Baby carrier or
babywearing gear comes in a wide range of options as well as alternatives. They
are in a form of one-shouldered carrier; ring sling and pouch while for
two-shouldered carrier; meitai, soft-structured carrier (SSC) and wrap.
The most basic carrier
being use for newborn or for an easy pop-in and pop-out are ring slings and
pouch. But, to be bear in mind, with one-shouldered carrier, as the weight of
your little one increasing, the wearer (parent or care-giver) had to bear the weight of a baby with one shoulder only.
POUCH
A single piece
of fabric sewn into a sash-like circle seam in middle to creates a deep seat
for baby. They are worn over one shoulder for front, back and hip carries.
Pouches have no rings, snaps, buckles or ties. Pouches come in sizes to be
fitted to the wearer and it is made from variety of fabrics such as stretch
cottons or fleece as well as size. The baby should be carry near your center of
gravity, neither too low nor too tight. The curve of the sling
should reach just below your naval when the baby is in it. The sling
should be spread out flat across your back and over your shoulder to prevent
from dig into your neck or slide off of your shoulder.
It's very easy
for a quick ‘ups and downs’ phase - baby can be taken in and out quickly, for
those practising elimination communications, running errands or toddler that
wants up & down every 5 seconds. Pouches are also come in a compact size
that will fit in your bag easily.
The downside of
a pouch is it’s not as comfortable as a two-shouldered carrier for wearing
heavier babies for longer periods as the weight bare by only one shoulder and
the waist. They came in size thus they are less in versatility as well as
adjust-ability.
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| Picture credits to Babywearing Mamas Malaysia member |
Most common size
of a pouch are measured from shoulder to hip with 23” to 26” as regular size
while 27” to 30” for large size but some maker produced it with wider options
of sizes and variety of patterns as well material used. The size determined by
measuring the length from your shoulder to the opposite side of hip with
considering your height, torso length as well as size of the bra. It's
important that you wear the correct size which is important to a comfortable
pouch sling experience.
As carrying your
baby in an upward position (or tummy-to-tummy carry) as the optimum and most
recommended, using pouch for an on-the-go breastfeeding carrier could be a
great help but it is a skill that need practices to make it perfect. This is
due to the pouch being a non-adjustable carrier, contacting a babywearer
educator whom is also a lactation peer or counsellor is a great idea to start
with. On top of it, please always check the rules of thumb while babywearing
which is T.I.C.K.S.
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| Picture credits to Babywearing Mamas Malaysia member |
RING SLING
A ring sling is
a piece of fabric (2-3m long) that is adjustable to fit over one shoulder by
pulling the material through two rings made from either metal or nylon. They
can be padded in shoulder area for added comfort, usually used for front, hip
carries or sometimes back carry. The adjust-ability factor of a ring sling makes
it suitable for sharing between different sized wearers. The extra fabric left
in front is useful for very discreet breastfeeding in public.
Ring Slings are
an ideal newborn carrier and are also fantastic for the up-and-down toddler
phase. The size can be adjusted according to the size of the wearer and the
wearee to get excellent support as well as comfort for both the baby and you.
This made it more versatile in usage.
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| Picture credits to Babywearing Mamas Malaysia member |
The ring slings
might be come as a readily sew with the ring or loose rings. Today, there are
also few options available in market which might be hazard for usage with baby.
For instance, an adjustable pocket sling, known as bag sling, is widely
available for purchase. From the box, stated it is designed to carry babies and
toddlers aged 0 until 2 years and beyond weighing 2kg to 15kg. It is made from
100% cotton that is durable and breathable with a padded at shoulder strap for
the wearer for the comfort of the wearer. It is also made padded at the top and
bottom for baby’s comfort and come readily with adjustable buckle to
accommodate different size wearers. You can carry the baby with five (5)
different positions.
However, to make it meet the safety
requirement as per T.I.C.K.S. during carrying your baby need some skills. Get
more information and guidance by joining Babywearing Mamas support group in Facebook.
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Pouch
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Suppori
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Bagsling
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A piece of fabric one-piece
design with no need for adjustments; rings, buckles or straps.
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Used as a carrier to hold
baby and wearers are able to be hands-free
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Non-adjustable, comes with
size thus need the exact measurement
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Made with few types of
material; cotton, cotton/lycra mix or fleece.
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The fabric is sufficient to
cover baby’s back hence enhancing the safety while wearing.
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Provides safety when wear the
correct size as it is tight enough to hold the baby.
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A piece of fabric one-piece
design with no need for adjustments; rings, buckles or straps.
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Used only as a tool to help
parents or caregivers to carry the baby. Definitely not able for hands-free
carrying.
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Non-adjustable, comes with
size thus need the exact measurement.
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Made from a mesh.
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The fabric NOT sufficient to
cover baby’s back. It could be hazard as the baby tends to lean back.
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As it is made from a mesh
fabric, it tends to stretch if with even a little pressure such as baby
wiggling or straightening
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A carrying system that said
can be used directly from birth as the baby is cradled in a reclined position.
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Made of 100% cotton & machine washable,
Instruction manual included
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Comes with buckle and strap
for adjustment.
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Made with 100% cotton and
machine washable.
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Few brands of this type of
carrier had been recalled by Consumer Product Safety Commission United States
of America (www.cpsc.gov), New Zealand (www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz) and
also in Canada.
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Disclaimer : Picture credits to Babywearing Mamas Malaysia member
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