Often heard…
1. I’ve heard of Ergo/Tula/Artipoppe, can I hire one of those…
2. My family/friend has got me this (can you show me how to use it)
3. My friend used this and has passed it on because she loved it
4. I’m on a FB group and they told me to get a …..
5. This carrier says it lasts to age 4 but my 18mth old doesn’t feel right in it..
1.So there maybe a few carriers you’ve heard of, this doesn’t mean it’s the right carrier for
you (though it might be!). It usually means they have a good marketing budget which usually means they are a bit more expensive for what they are. Sadly it doesn’t make them a better carrier nor does it mean if will be comfortable for you.
2,3,4 People kindly give us carriers-chosen because they loved them/they think it will be useful for us (it might be) but the problem with this is, is it the best carrier for you? The simple analogy is just because your best friend loves a certain pair of shoes (high heels, pointy toes) doesn’t mean they will be great for you (who has square shaped feet and is likely to break an ankle on heels!)
5. The weight range on the carrier tells you what weight it has been tested from and to. It really doesn’t mean it will fit at either end of the range-that will depend on the size of your baby, leg and body length (plus how you put on
the carrier). For safety a carrier must come up to the childs armpits and for comfort half way down their thigh. For a baby the carrier should come up to the nape of the neck and fit nicely from knee to knee (allowing the leg to swing freely)
Finding the right carrier for you and your little one.
Firstly it must be easy for you to use. If it’s complicated, or you don’t feel confident putting it on on your own then you are going to use it. There are lots of options available, sometimes it takes a little practise but we will be happy to go through it with you till you feel confident.
(Most people find stretchy wraps easy to use if they learn from someone qualified to help, but they don’t suit everyone)
It must be comfortable for you both, we need to be able to get a good fit (this is about safety as well as comfort). Some carriers simply don’t go small enough at the
waistband-when baby goes in the waistband dips and you carry baby’s weight on your lower back-not fun. To get a good fit it needs to be a suitable size for your little one and ideally allows for growth-you don’t want to be endlessly buying new carriers.
It needs to meet your carrying needs. Some people don’t like wearing a bulky carrier in the house (doing jobs), there’s no reason why you can’t wear this carrier indoors but we can always find other options if this is going to be it’s main use. Equally if you mostly wear outdoors, going for walks from a car park you might not want one with long ends that could get muddy (there are ways of managing this if you want to/need to) or you might want something to slip baby into quickly to take your older one into school/nursery so comfort for long wearing isn’t important to you.
Sometimes we need to adapt around special circumstances-baby on oxygen, twins etc or the parents needs eg bad back, arthritis etc (you might well need a consultation rather than a library visit in these circumstances)
The library can ensure if fits you & baby well and can go through safety with you -TICKS guidelines. We know some hacks that can be really helpful and you can always come back to us with questions
If you would like more one to one time or have individual needs then a consultation with a consultant may be more appropriate.
Do come and see us, you can hire or not as needed. We cater for all ages
Mid Beds NCT sling library. First Wednesday in the month, Flitwick village hall 1-2.30pm
North Beds NCT sling hire. Every Thursday 10.30-12 at St John’s Church Hall MK42 0DL
To find your local sling consultant www.slingpages.co.uk
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