Buying advice

Is second hand OK?

Absolutely – great for the planet and saves you money!

Always check a pre-loved sling is still sound: you don’t want any sections worn thin or likely to break. Areas most likely to wear out first are the stitched areas which take weight – shoulder straps, or the edge of the panel on a buckle carrier waistband.

There are rare instances of counterfeit carriers being sold as new but suspiciously cheaply in second hand marketplaces – particularly Ergobaby – so do be aware of this (see our video on detecting fake Ergobaby carriers).

Where do I find a second hand sling?

• Vinted
• eBay
• Facebook groups for buying and selling babywearing stuff
• Facebook Hand Me On groups – free hand me downs (there’s a great one for Oxford)
• Chatting with parents at baby groups – especially if they have older kids who’ve grown out of it!
• We list any pre-loved or donated stock on our sale page, other sling libraries often do similarly.

Where should I go to buy new slings?

• Directly to the manufacturers’ website: see our links below for discounts
• Specialist babywearing stores: see our links below for discounts
• John Lewis sells carriers and slings, often with testers to feel and try on (although they don’t have the greatest range IMO and sell a few that really aren’t that comfy)
• Amazon/AliExpress and similar have some bargains, but many (91%?!) are very cheaply made slings that aren’t very comfy and won’t last long!
• Avoid Vinted and eBay for brand new items to guard against fakes or less rigorous scrutiny/testing.

How do I know what to buy?!

• Try it out! Borrow from the Sling Library for as little as 50p a day and check you both love it!
• Get advice – I offer online and in person 1:1 help
• Read our guidance on comfy and safe carrying so you know what you need to achieve.
• ‘Harness style’ carriers (where the baby clips into a front section after you put it on fully, e.g. BabyBjorns) are usually less comfy for your back and tend to fit best on taller, broader, flatter chests.
• Check my tell tale signs a sling isn’t great using the advertising photo (see below)

What badge or kitemark should I look for?

There’s not really any single kitemark when it comes to babywearing, but there is a big range of quality.

For example, there are carriers I know are notorious for adult back pain and poor child positioning (*cough* BabyBjorn Mini *cough*) that have been awarded the International Hip Dysplasia Institute ‘hip healthy’ classification. And many great slings from small businesses who can’t afford to get that expensive badge!

As a bare minimum theri should be basic safety standards (European EN 13209-2 and the American ASTM F2236) to reassure you on for fire, chemical and mechanical hazards.

Look for:

– Sling Libraries stocking it
– Fabric you’re happy for your child to (probably) suck on
– Adjustability – a loose fit is unsafe.

Red flags in a product photo?

• Adult is keeping one or both hands on their baby
• Adult isn’t standing up straight
• Baby’s knees are lower than their bum.
• Baby’s face is in adult’s boobs.
• The adult in the video is using a real baby and seems stressed
• Adult is doing something that you would never ever do with a baby attached to you (e.g. cycle, saw wood in a forest with a huge terrifying saw, stroll along a beach wearing a gold lamé suit… all of these are real examples I’ve seen!)
• They don’t mention anything about sling libraries or babywearing consultants anywhere on their website (because you’d learn how comfy it isn’t…!)