5 Thing to Avoid When Babywearing

Babywearing is a tradition that has been ongoing for centuries. Babywearing through ring slings will come in handy after a little practice, yet it does require extra attention the first few attempts. You don’t have to be perfect the first time, and a ring sling is not rocket science, but safety should never be compromised, and there are some things that parents need to pay extra attention to when babywearing. 

In today’s day and age, it’s extremely easy to access an array of information online about pretty much any topic. Similarly there are tons of babywearing and ring sling videos available to get started. Sometimes the information can be overwhelming. It can be difficult to determine what is credible and where you should start. 

I’m sure you’ve heard the statement that we learn from our mistakes. To make sure you and your little angel enjoy a blissful babywearing experience, we’ve created a not to do list or alarms to avoid for a safe ring sling and babywearing experience. This way you can learn from the mistakes you should not make, before you make it. When using a ring sling make sure you do not do the following:

1. Cover your baby’s face: Regardless of the position you are using with your ring sling, your baby’s face can’t ever be covered. This way there is no disruption in oxygen passage for the baby to breathe. Generally, this is something you should closely watch and avoid with infants whose reflexes aren’t fully developed.
2. Dangling body parts: Ring slings are designed to promote a comfortable babywearing experience for parents and babies. If at any point your child’s body parts are dangling then something is going wrong. This needs to be monitored and avoided. Dangling body parts can be an uncomfortable experience and prolonged wearing could cause physical development issues, particularly for babies that can’t talk and express discomfort.
3. Sit too low: When you wear the ring sling, if your baby is well below your hip there is something wrong. This causes the risk of your baby falling out. It also adds weight stress to the babywearing parent. Make sure the baby is at or above your chest level and close enough to kiss.
4. Sling too loose: Babywearing through a ring sling should not be so tight that it cuts off your blood circulation but it should not be so loose that the fabric is flimsy each time you move. The baby should securely tighten and strapped around the parent until there is no loose fabric around the cradle area. This way there is no risk of the ring loosening or your baby falling out.
5. Make abrupt jerks: Ring slings are designed to keep your baby secure, but it’s never a good idea to make abrupt jerks when you have a baby wrapped around you. If you must make a sudden movement then make sure you hold on to your baby for extra support and protection.

The general rule is that you shouldn’t engage in any activities you wouldn’t engage in while holding a baby when you are babywearing. Before you question safety with baby wearing and ring slings make sure you are aware of alarms to avoid. There is a fair amount of risk involved when you cross the street as well. But, we minimise the risks by looking to our right and left before crossing. Similarly, sure there are risks involved with babywearing as well. But, you should look out for the alarms and confidently embark on a ring sling babywearing journey to cherish closer moments with your bundle of joy.