Early Days
The following are a few of the types of carriers available. I recommend that you find your local sling library and book a consultation. They will be able to take you through a selection of carriers and advise you on safely carrying your baby.
Babywearing continued...
The stretchy carrier i.e. The Close Caboo or Boba wrap
This is an excellent starter carrier. It is ‘stretchy’ which makes it very comfortable for you and your baby, suitable for newborns as you can support their head. Easy to use, easy to adjust and very light. Not so suitable for larger children but so cheap you can use it for a few months and still get your money’s worth. These are available online and in many high street retailers like Mothercare and Jojo Maman Bebe.
Mei Tai carrier
This is a soft structured carrier that has fabric ties. Easy to use and very comfortable.
Buckles
This is a soft structured carrier with (you guessed it!) buckles! These are carriers like the Tula, the Ergobaby or the Connecta. These can be expensive so I recommend that you borrow or rent one (from a sling library) before you commit to buying one. Some people love them but others don’t.
Ring sling
This is an unstructured length of fabric with two rings attached at one end. The length of fabric is looped through the rings to create a sling in which your baby can sit. This simple design is surprisingly versatile and great for toddlers that want to go “up” and “down” whenever you carry them! These are a little harder to find - I bought mine 2nd hand from a Facebook group. You can find beautiful designs from specialist retailers for a range of prices.
Woven wrap
This is simply a length of fabric specially woven to support weight. This is my favourite kind of carrier because they are so versatile and so beautiful! Different fabrics have different qualities but most people start with a 100% cotton weave which is a good all rounder, easy to care for and relatively cheap. I recommend you start with a striped pattern which really helps you to learn wrapping configurations that can be quite bamboozling to begin with! My biggest piece of advice on a woven wrap is that practise makes perfect. The more you do it, the better you will get, the quicker you will get, the more broken-in and supple your wrap will get, the more your baby will love it!
"When Dylan wants to go outside the first thing he chooses is his shoes. The second is our wrap."