Baby Front Carriers And Slings
The Most Essential Baby NEED (after bottles/breasts and diapers, of course)
Having had seven daughters and owned a childcare center for seven years, I have experienced a lot of equipment and accessories intended to make caring for babies just a little easier. If I had to do it all over again and was told I could only have one piece of baby equipment, without hesitation, I would choose a baby sling. I did not own a sling for my first three children. In fact, I never even heard of them outside of maybe seeing a picture of women in third world countries using them to strap their babies to them. Something significant happened during the seven years between the births of my third and fourth child: the rise in popularity of the internet. With the internet came the easy exchange of ideas. With that, the good word about baby slings spread like wildfire.
There are other hands free ways to hold your baby that I had tried; primarily front baby carriers and baby backpacks. Some people really like these options, and they may be perfect for you, so let’s take a look at some of their features.
There are many brands of baby front carriers with slightly different features. Graco and Baby Bjorn are two of the more popular brands. With these carriers, two padded shoulder straps go over your shoulders and criss-cross your back. The straps adjust to accommodate different sizes and shapes that men and women tend to be. The baby is then slid into a supportive pocket with leg holes. The baby’s final position is against the chest with the feet dangling. As the baby grows and gets stronger, many carriers allow the baby to face outward. The things I did not like about the front carrier is that it seemed awkward to me. If the baby fell asleep while in the carrier, it was difficult to gently remove her to lay her down in the crib. Also, because the baby was in the front, she was in the way both physically and visually, making the accomplishments of such tasks as sewing, meal preparation, cleaning, caring for older children, et cetera more difficult.
Another option is a baby backpack, which is stood on the frame in order to insert the child. Then the frame is lifted and slid onto the back of the adult. I found that the baby got heavy quickly with this method. Also, I didn’t like the fact that I had no visual contact with the baby while she was on my back. Another problem that I had was that I couldn’t just sit down and take a rest without having to first remove the backpack. I personally didn’t like the functionality of the backpack for times when the baby fell asleep. Additionally, it was rather bulky and took up quite a bit of space when it was not in use.
Nine years ago, after the birth of my fourth daughter, I was finally introduced to … cue up the Halleluah chorus … A BABY SLING!!! There are several kinds; my preferred sling style was a long piece of fabric that fed through two metal fastening rings, leaving a “tail” of fabric. My absolute favorite was the Maya Wrap with a pocket sewn into the tail, which I used to carry a couple extra diapers and wipes, and often my car keys and wallet! With this style baby sling, I could carry the baby high or low, on the front, side, or back, facing forward or facing me, and lying down or sitting up. I was also able to breast feed in a discreet, usually hands free manner, covering any accidental exposure with the tailpiece of the sling, which easily went over my shoulder. As the baby grew, the sling easily adjusted to accommodate her changing comfort preferences. If the baby fell asleep, the sling easily slipped over my shoulders and allowed me to keep the baby nestled in the sling as I gently laid her in her crib. Up until my children were about four or five years old, I was able to continuously use my sling for hands free carrying. As a child care center owner, there were many times where I was able to put two children comfortably in one sling allowing me to still use my hands for other things. I frequently used the sling to hold and bottle-feed infant twins.
The biggest disadvantage with a sling is that, for some people, they take some getting used to. Some people practice with a small dog or life sized baby doll. It is best to look at videos or pictures of how others are using them to get ideas. It may take a little time, but I personally feel it is well worth the adjustment period.
As you can see, I am a bit biased toward slings, but the other hands free baby carriers might be absolutely perfect for your needs. Look at all options and try a few out. Whichever you choose, you will be a happier, more productive new parent as you learn to incorporate the joy of nurturing your newborn with the other long list of tasks that you have.
[...] and gets bigger, many carriers let the baby face outward. The things I did not like about the Baby Front Carrier is that it appeared uncomfortable to me. If the baby fell asleep while in the carrier, it was [...]
[...] Carol J Pearson has three children of her own and is therefore able to give an informed opinion on Front Baby Slings. If you are considering purchasing a Baby Carrier, why not visit her site? She has really useful [...]
[...] Carol J Pearson has three children of her own and is therefore able to give an informed opinion on Front Baby Carriers. If you are thinking about buying a Baby Carrier, why not visit her site? She has really useful and [...]