Support and Information

WHY CHOOSE A RING SLING?

Although we, at Nato Bello, obviously love ring slings, we know that there are many interesting and useful types of baby carriers out there. Really, we just want you to carry your baby using whichever carrier works best for you.

We would encourage you to go to a store that sells baby carriers and try them all out.

Even if you do decide to own other carriers, we think you’ll find that your ring sling will remain your easiest to use and most versatile. We think of it as the most basic carrier, square one, the place to start your journey on the road to baby wearing.

(See below to read about the problems with a pouch type carrier.)

Sling Advantages

Versatile

There are many different sling positions to choose from when carrying your baby.

It’s easy to switch between positions without taking the sling off.

Great for Hip Carry

The ring sling allows you to carry your baby in the most natural hip carry position while being hands-free. This position is great for interacting with your baby and nursing.

Adjustable

It’s size is completely adjustable. Our ring slings fit every mom and every baby, even as your baby grows, if you lose or gain weight or if you wear it over a big coat. Partners with different sized shoulders can use the same sling

Effortless

It’s easy and fast to get on and off. It’s easy to get baby in and out.

Compact

The ring sling is compact for taking with you in a diaper bag. This makes it easy to take with you when you’re out and not sure if you will need a carrier.

Safe and Sound

The ring sling offers a cozy, comfy, safe and secure environment for your little one.

Soothing

The ring sling allows you to carry your baby in all of the natural, age-old positions that soothe and comfort even the fussiest baby. Your baby will be quiet and content lulled by the motion of your body. Studies show that the amount of time spent in a baby carrier has a direct positive impact on the amount of time spent fussing every day. The more you wear your baby, the less fussy she will be.

Comfortable

Ring slings are comfortable to wear. By fanning the fabric out across your shoulder and making it snug around you and your baby, you distribute the weight evenly around your body. This allows you to carry heavy babies for long periods of time without putting too much stress on your back or arms.

Great for nursing

The sling helps to make nursing easier for mom and baby. Because the size is totally adjustable, it allows you to raise and lower your baby by loosening and tightening the fabric to adjust for different breast sizes and nursing positions.

Eases Mothering

Keeping you baby close means less fussing. It allows you to anticipate his needs and respond quickly. I am often trying to get something done at home or dealing with a fussy baby when we’re on the go. As soon as I get the sling out and put my baby in, we’re both much happier.

The sling makes mothering more than one child much easier. Having your hands-free while carrying a little one, allows you to give attention to an older child. You can even carry two children with an infant in the sling and an older child on your hip or in a second sling on your back. As soon as I get the sling out and put my baby in, we’re both much happier.

Connect and Attach While on the Go

The ease of use and compact size of the sling, helps to connect you with your baby while you’re on the go. When you are out with your kids shopping, running errands, on a walk or even just getting things done around the house, the sling allows you to take advantage of those times and use them to connect with your baby. We are so busy that sometimes a little cuddle in the sling while you’re shopping or picking up toys allows you to connect with your child for a few moments that would otherwise be spent apart. It’s nice to interact with your child in a shopping cart or stroller but you may both need to be physically in touch as well. In a busy life, when we don’t get to spend as much time with our children as we might like to, it’s nice to be able to hold your baby in a sling while on the go.

Promotes Learning and Independence

Also, studies have shown that babies who are worn, relaxed in the sling and secure in your contact, exhibit less anxiety and stress behaviors and spend more time in an alert learning state. Experts agree that the more secure a baby feels in her attachment to you, the more independent she will become. It’s healthy for your baby to watch you work and play. Babies love to be along for the ride as you lead a full, active life.

Ring Sling Challenges

Learning

The biggest challenge is learning the positions and how to adjust the sling around you and your baby.
Watch our how-to videos.
Practice in front of a mirror.
Once you learn the adjustments, you won’t even have to think while adjusting your sling. It will be like second nature, like the third arm we moms are always wishing for.
You’ll get to know your favorite positions and your baby’s favorites.
We encourage you to talk to and get together with other moms who use slings. There are many great online chat groups and message boards for baby wearers.
La Leche League meetings are a great place to find moms who use slings.
Feel free to email or call us for additional help.

Extra Fabric in the Tail

Most moms enjoy the extra fabric in the tail and use it for covering up when nursing and also for covering a sleeping baby or for protecting the baby from the weather. If you do not enjoy the tail, you can:

Tuck the tail up and under your baby’s bottom (between you and your baby).
Bring the tail across your baby’s body and use it as an extra cover over the main part of the sling. Tuck the edge of the tail into the top of the sling to anchor it in place.
Wrap the tail around the rings once or twice. This also gives a little padding to the metal rings in case you baby’s head is near.

Rings

Sometimes the rings can be near a small infant’s or sleeping baby’s head. If you are worried that the rings will bump your baby’s head, simply wrap the tail fabric around the rings or bunch it up next to your baby’s head to cushion the metal.
In really warm, sunny climates, the rings can become hot from direct sunlight. Please be careful and wrap the rings with the tail fabric if they will be in direct sunlight in the hot weather. This will prevent them from heating up and burning you or your baby.

Problems with a Pouch

As a ring sling manufacturer, it can be frustrating to see women choose to buy pouches because they seem “easier”. I want moms to carry their babies in whichever way works best for them, but so often I hear of women giving up on baby carriers all together when the pouch isn’t giving them the hands-free freedom they were hoping for.

I have friends who make pouches and have several different sizes for different positions, situations and ages of their children. In cases such as these, the pouch can work. But, when you have only one pouch, with one size, often it doesn’t work. I think of pouches as trendy and ring slings as timeless. I appreciate the awareness that pouches have brought to baby wearing but I would encourage you to buy and learn how to use a ring sling. It will fit you in every situation and offer all the possible positions for your growing baby.

Not So Easy

A pouch can seem less complicated and easier to use but this is an illusion. You do just put your baby in without having to adjust the size and this is “easier” but less usable in the long run. You are locked into that size without being able to adjust for your particular baby, body and situation.

Size and Shrinkage

So many of my friends have tried pouches and bought the size that fits them only to have it shrink when they wash it. When you buy one size the shrinkage really matters. Also, some of my friends have gained or lost weight to find that the pouch doesn’t fit quite right and does not allow them to be truly hand-free. Your baby will definitely change size and this can affect the fit of the pouch as well as the type of clothing you and your baby are wearing. If you or your baby has on bulky clothing or a coat or if your baby is bundled in a blanket, then the pouch can be too tight.

Not Adjustable

In order to have the pouch tight enough so that you can be hands-free, you need to buy the size that will be snug on you and your baby. This makes it hard to get the baby in and out. Also, even when the pouch is snug around you, it may be that you need it tighter on the top or bottom or in the middle depending on which position you are currently using. The pouch does offer one adjustment, which is folding the shoulder over to make the top of the pouch tighter. I have found, though, that this is not enough of an adjustment and doesn’t make it tight enough in the right places. The way the sling fits around the top is an important part of how comfortable and secure the baby feels in the carrier and how secure you feel in the position. With the ring sling, you can adjust the top, middle and bottom individually for each baby and position.

Even in the same position, I need the sling to be tighter and looser depending on the situation. When nursing, I need to adjust the sling’s size, usually making it looser, so that I can get my baby’s mouth to the level of my breast, and this can change depending on which bra I am wearing. When I am on the go, I want the sling to be tighter and the baby to be higher on my body.

Newborn Difficulties

It is very difficult to have a newborn snugly in a pouch, especially in the tummy to tummy position. In the ring sling, you can make it tight enough so that a tiny baby can be held snugly against you.