Before I was a mom I would admire parents who wore their babies while out running errands and visiting with friends. In fact, I remember being in a restaurant years ago and seeing a woman with her baby snuggled in a cotton fabric carrier. I watched her tie it and then place her baby in it. He looked so comfortable all wrapped up. At that time, I asked her what carrier she was using and it was a Moby Wrap.

Moby Wrap Inc. was incorporated in 2003 by parents who saw the need for a more comfortable, secure and versatile way to carry their infants while performing their daily activities. They are made from very soft, 100% breathable, soft cotton fabric (no synthetic fibers are used).

Today’s parents are aware of the physiological, psychological and emotional benefits of baby wearing. One of the things I love about the wrap is the ability to have skin-to-skin contact with my son, which was for me was very important as he was a preemie.

There are no buckles, snaps or other fasteners, making wearing the Moby simple and convenient. One of my girlfriends asked if it’s difficult to tie the wrap and my answer is very simply “No”. The majority of the holds use the Basic Wrapping instructions and take less than a minute to tie. The wrap comes with an easy to use detailed instruction manual of all the various holds and includes pictures. For those people who may still be unsure about how to tie the wrap they can go online to see instructions and video on how to tie the various holds.

A few holds that I have already mastered are the kangaroo, breastfeeding, cradle and my favorite – the Newborn Hug Hold.

*Thank you to Moby Wrap for sending me this carrier to review*

The CPSC is set to issue a warning, likely to go out this week, about baby sling because of concerns of suffocation risks linked to them.

While speaking to the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, an industry trade group that certifies certain children’s products, head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Inez Tenenbaum didn’t single out any specific baby slings but said there have been complaints for a couple years now.

“We know of too many deaths in these slings and we now know the hazard scenarios for very small babies,” said Tenenbaum. “So, the time has come to alert parents and caregivers.”

In 2008, Consumer Reports raised concerns about the soft fabric slings and some two dozen serious injuries, mostly when a child fell out of them.

Another concern is that the baby can turn its face toward mom’s chest or belly and smother in the parent’s clothing.

Tiffany Speck, a nurse who sells her own baby carriers, has been warning about slings where the baby falls into a chin-to-chest position in the classes she teaches at hospitals, stores and doctors’ offices.

“You wouldn’t want to put a baby in there,” Speck said during an interview with The Associated Press. “The baby is curling, head toward toe, and what happens is the baby occludes its own airway.”

She recommends that babies in slings remain in an upright position, with the baby’s tummy facing mommy’s tummy.

Recent Baby Carrier Recalls:

• RECALL: Optave Action Baby Carriers Due to Fall Hazard (Sept 08)
  
• RECALL: “Beco Butterfly” Infant Carriers Due To Fall Hazard(Apr 08)
  
• RECALL: Ellaroo Infant Sling Carriers Due to Fall Hazard (May 08)
  
• RECALL: Infantino Infant Sling Carriers (Mar 07)
  

SOURCE

As an avid babywearer I am a huge fan of slings and pouches. They are great for newborns as well as toddlers and are easy to pack for an outing. Although I love pouches for their ease of use and clean design, I have always preferred ring slings for their adjustability factor. They can fit Mom and Dad and are usually a better choice for growing babies.

When I received my Upmama baby sling I was immediately impressed with the quality and workmanship. It came threaded and ready to wear with clear, detailed instructions on how to wash and use the sling as well as step by step photos showing you the various carrying positions. This sling is very well made and the designs are gorgeous. I love the stretch sateen cotton fabric used to make the slings as its slight silky sheen is classy enough to wear when going out and durable enough for every day use.

After testing the Upmama baby sling, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually a cross between a pouch and a ring sling. A hybrid ring sling! Now the con to most ring slings is that they usually take quite a bit of practice but this wasn’t the case with the Upmama. It is extremely easy to use and the perfect “beginners” sling if you will. What I love about the Upmama baby sling is that the pouch is built into the sling so basically you just pop your baby into the deep pocket, adjust if needed and off you go. The rings sit nice and high on your shoulder and there was virtually no slippage with the fabric and rings. (I’ve used slings in various fabrics such as Tencel, linen and silk and they all slip a little after being worn for awhile.) I really enjoyed the slight stretch that the fabric had as it gave a more huggable factor while carrying my baby while being extremely supportive at the same time.

The tail isn’t too long like some other slings I’ve seen and its wide enough to provide nursing privacy. There is a beautiful, zippered pocket at the end of the tail which is large enough to hold a diaper, wipes, keys, phone and some change if needed.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this sling to a new mother or someone who is interested in baby-wearing for the first time. It comes in 3 sizes: S (dress size 4 to M (dress size 10 to 14) and L (dress size 16-20) as well as an assortment of beautiful colors and designer fabrics. Please visit www.upmama.com for more information.

Reviewed by Nadia

The new carrier is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) which was developed to unify the standards for organic textiles worldwide and to ensure environmentally conscious manufacturing processes.

This unique carrier is the only carrier that allows you to wear your baby without hassles, twisted material, or confusing attachments. A cross between a soft sling and a structured carrier, the Baby K’tan provides an exceptionally secure environment, making it ideal for special needs babies, and perfect for preemies and even twins.

We like it’s versatility. Parents are able to carry their children comfortably from newborn to toddler (40lbs).

This product is so new that it is only available by pre-order.

Please visit their site for more information

These slings are popular with moms because they easily adjustable and comfortable for your baby.

Mamma’s Milk Silk Slings also feature luxurious brocades and 100% Dupioni Silk linings.

After all, if your going to wear your baby, why not wear them in style?

Please visit Babygizmo’s site to enter

Serena & Lily will be introducing two new Market Slings as part of their Catalina Collection. These gorgeous organic Market Slings join the hand-embroidered Prague Collection, already a favorite must-have amongst fashionable new moms and celebrities alike.

The Market Sling has a simplified design of one seamless piece of fabric— without buckles, belts or straps—which makes it snug, sleek and easy to wear. Inside, a super soft-brushed 100% organic jersey cotton lining is gentle against baby’s delicate skin.

The sling will be available in three sizes (Small, Medium and Large) and two color schemes – Coral/White and Black/White. The Catalina Collection Market Sling has a retail price of $129 and will be available for purchase on Bellydance Maternity in early March.

Now that babywearing is so popular, the Sojourn Sling is a “must have” for stylish moms to tote their precious little ones.

As an added bonus, the material used to create these comfortable slings is also the same material that Petunia uses in their diaper bags.

Moms who like everything to match will be happy to know that their “Afternoon In Katmandu” sling will look perfect next to their shoulder diaper bag.

Some great features:

• Reversible Organic Knit Cotton Sling
• Patterned on the outside with solid matching color on reverse side
• Pouch style Baby Sling
• Knit fabric allows stretch and more comfort for both Mom & Baby
• Tapered at shoulder to allow more comfort and less bulk
• Curved at base seam to allow more comfortable placement for baby
• Available Sizes: S, M, L

Please visit Petuniapicklebottom.com for more information