Apples and Oranges... #1

I've only ever had one baby carrier; a Peanut Shell sling that I was fortunate to buy online second-hand but very much like new at half the retail price. It is now very much used; in that the fabric has faded and it is almost completely outgrown; D jnr can still sleep laying in it but only with his feet hanging out which is not so ideal in crowded places.

Peanut Shell Blue Couture Pouch Sling

Whilst I was lamenting the fact that sling snuggles were almost behind D jnr and I, I was most fortunate to stumble upon an offer to trial a Baba Sling. The first thing I noticed after I 'woke to the joy of a parcel on the doorstep and hurriedly opened it was that the Baba Sling came with it's very own carry pack; completely unnecessary of course but who doesn't love a freebie?

Standard Baba Sling in brown.

The Baba Sling is made out of gorgeous, soft 100% cotton, even brand new out of the packet it didn't have the crinkly "new cotton" feel I had dreaded. Of course I wanted to put it on and use it right away but I just couldn't do so with the morning school rush; later in the day however, D jnr and I were out shopping and I took the Baba Sling along.

I had forgotten in my excitement that it would be difficult to adjust the sling when I needed to use it straight away, having only used a sized sling previously. However; use it we did and with the pleated deeper pouch D jnr fitted in easily and snuggled off to sleep quickly and easily.

The second time we used the Baba Sling was over the weekend just gone; having read the instructions and made the necessary adjustments to the straps the sling was much more comfortable for me to use (comfort was never a concern for D jnr he was satisfied from the outset when he snuggled in nice and deep.) Both D jnr and I were very happy with the sling and everyone who saw him in it commented how comfortable he looked and what a fabulous idea it was.

By way of comparison, the major factors to consider were:

1. Sizing; the Baba Sling being adjustable means one sling for the whole family, if only I could convince D to use a sling! It also means that I don't have to worry about buying the right size or fitting neatly in the middle of two sizes and not knowing which one to go with.
2. Depth of Pouch; the Baba Sling having a pleated pouch means that it is much deeper and therefore more suitable for extended use as the babe grows (as they tend to do!) For me this means that D jnr at 21mths old can still lay in the sling for sleeping (although he did also sleep sitting up snuggled against my chest.)
3. Comfort in Use; the padding in the shoulder of the Baba Sling means that it provides the ultimate in comfort for the wearer. The padded section also assists in stopping the sling from riding up the shoulder and rubbing against the neck. I also found that the padding in the rails on the Baba Sling was much softer than my last sling.
4. Safety; my previous sling had no adjustment however, it is great to know that even if the main buckle on the Baba Sling fails there is a safety buckle also holding the sling tight enough to stay on the shoulder. I found this very useful today in transferring D jnr to his stroller (so I could clothes shop whilst he slept) in that I could undo the main buckle and have some wriggle room to remove the sling with the babe still in it without having to undo it completely.
5. Functionality; the Baba Sling is very versatile, with 7 different usage positions and the large pouch which also provides privacy for breastfeeding.

The Baba Sling is a clear winner and had it been the first sling I had the pleasure of using I doubt I would've tried any other. I feel so privileged to have been chosen to trial this great sling and look forward to using it more and more in the coming years.



This list was inspired by portable snuggles.

Kindest Wishes,
AJ