About Ring Slings

Sakura Bloom Silk with 23mo

What it is:

A ring sling is a length of fabric threaded (or sewn) onto a set of rings. The fabric is looped over one shoulder and threaded through the rings on the other side – because it is a one shouldered carrier, it isn’t as nice for long outings with older babies. You can use it on either shoulder, and switch off if one gets tired. It is fully adjustable to provide support over the full length of baby – this makes it especially nice for newborn wearing. Aside from being fully adjustable for baby, it is also nice for sharing between different sized wearers. RSs are a poppable carrier, meaning that it can be worn sans baby, and baby can be moved in and out easily.

Ages:

Ring slings are great for newborns (my favorite newborn carrier), excellent for hip carries with 6m+, and awesome for frequent ups and downs with a toddler.

Great Brands:
There are many RS makers out there. If you found one you like, get reviews from experienced babywearers before buying, and make sure they comply with the testing standards going into effect this year. Sleeping Baby Productions, Sakura Bloom, Comfy Joey, Zanytoes, and Kalea Baby all make excellent ring slings. Zolowear (pleated shoulder) and Maya Wrap (gathered shoulder) are good too.

Carrying positions:

There are a few different carrying positions you can do with a ring sling.

Birth+: Tummy to Tummy, legs out (legs out is recommended, but you can do legs in with a tightly curled newborn). This is the basic carry, and can be adapted for breastfeeding in the carrier by loosening the fabric, and lowering baby to breast level. Tighten back up when baby is done.

Birth+: Off Center Tummy to Tummy, legs out. This is nice if you have a baby that likes to be able to see more, but has less head control – or needs a nap J.

0-2(ish)mo: Burp Carry. Baby over your shoulder – this is nice if you have a baby that likes to see, or hates tummy to tummy (though that’s usually because positioning is off). Requires a little more skill, but easy enough to learn

0-3m: Cradle Carry – FOR ACTIVE BREASTFEEDING ONLY, when baby is done nursing, return them to an upright position immediately. Cradle carries are not safe for newborns – it tucks them chin to chest and can cause oxygen desaturation, or even positional asphyxiation. It is possible to do a safe cradle carry in a ring sling, but it is tricky and requires some skill.

3-6mo: Kangaroo Carry (Buddha Carry). Baby is facing out, sitting in the pouch, basically folded in half, with their feet nearer to their face (but in the pouch). Baby leans back against you. Facing out is not recommended for long periods of time.

6m+: Hip Carry – this carry can be started once you naturally begin to hold baby on your hip, about the time they learn to sit (around 6m). This is probably the easiest RS position.

Toddlers: Back Carry - this is for short periods of time with toddlers only. It is basically scooting baby around to your back for a few minutes. I use it to change other baby's diaper or to do a couple dishes.

Toddlers: RUB - Rings under bum is basically the woven wrap carry, 'ruck under bum' but with rings instead of a knot. This is a deceptively trickier carry that should only be attempted by someone skilled at doing back carries in a woven wrap.  Requires a long RS.

Ring Sling Tips and Tricks (from Heather, VBE at Babywearing International of Chicagoland):

These tips are for a baby being worn tummy to tummy, legs out.

1. Before you put her in, set it up- check that it's loose enough that you can pop her in and not bunched at the rings.
2. Put the rings on the upper part of your shoulder, near the outside (i.e. not close to your neck, if it's close to your neck you may find it rides to your neck when you tighten).
3. Spread it wide across your back. Put her over your shoulder (opposite the rings), then drop her in.
4. Tighten it from your back to your elbow (what this does is makes it more snug... otherwise when you pull the rings they'll end up at your bellybutton, lol).
5. Put her in the seated squat position, and (assuming the rings are on your right), pull the material snug across her back towards the rings so the slack its near the rings.
6. Take your right hand and reach under the rings, to her belly, and reach down and grab the material and pull it up as high as you can between you and her- to her bellybutton if possible.  Either now, or as you are tightening, if you lean forward a little, you can help get the babies tush into a really deep seat this way.
7. When you start to tighten, instead of giving it a huge yank, pull it close to the rings, at the top rail (the rail near her neck), middle in 1-3 spots across, and bottom rail (rail near her legs). Repeat as needed. If you give it huge yanks you're likely to have the material bunch up in the rings.
8. Pull the top rail area out to the front and center of your body, and the bottom rail out to the front and to the right of you (if you get the idea).
9. If it seems like the material is hard to pull through the rings take your left and and very gently lift her up, just a touch, so her weight isn't working against you tightening the rings.
10. If you see an area that is still loose (let's say the rails are tight but loose at her back- find the area of the tail that correlates to that area (i.e. the middle) and just tighten that area.  
11. Goal is to have the rings in the corsage area of your chest. If it ends up higher or lower, that's fine if it's comfy. :) If you're short, there might not seem like a lot of room between baby/rings/your shoulder, and unless you plan to grow, there's not much you can do about that. :)
12. Her seat lower than her knees, arms in or out is fine if she's awake and has head/neck control.  Try and give the knees/feet an "up and in".  This is where you can gently push their legs up into a more deep squat position.  It will help give them a better seat and also increase their comfort.  Check to make sure you still have good knee to knee coverage.
13. You can use the tail behind her head to make little pillow if she falls asleep, or pull the top rail up higher as needed.
14. If you find that the rings are a little lower than you like (or your tail is long) you can wrap the tail through/around the rings to make it more comfy if she happens to be close. As long as the rings are laying relatively flat and comfy, it's fine.
15. A lot of babes cry if they don't have a good seat or the RS isn't high enough. I think with RS's it's a game between figuring out tight enough (to be comfy) and too tight (and having certain brands ride off your shoulder and up your neck).

Helpful Videos:

It is much (much!) easier to learn from videos than it is from written directions. Some companies send a DVD along with the carrier, but quality varies among companies.

There is also a ring sling playlist under my name on youtube – kbaby261: https://www.youtube.co/playlist?list=PLnY6xmQAvtsomiL_2zxHN1MtMfqsljzI3&feature=mh_lolz

The videos on my list include videos on threading, positioning, different carries, and how to nurse upright or in a cradle carry.

Stretchy Wrap Headrest

How to Make a Headrest for your Stretchy Wrap

A friend asked if I knew of a tutorial for this (I did not), so I decided to make my own! Here is how you make a headrest to offer more support in a stretchy wrap.

A stretchy wrap is a length of 4-way directional stretchy fabric. Moby, Boba, Wrapsody, Anaju Bamboo, and Snuggy Baby are a few brands of stretchy wraps, although they are fairly easy to DIY. (Check out the DIY section of thebabywearer.com forums for info on how to make a DIY stretchy wrap).

Step 1:
Put baby in  the wrap. I am doing a FWCC here, but you can do other carries too. Pull the excess fabric up to the top (but make sure you leave the 'seat' in place). Ignore my sloppy wrap job and lopsided baby doll.

Pull slack up to the top

Step 2:
Take a burp cloth and roll it up

 Step 3:
Roll the fabric around the burp cloth

 

Spread the passes out again, and you are all done! (pic coming soon)

Wrapping directions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnY6xmQAvtspHcAoaHbRzL2s8esaspRkh&feature=mh_lolz

Review: BOB Revolution SE Duallie

Also on Amazon.com - Published November 11, 2011
I still agree with everything I wrote originally

After six months of use as a full time nanny:

Pros:
- Super easy to push, even with toddlers
- Turns on a dime
- Amazing shade
- Waterproof material
- Front lockable swivel wheel for jogging/tough terrain
- Peekaboo windows, but with loud velcro
- 5pt harness
- (just barely) fits through standard doorways

Cons:
- Heavy, heavy, HEAVY!!! Do not expect to be easily whipping this stroller around, it weighs a ton.
- The fold is huge, which is to be expected with this type of stroller, but makes it hard to fit in a standard sized car. Between the weight and size of the fold, it is hard to carry it up or down even a few stairs.
- It is a three part fold that requires two hands, esp annoying when you have a baby old enough to sit in the seat but not old enough to sit completely unassisted on the sidewalk
- The handlebar is not adjustable. I am tall, so this is particularly annoying to me. It's not too bad while you are running though.
- The basket is big, but it is hard to get anything big in it. There is a strap that goes right in between the two seats which makes fitting a medium to large diaper bag in it hard, and ridiculous to try and maneuver out while you are squatting on the ground in a foot of snow
- No adjustable footrest. The slope down is fine, but I imagine this will be uncomfortable when the littler one hits 12 months. Also it goes into a V, this is annoying for my tall 26mo old who has to keep his legs moved sideways or stick one leg over the side.
- Although I love the canopies, when only one section is open the material of the other one hangs down to block my 26mo old's view or not let him rest his head depending on which section is closed
- Tall 26 month old is already getting too tall. He has room to canopy top, but not on the seat back.
- Manual strap recline - super annoying, but versatile
- It has a shock system, but it makes the stroller incredibly bouncy, so the bumps are not hard, but they do shake your kids silly

BUY IT: if you live in a rural area and can just roll it into your garage, you want to jog with your two kids (both at LEAST 6mo old, best if 12mo and up), or you frequently encounter rough terrain with wide paths.

DO NOT BUY: if you have big children, live in an urban area, or have to carry it over more than four stairs

Types of Strollers

Buying a stroller is a lot like buying a car. It is not one size fits all, you have to take into consideration what kind of terrain you will encounter, the amount of parking space you have, the price of the vehicle, and your personal preferences. It is not as easy as picking out the best, because what is the best for one family may not be the best for another. Most families have more than one stroller to cover different needs.

Silver Cross Coach Built Pram

Pram/Buggy/Carriage
- Only for the first few months, they are beautiful and expensive. They feature a bassinet for the baby. Some can convert to a regular stroller with a detachable toddler seat.
- Area: suburban or rural - made for use on an estate. Most terrain
- Brands: Inglesina Classica, Silver Cross

UppaBaby Vista

Luxury Stroller
- Why not have it all? Luxury systems look nice, are easy to push, made of superior materials, and often feature a bassinet as well as a seat. Many can also be used for light jogging. Many have second seats available if you plan on having more children.
- Area: urban, suburban, rural. Most terrain. May not work well in dense urban areas.
- Brands: UppaBaby Vista, Britax B-Ready, Quinny Moodd, Stokke Xplory, JJ Cole Broadway

Mountain Buggy Terrain

Activity Stroller
 - For the parents who want to include baby in their adventure. These are either all terrain, joggers, or both. Activity strollers are for the active parent: jogging strollers for runners and terrain strollers for hikers. If you are an avid runner, don’t get a terrain stroller. Terrain strollers are built for all terrain, not running. Jogging strollers have special features to keep baby safe and comfortable during runs.
- Area: suburban, rural.
- Brands: Mountain Buggy Terrain, BOB Revolution SE, BOB Ironman, Schwinn Turismo Swivel, Baby Jogger F.I.T., Joovy Zoom 360

Britax B-Agile

Standard
- The stroller that you most likely rode in. These are mid-priced strollers that are bulky, but have loads of features like huge baskets and cup holders. Great for every use. Older models often have garish (cartoonish) fabrics. They recently started to make standard strollers that are aesthetically pleasing to parents.
- Area: suburban
Brands: UppaBaby Cruz, Britax B-Agile, Baby Jogger City Mini

Mutsy EasyRider - My Review Here

Lightweight Plus
- A cross between the standard and lightweight, the lightweight plus is lighter than a traditional stroller, but still has many of the same features. They often have flat reclines and can be used from birth. These are great for traveling and great car strollers, because they are small and baby can sleep in them.
-Area: urban, suburban
-Brands: Baby Planet Endangered Species, Bumbleride Flite, Bumbleride Flyer, Mutsy EasyRider, Inglesina Trip, Cosatto Swift Lite, UppaBaby G-Luxe

UppaBaby G-Lite

Lightweight/ Umbrella

- These strollers weigh less than 15lb and are for 6m+. Parents usually buy one for trips or when they get tired of lugging a huge stroller around. These have no or little recline, and often have umbrella shaped handles.

- Area: urban, suburban

- Brands: UppaBaby G-Lite, First Years Jet, Chicco Capri

Graco SnugRider

Car Seat Frame Stroller

- For running errands, a frame stroller lets you pop baby's car seat on and off the stroller with ease. These do not have a seat, the car seat takes the place of the seat. A frame stroller should NOT be used in place of a regular stroller. It is dangerous to baby's health if they spend too much time in a car seat. Many luxury strollers offer a snap in car seat frame to be used in place of the seat. Many standard strollers let you pop the car seat on top of the seat.

- Area: urban, suburban

- Brands: Graco, Chicco, Baby Trend

Using a Mei Tai with a Small Baby

Legs out from birth is the current recommendation for using baby carriers. This can be hard to do with a mei tai though, so I made a photo tutorial to teach people how it is done. I am using a doll and an old CatBird mei tai (the newer ones have a loop that can be used to cinch the MT).

STEP ONE:

Place your baby on top of your mei tai. Use a ribbon or string to cinch the mei tai. You want the fabric to extend from knee to knee.

 STEP TWO:
Tie the mei tai on. Tie it higher up on your body for a smaller baby.

You can fold down the waist band of the mei tai to make the body shorter with a small baby. Fold down before you tie it on.

STEP THREE:

Pick up your baby and place them in the carrier. Make sure the fabric extends from knee to knee, and baby's bum is lower than their knees. You can't see the bum lower than knees here because I used a doll.

STEP FOUR:
Cross the shoulder straps behind your back and bring them around over baby. Cross the straps over baby's bum, and tie in back. Make sure the cross is high so baby can't fall out the side.

If you don't have enough strap to tie in back, you can tie a knot in front. Some people suggest tying over baby's back, but that can push baby's back out of it's natural curve. Instead tie over or under baby's bum.

^^Over baby's bum..

˅˅Under baby's bum 

-it's hard to show with a doll, but the knot is really under the bum, and it cannot slide up.

You can also do a Lexi twist (wrapping term for twisting the straps a few times) to offer more support. Generally the twists would be higher up than in this photo, but I'm using a small doll.

Edited to add:
Rachel (a babywearing educator and awesome person!) made this video to showcase these instructions:
http://youtu.be/G-DlyAxI_uA