Expecting a baby? Have you considered investing in a baby sling/carrier?

Baby-wearing is becoming more and more popular with mummies who are keen to experience the benefits of having their baby close by, and keen to ditch their cumbersome travel system!

However, it can be a minefield when it comes to choosing the perfect carrier. You need to decide…

Do you want a softer carrier – sometimes referred to as a wrap or a sling – as these are handy for breastfeeding on the go?
Do you want a more structured carrier?
What is your budget?
How long do you want to use it for?

The benefits of baby-wearing

There are so many benefits of baby-wearing! Here are some of our favourite…

You can go hands-free and get housework, self-care, errands etc done whilst still comforting baby with your closeness and warmth!
You won’t need a double buggy if you already have a baby/toddler who likes to use their pram.
Your baby will be more settled and reassured during the ‘fourth trimester’.
Less chance of ‘flat head’ syndrome as baby isn’t laid on their back in a pram.
Great for language development as baby can better see your face and observe you chatting and making facial expressions!
Maintains closeness and helps to support bonding between mama (or papa) and baby.

Read more here.

The T.I.C.K.S Rule For Babywearing…

The Consortium of UK Sling Manufacturers and Retailers has created the ‘T.I.C.K.S’ advice for anyone baby-wearing – you can read more about this here. It’s really important information that will keep your baby safe and comfortable.

Our Favourite carriers

We had a chat with the fabulous parents over in our online community, as we know that baby-wearing is super popular in our group! They shared their favourite carriers with us, and we came up with our top 3 list to help you expectant and new parents to invest in a great carrier.

Ergo Baby 360

The Ergo Baby 360 is one of the more structured baby carriers, but it is very versatile! It can be worn in 4 positions;

Front-inward
Back
Outward
Hip

It’s suitable for babywearing toddlers up to 15kg too, and comes with an insert for newborns. One mummy told us…

“Ergo baby are amazing. Really good support especially for your back! For extra support put the straps diagonal on your back and it’s very supportive! It’s worth every penny.”

Find it here*.

Close Caboo Lite Carrier

The Close Caboo was also a popular vote in our parenting community! Softer than the Ergo 360 (more like a wrap, but with the fit of a structured carrier) this can be adjusted really easily to suit your individual baby and is suitable from birth. Close Caboo also promote the fact that this carrier complies with the T.I.C.K.S rule for safe baby-wearing (as previously mentioned) and it’s great for easy breastfeeding access when our and about. One mummy told us…

“It’s really easy to use and doesn’t require any tying, I can put it on in the car and put baby straight in when I park up!”

Find it here*.

Standard Tula

This ergonomic carrier is designed for maximum support and comfort, and can be used between 7kg and 20kg. This also has a removable hood for sun protection, a pocket, and a tissue holder – how handy! One mummy told us…