Babywearing Part Two – Ring Slings and Pouches

In part two of the series, we will be looking at Ring Slings and Pouches. These are probably the second most well known baby carriers after Soft Structured Carrier’s.

Both are marketed as being good for newborns and toddlers alike, but current recommendations on safe babywearing would suggest that pouch carriers are not suitable for newborns.

Pouch slings

Pouch slings are generally just one piece of fabric sewn together and worn like a sash on one shoulder (see image above), some will be semi-adjustable like a ring sling, folded to form a pouch for the baby to sit in.

For newborns, they are designed to hold the baby in a cradle position, which is great for breastfeeding, but no longer recommended otherwise because it does not follow TICKS rules for safe babywearing – it is far too easy for a newborn to drop their chin to chest in this position, which will reduce their airflow.

Pros:

Some very budget friendly options
VERY compact (most can easily fit into a nappy bag without taking up too much space)
No adjusting needed, so fairly quick to get on
Good for quick up and downs with a mobile toddler

Cons:

Most are not adjustable, so have to be bought in the wearers size – may not be able to be used by other wearers (eg. May fit mum but not Dad)
Can only be use for cradle carrying a newborn, which is no longer recommended as it doesn’t follow TICKS safety guidelines
Can only hip carry – no front carrying or back carrying options

Ring slings

There are a lot of ring sling options out there these days. Some big brands have made it into baby gear stores. There are also a lot of WAHM selling on etsy. For different price ranges you have a choice in fabric (plain cotton, drill or woven materials) and shoulder style. There are different ways in which the rings can be affixed to the fabric; some will be more comfortable for the wearer than others (a plain gathered shoulder, pleated, padding/no-padding). If you are on a tighter budget, you can even do up a DIY Ring Sling fairly easily (my first sewing project ever!)

Pros:

Can be used from newborn through to toddler
Great for quick up-and-downs of toddler
Lots of variety (in fabric and design)
Adjustable for different wearers
Can be used for front AND hip carrying (also, with experience, back carrying in a ring sling is possible)

Cons:

A bit of a learning curve (but having said that there are A LOT of youtube tutorials out there to help with adjustment issues)
Some will find hip carrying not comfortable for long periods – may need to switch child to the opposite hip to balance the strain on your shoulders.

I have attached some helpful videos below.

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If you haven’t already, check out the previous articles in the series:

An Introduction to Babywearing and Part One: Soft Structured Carriers

How To Thread A Ring Sling: