Frequently Asked Questions

-Recommendations before you buy

"What do you recommend for a toddler?"

"What do you recommend for a newborn?"

"Which sling is good for breastfeeding?"

"We have outgrown the Baby Bjorn carrier, and would like to carry baby facing out."

"I use a one-shouldered sling (or pouch) and my shoulder is starting to hurt with my heavy baby. What sling/carrier should I choose now?"


-Comparisons between carriers or carrier-types

"What's the difference between a pouch, a ring sling, and an adjustable pouch?"

"How do slings compare to the Baby Bjorn type carrier"

"What's the difference between all of the wraparounds?"

"What's the difference between the ring slings (US store)?"


-General baby wearing tips

"What do I do if the weather is bad and I need to go out with my baby in a sling?"

"How do I dress my baby to go in the sling?"

Recommendations before you buy

"What do you recommend for a toddler?"
Any of the ring slings are really quite excellent with toddlers-especially at the stage when they want to be picked up and put down quite repeatedly. The Maya Wrap Ring Sling is an especially good choice for this stage. However, if you are going to be holding your heavier toddler for long periods of time, you are really going to want a two shouldered carrier. Wrap around style carriers like the Didymos are absolutely wonderful for heavy toddlers and can be used for excellent front carries, hip carries, or back carries. Soft packs like the Ergo Baby Carrier and Pikkolo Baby Carrier are excellent as well with toddlers, especially if you will be primarily holding your toddler on your back. The wraparounds will do a better job of weight distribution than the soft packs, but are also more involved to get on.

"What do you recommend for a newborn?"
Pretty much all of the unstructured slings on the site - the ring slings, and wraparounds are wonderful with newborns. They all keep the baby well supported and close, and also make it easier to breastfeed discreetly, and while on the go if necessary. Most people find Maya Wrap Sling) has the easiest learning curve with early breast feeding. Others really love the soft cotton t-shirt fabrics like you would find with the Moby Wrap.

"Which sling is good for breastfeeding?"
The wraparound style and ring sling styles are best for breastfeeding for long term. The wraparound (particularly stretchy ones) can be used to breastfeed for about 6 months, and then it becomes more difficult, depending on your shape and your baby's size/length.

"We have outgrown the Baby Bjorn carrier, and would like to carry baby facing out."
If you like the basic Baby Bjorn position, the Moby Wrap can do similar positions in a way that is much more comfortable for the mother and more supportive for the baby. This carrier will continue to work for a much longer period of time; the baby won't outgrow them as fast as the Bjorn. Additionally, you can carry baby in many more positions, making this carrier more versatile. We also have the Pikkolo that can be worn facing out.

"I use a one-shouldered sling (or pouch) and my shoulder is starting to hurt with my heavy baby. What sling/carrier should I choose now?"
A wraparound carrier is wonderful when your baby gets to be too heavy for a ring sling or pouch. The weight gets distributed over both shoulders and your waist, and it is really amazing how much lighter your child will feel. The Ergo is also another great choice for your bigger baby. With a little practice, it is fast to get your baby up and on your back, and is quite comfortable. You can also try combining two ring sings. This will effectively spread the weight over both shoulders, which is much more comfortable than having it all on just one shoulder.

Comparisons between carriers or carrier-types

"What's the difference between a pouch, a ring sling, and an adjustable pouch?"
A ring sling is the most versatile. Any sized person can use one, although a very short or slim person will end up with a longer tail than a larger person. Adjusting these can take a little practice, but once mastered they are very easy to put on and take off. This means that two parents or caregivers of different body size/shape can easily share carrying of a baby with just a single carrier.

A pouch needs to be fitted to the exact size of the wearer, but they are much easier to put on and take off, and need no fiddly adjusting. However, some people find that they need a slightly different size pouch when carrying an older baby than when carrying a newborn.

An adjustable pouch is used the same way as a standard pouch, but can be resized to allow more space for a lying down newborn, less space for a sitting up toddler, and some have enough scope to be resized to fit 2 parents or carers of not too dissimilar sizes. Any adjustment is done before putting the baby into the carrier. You however, can not do a shoulder flip with the adjustable pouch.

"How do slings compare to the Baby Bjorn type carrier"
Soft carriers, like slings and wraps, conform to the shape of the baby (rather than holding the baby in a rigid position) supporting the spine in the natural "S" curve with the weight being distributed evenly along the thighs, rather than being concentrated on the pelvis and spine. Babies can be held in the reclined position that is best for spinal development. See http://continuum-concept.org/reading/spinalStress.html for more details.

"What's the difference between all of the wraparounds?"
Wraparounds are all essentially just really, really long pieces of fabric, but they are also probably the most versatile and comfortable carriers out there - especially for long outings with heavy children. They can be divided into two basic categories of wraparound: the woven wraparounds (the Didymos is in this catagory), and the stretchy wraparounds (the Moby and the Gypsy Mama Stretch are in this catagory).

Woven wraparounds are absolutely wonderful carriers. The Didymos is kind of the "Rolls Royce" of the wraparounds. The fabric is a medium thickness - like a light blanket, and very soft. They are made from all organic cotton and the weaves are all reversible so both sides are "right sides". The fabric is cut at an angle on each end, which removes some of the bulk from the tails after the knot. The heavier fabric of this wraparound makes it ideal for larger children, as it provides lots of cushioning.

Stretchy Wraparounds are so comfortable to use because they generate no pressure points at all, and they are really convenient because the stretch makes it easy to pop the baby in and out. With heavier children, it gets a bit trickier to tie the stretchy wraparounds tight enough that the weight of the child does not stretch them too much and become uncomfortable over the course of the wearing. The Moby Wrap is made out of 100% cotton jersey like a thick t-shirt. It is relatively thin, cool material and very, very soft. This is an ideal carrier with a newborn.

"What's the difference between the ring slings (US store)?"
The Maya Wrap has a lightly padded sling shoulder, while the TaylorMade Slings are unpadded. Padding is nice because it adds a little extra cushioning for your shoulder. The only difference between the sizes is the length of the tail, after the rings. This is an advantage if two very differently sized people will be sharing the same sling. The open tail can also be used as a privacy cover if you are nursing or the baby is sleeping, as a sun shield for the baby, or as an extra layer for warmth. It can also be tucked up under the sling, out of the way. Lack of padding means that the sling will be less bulky if you want to carry it in your baby bag, and it will be cooler in warm weather. A well adjusted unpadded sling is every bit as comfortable as a padded sling, but it is a bit trickier to get the sling adjusted perfectly.

"What do I do if the weather is bad and I need to go out with my baby in a sling?"
You can try using an extra large coat with your baby on your front and fastening it around both you and the baby. We also now carry several different styles of coats designed specifically for use with baby carriers. Then you can use an umbrella for both of you, or both have waterproof hats. Put the sling on first, then put on your coat and put your baby into the sling last. Even if you can't close your coat, the warmth of the baby against you will keep you quite cozy!

"How do I dress my baby to go in the sling?"
You do not have to dress your baby very warmly as s/he will be kept warm by your body heat. If you are wearing a coat around both of you, then do not put an additional coat on the baby. Hats, booties, and mittens are a good idea if the baby is upright, and feet and hands are sticking out in very cold weather. Always use sun cream on exposed skin and a sunhat in hot weather, even if it is cloudy.