Saturday, June 2, 2012

A Little White Lie

"Breastfeed hands-free while on the phone or shopping" is often mentioned in the same breath as babywearing.

In these times of breastfeeding controversy (which I actually think is positive, my motto being any publicity on breastfeeding is good publicity), it can be useful to remind mothers that they can breastfeed discretely in a sling, any time, anywhere.


But how true is this? How many mothers, and more importantly, how often do mothers breastfeed in a sling?

If I had a pound every time a new mother came to me with a stretchy wrap she had just bought, asking me to show her how to breastfeed in it, I'd be rich. Well not really, but no harm in dreaming.

Picture this mother at the supermarket:
  • baby needs a feed
  • mum reties the sling (lowers her baby down or shifts him to cradle position)
  • mum lifts the nursing top flap
  • mum undoes the bra clip, makes way for the boob, while not dropping the breast pad in the process
  • mum latches baby on
  • mum readjusts sling and clothes
Doing the above while carrying on walking and not drawing attention is pretty difficult in those first weeks. Remember, breastfeeding and babywearing are skills; combining the two skills can take time and practice.

In reality, the motion and bustle will most probably send the slung baby to sleep and keep him content for the duration of the shopping trip. And when at home, what a great opportunity to sit down, or even lie down.

So is it a lie? No, merely an exaggeration. If this is the reason you want to babywear, then be prepared to be disappointed.

In the meantime, I will carry on mentioning the "breastfeed discretely, hands-free" benefit. Even though it is akin to Mission:Impossible for many mothers, it becomes quickly irrelevant as mothers and babies discover the real benefit of babywearing: making life easier and much more enjoyable for everyone.
Posted by

Friday, June 1, 2012

What to Expect ... in a Consultation

The traditional art of babywearing is a real skill and one of the best ways to learn is with the help of experienced practitioners who will ensure you can carry your baby in a sling with confidence, competence, comfort and safety.

Although it is possible to learn to use a sling by following written instructions, video clips, or by seeking help from other babywearing parents, there is no substitute for the practical, personal focus you get in a consultation. In a consultation you can:
  •  talk through your own requirements to identify a sling that will suit your needs, and those of your baby and your family
  • see at first-hand how to use a sling correctly, and use one yourself under experienced guidance
  • learn why correct positioning is important for physical development, comfort and safety
  • have the reassurance of being able to ask questions, both at the library and at a later date, if need be
  • borrow a sling that really suits your needs. As part of a consultation at The Sling School, you can choose a sling from our extensive sling library for a free two weeks’ hire.

Join us at our next consult on 26th of June, where we will focus on using Asian-inspired Baby Carriers (Mei Tai, Podaegi and Soft Structured Carriers), on the front and on the back.  This consult is suitable for babies from 4-5 months old.

Special offer: £22.50 for our FaceBook fans; £25 for non-fans. (Normal price £30)



Posted by

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Keep Calm and Carry on the Back

Recently, Hello Magazine featured an article on French actress Marion Cotillard carrying her son in a sling. Despite the sensationalist title, I thought the article itself was well-balanced and informative.

The last sentence in the article said: "A child should be carried on your back when he or she weighs over 17 pounds".  This sentence has since been removed from the article. Why? Could this have anything to do with the uproar elicited by this sentence in some members of the babywearing community?

Of course a blanket rule is unhelpful. If a mother is told that she can no longer carry her 17-pounder on the front, then many mothers would stop carrying their babies altogether past the age of 4 months, or even earlier. This would indeed be a great shame.

Rather than a "use by date" for front carrying, I think there is a "best before date". Take a packet of butter. Its quality is guaranteed before the best-buy date; this does not mean it will go off on that exact same day. Chances are it will be absolutely fine for some time still, though the consumer should exercise common sense (smell and taste) to judge whether the butter is still good.

Same goes for babywearing. It is best to switch to back carrying as soon as possible, feasible and safe for both mother and baby. The 17 lbs cut-off weight could be seen as a best-before weight.

Experts agree that it is best to carry a baby on the back, in order to protect the perineum and strengthen back and tummy muscles. Carrying baby on the back alleviates the pressure on the perineum and strengthens core muscles by redressing the mother's posture.

Back carrying requires practice, patience and perseverance. One cannot be expected to master it overnight. However, if the mother is aware that this is best for her posture and pelvic floor muscles, I am sure she will find enough motivation to master this most fantastic skill.
Posted by

Thursday, April 26, 2012

The World Wrapped Up

We have a beautiful collection of slings in our library - stretchy wraps, woven wraps, mei tais, ring slings and soft structured carriers. All wonderful modern slings in organic cottons, silks, wool, gauze and linens, some with prints, some with embroidery. Modern slings are a joy - an amazing parenting tool and, let's face it, a gorgeous accessory too.

But all our twenty-first century slings are based on the ancient traditional baby slings from around the world; slings that have been the workhorses of generations of women for thousands of years.

It's easy to take for granted the carriers that we use today to hold our children as we tend to the washing, food gathering (OK, shopping) and cooking. We often forget that modern babywearing is also a way to honour our sisters (and brothers) down the generations.

Every time we reach for the limited edition wrap, or pull on a silk ring sling for a special occasion, we are keeping alive the traditions of our babywearing forebears around the world.

Here's a round-up of where our modern slings had their origins, with some history, photos and information.


The wrap, and its cousin, the stretchy wrap, are based on the simple pieces of cloth, such as the kanga, used throughout much of Africa
or the fudha, its North African relative.









The mei tai, and by extension its modernised sibling, the soft structured carrier, are a western take on mei tai carriers from China.

The podaegi is a traditional Korean sling. It is related to the mei tai by having a fabric body with straps. But the podaegi has only two straps, and a body - the blanket - which is much bigger than the mei tai It ties in a different way, and has a completely different feel when worn.

Most modern podaegi are narrow-blanket podaegis, made for comfort, ease and style. The traditional ones were quilted, with wide blankets that wrapped around mother and baby for warmth.
Podaegis are supremely comfortable for toddler-carrying - one of the best-kept secrets of the babywearing world!


 
The ring sling is based on traditional rebozos from South America.
The rebozo has been used traditionally to help in labour, and to "turn" babies in utero.

A similar one-shouldered carrier is the Indonesian Selendang.









There are, of course, myriad other slings from around the world. Here in the UK, Welsh Shawls were used to carry babies, until the pram bulldozed its way into monopoly. Some, however, still keep the tradition alive: and if you're interested in a referenced, comprehensive cultural history of carrying babies around the world, there's a wealth of information here.

Each time you lean down to kiss your baby's head while pegging out the washing, or sing to your snugly-slung baby while you take a broom to the floor, you're taking your part in the long history of global babywearing. Happy carrying!

Do you know of any other traditional slings? Were you carried in one? Let us know on our Facebook page.
Posted by

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Things You Can Do While Wearing Your Baby in a Sling

Another collection of Rachel's tweets. This time, things you can do while wearing your baby in a sling. Do not be surprised if you find yourself humming to The Bangles tune all day. Consider yourself warned.
Posted by

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Reasons to Carry your Baby in a Sling

Rachel loves Twitter. Twitter loves her back. Here is a selection of her tweets on why to babywear.
Posted by

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Sling Library Revamped and Ready For Action

Bondolino being put through its paces
We have been running a thriving sling library for six years, first as part of a slingmeet, and recently as a stand-alone service based fortnightly at a lovely cafe in a family-friendly venue.

But, after listening to the parents who use our library now, we realised that times have changed, babywearing is entering the mainstream, and we could offer a better service to meet the needs of more families.


Parents wanted to borrow a sling when they needed it, rather than having to wait until the next library session. And often, people wanted a sling but couldn't get to the venue. Or were working at the time the library was open. Or the library hours clashed with baby's nap-time. Or family life was just too hectic for them to make it on time. There were a million-and-one reasons why people couldn't access the library and borrow the sling they needed.

So, our library is now revamped as a super-user-friendly online service. The whole library is available to view online and on Facebook, so you can browse it from home (or work, or on the bus/in cafe/out with friends via Smart Phone or tablet) at your convenience, and get in touch directly with our sling librarian, who will arrange for you to pick it up at a time that suits, or post it out to you, complete with full instructions.

As a bonus, if you borrow a sling from us, you will be entitled to a discount from a choice of reputable sling vendors should you decide you've found the sling that suits you and want to buy a sling. (Trying out a sling by borrowing one from a library has saved many costly sling-buying mistakes!)

Our sling library is at the heart of our community involvement. Our purpose is to share the benefits of babywearing as widely as possible. For this reason, we only charge £5 per fortnight to borrow a sling, and we have a broad range of high quality slings, including limited editions, the latest designs and innovations, and hard-to-find, sought-after classics.

We add new slings regularly, and have regular polls on our Facebook page to ask our library-users what they would like to see included. To have your say, or to leave any comments or ideas, visit us on Facebook or Twitter.
Posted by
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)