Slings have travelled a long way from their 1970s sandal-wearing, hippy-dippy
roots. Like lentils, crochet and tank tops, they've come in from the cold
and are now just cool, with endorsement from A-list celebs such as Brad
Pitt, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Gwen Stefani - who matches her sling to her
outfit.
Forget your bulky Bugaboo pram, these fabric wraps make them dinosaurs in the
fashion stakes.
It's not just fashionistas who wear their babies in slings; they're enormously
popular on the high street too. Rather than wrestle enormous pushchairs
through shop doors and over steps, mothers are skipping into shops with
babies strapped to their front, bypassing the nightmare of pavement works,
traffic cones, steep kerbs and other street nuisances.
In fact, slings have become so mainstream that the ubiquitous Myleene Klass
has just launched her own for Mothercare. And sales are booming. Mothercare
has reported a 100 per cent increase in the past year.
“Baby websites where parents recommend products to each other has meant that
people have become more aware of them,” says Alex Fisher, the head of
merchandising. And the increase in demand is changing retailers' attitudes.
John Lewis, Maman JoJo and Mothercare now stock a variety of slings, not
just BabyBjörn, the grandaddy of structured slings, which has been on the
market since 1973.
See you at the 'slingmeet'
Another sign of their popularity is the mushrooming of “slingmeets”. In 2006
two mums set up the first group, a place where mums can get together and
talk about “baby-wearing”, as well as try each others' slings. Now there are
40 nationwide (www.slingmeet.co.uk
).
For many mums it's not just a way of transporting their child from A to B, but
a lifestyle choice. That is certainly the case for mother Miriam
Berlow-Jackson. She carried her baby Ellie, now 21 months, for the first
four months. “The baby has been inside you for nine months and he or she
needs to continue that closeness. But it's not just about wearing a sling.
It's the way you live too. Co-sleeping and breastfeeding are part of the
approach. With a baby in a sling you can get on with everyday life, while
they satellite around you. Babies have been in your belly for a long time
and they need that continued movement,” she says.
Putting on a sling for the first time can be an intimidating prospect,
especially when they require instructional booklets and DVDs. But help is at
hand; for clear instructions go to www.calinbleu.com/baby_sling_instructions.html
.
Sue Gerhardt, a psychoanalytic psychotherapist and the author of Why Love
Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain (Psychology Press and
Routledge) agrees that slings are excellent for a newborn baby.
“Breast-feeding and close contact are a bridge between the womb and becoming
a separate person. The baby is establishing physiological systems and by
being close to a mother can pick up signals quickly and make adjustments. A
sling is a very practical way of managing that stage of becoming a human,”
she says.
Desmond Morris, the zoologist, agrees. In his new book Baby, The Story of a
Baby's First Two Years (Firefly Books) he says that a mother's heartbeat is
a calming influence for her child, as he or she will have been listening to
it for the nine months preceding birth. What better way to maintain that
reassuring background noise than snuggled up in a sling?
Other benefits include a reduction in crying. A study published in the US
journal Pediatrics concluded that new-born babies fuss and cry 43 per cent
less overall if they are carried, and 51 per cent less between the witching
hours of 4pm-12am. The study suggests that the relative lack of carrying in
our society may predispose normal infants to crying and colic.
But can wearing your baby take its toll on your back? Chris Johnson, an
osteopath who used a BabyBjörn for his son, says: “Every person's posture is
different so there's no one sling that is right for everyone. If your sling
is correctly adjusted and fits well, you shouldn't have to deal with any
aches or pains as a result of using it. If the sling you're wearing doesn't
feel comfortable, adjust it until it does, or try a different type that
works better for you.”
Other tips include making sure the baby's weight is distributed as evenly as
possible, perhaps using a wrap sling (see box, far right)because the wide
straps distribute the baby's weight more evenly. For some mums who are
already experiencing upper back and shoulder pains from breast-feeding, a
front-loading sling can exacerbate tension. So if the baby is old enough and
can support his or her head, a sling worn on the back might be more
comfortable.
And it's not just mum's back you need to think about. Johnson says: “If you
are going out for a two to three-hour hike, take the baby out of the sling
now and again and move them around. Too long in any one position isn't
good.”
Sue Gerhardt has other reasons to be cautious about continued baby-carrying.
“If you need to hold the baby all the time, you should check that you're
using it as an aid for the baby and not for you. You might even be holding
the baby back. You don't want to push a baby into independence but to
support the baby as he moves forward.”
“Babies can become accessories”
Gina Ford, the childcare guru, also has concerns. “All babies are different
and I don't think carrying a baby all the time results in a more clingy
baby, but I have noticed that some 'baby-wearing' mothers interact less with
their baby, and the baby can be treated more like an accessory than a human
being.”
But what a great accessory! Especially when coccooned in one of the lovely
slings available. Linen and silk wraps raise the stakes for the most stylish
sling. Sakura Bloom Artisan slings are made in handwoven silk and cost from
£130. Cool dads can carry Bill Amberg's papoose made from soft bridle
leather, £325, which is available in manly black and brown. But don't worry,
a good-quality sling need cost only about £30.
Whatever design you decide on, make sure that the sling is correctly adjusted
and fits well. This is where sling groups can be helpful. Most slings are
available only online, so it's difficult to try before you buy. A “sling
meet” enables you to speak to other mums and find out what type of sling
will meet your needs. Some groups even hire them out.
But be warned, the search for the perfect sling can be addictive, with mothers
ending up with cupboards full of them. If that's you, help is at hand at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UKbabywearingSWAP
, where you can swap slings with fellow addicts.
To find out about your nearest slingmeet, and to join a baby-wearing walk in
your town taking place tomorrow, www.slingmeet.co.uk.
From newborns to toddlers, the lowdown on carriers
BEST FOR NEWBORN
£35, www.littlepossums.co.uk
Stretchy wraparound slings The Kari-Me Wrap is suitable from birth to about
30lb. It's perfect for the first year as it can be put on and left on; the
baby pops in and out easily for nappy changes.
BEST FOR TODDLER
£45, www.sasaslings.co.uk
Buckle carriers The Patapum Toddler is designed with the older baby in mind.
One size fits most parents. Suitable from about 18 months to 62lb.
BEST ALL-ROUNDER
£50, www.bigmamaslings.co.uk
Tie-on carriers The Babyhawk is a modern version of a traditional Chinese Mei
Tai carrier, which can be used from birth to about 35lb. Can be worn on the
front and back.
BEST FOR BACK PROTECTION
from £50, www.littlegreenangels.com
Woven wraparound slings The Didymos, made in Germany for more than 35 years on
special looms, is known as the Rolls-Royce of baby slings. Suitable from
birth onwards.
BEST FOR BREAST-FEEDING
£45, www.littlepossums.co.uk
Ring slings The Maya Lightly Padded is adjustable through strong rings. These
slings allow you to breast-feed on the go and are ideal for parents with an
older toddler as well. Suitable from birth to 35lb.
BEST FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS
Silk and linen slings, from £44 to £170, www.bigmamaslings.co.uk
The Sakura Bloom Ring Slings are ideal for occasions when you want to look
your best. Suitable up to 35lb.
BEST FOR FASHIONISTAS
£325, www.billamberg.com
If the earth mother style doesn't quite fit with your oh-so-stylish lifestyle
(and you're choosing to ignore the credit crunch), this Bill Amberg sling
will satisfy all your cravings.
