Yes, the sling is also suitable for newborns. The baby should be carried upright and symmetrically in the sling with the legs crouched.
The two most common shapes of a sling are the parallelogram and the rectangle. A rectangular sling needs more fabric than a parallelogram because the ends of the parallelogram are narrow and the knot is smaller than that of a rectangular sling.
Tip: A rectangular sling needs to be longer than a paralellogram sling.
Note: We do not offer rectangular slings!
Body measurements play a big role here - not only the clothing size, but also the width of the shoulders. A tall woman with broader shoulders automatically needs more fabric than a short woman with a very narrow stature.
Many size charts are available online for this purpose, but unfortunately they are not exact either.
Tip: Get advice from experienced babywearing consultants.
There are many different tying methods that require different amounts of fabric.
For example, less fabric is needed for a backpack sling than for a wrap-around cross sling.
Tip: If you are unsure about this, you should seek the opinion of a babywearing counsellor before buying or seek counselling after buying with the sling.
In order for your child to have a healthy posture while being carried, a few things need to be taken into account. To check for yourself whether the sling is tied correctly, we have prepared a checklist for you:
Is it the right height?
The right height is given when you can kiss your little one on the head without any problems.
More precisely: your chin should not touch the baby's head even when stumbling.
How strong does the binding have to be?
The sling should be tied tightly so that the baby is adequately supported. With newborns, the head must be additionally supported, as children up to 3 months cannot hold their heads properly. With an older baby, the binding is tight enough when the sling gives good support but at the same time allows the head to turn.
A simple test: Lean forward. If the baby stays in contact with you, the sling is tight enough. If the baby falls away from you into the sling, please tighten it again.
Is your treasure sitting correctly?
Your baby should always be in the tuck-and-spread position when being carried. The position of the legs is important here. The backs of the knees should form an angle of 90 degrees (spreading). The baby's knees should be higher than the bottom (squat). This posture supports the maturation of the hips.
Is your darling sitting comfortably?
The sling should reach to the back of your baby's knees. Make sure that nothing chafes.
Do the carrier and the wearer form a unit of weight?
Your darling should not hang from you, but rather swing rather than sit while squatting in the sling. If this is the case, form a weight unit.
Is your child dressed according to the temperature?
In winter, care must be taken that your child does not get cold. Although the sling provides additional warmth, you should still make sure that your child has enough clothing. We recommend additional wool socks, cuffs and a warm hat!
In summer, neither you nor your child should sweat. At higher temperatures, a bodysuit under the sling is often sufficient. A gauze cloth between you and your baby absorbs the sweat. An airy tie like the kangaroo and rucksack is helpful! In very high temperatures, especially around midday, you should consider not wearing a sling.
We have already mentioned that a sling is more personal and comfortable for mothers of different cultures. We will show you how far this can also be transferred to your everyday life with the following points:
Proximity to the child - Better bonding
When you use a sling, you carry your child close to you. This allows you to react more intuitively to your child's signals. This enables you to better "read" your child's needs through certain movements or sounds.
Strengthening the immune system
It has been scientifically proven many times that using a baby sling strengthens your child's immune system. This is especially due to the direct contact with the mother or father and thus the security that carrying brings.
Calming effect
Many mothers use the baby sling to calm the child. Some children calm down very quickly in a hammock, others when you drive them around in the car, but the majority of children are best calmed by being close to their parents and the steady movements of being carried.
Note: The calming effect is also given in case of digestive problems, as carrying with a sling also promotes the baby's digestion.
Can be used for newborns up to toddler age
As mentioned above, a newborn can also be carried in a sling. Care should be taken to use a type of wrap or tying method that supports the head well.
Examples:
From birth
From the 3rd month
More comfortable travel
If you want to go on a trip with your sweetheart, the question naturally arises as to which transport option is best.
Flight - Stroller vs. sling
A larger pram must be checked in as bulky baggage. Depending on the airline, this can mean enormous additional costs. But that's not all, because many parents have reported that the pram was damaged during a flight. With a sling, you don't have to worry about such things.
On the beach
With the sling, you not only get additional protection from the sun's rays, but also better mobility. In the sand, it is sometimes difficult to move a pram.
Explore a new city
Many places in the world have many small alleys, passages with stairs or no proper pavements at all. In such cities, using a pram is an absolute torture. You either don't get anywhere or have to take long detours.
Discreet breastfeeding
A baby sling can also serve well as a privacy screen. With a sling, you do not necessarily have to go to a ladies' room, but can also breastfeed discreetly in public.
Protection from sensory overload
With slings it is possible on the one hand to show your treasure the world, and on the other hand to simply protect your little one from a sensory overload.
In order for parents and child to benefit from all the advantages of a baby sling, the sling must not only meet the parents' requirements in terms of appearance, but must also be safe.
Does it matter which sling I buy?
No, because especially in this day and age, where there are countless suppliers with different quality standards, you have to invest a little more time in finding the perfect sling.
It is not uncommon for some manufacturers to offer slings that are too thin or poorly woven. These slings are not recommended because their poor workmanship can pose a health risk.
If you observe the following 4 points, nothing will stand in the way of a beautiful sling experience!
1. durable sling fabric - weave and material
Before buying, you should know what type of weave is used and what material the sling is made of. The fabric of a baby sling must be stretchy and yet durable. In addition, not all fabrics can be tied equally well.
What type of weave is suitable for a baby sling?
There are many suitable weaves for a durable baby sling. The diagonal elasticity is important. We offer slings with the following weaves: Cross twill, Diamond twill, Herringbone, Honeycomb and Double weft.
These fabrics ensure that the scarf does not tear when worn and fits snugly against the body.
Which material is the right one?
Cotton is most often used in the manufacture of baby slings. This is because cotton has a low allergy potential, is skin-friendly, easy to care for, hard-wearing and stretchy.
2. chemical-free sling
As in all areas of life, we try to protect our children from dangerous influences when carrying them. In order for your child and you to have a lot of fun with a baby sling, you should make sure that the sling is free of chemicals to avoid allergic reactions or other negative consequences.
Can I buy from well-known manufacturers of slings without hesitation?
The major manufacturers we know pay attention to this and only sell slings that are free of harmful substances.
3. buy used slings
When buying a used baby sling, you should look particularly closely and check for tears or holes. You should also ask the previous owner if the sling has been washed frequently with fabric softener. If this is the case, it is possible that the textile fibres have been attacked and the sling is therefore less stable or the binding qualities have suffered.
4. the perfect design for you
Anyone who wants to use their sling often naturally asks themselves the question: "Which design suits me in the long term?"
If you are unsure about the colour, it makes sense to look in your wardrobe and choose a sling that matches the colour of your clothes. If you tend to wear black or dark clothes anyway, of course any colour you can think of will fit.
Especially in big cities like Berlin, Hamburg or Munich, you will see mothers with identical slings on the street. If you want a unique piece, you can do it yourself or have a sling sewn by a professional tailor.
If you want to sew a sling yourself, you should use hard-wearing sling fabric. You can find this in our category "Yard goods". Sling fabric is not very cheap, this is because the weave is complex and special due to the diagonal elasticity and you therefore acquire a fabric with a long service life.
Note: If you are having a sling sewn, it often makes sense to buy the sling fabric in advance to save a little money.
With good care, a baby sling can be used for many years, even for several children. In addition, this gives you the opportunity to sell the sling again with only a small loss of money.
Do not use fabric softener
Fabric softeners attack the fibres of the fabric and change the binding properties of the sling. Fabric softeners are also harmful to the environment.
The wash cycle
Slings made of pure cotton can usually be washed at up to 60 degrees. However, this is not necessary. To ensure that your baby sling lasts a long time, we recommend gentle washing at a maximum of 40 degrees and a low spin speed with a maximum of 900 revolutions.
There is also nothing to be said against hand washing at 30 degrees with mild detergent.
This keeps your sling clean and retains all its positive properties.