Here at Purple Elm Baby we get asked questions like these all the time:

"What carrier is a must-have for my newborn?"
"What if I only want one carrier?"
“Does a ring sling really work?”
"How long can you carry your baby in a ring sling?”

Woven wraps are incredibly versatile baby carriers, but even those of us who are crazy about them will be the first to admit that sometimes they aren't the right carrier for certain situations. When I had my second baby I was faced with very different challenges than with the first, including some that were unique to her health situation at delivery. Woven wraps were out of the question for a few reasons (which I’ll touch on a little down the page). So when I was working out the new-baby kinks on round two, my go-to carrier was a ring sling.

What makes ring slings so great?

We came up with plenty of reasons, and if we left any of your favorite reasons out, do everyone a favor and tell us in the comments! Here are our top ten reasons that easily make the case for ring slings as best all-around baby carrier:

1. Ring slings are really quick.

Once you have it sized right for you and your baby, there is very minimal adjusting that needs to be done. You can pop your baby in, grab your toddler and head out the door. I think when you have a new baby plus one or more other kids, heading out of the house can be a challenge, especially in the beginning. Having a quick carrier makes it MUCH easier.

2. Ring slings are incredibly easy to nurse in.

Even if you can’t sort out how to nurse them in the sling, they’ve got a built-in ‘tail’ of extra fabric which is a piece of cake to use as a coverup.

3. Ring slings are very cool and lightweight—great for the heat!

My baby was born in June in Alabama. INCREDIBLY HOT. So, ring slings were an ideal choice for the season.

4. Ring slings are great for preemies and very small babies.

Because slings are completely adjustable, they make a great fit with smaller babies. My Lucy came home from the hospital at just around 5 lbs, and ring slings worked PERFECTLY for us. Nothing else worked as well. And let’s not forget, wrapping was my jam! But, it was almost impossible to wrap in our circumstances. Lucy was born 3 weeks early, but size wasn’t the only issue—the treatment she had to endure in the NICU prevented us from holding or touching her for days. Despite that, I was determined to have a great nursing relationship with my baby. She was small, and I wanted her to get fat quickly. At first I was nursing her every hour. It would have been silly (and a pain in the butt) to unwrap and re-wrap her every hour. Ring slings for the win!

5. Ring slings are great for toddlers.

They are wonderful for quick ups and downs—common with the fickle "up/down" toddler who can’t seem to make up her mind.

6. Ring slings are so small you can easily fit them in your purse.

Try THAT with a stroller. ;)

7. Ring slings are easy to use in cold weather.

Layering while babywearing can be a challenge, but babywearing in the depths of winter is a whole other ball of wax. I like using ring slings in the winter because they are easy to use with my heavy coat.

8. Ring slings make a great scarf!

I'm not joking. Try it. Sure, you might get some funny looks but, you're a babywearer... you're used to that by now, right?

9. Ring slings are wonderful for newborns with reflux.

It’s common for newborns to have reflux issues, and one of the best things you can do to help that is keep your baby upright after feeding. Feed baby in the sling or just pop her in there after a meal. (And if a burp cloth is nowhere in sight, that ring sling tail can come in handy…)

10. You can never have too many ring slings.

I mean, seriously—keep one in your tote bag or purse (or both), one in your car, one by the door, one in the stroller (you never know when your older child’s gonna start whining about how long the walk is)… Ring slings are affordable enough that you can have several and it won’t break the bank.

**LIMITED TIME OFFER: take 10% off ring slings on February 1st with discount code RING-ALONG at checkout. Sakura Bloom ring slings are exempt from the offer, but we'll give you 100 PEB Rewards Points instead!

 

 

 

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