Buying a sling

Is it OK to buy second hand?

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%?!) 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)

Does the product I buy need to have a certain badge or kitemark?

There’s not really any single kitemark when it comes to babywearing.

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 many great slings and carriers that are small businesses who can’t afford to get that expensive badge!

Basic safety standards (European EN 13209-2 and the American ASTM F2236) are in place to check for fire, chemical and mechanical hazards.

Look for presence in Sling Library inventories (not just ours) as a good sign!

Look for fabric you’d be happy for your baby to suck on (see OEKO-TEX standards).

What clues are there in an ad photo that the product might not be great?

• 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 tutorial is using a real baby but 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…!)