Hire a Sling

Right from the start! Babywearing allows for lots of cuddles, can help with breastfeeding (particularly supply) and can regulate a newborns temperature. Skin to skin is recommended for both mum and dad and dads can feel more a part of it when wearing their baby. A stretchy sling is ideal for newborns as it shapes to mould around the baby and is super comfortable for the wearer. There are also options for wearing premature babies.

Definitely not! I wore my three year old on an almost daily basis. We did the school run and dog walks with a sling. They can be a massive life saver, particularly if you have a new baby and perhaps an older sibling who still wants and needs cuddles. 

Slings and baby carriers are safe when worn correctly. There are some basic guidelines to follow which were written by the baby wearing community (http://babyslingsafety.co.uk)and each sling will also come with it's own instructions on safe baby wearing. A good rule with regards to activities you can do while baby wearing is if you wouldn't do it with a baby just in your arms then don't do it when baby wearing. 

Not if you dress them appropriately for the weather! You can also buy (or hire) slings specially made for hotter climates. 

Normally we recommend parent facing slings and carriers for babies under six months. After this point we would recommend back carrying. There are a couple of reasons why we don't recommend forward facing on the front. The first reason is that there are only a few ergonomic slings which offer this as an option where baby is still in the "M" seated position while forward facing but even these slings instructions suggest that only 10/15 minutes for forward facing. This leads us to the second reason for not forward facing. Babies are easily overwhelmed and over tired. When facing out they have no place to hide when they are "done" seeing the world. In contrast when they are parent facing, hip carried or back carried they can hide against the wearer when they need a rest or break.

As long as you are both comfortable. A well worn sling or carrier hold babies in a great position physically and it allows them to be involved in life experiences from adult height with lots of adult interaction which is brilliant for their social and emotional development too!

We like to recommend back carrying when baby is about six months old or when baby is confidently sitting unaided and has excellent head control. This allows you to have the confidence that baby won't slump down in a sling when on your back and also means it is easier to put baby on your back as they have enough muscle strength of their own to assist you.

Add an answer to this item.It depends on what you want to buy! There are special woven wraps and some elusive designs that do sell for hundreds and hundreds of pounds but a decent carrier which will see you through to toddlerhood should set you back no more than £80- £100. There are hundreds of preloved pages where you can buy and sell slings for a fraction of what they cost new.