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How do I know what carrier to choose!

That is not something that any one person can decide for you. You need to first establish what your needs are. Are you using the sling to get house work done, or do you go for long walks
Do you run a home based business where baby needs to be in arms, or on your back all the time?
Do you only want one carrier?
How versatile a carrier are you looking for.
How easy it is to use.
How structured or unstructured you desire.
Once you establish your needs you can then go forward and pick the carrier best for you.
*My personal opinion is that everyone needs 2 carriers, a ring sling, and a wrap carrier* If you can, get to a babywearing group and try on several carriers to find your fit.

Should I wear my baby (won’t baby get spoiled)??

We have carried our little ones under our hearts for 40 weeks, so it is only natural that they need to be close to us and carried when they come out of the womb. You absolutely cannot spoil a baby by carrying them loving them or responding to their needs. Babies dont spoil. It is impossible!

Why Wear Your Baby?

Wearing your baby or "Baby wearing" or some even refer to it as attachment parenting: is a style of parenting that will greatly enhance your relationship with your baby. Baby snuggled in close ... responding to your baby's cues... Attachemtn parenting is NOT a type of parenting that teaches you to be unrealistic concerning real life situations. Attachement parenting is in essence responding to your childs cues for food readyness for signs of tiredness, for signs that they need your touch and security and to help you gorw as a person, and your baby grow into a secure independant person.

Wearing your baby in a sling is the most natural position for your baby after birth and for the first few months of life. This enables your baby to interact with their new world, while still feeling secure in the safety of your touch.

"Parents who choose to wear their babies want to make life easier for themselves and to make life better for baby".

~~ Dr. William Sears, a noted author of more than 20 books on caring for your baby and growing child

Dr. Sears is a well known lecturer and supporter of attachment parenting, and is a prominent pediatrician practicing in California and the father of eight children.

Slings have been "tested" by numerous cultures and parent-infant pairs, for hundreds of years.

The Research Shows:

Babies cry less because the sling creates an intimate and secure environment
Babies are more content and less colicky
Babies spend more time in a "state of quietness" - the optimal behavioral state of learning.
Your sling keeps baby close to you.
Protects baby from unwanted germs.
Baby can nurse easily and often.
Visual alertness is increased when babies can face forward to view their environment.
Parents who wear their babies experience a deep bonding with their children.
Parents notice that children with special needs develop better than expected because of the enhanced brain stimulation because of being close to the parent and the increased skin contact.

Are slings hard to use?

NO!
They are very easy to use. Most people get the hang of one type of carrier instantly. Sometimes a carrier will take longer to figure out than others. With so many to choose from, one will be a breeze for you to figure out.

Is it comfortable?

Absolutely! Personally I find them very comfortable.
There are just so many carriers, and so many different ways of using them that I can not imagine someone not finding the perfect sling for them.
If someone is having problems with it not being comfortable then usually it has to do with positioning. Start to trouble shoot- Either the baby is too low, the straps are too loose so they are pulling on the shoulders. With a few tips and a bit more practice they nearly always get a good comfy carry.

Can I nurse my baby?

YES absolutely!! (Although I consider nursing in a sling advanced babywearing- I have seen women get it first time!)
I have nursed a newborn to a 2 yr old in the grocery story many times. Once I figured it out~ It was simple and easy.

One of the many important benefits of using a sling is the ability to nurse with privacy. There should be no need to remove your baby from a sling in order to feed your baby. With the help of a sling you can nurse comfortably and create a calm environment from which your baby can relax and enjoy a thorough, uninterrupted feeding. If you would like more information on nursing hands free, please contact us for one to one assistance or a CD of video clips and still pictures

Can I wear my baby front facing out?

Most definitely.
My first choice would be a wrap carrier- for a newborn, I prefer the knit wrap. My second choice is a woven wrap and my third choice is a ring sling.
I personally find it uncomfortable to have baby facing out in a piggie pack~ However, having baby sitting side saddle in a piggie pack is very comfortable. When using any carrier and your baby is facing out you must be more in tune to your child. It is very easy q for hte baby to get over stimulated. If there are bright lights, bright colours, lots of people around and tons of stimulation a baby will need a break.Baby will also want to nurse more frequently when there is lots of crouds, and lots of stimulation and loud noises. This is a common reflex to stress and over stimulation The facing out position is only recommended for short durations.It would be better to put baby in facing you, and then sliding them over to a hip.

Are they versatile?

Yes.
My ring slings are made with 2.5 meters of fabric, and have a stunning open tail.This length will more than accomodate a larger or taller person. The wrap carriers I make are all 5 meters of fabric or longer. This will accommodate most every carrying position,and almost everyone. Even larger more full figured people.
If anyone wants a shorter carrier you just need to tell me and I will shorten it to your specifications.
The Piggie Pack is a totally custom carrier- so you tell me the body size and the strap size that you are looking for and I will make it for you at no extra charge.

Can all your carriers be used with a newborn?

Yes, I highly recommend that if you are having a Hospital birth to bring your ring sling or other carrier to the Hospital with you. This way you can get baby in and close to you and away from prying hands.
My favorite carrier for a new born is a one shouldered sling or a wrap carrier. They are easy and safe and secure. The piggie pack will also work, and if you go to the link to Kozy carrier-(from my piggie pack page) you will see Kelley using her Kozy with her new born baby in the high back carry.

How long can I wear my child in a carrier?

AS long as your sling- regardless of the style you have chosen- is in good condition. Check that there are no pulls or tears, and that the sewing is still in good shape.
You should be able to carry your child as long as you can regardless of their size or weight.
I personally still wear my 3 year old- 37 pound boy in a back carry with a woven wrap, and in a ring sling on my hip.

How old does baby have to be for the back carry?

You can do the back carry with a newborn.
It feels a bit funny to get them back there and when using a wrap or piggie pack you need to exercise extreme caution when putting them on your back.
It can be done and quite well. IF you want to see videos of this in action please go to the wrap direction page and click on video links. www.mamatoto.org has done a wonderful job in getting the wrap videos perfected, and easy to understand.
MOST people use the Piggie Pack back carry when baby is old enough to spread their legs around mom and has relatively good head support.
When trying back carry for the first time (whether with newborn or older baby)
I recommend using a mirror and either standing next to the sofa or sitting on the sofa. I also recommend having someone with you to ‘spot’ you so that there are no mishaps.

Can you use a carrier when pregnant?

Yes.
Since they all tie on. They can all adjust to accommodate your growing belly. With the wrap or piggie pack You can choose to tie the straps over or under your belly. With the ring sling- you would just wear baby to your hip.

What are the different ways to wear/tie the piggie pack?

When wearing baby in the standard back carries there are about 6 different ways you can tie the straps to get the most comfort.
You can wear your baby on your front, on your back low or high, and on your hip. You can either cross them on your chest or wear them back pack style.
With either of these you can choose to tie them either under baby's bum/legs, over baby's bum/legs or behind baby's back.
Each of these will distribute the weight somewhere different. You can alternate how you tie it while you are wearing it. This is very helpful when wearing it for longer periods of time if you want to distribute the weight differently for a change.

What are the different ways to wear/tie wrap?

There are so many ways to use a wrap carrier that I can not even begin to explain them all. Of the best directions on a wrap carrier follow the link to www.mamatoto.org and either look at the video links, or the other slide show pictures.

What are the different ways to wear/tie the ring sling?

There are 5 different ways to use your ring sling, tummy to tummy, (or chest to chest) On the hip, facing out, cradle position, and on your back.

How about the winter? Can I wear a carrier in the winter?

You can.
Because they are infinitely adjustable and simply ties on, you can tie it right under your winter coat.
I wear baby under my coat. This is super easy to do in the front carry and you can even do it in the back carry if you have a coat big enough. There are also baby wearing ponchos and coats you can buy that are made to accommodate a baby being worn on your front or back. Gypsy mama makes a nice one and has instructions to make your own. And www.peppermint.com has several.

Do you offer discounts for multiple carriers

Yes- if you buy more than one carrier I will give you a 10%discount.

What is your return policy?

I offer 30 days money back (less shipping).
Provided your Sling is clean, unwashed and in like new condition. I will give you a full refund. I prefer to exchange your carrier for another that is better suited to you though. We hope that you will really try your carrier several times first before you decide that it is not the right carrier for you.

Do you ship to other countries?

Yes!
We are located in Windsor Ontario CANADA and we ship to most other countries by airmail or Canada post~ express post.
Please contact me for shipping prices.

Do you include instructions with each carrier?

Some notes about me

I love to do custom work, like converting non-nursing garments to nursing garments. The patterns and fabrics are always changing to what the customer needs.
I buy only small lots- so that there are few duplicate slings.
I sell quality items that are durable and affordable.

Ask me about donating a sling to a teen – or low income mom.

Customer Service is important to me. if at any time you are not satisfied, please let me know.

As I work from home, most items I can usually have out under 3 weeks. Slings take me around a week. Everything is Canadian made by me. Prices are in Canadian Currency.

Connect with Canadian Babywearing Parents.