The Story Of Baby Carrier Slings Goes Back To Centuries

By Author: Stevans
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Baby Carrier Slings were used for carrying infants even in the olden days. The Chinese used 'Mei tai' in different forms for centuries. Thanks to technology, the modern slings have become highly sophisticated compared to the 'primitive' types used long ago.

Slings in their olden forms were made of pieces of simple cloth by wrapping around the wearer and the baby, either tying it with knots or using a twist and tuck method to secure the ends.

Today, slings are devised to benefit from the dynamic tension of the materials used for their making and the weight of the baby. The materials used are normally a length of cloth and metal, such as aluminum or nylon rings.

One end of the cloth is sewn to two rings. The cloth wraps around the wearer's body from shoulder to opposite hip and back up to the shoulder. The end is threaded through the rings to create a buckle effect. And, the baby is comfortably placed in the resultant pocket. The weight of the baby gives tension to the fabric and this coupled with the friction of fabric surfaces lock the sling in position.

The wearer even as supports the baby's weight ...
... with one hand, pulls more fabric through the rings to tighten or loosen the sling, with his other hand.

Compared to other devices, some people prefer baby carrier slings for their following benefits:

1. Sling gives freedom to the wearer to use both his hands.
2. It reduces back and shoulder pain if worn correctly.
3. Sling allows view for the child.
4. Sling allows the mother hands-free breastfeeding.
5. It reduces arm pain for the user when carrying heavy babies.

However, there are some safety concerns about the use of slings. This include the danger of dropping the baby, risk of bumping or falling onto the infant, and the possibility of burning to the infant while drinking hot beverages by the wearer. Some people even suspect that there is a risk of damage to the baby's spine or hips when a carrier is used that supports the baby mainly by the crotch. The chance of suffocation of young babies due to faulty use of slings is another worry for parents.

However, most baby carriers available in the market today are safe, although there are chances of faulty products here and there. You can also avoid mishaps by checking any broken threads and holes periodically. There is a possibility that the accessories such as the rings, pads and buckles may go weary due to continued use. This requires periodic replacement of your baby carrier slings

Stevans is an author on various topics related to Baby Gear. He maintains a website on various baby carriers, such slings, wraps, backpacks, baby stroller, baby swings etc.