Welcome to the South London Sling Library!

Professional sling and baby carrier information, demos, classes and hire.  Helpful, impartial and knowledgable carrying advice for all parents and carers; bump to toddler and beyond! 

We run personalised consultations and small group workshops, plus regular drop-in Open Sessions where you can get advice, try out and borrow from our large selection of baby carriers. Browse the site to find out more!

The South London Sling Library is passionate about supporting parents. We believe that every child, parent and family is unique, and that almost anyone can use a sling or carrier if they want to, as long as they find the one that fits their needs. The Sling Library is here to help you discover the benefits of the different carrier options, with personal recommendations and tips so that you can find the one/s that’ll suit your family best.

We’ve got a huge collection of slings and carriers that are available to borrow for a small fee.  It costs from just £5 (plus refundable deposit) to hire a baby carrier for 2 weeks so that you can really find out how it will work for you and your family.

Use the menu above to find out more about the South London Sling Library, how it works and what baby carriers and slings we have.  There’s lots more information about slings and carriers if you’re interested, and regular blog updates posted below.

Where to go next:

Open Sessions – find out when our next drop-in sessions are.

Library Catalogue – see all of the Sling Library’s carriers.

Information Request Form – ask us for advice on carriers and what to try.

Or Contact Us if you’ve got any other questions about what we do.


© 2011 South London Sling Library
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South London Sling Library Blog

The Library regularly posts news announcements, carrier reviews, changes to the way the Library works, plus carrier tips and information articles. The most recent blog posts appear on the Library website Home page with the most recent first.  Older blog posts can be found by browsing the sections of the ‘News and Reviews’ menu to the right.

Any comments on blog posts are very welcome, as are suggestions for things for me to blog about!

Posted in Our Library in Action!

Carrying Two!

I’m now lucky enough to be looking after the lovely 6 month Baby A once a week when I have my day off with my just-turned-3-year-old Izzy.  Baby A loves being carried and Izzy is more than happy to walk for a good chunk of the day, but long days out in London are still a bit much for her and so we often find we’re carrying her home.  I’m not a fan of fighting buggies on and off public transport and have *just one or two* slings around that I could use(!) so between the two of them I’m expecting to be doing a lot of carrying!

 

I’ve carried them each individually in various slings and carriers, but what are the best ways to get about in London with two small people and no buggy? I’m hoping to test out all the options and will add them all in here as I go!

Week 1:

For our first frosty day out together I used a long 4.7m woven wrap to carry Baby A on my front to get to the Science Museum (via bus, train and tube). While at the museum we moved to a back carry for Baby A so that Izzy and I could really engage with the activities (with Baby A watching and joining in over my shoulder!) Then after lunch and while on the way home the day got too much for Izzy and so I popped her on my back in a Toddler sized Wompat buckle carrier and they both napped for the rest of the way home! Plus they kept me snuggly warm too!

This method of carrying two is very comfy – I used a front cross carry for the woven wrap, tying on Baby A first and making sure that the wrap knot ended up on my front under her bottom. This carry style allows me to pop her in and out without untying the wrap. When I needed to I then put Izzy on my back in the SSC with the shoulder straps sitting on top of the wrap on my shoulders and the chest belt clipped to lie clear of Baby A’s head. This worked really well as I could take off either child independently if needed without disturbing the other one :)

Carrying all our stuff: I’ve been asked this a few times – on this trip I put all the nappies, changes of clothes, picnic, milk and everything else I imagined we might need into a (super stylish) granny trolley that I pulled along with us.  I had my valuables in a shoulder bag (an orange one that you can see in the photo above).  I think next time I’d just have a bag and not the trolley and will pack MUCH more efficiently as I had waaay too much stuff that just didn’t get used!

Later that day we all went on the school run, and Izzy decided to go on walking strike (I think she’s still getting used to sharing me with Baby A and wanted to make her presence felt!)  this time I was carrying Baby A on my front in a mei tai with unpadded, spreadable straps (the Lana Baby Carrier in this case) and so I popped Izzy in the Wompat on my back again over the top. Again, this combination was very comfy and supportive and without needing the trolley I found it very easy to get about with them both :)

Week 2:

This week I stuck with using an SSC on the back for Izzy, but experimented with another buckle carrier (a catbird pikkolo), a woven wrap and a half buckle mei tai for Baby A, rediscovering how it’s possible to use a mei tai with wrap straps as a “poppable” carrier (i.e. one that you can fasten and then pop baby in and out of without undoing or re-tying).

I quite enjoyed the reduced bulk with having a second buckle-waisted carrier compared to having the bigger knot of a woven wrap added into the mix.  However the woven wrap still does (for me) offer the most supportive carry for front carrying Baby A for longer periods of tandem carrying.

Today we did a bit less tandem carrying as Baby A wasn’t feeling her best and so she spent almost all day in the sling (we’d worked our way through lots of other options for carrying her on her own while at home) …. though still with more than an hour of tandem carrying – WAAAAY more than I really expected to be doing to be honest – I think I’m getting fab weekly exercise! :D

Week 3:

We had a busy day and so I stuck with what I knew this week – using the Wompat for Izzy and both the woven wrap and half buckle mei tai for Baby A.  We did get the chance to demonstrate lots of other carriers at a fun NCT group though!

Week 4:

I decided to try something new for carrying Izzy this week and so for our big long walk through Belair and Dulwich parks I carried Baby A in my trusty half buckle mei tai with wrap straps and took a gorgeous wrap conversion podaegi for Izzy.

A podaegi (or pod) is a similar idea to a mei tai in that it ahs a fabric body and long shoulder straps that you tie around you, but it has no waist straps. This means that it can be tied to avoid your waist completely (great for carrying when pregnant), and that it can reduce the bulk of fastening around the waist when tandem carrying.  It’s also easier to use for back carries than a woven wrap, but almost as adjustable for different sized babies and toddlers and so a great option for flexible back carrying :)

I found that using the pod was very comfy and for me helped relieve pressure on my hip joints, which (with my knees) has been the only place that I’ve really been feeling the weight of carrying two.  I did feel the weight more on my shoulders after an hour of walking home, though I think that this was more to do with the combination of Izzy falling asleep (which always makes her feel much heavier), Baby A being wide awake and trying to reach out and grab things at the front (so her weight distribution wasn’t ideal and I wasn’t able to readjust the carry that she was in because of Izzy asleep on the back), and the fact that I was having to carry the remains of our pinic lunch and Izzy’s abandoned scooter….. and I thought I’d managed to pack light today!

If you’d like any advice about carrying two (whether twins or siblings of different ages), then we’ve got a lot of experience helping with this so do get in touch by emailing info@southlondonslings.co.uk or see our website for lots of information about slings and carriers: www.southlondonslings.co.uk :D xx

© 2013 South London Sling Library
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Please support the SLSL by voting for us now!

I’m currently taking part in a competition for Lambeth business women with the best vision for their business.  On Tuesday 19th I’ll be delivering a 5 minute pitch at ITV studios to present my vision for the South London Sling Library in the hope to win some fantastic prizes and support for the library, as well as to raise awareness of the benefits of safe, comfortable carriers, and the amazing services that Sling Libraries across the country provide to so many thousands of parents.

As a warm up,I was also asked to make and upload a 30 second ‘elevator pitch’ video to put to the public vote online!

My video pitch can be viewed here: Brand Amplifier Video

And I’d really appreciate you showing your support o the Sling Library by voting for me Williamson/South London Sling Library here by Monday 18th February: Brand Amplifier 2013 Voting

You’ve only got 1 more day to vote so please do it now!!! Thanks so much to everyone for your continued support and enthusiasm for the Sling Library, and for your vote! :D

Emily xx


© 2013 South London Sling Library
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A Very Important Subject

In my last post (here) I stated that close physical contact with your baby (especially for the extended durations possible when using a suitable sling or baby carrier) can reduce the symptoms of postnatal depression (1). Now I’m ready to explain why this is such an important subject…

At least 10-15% of mothers will experience Post Natal Depression during their pregnancy or in the first years after having a baby. It’s not something to be ashamed about, or to pretend doesn’t happen. It does. I suffered from it, and I recognise symptoms of it in others every week. I blogged about my experience here: A Light Through the Clouds: Reply to a Mother with Post Natal Depression 

I believe that our culture has lost the recognition of how important community support is for those having babies, and how a lack of it (or the ever increasing expectations and demands placed on mothers who are effectively managing alone) can be so damaging to so many women. Mothers and fathers need understanding and patience and reassuring supportive company, not unattainable and restrictive standards, blame and guilt (they put enough of that on themselves without any help!)

As a friend posted earlier today, symptoms of depression are NOT a sign of weakness. They are signs of having tried to remain strong for too long. Being a parent is one of the hardest, most physically demanding and emotionally relentless jobs that you can ever undertake and I’m always in awe of the many many strong women and men that I get to meet at such a pivotal part of their life.

However black it may feel at times, please believe in yourself. Your baby does not feel any blame or see any lack in your care. They love you wholeheartedly for whatever you can offer them. It does get easier and there is help out there.

For a more informative and less emotional view, this new factsheet from the Royal College of Psychiatrists is very clear and has lots of useful links to support organisations: Postnatal Depression


© 2013 South London Sling Library
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5 Reasons a Sling or Carrier is a Newborn Essential

Human babies are not best adapted to being left alone and so there are a whole host of benefits associated with carrying your newborn baby. By using a sling or baby carrier to help support your back and keep your hands free you can fit carrying into your day more easily, and with a huge range of carrier options out there you’ll be sure to find one that suits you and your family.

Here are just 5 research-supported reasons why using a sling or baby carrier can benefit you and your newborn.  There are links below so that you can find out more, and for even more about the benefits that using a sling or baby carrier can offer both parents and babies, see our Benefits of Babywearing and Related Research pages.

1) Reduces stress and crying in your baby, promoting healthy cognitive and physical development:

Caring physical with your baby contact reduces stress (thereby promoting healthy brain development), helps premature babies to gain weight more quickly, and helps babies to regulate their temperature and to digest more effectively. Regularly carried babies cry less and are provided many opportunities for them to share in everyday social interactions and experiences without overstimulation. http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/famsci/fs611.pdf

2) Safe for daytime naps:

Research suggests that having daytime naps in a sling or carrier is safer for your baby under 6 months than for them to nap in a room alone. http://www.isisonline.org.uk/resources/isis.online/pdfs/ISISPDFSlings.pdf

3) Helps to establish successful breastfeeding:

Using a sling supports the natural process of breastfeeding and helps mothers breastfeed for longer. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2012.02758.x/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage&userIsAuthenticated=false

4) Helps you to bond with your baby:

Not only does close contact benefit the baby, but it also releases oxytocin (and other hormones) in the Mother’s body, promoting a positive emotional state, aiding bonding with your baby and reducing symptoms of postnatal depression. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091302207000179

5) Protects your back and pelvic floor:

Using a well fitted sling or baby carrier will allow you to carry your baby without needing to adjust your posture to compensate for their weight, which could put undue pressure on your spine and your core and pelvic floor muscles (particularly important for a postnatal mother): http://www.lifftslings.com/uploads/files/lifftslings_biometric_report_final.pdf

For help with using slings and baby carriers safely and comfortabley from birth to preschool, and for lots more dicussions and photos join us on Facebook.com/SouthLondonSlingLibrary or Twitter @SLSlingLibrary. x


© 2013 South London Sling Library
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It’s Mini Competition Time!

I’m giving away your choice of one of the following fab babywearing accessories (see our Accessories page for more details and pictures):
- A Gumigem teething necklace – great for breastfeeding and to distract babies away from your hair and face when carrying them.
- Two pairs of Hugalugs baby leg warmers – for snuggly warm arms and legs in the snow!
- A Spaghetti Slings wrap conversion doll sling for your child to carry their favourite toy.

caption comp jan 2013
For a chance to win all you need to do is enter our caption competition:
- Follow the link to Facebook by clicking on the picture to the left and ‘Like’ the South London Sling Library Facebook Page.
- Post a comment on the photo on Facebook or reply below with what you think the lovely baby M is thinking!

The first winner will be drawn from all caption entries once the number of likers on the SLSL Facebook page reaches 400 so get liking! :D

Small Print:

This competition is open to anyone who would like to enter. The winner will be selected randomly from all caption entries (so don’t worry if you can’t think of a great one!) via the website, Facebook or Twitter once the number of likers on the South London Sling Library Facebook page reaches 400 or more (so get sharing the page too!). The winner will be given their choice of one of the above prizes, including UK postage. International entries are welcome, but additional postage  charges may apply. Any rude, deliberately offensive or obscene comments or captions will invalidate the entry and will not be included in the draw.


© 2013 South London Sling Library

 

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