The North East Sling Library
Helping the North East to Carry their babies big and small

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Cuddle them close but keep them facing you

1/12/2013

2 Comments

 
PictureOne day old bundle of squishiness
I am passionate about using slings and carriers. I have run the largest sling library in the North East of England for over 2 years. I am a qualified carrying consultant who has helped hundreds of families to carry their  babies big and small safely and  comfortably. We have 134 slings and carriers to choose from and that includes 11 Boba family slings:

 4 Boba 3g carriers, 2 Boba 4g carriers, 2 Boba Air carriers and 3 Boba wraps. I think you can safely say we love Boba. My youngest spent the first 3 days of  his life snuggled up in the navy Boba wrap and enjoyed his first “meal out” at two days old in it.

Picture15 months old and snuggled in tight
Boba have the tag line ‘freedom together’ and that is what the sling library and the slings we stock hope to give parents. The freedom to explore, freedom from reflux symptoms (you can read more about health benefits’ of slings here) and importantly the ability to have your hands free, which if you have older children is a must. Boba are the only manufacturer to exclusively make carriers that only face the parent and  this is one of the biggest draws for me. I feel it is the safest way to carry my children. When I first entered the world of babywearing I did so with a high street carrier which I picked up from a nearly new sale. I found it   uncomfortable, difficult to put on by myself and my precious bundle never looked comfortable and that carrier lasted approximately 2 months before I binned it.

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My precious bundle will turn 4 in January and he still loves being carried and the Boba carrier lets me do that. I can carry him comfortably for hours. I often choose to carry him on my  back but when he is poorly and wants to snuggle I still wear him on my front and there is no way I could do if he was facing out because of the effect turning baby (or in his case pre-schooler) has on my spine. You can read in detail why facing baby away from you should be avoided in this fantastic blog post. The reasons it states, as well as the understanding I have of baby’s physiology from my consultant training, mean I never show forward facing out, even in carriers that do have it as an option.
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I have lost track of how many parents have come to me saying their baby is too heavy to be carried and nearly every time the reason; baby is facing away from them. Very few babies are too big to be carried, parents simply need to find the right carrier. Others come and say baby is desperate to see the world. This one makes me smile, baby will still see the world but after you have checked it’s safe for them to do so. You are their source of guidance. If they can’t see you, how can they know it is ok to look at.  I also know that babies can see, they are amazing at turning their heads. Just look at my little boy looking at daddy (not in a Boba in this case I was playing with a woven wrap), facing me  but facing daddy at the same time.

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His brother, who spent so much time in the Boba wrap as a newborn is a fiercely independent little boy and since fining his feet much prefers to walk than being carried. That’s why I love the Boba air as it is so small it fits in my coat pocket.

Boba have given my family the chance to enjoy Freedom together and I would not be without them in my library or my own stash. I'm so excited to be able to carry my Nephew in a few weeks and show my sister just how easy the 4g is to use.

Using a sling should be comfortable for both baby and wearer and safe. It is crucial to check on your baby. Facing out this is difficult to do. You can’t feel them breathing on your chest or neck, there is little head support if they fall asleep. Here in the UK we often refer to the TICKs guidelines which were developed in April 2010. They are perfect for considering your babies safety. IF your sling doesn’t do them, I would not use it. Boba ticks (see the play on words) them all. That’s why I love Boba.

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Disclosure: I’m a Boba Ambassador. I participate in Boba events and online conversations, and receive thank you gifts for my participation, but all opinions and experiences expressed are my own. 

Want to know more about the Boba Ambassador scheme? Click to find out more


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2 Comments
Andrea link
2/12/2013 06:43:51

Wonderful post. Babies should always be facing towards you whether on your back or on your front. Love to see your stash!! :)

Reply
Melissa M. link
28/12/2013 19:42:32

I completely agree! I love seeing all of your pictures.

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    Author

    I'm Rachel, an experienced babywearer and consultant. In July 2011 I decided to establish the NESL to help the NE to carry their babies big and small. I'm mama to Henry (5yrs) and Isaac (2yr).

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