder
Time: Bump & Beyond