Posted in Crafts, Sewing, Cooking, Etc...

I was an avid baby wearer when my kids were little.  So I have made MANY slings not only for myself, but as gifts.  Over the weekend I made a coupe for my niece so here is my 2 cents on making slings...

HERE is the pattern I have used for years.  It is to make a Maya Wrap, which I really love because there is no padding to make Mom hot and lots of extra fabric for covering up while nursing, shading the baby, using as a clean spot for diaper changes, etc. Here is the one I made over the weekend for my niece:

One of the Mom's in my Mom's group posted a link to this site it has a bunch of pattens for cool slings.  There is even one for a crocheted sling I just LOVE!  Almost makes me want to have another baby!  LOL  (Just kidding honey!) I also would love to try out one of the wraps.  These seem to have made in on the scene in the last couple of years.  Here is a pattern for a wrap. I also would have loved to have had one of these Mei-Tais (Or as they call it with this pattern a Man-Tai!  LOL)  I always wanted a way to put the baby on my back when I was cooking!  (Never, ever, ever cook with a baby in a front carrying sling!!!!)

Here is the pattern for a cool pouch style sling.  I made this one for  my niece over the weekend.  Here it is modeled by my 3 year old!

Now he wants his own to carry his baby brother doll in!
(Oh, and if that fabric looks mysteriously like my new background....
Well, that's because it is my new background!  LOL)

Here is a picture of me slinging my youngest at Disneyland in 2004.  Doesn't he look comfy?  He was 6 months old in this picture.

Here I am slinging my daughter when she was 6 weeks old in April of 2001.  We were at my husbands best friends wedding.  (THE most fun wedding I have ever been to BTW!)

Here I am slinging my daughter again when she was 6 months. 

Notice every picture I am using a different sling.  I told you I have had a lot of them through the years!  I have no idea what she has on her head, but she appears to like it!  LOL  We were at the California State Fair August 2001.

Here is a picture of my 16 year old niece carrying her 7 week old cousin.  This was taken January 2006.  This is a stretchy pouch type sling I made.  It is great for newborns, but it's really hard to find the right fabric to make it.

Last but not least here are some doll slings I made for my friends 3 daughter when their baby brother was born.

And if it good for a doll, it is even better for carrying the brother!

Okay, I am done rambling on about slings for now.  But, I reserve the right to resume sling talk later!  LOL

Click HERE to read about the benefits of Baby Wearing.

Click HERE to read more about Baby Wearing.

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Comments

Posted by momatpeace

... but don't get rid of them all. I have mine still and just used it when my friend brought her 7wo baby over for me to babysit. FUN! I thougth I'd never wear another baby -- so glad I was wrong.

Found your blog through The Homeschool Minute. Came to look about Unit Studies. HA HA!! Found slings. THANKS for sharing.

Jennifer

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Posted by momanna98

It took me until my fourth to find out about slings. I was at mamatoto.com and just got a large piece of fabric and learned how to wrap it. We just got back from Yosemite where I wore my 1 1/2 old on my back. Amazingly comfy!!

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Posted by pajamasmith

Maybe I had the wrong kind of slings but with my two nurse-on-demand babies, it just seemed like the moment I got the sling comfortable, they'd want to nurse and everything got twisted and uncomfortable. Are the slings you make friendly for constantly nursing babies? (I'm not expecting myself but I'm a grandma!) Also, is there a reason the tail doesn't get sewn together? It seems like it would be more manageable to me but I'm asking you because you're the expert! Love and thanks, Marla

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Posted by CommunicationFUNdamentals

Oh cute! I haven't had a baby to "wear" in a long time!

JoJo

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Posted by briarwren

I LOVE my sling and I would be totally lost without it. The very first one I ever had was a total pain to use because of all the padding and it almost put me off altogether but then I discovered the maya wrap and it totally changed everything. The more children I've had, the more use its gotten. For me, it's literally a second pair of hands that is much needed with four little ones. The maya wraps are expensive, but so worth it. I bought mine used, it's gone through full time use with three kids and it's still in great condition. I usually wear my little one on my hip, sometimes against my chest depending on what's going on. I've learned that it only takes minimal adjusting to nurse on the go and my little bug will be 1 in only a couple of weeks. I actually prefer the tail unsewn because one, it provides discreet nursing cover up if needed, and it shelters the little one if there's a lot of sun our you're caught out in an unexpected shower. I also can't stand the padding on most slings. Although they're supposed to make it more comfortable to the wearer, I never found so. The extra padding made them hot to wear, and I was never able to adjust them as tight as I would have liked. Jammin, where did you get the pattern to make the sling your little one is wearing? My children have been bugging me for one's to use with their own "babies".

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Posted by jennifr1966

I'm such an advocate for baby-wearing. Wish I'd known back then that they can be made, not just bought! (I probably would have had one for every day of the week!)

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