Reasons To Try Out Baby Wearing & Slings As A Parent

Slings and baby wearing are two words I had absolutely no idea about when I first became a mum to James. However when I fell pregnant with Evelyn a friend of mine had mentioned it was something she had been looking into and after doing a bit of research myself I was totally sold! 

Baby wearing is something I only discovered this time around and it wasn't even something I had heard of when I had James. Since finding out about it and getting our first wrap we have been converted and it has been a life saver for quick trips like the school run and getting that closeness Evelyn craves 

Don't get me wrong we do still own a pushchair and we like our pushchair too, Its great for longer trips, days out and of course chucking all the shopping in the large basket underneath! However Evelyn is so desperate to look around and has been from just a few weeks old so being up in the sling has been great for her. I feel like for us it has really helped strengthen her neck muscles and of course keep her entertained whilst walking about because it allows her to still be close and supported but get a good look around at the big wide world too. 

We chose the Close caboo nct as our first carrier when Evelyn was first born and it was so easy to use, you simply pop it over your head and put it on like a t-shirt (over your head and then your arms through the 2 gaps in the sides). 

I love the closeness we get from being snuggled up on our walks, As I mentioned above our wrap has been a life saver for things like the school run. Once we are parked up the school run is a short 5 minute walk, barely enough to warrant getting the pushchair out of the boot for. With the wrap I can pop it on myself before we leave the house then simple place her in it when we arrive. I don't have to struggle with the pushchair and she is happy looking around!

(we also love the Boba wrap which is what we are using here)

There are so many great benefits from using slings and wraps for baby including being able to have your hands free, not having to haul around a heavy pushchair for quick trips and of course the extra exercise and workout you get from carrying a baby around on you too! 

Of course babywearing isn't for everyone and that is totally understandable, just like all parenting choices they are personal and unique to each parent. I would say though if you are undecided then it really is worth a try, You may love it just like us and don't just pick up a sling and assume that they are all the same. If you are unsure try find a local "sling library" as this will enable you to try out different slings (and even borrow them for a week or two) before committing to purchasing one. 

I spoke to some other parents who chose to try baby wearing and here is what they had to say about why they chose to try it and what they love about it - 

Sadie - "The reason I decided to buy a liberty stretchy wrap was because Poppy has chronic colic and silent reflux couldnt put her down and she rarely slept. Meant I had my hands free to do odd jobs and absolutely loved carrying her since."

Lauren - "I started carrying my last baby when she was about 4 months old. She was always a high needs baby and wouldn't be put down. It was a practical thing. As she got older I really enjoyed trying out many different makes and models of wraps and carriers as there are so many beautiful ones. I also began to notice how much of a close bond my child and I had developed due to carrying her so much. I've really looked forward to baby wearing my newest baby this time around because of that. She's a much calmer contented baby than her sister was. I'm not sure if that's just her general personality or partly because she's been carried close to me since birth."

There are so many choices of wraps and carries out there that it can seem daunting to start with and prices can vary massively so if you want to try something out before you commit why not pop by and check out a local sling library. The people at the sling librarys will have lots of carriers and wraps to look out and try out and some will loan out (for a small cost) wraps so you can try them at home for a short while before committing to a wrap or babywearing. 

Have you ever tried using a sling or wrap with your baby or is it something you would ever consider? 

xXx