For many new parents, the latest Bugaboo or Maclaren stroller is no longer the go-to method of baby transportation.  Taking their place are a variety of baby carriers - wraps, packs and pouches - that many caregivers are choosing for the ease of use features, as well as the attachment parenting benefits.

The number of choices in baby carrier styles has exploded in the last five to seven years.  In 2003, the Moby Wrap and ERGObaby baby carriers debuted on the national scene and have increased their sales steadily each year.  The overall sales of industry-certified carriers is now over $25 million, a far cry from the years when parents looking for baby carriers often resorted to searching out women who manufactured custom carriers in their homes.

The increased popularity of baby carriers ultimately means more choices for parents.  There are many more types of carriers available, and many creative new accessories or carriers designed for specific uses, like wearing in cold weather or in the swimming pool.   Color and style choices abound from the huge variety of manufacturers who are making industry-certified carriers.

And if you’re one to want a closet full of choices, making your own carrier is an even easier option now as well.  At AboutBabywearing.com, we have a great selection of patterns and DIY tips for making baby carriers to fit babies of all sizes.

This illustration issued by the CPSC shows do’s and don’ts suggestions for how to position young infants in a soft baby carrier.

View the full size illustration

The CPSC is advising parents to be cautious when using infant slings for babies younger than four months. In a study covering 20 years, the CPSC has found that baby slings can cause injury or death by pressing against a baby’s nose and mouth, or by allowing the baby to lay in a position that could compromise their airway.

If you are a sling user, use the guidelines of keeping your baby’s face uncovered, and consider a using a tummy to tummy hold, instead of the cradle hold for babies under 4 months of age to reduce the the risk of airway compromise.

The CPSC has found that slings can pose two different kinds of suffocation hazards to babies. In the first few months of life, babies are not able to control their heads because of weak neck muscles. The sling’s fabric can press against an infant’s nose and mouth, blocking the baby’s breathing and rapidly suffocating a baby within a minute or two. When a sling keeps the infant in a curled position, with the chin bent towards the chest, the airways can be constricted, limiting oxygen suppy. The baby will not be able to cry for help and can slowly suffocate.

In researching reports from the past 20 years, the CPSC has found and is investigating at least 14 deaths associated with sling-style infant carriers, including 3 in 2009. Twelves of the deaths involved babies younger than 4 months.

The CPSC has noted that many of the babies who died in slings were either a low birth weight twin, were born prematurely, or had breathing issues, such as a cold. The CPSC warning urges parents of preemies, twins, babies in fragile health and those with low birth weight to consult their pediatrician about using an infant sling.

To read the full CPSC release, click here

Related:
Read the NY Times article covering Inez Tenenbaum” target=blank”, head of the CPSC, speaking at the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association meeting, the industry trade group that certifies certain children’s products, including baby slings.

Carried babies cry less

Many parents have found that as long as they hold their baby, he is content. in 1986, a team of Montreal pediatricians conducted a study with 99 mothers with infants. The first group of parents were given a baby carrier, and instructed to carry their babies at least 3 extra hours a day. They were instructed to carry their babies at any time during the day, whether the baby was calm, crying or asleep. The other set of parents were not given any specific instructions about carrying. After six weeks, the babies who had received the additional carrying, cried and fussed 43% less than the noncarried group.

Experts who infant care practices around the world agree that babies in cultures that utilize babywearing techniques cry much less. Consider that in Western culture, we measure a baby’s crying in hours, while in other cultures, crying is measured in minutes. We have been socialized to think that babies cry a lot, however this is not the accepted norm in other cultures. In these cultures, the baby is consistently being held, and are put down only to sleep. When the mother must do something and be free of the baby, the baby is handed to someone else.

Babies who are babycarried learn more

Keeping in mind that carried babies cry and fuss less, these babies are now in a state of quiet alertness. In this state, an infant is more content, ready to interact with his environment and in what experts say is the optimial state of learning for a baby.

When your baby is in this state of quiet alertness, it is the perfect time to interact with your baby. Researchers know the human face is a powerful stimulator for bonding, and the Snuggle Hold puts you and your baby that close, face to face interactivity. In the Kangaroo Carry position, your baby has a 180 degree view and is able to scan her environment. He can learn to choose what to look at, and shut off what he is not interested in.

Babycarried babies are more ‘organized’

Sling babies are able to continue their development outside of the womb, and their systems become more organized. Dr. Sears advises to think about a baby’s gestation as lasting 18 months - 9 months inside the womb and at least another 9 months outside. When the baby is inside the womb, all of his systems are automatically regulated. Birth temporarily disrupts all of this organization, however the more quickly a baby gets help with organizing his environment again, the more easily he will adapt to life outside the womb.

Essentially, babywearing helps extend the womb experience, with the mother or father providing an external regulating system that balances the irregular and disorganized tendencies of the baby. Your baby recognizes your rhythmic walk, which he experienced while in the womb, and it calms him. As your baby places his ear against your chest, he will hear your familiar heartbeat. And as he senses your rhythmic breathing while being worn tummy-to-tummy or chest-to-chest, it is familiar, comforting and helps him regulate his breathing. All of this has a balancing effect on your baby’s irregular rhythms. Babywearing reminds babies of the womb and continues the motion and balance that he enjoyed for nine months.

The natural question is then what may happen when a baby spends most of his time lying in a crib, tended to for feeding and comforting, then separated from his mother. Infants have a natural urge to become organized with his systems, to fit their new environment. Without the constant, regulating presence of his mother, the infant may develop disorganized patterns of behavior, like colicky cries, jerky movements, thumbsucking, irregular breathing and disturbed sleep. He is also using valuable energy to do all of this self calming, that could otherwise be used to grow and develop.

Carried babies are humanized earlier

When a baby is carried, he is very involved in your world. He sees what you see, hears what you hear and often feels what you feel. Your baby will become more aware of your face, rhythm and scent. And because he is more aware, he will learn all of the subtle facial expressions, body language, voice inflections and tones, breathing patterns and emotions that you have. In turn, you will relate a lot more to your baby, because he will be sitting right below your face. Essentially, you are helping your baby learn how to be human. Picture yourself washing dishes while babywearing; your baby is experiencing all of the sounds, smells and images that are involved with washing dishes.

Carried babies are smarter

Babywearing helps the infant’s brains make connections, stimulating nerves to branch out and connect with other nerves. The stimuli that you are exposed to and participate in, is in turn exposed to your baby and helps his developing brain begin developing a library of experiences.

Because your baby is at voice and eye level, he is more involved with conversations. Babywearing enhances speech development, as babies learn how to listen, and often seem more attentive when adult conversations are happening.

Ring Slings are baby carriers made out of a length of cloth, with one end having two rings sewn into it. The Ring Sling wraps around your body, from the shoulder to the hip, then back up to the shoulder, threading the loose end the rings, and pulling it secure.

This is a great video from Zolowear, a company that makes quality Ring Slings, about how to thread and put on your ring sling

Your baby sits inside the pocket that is created in the fabric. His weight tension on the fabric, and the sling is locked into place. Because you can adjust the length of the sling by threading fabric through the rings, the Ring Sling is a one size fits most baby carrier.


A variety of feature options are available through different manufacturers, including padding on the shoulder, padding on the sides or “rails”, pockets sewn into the tail and more. Some Ring Slings have curved seats sewn into the body of the sling. The sling style is most similar to the rebozo, a traditional Mexican baby carrier which uses a knot instead of rings.

Ring slings can be used from newborns through toddlers. A sling is very convenient, given the number of hold positions you can create using a sling, and, because they roll up so small, it’s easy to tuck inside your diaper bag or purse.

See complete instructions for nursing with a sling at Mamma’s Milk
You’ll be able to nurse quite privately in a ring sling, and that’s one of the reasons why this style of baby carrier is such a favorite of mom’s with newborns who nurse frequently throughout the day. The Mamma’s Milk website has very thorough demonstrations of nursing techniques you can use when wearing a sling, showing several different holding positions, like the Cradle Hold, Tummy To Tummy and Hip Position. Scroll to the bottom of the linked page to view.

The NO SEWING REQUIRED Cotton Wrap
To make one for yourself, you’ll need 5 yards of cotton t-shirt material. Depending on your height, and how long you’d like the tails to be, the optimal yardage could be a little less or a little more, but 5 yards will be perfect for almost everyone.

Now, cut the fabric straight down the middle, lengthwise. You’ll have two 5 yard strips of fabric. You won’t need to hem the t-shirt fabric, it will roll up a little on the end and look perfectly fine.

That’s it! If, after tying your wrap a few time, you find that you don’t need the 5 yards of fabric, cut off the extra amount making sure to leave enough of a tail to be able to finish with a tight knot.

You’ll spend more time picking out the fabric than you will making this t-shirt fabric wrap!

The Minimal Sewing Woven Wrap
This wrap is also super easy to make, with the only sewing required being the hem.

To make a woven wrap, select fabric that has a tight weave. A nice linen or 100% cotton fabric is what you’re looking for.

Cut the fabric down the middle, lengthwise, so you have two 5 yard strips of fabric. Sew roughly a 1/2 inch hem on the sides of your wrap, and that’s it!

Again, so easy that you’ll be able to have matching wraps to coordinate with practically every one of your outfits!

Now that you’ve got your wrap, check out the tying instructions:

The Wrap - Carrying Techniques

A mini-sized wrap is easy enough to make out of about a 4 foot length of stretchy fabric. There are also a few wraps you can purchase for you child, along with books about baby carrying.

The Hotslings Toy Sling is the perfect gift for new siblings, and is the sized just right for toddlers and preschoolers. It will fit most children, ages 2-6 and is a great way to nurture bonding in your youngster. It’s available in most places can find Hotslings, and can also be purchased online, at places like Peppermint.com, which has a great assortment of patterns. We love the Tattoo pattern!

The Moby Mini Wrap is about 6.5 feet long, and fits a 2-6 year old child the best. This wrap is just for pretend play, and not designed for carrying real babies. It comes in 13 colors, and is available many places you find the Moby Wrap. You can also purchase it form the Moby Wrap official website.

Carry Me! Animal Babies On The Move by Susan Stockdale is a good book about how animals carry their babies, using simple language and colorful, bright pictures. From kangaroos to penguins, it shows animals in their natural habitat and how they transport their young. The story ends sweetly, with a human baby snuggled in her mother’s arms.

Ring Sling Patterns and Instructions

Sling Rings
Sling Rings is a US based business manufacturing nylon and aluminum rings for slings in an assortment of sizes and colors. At less than $4 for a pair, this is a great resource.

Celg Photo Tutorial - DIY Sling Step By Step Guide
This design is modeled after the “hot dog” style of sling construction.

Elizabeth Lee Sling Pattern
This sling pattern by Elizabeth Lee has been popular for many years. It contains a basic padded sling pattern that can be adapted to different fabric weights, including denim, silk, and mesh fabric for use at the pool. It’s available at her website for only $12.95. Elizabeth Lee Designs also features many clothing patterns designed for a breastfeeding mom’s needs.

Pouch Sling Patterns and Instructions

These do-it-yourself instructions are for making your own pouch sling, like a HotSling:

Maya Wrap - Sew Your Own Baby Sling.

Sew A Baby Sling by Staci Steadman. Has clear directions with printable illustrations.

Simple Unpadded Sling Instructions by Jan Andrea.

Cotton Crochet Baby Pouch Sling.

Asian Style Carrier Patterns and Instructions, like Mai Tei

Jan Andrea has found a great pattern for a Mai Tei style baby carrier, and illustrates the steps with pictures.

For more information about the types of fabric she likes to use and more helpful hints, visit her blog at slingyourbaby.blogspot.com

Carriers For A Newborn Baby

Wraps are extremely comfortable and, while they look complicated to tie, are so simple you can be ready in less than 2 minutes. We recommend a stretchy wrap, like the Moby Wrap, which is soft like your favorite t-shirt. Wraps are one of the gifts we most often give for baby showers. If tying a wrap is a little too intimidating, we also recommend using a Ring Sling for newborns. It’s one of the best choices for holding even tiny babies up against your chest, and is perfect for nursing on the go.

Carriers For Babies With Head Control

As your baby gets older, there are more baby carrier options for you to consider. Some new moms find slings like a Hotsling, a great option for carrying a baby who can safely hold his head up, perfect for toting their baby around on their hip. The two-shouldered Mei Tai is great for a child over 4 months, and will continue to support your baby as he grows bigger.

Babies More Than 10 Months Old

Wraps are still our favorite baby carrier for front carrying, also because it can easily morph into a back carrier with just a bit of practice. For heavier children, a woven wrap will help you maintain a secure fit and tie.

In addition to the wrap style, there are several more options for carrying your baby on your back. The Mei Tai or Ergo Baby Carrier are considered the among the easiest back carriers and they can also be used to carry your baby on your front.

That’s all fun, but the “popability” factor of your baby carrier can be a huge deal when considering which model will work best for your baby and your lifestyle.

Popability, also known as “poppability” and how “poppable” a carrier is, refers to how easy or hard it is to take your baby in and out of a baby carrier. Pouches are pretty well regarded as having the highest degree of poppability, followed by slings.

Wraps can take a little more effort to get adjusted, but in my experience, they’re just as poppable as a pouch or sling once you have it tied.

An Asian baby carrier has a slightly lower poppability, followed by structured front and back carriers. I had purchased a really great looking hip carrier that came highly recommended, but found that the leg holes were so tight on my barely 10 month old baby, that it was a struggle to get him in and out. We probably used it 3 times.



As your baby gets older, a how poppable a carrier is likely to become more and more important to you. In the beginning, your baby will be pretty content while being carried about. Depending on their personality and how they take to your baby carrying lifestyle, older babies and toddlers may be more finicky about being in the carrier, then wanting out, then wanting back in again. Having a baby carrier with high popability makes it less of a hassle to accommodate your toddler’s fluctuating moods.

To find out the true popability of the baby carriers you’re considering, get hands-on with them, using the baby. You’ll soon find the carrier that best fits your needs, in terms of comfort and how much time and effort will be involved for each wearing.