I remember my nanny used to carry me and my siblings in a sling. She used a very long cloth folded in the middle, tied, and slung it over her shoulder. I have tried to imitate her ‘instant’ sling method, but wasn’t successful. I must have not knotted it correctly, as it kept slipping and didn’t feel safe; then I found the Snugly Sling.
Snugly Sling by Simply Good is a hands-free baby carrier which can also serve as a cover for discreet breastfeeding. It comes with a thick shoulder padding (my nanny’s handmade sling is nothing compared to this) with a locking buckle which is safe for babies up to 36 months. The safety locking buckle with audible click feature reminds me of a seat belt. This belt can be configured in four different carrying positions to suit the baby’s growth. The possible configurations are Nursing and sling position, pouch position (facing out), cuddle position (facing in, belly to belly), and hip position. Snugly Sling also comes in a matching drawstring bag and instructional DVD.
The only difficulty I have with this sling is the adjustment strap. Maybe it is due to the weight of the baby that is pulling it down, but I wish there would be a way that makes it easy to adjust on the fly.
Snugly Sling Video
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTknF-FWLCg&feature=player_embedded#at=26[/youtube]
What I like about having a baby carrier that it is like gaining another pair of hands. I can do other things (like writing this blog post :-)), but still maintain the closeness to my baby at the same time. My baby loves being held in a sling, too. Unlike being on a stroller or a baby carrier, babies can see a better view of the world without losing sight of the parent. No more adult’s knee view, please.
One trick I have for parents of a newborn: if you do not want anyone to hold your baby and have difficulty saying no, wrapping your baby in a carrier/sling close to you will discourage people from trying to hold your baby most of the time.
Buy Snugly Sling
You can buy Snugly Sling nationwide, find the closest retailer to you here. Or buy online on the Simply Good website or Amazon.com for $64.99.
This was not a paid post. My own opinions were used based on my perceptions and experience. Thank you to Snugly Sling who provided the product for review.
