Please read ALL the following information
Remember safety
first!
Please wash sling before use
Threading your Ring Sling
Always regularly check the stitching of your sling as this
is holding the childs weight. Make sure the sling is not
twisted, thread the fabric through both the rings from the
underside of the sling.
Keeping the sling untwisted, hold the rings and pull the
fabric through both of them, from the underside of the
sling. Make sure the sling fabric stays untwisted as you
pull the fabric through, and try to keep the edges of the
sling on the outsides.
Now thread the fabric through the bottom ring. Spread the
fabric out evenly. The fabric should be tight through both
the rings.
Putting on the Sling: Bring the sling over your head,
keeping the rings close to your shoulder and putting your
other arm all the way
through the sling, like a sash or across-the-body purse (or
an arm sling!).
Loosening the sling in any position:
To loosen the sling, pull upwards on the exposed ring while
you support your child's weight with your other hand. This
will allow most fabrics to slide easily through the rings.
Positioning the rings:
Make sure the position of the rings is not too high or too
low. If too low there will not be enough room for the baby
in the sling. Ideally halfway between your shoulder and
breast is a good position. Also it is a good idea to make
sure the material is spread on over your shoulder, this
means above and below. Be sure that the sling doesn't ride
up off your shoulder and towards your neck. This leads to
back and neck pain. The pleats should help prevent this.
TYPES OF HOLDS
Cradle hold:
This position is best for infants and small babies, who
don't yet have head control. Many babies like to nap in
this position, and it is among the easiest for nursing.
However, lots of babies don't like this position, so don't
give up on your sling if yours is one of them! Also keep in
mind that your baby's airway needs to be straight: her chin
should never rest on her chest, as that can impair her
breathing.
If your baby seems swallowed up in the fabric, or has
difficulty breathing due to being too scrunched up, fold up
a receiving blanket and put it in the sling before you put
baby in. Ideally, when she is in the sling, her body should
not be parallel to the edges, but rather, at about a 45
degree angle to them. Decide which side you want her head
to be on if you are petite you there may not be enough room
for this hold.
Make a pouch with the body of the sling. Put the sling on
as you normally would, and then pull the lower edge upwards
on your chest/tummy so that you've formed a pouch with the
sling. You'll want the lower edge (the edge closest to your
tummy) to be nice and tight, so pull on the part of the
tail that corresponds to that edge (if your sling isn't
twisted, it will be the outside edge of the tail).
If you want her head on the side opposite the rings,
cradle her with your opposite arm, just as you would if you
weren’t wearing the sling. Open the sling with your other
hand and slip the baby into the pouch with your arm still
around her. Keep supporting her head if she is a newborn,
Support her head as you slip you arm out from underneath
her, now adjust the sling.
You will need to tighten the upper and lower edges -and
even the body of the sling -- independently, by pulling on
each in turn. If the sling is difficult to adjust, you can
hold the rings apart slightly with one hand, while pulling
with the other.
Cuddle/tummy-to-tummy hold:
This is great for babies and toddlers of any age. The
chest-to-chest position is comforting and soothing, and
many babies prefer being upright in a sling to lying down
in the cradle hold (mine both did!). You can also nurse in
this position once the baby has good head/neck control.
For small babies, I suggest bending their legs a bit, so
they're "frogged" in the sling, and keep their feet inside
the sling.
For bigger babies, their legs should be spread apart and
straddle you as much as possible, as though they're riding
a horse. That's best for their hip development, and keeps
the baby from slipping down in the sling. Her knees should
always be higher than her bottom. In addition to being
safer, this also keeps the sling from cutting into the
backs of their legs. If you feel that you have to hold onto
the baby after she is in the sling, you're probably not
doing it right; she may not be big enough to have her legs
out, or may simply prefer to have her legs unbent, in which
case I would make a pouch with the sling and allow her to
"stand" in it, provided there is enough fabric to do so.
Tighten the sling by pulling the upper and lower edges of
the tail. You'll want the bottom nice and snug, so that it
cups around the baby; she should be "sitting" on the bottom
edge of the sling. (Newborns can have their legs tucked in,
as shown here.) The body of the sling should also be quite
snug, to keep her from arching back.
This position allows the baby to look around, but she may
also fall asleep. If she slides to the right or left, you
can ease her into the cradle hold in either direction. You
will probably find that the higher up on our chest she is,
the more comfortable you are.
Hip carry:
This is terrific for older babies (those with good
head/neck control) all the way up through toddlerhood.
Depending on the size of your baby, you will probably be
able to start hip carrying him between 6 and 9 months of
age.
Tighten up the bottom of the sling so that it makes a
pouch for her to sit in. Then start by holding the child on
the shoulder opposite the rings, as though you were going
to burp her.
Keeping one hand on her bottom at all times,
slide her legs into the sling (a little trickier for
toddlers; you'll need to bend their legs and tuckthem in).
Your baby's legs should straddle your hip, just as though
you were carrying her without a sling. Ideally, her bottom
will be a little lower than her knees, and the sling fabric
should be snugged up just behind her knees. This way, her
weight is held by her bottom, not her legs; that's more
comfortable for both of you. Spread the fabric out over
your child's back.
If you are slinging an older baby or
need to keep your toddler's hands contained, it should go
over his shoulders. For toddlers who can have their hands
free, around the armpits will be fine. This hold can be
used not just on babies! Up to 6 or so years of age!
Sit carry
An easy variation is a side-sitting carry – a cross between
the kangaroo carry and the cradle hold. The baby goes in
the sling with her head either towards the rings or away
from, but sitting up. Her feet are inside the sling, as
with the cradle hold, but she's upright and able to look
around with her head free of the sling.
Of course, this is
appropriate only for babies with head control, but it's a
great transition between the cradle hold and the hip carry.
"Kangaroo" or front-facing carry:
babies like to see the world when they're out and about.
This hold is particularly good those who have good head
control and are learning to sit supported, but who are not
yet ready for the hip carry.
Start with the sling in normal position, with the bottom
edge brought up slightly to make a pouch on the inside, and
hold your baby on your chest, facing outwards
With one hand, lift the baby so that her back is still
against your chest, so that she doesn't fall forwards. This
slinging position is most stable when the baby's legs are
crossed, so cross her legs. Pull her feet upwards, and with
your other hand, open the sling to make a pouch. Lower your
baby's feet into the sling, making sure that they are
inside the fabric, and not going through the bottom.
Pull the top edge upwards to her chest. Adjust and tighten
the sling as needed when the baby is in the desired
position. The top edge should be particularly snug! Be sure
to check the baby's position frequently, especially if you
are moving around a lot. It is a good idea to keep one hand
on the baby when using this hold, as smaller babies may
suddenly flex their legs and "jump" out of the sling! This
is less of an issue with a stretchy sling, but can be
dangerous if your sling is not made of a stretchy material.
Be aware of your baby's position at all times! Also, this
hold is not secure when you are bending over forwards. Be
sure to hold onto your baby with your hands if you are
bending over.
Back carry for bigger babies and toddlers:
Please note: These positions take more caution than the
front-carries.
Please have another adult nearby to assist you when you are
first practicing these positions, especially with small
infants! Always be extremely cautious when using a back
carry with a sling, and do so only when absolutely
necessary! If you plan to do a back carry on a regular
basis, I would recommend a carrier that is made
specifically for it, such as a mei tai or a wraparound
carrier.
Start with the rings just behind your shoulder, and put the
baby or toddler in the hip carry (see previous notes)
Make sure the fabric is above a baby's shoulders, and at
least up to a toddler's armpits. Keeping one hand on the
child, lift up on him slightly while pulling the rings
forward, transferring him to your back.
You can keep him either on you hip behind your arm, or
higher up on your back, as though you were carrying him
piggy-back. Either way, make sure the fabric is high on his
back the whole time (check frequently in a mirror or with a
friend), especially if he is prone to arching his back.
Questions about wearing your sling?
Ring Information
All rings are purchased from www.slingrings.com some
information on testing from their website:
We want to bring you the highest quality rings possible. To
ensure quality we submit our rings to rigorous testing.
During our design phase we perform the following tests:
-
Impact
Testing
-
Pull Testing
-
Soaking in bleach and then a full washer/dryer
cycle
-
Freezing followed by additional impact testing
-
Heating followed by additional pull testing It was
considered a success when multiple rings went through all
of these steps without breaking. One ring alone will
actually lift a 3000 pound machine, without breaking.
Additionally, each ring is individually tested and
inspected before shipment. It must pass an impact test and
a 250 pound pull test before being considered ready to
ship.
Our aluminum rings cannot be individually tested due to the
nature of the material. Instead these rings are batch
tested every 100 rings for continuity and ductility. They
are also periodically tested by an outside testing
facility, and meet the same rigorous requirements as our
nylon rings.
The pleat I use for all my
slings is called a 'centrefold' pleat, also same thing as a
box pleat (if you know a bit about sewing). This simple
centerfold is wide and will spread out nicely, and because
of its symmetry, will cup the shoulder perfectly. The rings
are sewn in so that the pleated parts are underneath. I
find this a comfortable pleat for all shapes and sizes.
Guarantee and Returns:
I take great pride in the craftsmanship of
my slings, and sew each one as though I would be using it
myself. As such, I am confident that my slings will stand
up ably to normal use. However, please examine the ring
attachment each time you use the sling to insure that the
stitching is secure. If it is not, you may send it back to
me and I will refund your shipping costs, fix the sling at
no charge, and return it to you, or refund your purchase
price, as desired. Also keep in mind that with heavy use
and frequent washing, nearly every fabric will break down
with time. This should take many years with a sturdy
fabric, but if you're using an older sling or one made with
a delicate material, please look it over before using it.
Any heavily worn spot may tear when stressed, so please
discontinue use if your sling develops a worn spot, tear,
or hole. Returns will be accepted for defects in
workmanship, any other reason for returns for slings
purchased off Trade Me will be subject to a $5 restocking
fee to cover my costs for reselling the sling.
Unfortunately I cannot refund shipping/postage.
Terms of use, and Disclaimers:
Before you use the sling for the first
time, please be sure that you understand how, either by
following my illustrated directions with a doll or other
baby-sized item, or more ideally, by practicing with the
help of an experienced sling-user. Please use good judgment
and always put your baby's safety first. The sling is
intended for babies and children under 15kg, although the
rings, stitching, and material will hold far more weight.
It is not intended to secure or restrain a child in a
vehicle (always use a car seat!). Nor should it be used
while the wearer is riding a bicycle, operating heavy
machinery, participating in sports, or doing anything else
that could cause harm to the child or cause the child to
fall out of the carrier (as opposed to normal walking and
other daily tasks). Always be aware of your child's
position in the sling, and keep the fabric as snug as is
comfortable; the looser it is, the less safe it may be. Do
not use the sling near open flames or high heat, as the
fabric is not fire-retardant or -resistant, and neither is
your baby! Be aware of the sling tail position as well;
with a longer tail, it is advisable to tuck the tail into
the body of the sling, throw it over your shoulder, or wrap
it around the rings, so that you do not trip over the tail
or otherwise become entangled in it.
Finally, as with other sling makers, I must disclaim all
liability for any losses or injuries due to the use or
misuse of this baby sling. Please use common sense and care
while using your sling. Enjoy using your new ring sling!
Holly Warn
