• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Services
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Shop Now
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • Return Policy
    • My Account
  • Food
  • Family
  • Finances
  • Fundamentals
You are here: Home / Family / Babywearing with a Ring Sling

by Guest Contributor  8 Comments

Babywearing with a Ring Sling

Guest post by Brandy Nichols

The very first way I learned to carry my child (other than my arms) was in a ring sling.  My husband’s mother gave me one in those very early days with my first baby.  I think I must have gone around for a year or more, wearing my sling or mei tai much of the time.  Many folks love using ring slings for getting their child up and down quickly and praise them even in the toddler years.

A ring sling is a length of cloth where one end is threaded with sling rings, folded over and sewn (very well).  The other end, the tail, is free.  It’s threaded through the rings, too, to make an adjustable pocket for the baby.  Ring slings are not the same as those infamous bag slings from a few years ago.  I like ring slings for carrying very small babies most of all.  There’s not lots of fabric to wrap around them and no special inserts or adjustments required, such as for soft-structured carriers.  Babies are only very little for a short time, anyway.

babywearing in a ring sling

I prefer to use a ring sling for the first year–just what I like.  I have a short torso and the baby consumes me after that point.  When I’m able to do back carries, I do them almost exclusively so that I can see where I’m going.  I don’t do hip carries with the ring sling (never have) but many people love to.  All the hip carrying I did with my first child actually prompted lingering hip pain, so I do carries that are two-shouldered when at all possible, once the baby starts to develop some heft.    

Carry Me Away sent Stacy a Maya ring sling for me to review.  I’d never had a commercially-made one before and this one is somewhat different from the homemade one I used.  It still has the same sling rings and padded shoulder.  Some are unpadded, just personal preference for the wearer.  The Maya Wrap sling has the added feature of a tail that has a zippered pocket.  There were times in the old days when I wished for a place to stash my wallet.  Some women do mommy purses – I ditch mine all together. 😉  The Maya Wrap sling is also sized, while my old one was not.  I chose a large, because I like a long tail to tuck in around the baby when it’s cooler or raining lightly.

The sling also came with an instructional DVD.  This would have been wonderful with my first sling.  It never occurred to me to look up videos on YouTube, so it took a while for me to figure out how to use my sling with only printed directions.  The Maya Wrap video is great.  It covers many situations that most parents would encounter when using their ring sling–nursing, younger babies, older babies, carrying twins, nursing in the sling. Maya Wrap suggests alternating shoulders for the ring sling, which might have saved me some hassle (and discomfort!) if I’d known that when I started.  Live and learn.

My own baby is two now and there’s another one coming this autumn, so I borrowed Stacy’s little boy to test out the sling and make the video.  Andy is still small, so he hung out on the front just fine.  I think he would give the Maya Wrap sling a great review.  He seemed to love being carried around in it and was happy to comply with the multiple video attempts.  The fabric molds to the baby’s body well, it stays in place once tightened and is just the right weight for year-round comfort.

babywearing in a ring sling

You can get 10% off your Maya Wrap purchase from Carry Me Away using code STACY when checking out. Code good until May 31st, 2013.

Carry Me Away is going to dive a ring sling to one of you! You’ll win a Maya Wrap in the above color (lemon-lime) – the same one Brandy has. You’ll be able to chose between small and large for your size.

To enter, use the rafflecopter widget below (if you don’t see the widget, try using a different internet browser). This giveaway will end on Friday, May 24th at midnight EST.

**This giveaway is only open to US residents.**
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Brandy Nichols

Brandy and her growing family live on a little homestead in town where they do their best with what comes their way, often with someone strapped to the back.

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

Other Posts You Might Like

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the content above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comment Policy: I love reading your thoughts and input on what you read here. I'm sure we'll disagree sometimes and that's okay! In those cases, do what's right for you and yours. As with any form of communication, only post comments that move the discussion in a positive direction.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Comments

  1. Lynn T says

    May 20, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    I used a Maya Wrap when my oldest was born. She is now 7. I am still using the same wrap for child #4, she is 2 months old. We love this wrap. It works for my 5’1″ mom to my 6’3″ husband. I can’t say enough for this wrap. I also have more of a carrier type for front and back carrying this time around. I like it but the Maya wrap is where it’s at for this first year of life!!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 20, 2013 at 3:52 pm

      I love that wraps and slings are purchased ONCE and used for all your kids. 🙂 So thrifty.

      Reply
  2. Jennifer B says

    May 20, 2013 at 11:04 am

    I had a Maya Wrap when my kids were small, LOVED IT! I joke to my husband that I should have kept it for my mini dachsund for when she gets old, she thinks she is a baby anyways 🙂

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 20, 2013 at 11:19 am

      🙂 I think Dottie would pretty much love it. LOL

      Reply
  3. Janet says

    May 20, 2013 at 9:50 am

    Great video….. but I couldn’t hear a thing! My media volume was up on my phone. Not sure why there is no sound.

    Blessings,
    Janet

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 20, 2013 at 10:51 am

      Hi Janet – I’m not sure why? I double checked on my computer and my phone and I hear them both fine. 🙁

      Reply
  4. Amanda Burke says

    May 20, 2013 at 8:58 am

    We went to Disney when my youngest was 3 and I took my ring sling. People were envious. I used it for hip carrying when we were in line. Where he was already used to being in it he was perfectly still. I clipped one of those battery powered fans to it with the mister and neither of us were too hot. I actually made mine myself from a pattern I found online when he was born. I also like these for breast feeding, or attempted in my case, since the tail end can be used a cover up.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 20, 2013 at 10:52 am

      The tail is VERY helpful.

      Reply


Hello! I’m Stacy!

I believe God created you to be the hero of your home. You CAN manage your home instead of it managing you. That’s why I empower women with simple solutions for their homemaking needs – because if it’s not easy, you won’t do it. {Read More…}

As Featured on the Dave Ramsey Show

Stuff You Really Should Check Out

home management course

humoroushomemaking

➡️Just a subpar mom letting Jesus lead the way.
❤️❤️ Christ-based family life & homemaking + homeschool
This page is on sabbatical 🤍

Stacy Myers: Redeemed
Hey guys - just a wee note. Our family has entered Hey guys - just a wee note. Our family has entered a season of silence and solitude. After so many changes last year, we finally just needed it as we seek what’s next.
If you need me or wanna chat before I’m back, you can always contact me via email which is the quickest way to get a hold of me. Stacy@humoroushomemaking.com
Trashy Pizza Date Night ❤️❤️ Trashy Pizza Date Night ❤️❤️
There might have been a few pairs of undies that I There might have been a few pairs of undies that I’ve come across from my kiddos that I thought: nope, ain’t worth it.

And pitched them. Don’t turn me in. 🤣🤣🤪
Instagram post 17950327165660081 Instagram post 17950327165660081
You’ll either love this tip or hate it. 🤣⠀ You’ll either love this tip or hate it. 🤣⠀
⠀
If you hate it, just scroll on by. 🤍 But it was helpful to us. 🥰⠀
⠀
Often, I have a hard time getting my kids to remember things I’ve taught them, like how to properly clean a toilet or clean mirrors. “I forgot.”⠀
⠀
You know what they don’t forget? Stuff they watch on You Tube. 🤪🤪⠀
⠀
So I went to You Tube and sourced kid videos about cleaning the bathroom. The kids all watched them. ⠀
⠀
Now they’re all cleaning their own bathrooms. Boom. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Worked for us. ⠀
⠀
** Just search on YT for “kid cleaning videos” and see what you find. Different parents have different parameters for what they allow. Barry and I screened videos first but each person can find their own. ❤️🤍
Time to add your own! I’ll go first! Girl, stop Time to add your own!

I’ll go first! Girl, stop hustling.

I’ll go again! Girl, eat a cookie. 🤣🤣
Did you have a stinky 2021? Or year before that? O Did you have a stinky 2021? Or year before that? Or month?⠀
⠀
Hard times can make us or break us.

Our family experienced some big changes and shocks and pruning (removing) in 2021. Some days I didn’t want to get out of my house or my bed.⠀
⠀
But already we are coming out of darkness into His wonderful light and I can see - I can see the benefits of hard times. ⠀
⠀
New beautiful growth and hope. ❤️⠀
⠀
What is one benefit YOU have experienced from hard times?
This culture has nothing to offer our family.⠀
⠀
I lived for too long believing that hustle was to the benefit of this family. ⠀
⠀
God’s call upon our life isn’t to hustle and grind our days away while we prove our worth and see our success. ⠀
⠀
No, friends. It’s God’s desire that when people look at you and me, they don’t see US or what WE accomplished but instead say:⠀
⠀
Wow, only God did that. ⠀
⠀
The Myers aren’t building an empire. We are building our family, day by day. Tiny moment by tiny moment. 🤍
Vintage candy style. Vintage candy style.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© 2022 Humorous Homemaking LLC · All Rights Reserved. · Privacy Policy

 

Loading Comments...
 

    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.