You should always make sure that you can see the baby’s face.  The baby’s face should not be covered with fabric, especially the nose AND mouth.

The sling should not form a ‘tent’ around the baby’s face, to allow free air exchange.

The baby’s chin should not be held down to the baby’s chest.  You should be able to easily insert a finger between  chin and chest.

If your baby is showing signs of labored breathing, wheezing or ‘whistling’ with every breath, especially while sleeping, then the baby should be repositioned.

It is  good to frequently touch and pat your baby.  This kind of stimulation has been shown to regulate an infants breathing and heartbeat.

“How does one size sling fit a newborn and a toddler?”

Most babies can fit in the same sling from birth until 2-3 years of age.  As your baby grows and gains more muscle control, he will sit in the sling different ways.  A newborn is enclosed in the sling.  A 2-3 month old is usually carried in the cradle carry with their head outside of the sling.  A 4-6 month old will be sitting up in the sling, usually with their legs still inside the sling, but head and shoulders are outside.   And from 5-6 months on up to 2-3 years, the baby will sit in the hip carry, with both legs and their upper body outside of the sling.    As the baby grows, less of their body is actually inside of the sling.  So in this way, one size sling will work from birth until 30-35 lbs.  Your baby will outgrow the cradle carry.  They have not outgrown the sling though!  That’s when you will know it is time to move on to different positions.  My daughter is 4 years old and I can still fit her in the same slings as when she was a baby (if only she would let me!). 

“Why does my sling feel too big now that my baby is older and/or bigger, or since we switched to the hip carry?”

Unfortunately it is common for new inexperienced sling users to wear a pouch sling too low and loose.  A loose sling can be ‘used’ in the cradle carry, but not in the way that we recommend using it.  It isn’t uncommon to see newborns cradled in a pouch near their parents waist or hip.  It is not as safe, secure, comfortable for the parent, or soothing for the baby to have the baby positioned so low on the parent’s body.   It is difficult to position a newborn in a loose sling and *maintain* a correct position.  They tend to ball up in the bottom of the sling and fall asleep.  As a new parent with a newborn, it’s understandable to allow this to happen..I know that I would always feel relieved to have my daughter asleep in a sling no matter what position she was in.  However, this puts a baby at risk for positional asphyxiation and CO2 rebreathing.  Please see our Babywearing Safety post for more info.

SO, you have a newborn, you buy a sling that is too large.  You don’t know that it’s too large or that you are wearing the sling incorrectly.   THEN, when your baby is 5-6 months old and ready for the hip carry–you try the hip carry and–guess what!  Your sling is way too big.  You had no idea.   It probably always has been too big, and you just didn’t know it.   In any wearing position, the baby’s bottom should be right at about your belly button level.   If the sling is at your belly button level in the cradle carry, it will also be at your belly button level in the hip carry.

Your sling also may become too big as your baby gets older if you have lost a lot of pregnancy weight.  Remember that the sling is fitted to the person wearing it and should be considered a piece of clothing.  You will probably wear larger clothing right after you give birth than you do at 6 months post partum.  Some pregnancy weight loss can be accomodated for simply because when the baby is at his/her smallest, you will be at your largest.  As your baby gains weight, you will be losing weight.  As your weight levels off, your baby will move on to the hip carry.  At that point, your sling size should not change, unless your weight and shape changes due to weight gain/loss, cessation of breastfeeding, or pregnancy.

“What size sling do I need for a newborn?”

Again, the size of the sling is based upon the size of the person wearing it, NOT the size or age of the baby being carried in the sling.

“My shoulder to hip measurement is 27″ but your size calculator suggests a size 24. I ordered a size 27 and it’s too big!”

Getting an accurate shoulder to hip measurement is not easy if you don’t know exactly what you are measuring.  Many customers ‘over measure’.   I suppose it should be called the “shoulder to waist measurement”.  You should start measuring at the tip of your clavicle and end measuring at the top of your hip bone, feel for the top curve of your pelvis.  It’s usually in line with your belly button.    Our size calculator *does not* use the shoulder to hip measurement to produce results anymore simply because it is so subjective and inaccurate.   We found that it was more accurate without using the shoulder to hip measurement.  You will get the same result from the calculator no matter what shoulder to hip measurement you put in, or if you even leave it blank.   We do still collect shoulder to hip measurements so that we can tell if you possibly have a long or short torso, narrow or broad shoulders.   If your shoulder to hip measurement is less than the average size given by the calculator, then you should consider sizing down.  You may have narrow or sloping shoulders or a short torso.  If your shoulder to hip measurement is longer than the average, then try measuring again.  You could also try holding up the tape measure to yourself and “see” where the average sling size would hit you.  If you get an average of 24 from the size calculator, measure 24″ on your body and see if that seems reasonable.  If it seems too short, go up one size *only*!   Almost never is a customer more than one size smaller or larger than average (assuming we have enough data for other similar customers)

“I ordered a size 24 and it felt too tight.  I could get the baby in but I didn’t see how the baby would possibly have any room to grow.   I exchanged it for a 27 and now it’s way too big!  What’s up? I’m mad and it’s all your fault”

We understand that pouch sizing can be frustrating.  Please follow our exchange advice (located in the instruction book included with your sling) and you will avoid this situation:

If your current size is too tight, but *you can get the baby in*, you should go up *ONE* size only!    It’s sort of like  trying on shoes.  Imagine you are at the shoe store.  You try on a size 8 shoe and it’s too tight.  You can get your feet in but your toes are cramped.  Do you ask for a size 11 to try on next?  No!  You would ask for a size 9 (or a 8 1/2).    It’s the same thing with a pouch sling.  If one size is cramped, just go up one size and you should be ok.

If your baby is an older infant (i.e., past the ‘new’ newborn stage–older than 2-3 months) and the cradle carry is very tight, THAT’S OK!  It should be getting tight around 3-4 months.  Your baby may be ready to move on from the cradle carry.  Especially if you have a big chunky baby, you may be past the cradle carry in a pouch sling.  It happens.  Babies grow.

If you ordered the average size given by the size calculator, then there is rarely a need to go up or down more than one size.  It’s just not possible that someone who should be a 24 would be able to wear a size 28, for example.    If we make a size recommendation to you, we do so after years of fitting people in slings.  Please take our advice into consideration!    I am a size 24, however I can wear a 23 or a 25 if necessary.  I can’t wear a 22 or 26.

“I ordered a size 24 and I thought it felt too tight.  I exchanged it for a 25 and it’s too big”

Guess what?  A pouch sling should be snug. Most baby carriers, when worn correctly, are quite snug.   If you haven’t worn a sling before, then it’s possible that the snug unfamiliar feel of it will feel too tight to you.  It’s really easy to tell when a sling is too large in the hip carry, it’s not as easy to tell when it is too small if you aren’t sure how it should feel.      Before you exchange your sling, try it, wear it around the house.  See how it feels after wearing it for 10 minutes.   The sling should feel firmly anchored on your shoulder, without sliding down.  The fabric on your shoulder and back should be flat and smooth (no bunching at your neck).  Baby’s bottom should be at your belly button level.  If you can get the baby in, it feels secure and comfortably snug, then it’s probably the correct size.  When I wear a sling that is too small, I feel as though I can’t breathe.

Add this item to your cart if you need a new instock sling resized. This fee is non refundable. We will exchange resized slings as long as they are a normal instock size (whole sizes from 21 to 30). Half sizes are not exchangeable or returnable.

Slings must be a minimum of 2 sizes too large to resize! For example–a size 26 can be made into a size 24 or smaller sling. A size 26 can not be made into a size 25.

If you need a resized sling exchanged for another resized sling, then you will need to pay the resizing fee again.

Facebook.com/BabySlings

http://kelleylmoore.com/calendar/tune-in-as-kelley-moore-shares-inventive-products-created-by-woman

I’ll try to post  a link to the video after it airs.  It is supposed to be online.

“As the wife of a United States Marine (who is often deployed) and mother of two young children I often find myself in situations where I could use an extra set of hands.  My first slingling was given to me by a friend at my first sons baby shower.  I have used it from the day I received it and now, 2 and 1/2 years later, I am not only still using it with my son Alexander, but also with my second son, William, now 8 months.  I have since purchased several more slinglings from you for myself and for friends as gifts.

Babywearing has always been so natural and precious to me.  Your slinglings have provided a way for me to teach my sons good social skills, healthy self-esteem, encouraged a nurturing environment and through my constant use of them has helped me share with my other mommy friends that babywearing can be easy and fun!  (there are many other blessings too just not enough time to list them all!)

So, thank you, for offering a product that has helped this often “single” mom do so many things that a mama without a slingling wouldn’t even dare to do! (like braving SeaWorld with two kiddos by myself–including feeding the dolphins!).  I hope you enjoy the photos.”