Women throughout the world use slings to carry their babies from place to place. Slings provide a hands-free way to carry your baby without the bother of a stroller or bulky infant carrier. Pediatrician and attachment parenting expert Dr. William Sears also touts a number of baby wearing health benefits, including less fussiness and higher intelligence. While many mothers find their slings indispensable, wearing a baby incorrectly can compromise his airflow and potentially lead to suffocation—making it critical that you pay attention to the positioning of your baby within his sling.
Types
Slings generally consist of a long piece of cloth that goes over the shoulder and torso of an adult. To secure the carrier and make a seat for the infant, “ring” slings fasten at the shoulders with a couple of rings. The rings allow you to pull the material through them to adjust the fit of the carrier and the positioning of your infant. "Pouch-style" slings consist of a tube of fabric with a curved seam where you rest the baby. You size these slings to the fit of your body and they cannot be adjusted if your size changes or if a different-sized parent wants to wear the baby.
Considerations
To avoid the risk of dropping or injuring your baby while wearing him in a sling, Sears urges parents to follow a few safety rules. While you and your baby adjust to the baby wearing process, make sure you support his body with your hands. After you become a sling-wearing expert, you can usually keep one or both hands free. Avoid drinking hot beverages while wearing your infant. Never carry your baby in a sling while inside of a moving vehicle—the sling is not a substitute for a car seat.
Benefits for Parents
Wearing your baby in a sling can make breastfeeding easier, especially in public places, and it can allow you to “get things done,” including playing with older children, performing light chores and running errands while carrying your infant. Sears maintains that baby wearing can also lead to less crying and fussiness since your baby’s close proximity ensures you can quickly respond to her needs.
Benefits for Babies
Carried babies often enjoy more “quiet alert time,” which Sears says leads to enhanced cognitive and speech development due to your baby’s increased exposure to your daily conversations and activities. Lactation consultant Kelly Bonita of the breastfeeding advice site Kellymom.com suggests that baby wearing can help some babies breastfeed better and gain weight more quickly since the proximity to their mothers can encourage them to eat more often.
Warning
Improper sling positioning can result in suffocation, prompting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue a warning regarding their use. The CPSC cautions parents of infants under the age of 4 months and especially those of preemies, twins and low-weight infants to take extra care when positioning their babies in a sling. They further recommend making sure that your infant’s face is never fully covered and that you can see him at all times. Never position him so that his chin touches his chest. You might need to readjust his position after feeding him to make sure his head is upright and clear of the sling.
