Baby Carriers and Slings

As we humans evolve over time, we learn. This is good. Imagine for a second not learning a thing from either prior mistakes or from those that came before you. Wars would never end, folks would continue dying at a young age, eating patterns would remain stagnant, and worse yet, no development whatsoever. So change is good, evolving and modifying behavior is good, and when it comes to our kids, all these lessons are good.

Having kids is the easy part. Raising them is where the complications come in. Imparting good lessons, keeping them healthy and growing, and transporting the little buggers requires lots of thought and investment. This last point especially can be sticky. Strollers are fine, in fact, they’re lifesavers! We’ve written on them before and continue promoting their use. But sometimes there are circumstances when a stroller just won’t do, and in these cases, baby carriers and slings are where it’s at.

A baby carrier is a soft, padded carrier that one wears on the front (chest) of the body. This is the most common position, but it is possible to find those that can be worn on the back or hip even. A baby sling is strip of fabric or a pouch, and is secured over the shoulder and worn across the chest or front of the body. And finally, a baby backpack is one worn like a normal backpack, but has a more rigid frame and as such is only suitable for toddlers or older babies, both of which would need to hold their heads up.

When shopping around the first thing to consider is hip position. Not your hip position however (you’re not the center of the universe any longer, your kid is), but healthy hip positioning for your child. Second, is the actual apparatus safe to use, and finally, is it comfortable to wear. This last point, although last in the order of things, is vital on your end. Having something uncomfortable to wear cannot be stressed enough. If you’re uncomfortable that will most certainly adversely affect the entire experience.

So why is hip position so important? Normal hip development equates to normal walking in the future. Dysplasia of the hip can occur early in life if normal hip positioning is not adhered to. Your child should be able to spread their legs and knees should also be spread apart. Thighs need to be supported and hips bent. If knees are not bent and your child’s legs are left dangling, this can greatly augment the risks of hip dysplasia.

On the safety side, U.S. and European standards exist (ASTM F2236-08 and EN 13209-2:2005 respectively). All slings, backpacks and carriers should abide by one of these safety standards. A quality product comes with easy-to-understand visual or written instructions, and it is recommended to bring your baby with you when shopping for a carrier. Test it out, be demanding, devolve into that over-protective, annoying parent and drive the salesperson nuts. Don’t worry, they’re used to it!