Choosing out of the many baby sling products in the market can be daunting. To make the choosing process easy, we have put together a list of the best babywearing slings to help you out.

Carrying a baby around can become a tad difficult after giving birth. A babywearing ring sling is a solution. The history of baby slings goes back as far as our early ancestors. The first baby ring sling was designed by Dr. Raynor Garner in 1981. Over the years, more parents have become fans of the baby ring sling.

With a babywearing ring sling, carrying your baby while going about your daily routine becomes a comfortable, enjoyable experience. The increased bonding with your baby is definitely the obvious reason most parents like using a baby sling to carry their babies around. 

Choosing out of the many baby sling products in the market can be daunting. To make the choosing process easy, we have put together a list of the best babywearing slings to help you out.

Let us discuss the difference between a baby ring asking and a wrap, as well as the features of a good baby ring sling before running through our list of the best babywearing ring slings.

The Distinction Between A Sling And A Wrap

A babywearing ring sling is frequently mistaken for a baby wrap, but both terms are actually different. Regardless of which type you choose, they have their good and not so good factors. Baby slings are way more comfortable in comparison to baby wraps. They allow for free movement as mothers go about their daily chores and are even much easier to utilize. However, baby slings are not great for heavy kids.

In contrast, baby wraps are good for carrying heavy kids around. Adjusting, however, is not so easy; they’re also not so comfortable.

Features of A Good Baby Ring Sling

Safe and Secure Support

The safety of a baby when making use of a baby ring sling is paramount. Standard baby slings should be able to cater to the weight of a baby without defects. Some baby ring along makers take it upon themselves to get the ATSM certification alongside the CPSC certification given by the regulatory body in America. But basically, baby slings are expected to meet the minimum requirements set by CPSC, the regulatory body in charge of assessing and maintaining the quality of baby ring sling products.

Comfortability

A baby should be comfortable for both parents and children when in use. This means taking note of the fabric used in making it. Despite their high prices, cotton and linen are the best, as they are lightweight and very strong. This ensures that the body temperature of your baby is regulated properly and no case of excessive perspiration is experienced. 

Ease of Use

Baby slings should be very easy to use, even by parents who have just conceived. A standard baby sling should be easy to clean, not too thick to make a baby sweat profusely, and should carry a baby in a variety of positions to reduce muscle aches.

Versatile Fitting

For mothers who happen to work in the office and those who are not, getting a sling for baby that comes with a color pattern that can be tailored to whichever color scheme you want for baby is the ideal choice. This means that the color of the sling does not clash with the environment in which you will be working. If you prefer a more relaxed working environment, consider a sling that has a stylish appearance.

Environment friendly

With so much attention paid to climate change, chemicals used in making a baby sling should be baby-friendly as well as eco-friendly.  An example is the dyes used in maintaining the colorful designs of some baby slings.

Weight Capacity

Look out for the lowest and highest weight levels of the baby ring sling you are buying.

Foam Pads

Foam pads located where the baby ring sling comes in contact with the shoulders is important. This enables mothers to wear the baby sling for long without feeling muscle aches in their shoulders.

Baby slings come in different designs and are used for different purposes. They also have varying price tags. Our best babywearing ring slings are:

1. Mebien Turkish Cotton Baby Wrap

The Mebien baby sling is light, durable cotton of Turkish origins. It is very easy to clean and comes with a pre-wrinkling feature. It is very comfortable for babies with delicate skin with its soft texture. This sling product is environment friendly as it contains nontoxic chemicals. The weight capacity is 35 pounds.

2. ION AND MAY Bamboo and Cotton Ring Sling

The baby sling by Ion and May comes with the synthesized fabric of bamboo and cotton. It is a durable fabric that ensures your baby is supported in a secure hold. This sling is the best to use during the summertime as it is designed with small gaps that allow for the proper regulation of the temperature of a baby. The fabric is easy to clean using a washing machine and comes in three colors. The weight capacity of this sling is 25pounds.

3. Mamaway Ring Sling And Carrier

The Mamaway baby sling is one sling that stands out for fitting all baby sizes. The length of the fabric is sufficient enough to be a baby wrap, helping to provide secure support for the weight of a baby and even toddlers of 36 months. This sling is designed to make breastfeeding easy and reduce muscle aches. It is made from durable cotton material, making it ideal for use during the cold and hot periods of the year. It is the best baby sling for carrying newborn babies, as it makes them feel warmer and promote more parent-child bonding. Apart from being used as a baby wrap, it serves as a great blanket. This sling is capable of supporting the weight of babies up to 110 pounds.

4.  Pure life Nalakai Bamboo and Linen Ring Sling

The Nalakai ring sling is a combination of eco-friendly bamboo and linen materials. The synthesized fabric is light, durable, strong, and soft on the skin. The design of this sling prevents sweating, reduces muscle strain, and allows for comfortable adjustments. It is the best babywearing ring sling that promotes easy breastfeeding of infants. It also enables the proper development of the hip muscles. One great feature of the design of this baby sling is that it is comfortable for mother and child from the onset, no breaking in period at all. However, this sling is not simple to use nor suitable for the back carrying of a baby.  It has a weight capacity of 35 pounds.

5. Kids ‘N’ Such 4-in-1 Wrap Sling

This is a dual-purpose baby sling as it can be used as a baby sling and as a baby wrap. This enables baby carrying in a variety of positions. It is a synthesis of cotton and spandex, giving it great strength to secure your baby. It cannot be used during the hot periods of the year, however.

6. Lite-on-Shoulder Ergonomic Ring Sling

This is a cotton baby sling, which makes it breathable. The design is simple, ensuring that new parents can easily use it. It comes with soft foam paddings to prevent strain on the shoulder muscles when worn for a long time. The rings are made from copper which are a bit stronger in comparison to the standard aluminum used by most baby sling brands. If your baby is sound asleep and you do not want to stir them up as you adjust the sling, this is the perfect baby sling brand. The weight capacity for this sling is 35 pounds.

7. Maya Wrap Ring Sling

The comfortability of the Maya baby sling is what makes it stand out. The foam pads are in the right location and come in the appropriate amount to ensure mother and child are comfortable all the time. It is very easy to use, as a parent can take it off when the baby needs to take a bath. It also allows for baby carrying in different positions, especially for parents who prefer carrying their babies on their backs. There is a side pocket integrated into the design of this sling to enable easy storing of essential things. The weight limit is 35 pounds.

8. Lillibaby Eternal Love Ring Sling

This sling is pure linen, which prevents your baby from sweating excessively even when secure for a long time. The design of this sling is comfortable for the child. Storing of essential items within reach is possible with the side zip pocket in its design. It has a weight capacity of of33 pounds.

9. Beco Baby Ring Sling

The Beco baby sling is one that will be loved by a lot of fathers. This is because of the conservative color options they come in. The sling is made from a handwoven cotton material that provides a secure hold for babies. The sling is designed to fit all body shapes.

10. Sakura Bloom Baby Sling

The baby sling by Sakura is a very stylish product. It is ideal for use in the summer periods of the year as it is made from light, soft linen fabric. You can rest assured that your baby would not over sweat. The linen fabric is durable enough to provide adequate support for your child. It has a weight capacity of 35 pounds.

11. Hip Baby Wrap Sling

The Hip Baby ring sling is pure cotton that is sewed entirely by hand. This gives it the distinction of high grade because it passed through a number of resiliency tests in terms of tensile strength. The long length of the material enables nursing mothers to breastfeed comfortably in public. The design of this sling also makes the weight of babies be distributed evenly, which makes it comfortable to use for long periods. The cotton dye used in making it is baby and environment friendly. It is very easy to clean. The weight capacity is 35 pounds.

12. Pura Vida Ring Sling

This baby ring sling by Pure Vida comes with a fabric made from a combination of bamboo and linen. The synthesized fabric is baby-friendly as it is great for babies with sensitive skin. It is also environment-friendly. The sling promotes easy breastfeeding and is able to carry babies weighing up to 35 pounds.

13. Moby Ring Sling

This is a more expensive brand, mainly because of its reputation in the baby sling industry. The cotton material is strong and durable, ensuring that a baby is secure during use. The strength of the fabric makes it able to cater to the weight of heavy babies. For mothers who are on the plus size weight category, this is the baby sling to buy. The length of the material is long and wide enough to fit around the body curves well. However, this sling cannot be used during hot climatic conditions because of its thickness. The weight capacity of this sling is great at 45 pounds.

14. Vlokup Mesh Water Ring Sling

This is a budget-friendly baby sling as it is cheaper in comparison with other brands. It is very easy to use and maintain. It is light synthetic polyester mesh, which provides secure support for your baby. The synthesized polyester mesh makes it perfect if you want to cool off in the shallow end of a swimming pool. This sling is easy to clean and is ideal for use in the summertime. However, babies with sensitive skin could react to the synthetic composition of this product. It has a weight capacity of 30 pounds.

15. Vlokup Padded Cotton Ring Sling

Made of cotton, this sling is breathable and possesses high tensile strength. It is very easy to use while providing secure support. It is very easy to take care of, as it can be washed by machine. Storing personal and baby care items is possible with the integrated pocket within reach. The weight capacity is an amazing 40 pounds.

16. Balboa Baby Dr. Sears Ring Sling

The concept of the Balboa baby ring sling was developed through the experience of the well-known pediatrician, Dr. Sears. This baby sling is of soft, linen material which makes it ideal for use in cool and hot periods of the year. It comes with a padded shoulder strap to make the wearing of the baby ring sling for long periods very comfortable. With this baby sling, parents can carry their babies in four diverse ways. The added feature of an outside pocket to have necessary care items within reach is also provided. The weight capacity for this sling is 35 pounds

17. Bibetts Baby Ring Sling

The baby sling by Bibetts is one of the ring sling brands that possess ATSM and CPSC certifications. The sling is made from quality linen material which makes it suitable for use in hot regions without fear of your baby sweating profusely. The linen fabric also lasts a long time and provides secure support for the weight of a baby. It doesn’t take up much space in a nursing bag as it can be easily folded into a small size. The weight capacity of this baby sling is 35 pounds.

18. Kyte Baby Sling

This baby sling comes with a fabric that is entirely linen. The soft linen material is ideal for babies with skin texture that is very delicate. This prevents them from getting heat rashes when the climate is warmer. The dyes used in preserving the color are eco-friendly. What makes this baby sling stand out is the fact that it comes with two storage pockets. So parents can easily separate baby care items from their personal things. This baby sling has a baby carrying capacity of 35 pounds.

19. Beachfront Baby Sling

The Beachfront baby ring sling is another brand that is ideal for parents who would love to play with their babies in the swimming pool. It comes with a polyester mesh fabric that does not soak up water. So, you can hang it out to dry and make use of it again within thirty minutes. The mesh fabric also makes the natural regulation of the body temperature of babies easy with its breathability capability. The dyes used to preserve the quality of this baby sling are non-toxic, which means it is extremely baby-friendly. Babies can chew on it without feeling sick after. The weight capacity for babies in this baby sling is 30 pounds.

20. Soul Jacquard Baby Sling

The Jacquard baby sling by Soul slings is another one that is good for keeping your baby asleep while making adjustments. This baby sling comes with a soft fabric made from 100% cotton. The dyes used in maintaining the fabric are eco-friendly, hence this baby sling poses no harm to your baby. For babies with soft skin, it is also ideal. It is very easy to use and the well-cushioned fabric makes it comfortable for parents to wear over a long period. It has a weight capacity of 33 pounds.

21. Baby Tula Ring Sling

This baby ring doing comes in a number of attractive designs that help to calm down babies. The fabric of this sling is entirely of cotton that is handwoven. Parents are assured of a strong and secure hold for their babies at all times during use. The soft cotton material is great for breathability for parents who live in hot regions and is soothing for babies who have soft skins. This baby sling can be used to comfortably carry babies in a variety of positions like on the hip and the front. It comes with a weight capacity of 35 pounds.

22. Wildbird Baby Slings

The easy to use slings by Wildbird come in very stylish designs. Their slings are made from high-grade linen of Belgian origins, which makes it last a good number of years. The durability of linen makes their baby slings provide support for babies that is very secure. For parents who have a newborn a few years apart from a growing toddler, this sling comes with a mini sling to keep a jealous toddler busy. It is soft on the sensitive skin of babies and helps to regulate their body temperature in the right manner. Parents can their babies in different positions comfortably. The sling is capable of carrying babies that weigh up to 35 pounds.

How to Pick the Right Baby Ring Sling

When it comes to making a choice of the baby ring sling to buy on a personal level, taking note of the price, fabric quality, the quality of the ring set, the ease of usage, and comfortability is necessary.

You could go for the cheaper option of buying the rings and using your personal fabrics, but you end up taking so much time to it looking right. You would be better off getting a readymade baby sling that meets up with the standard safety criteria.
For parents who are held back by a budget but still want to get a good ring sling for their baby, their choice is determined by how long they intend to make use of it.
Parents who do not have the intention of using a baby ring sling for long should go for affordable brands instead of the pricey ones with durable fabrics. But if the intention is to use it for a good number of years, going for expensive baby slings made from strong fabrics like the Nalakai Bamboo and Linen sling is good value for money.
Babies that have delicate skin should be carried with slings made from soft fabrics, such as Hip Baby Wrap Sling that is made from pure cotton. If however slings made from synthesized fabrics are preferred, endeavor to check that the dyes are non-toxic.

The Process of Wearing a Baby Ring Sling

It must be stated here that by nature, most babies do not like ring slings at first. A few babies may feel at home immediately because of the simple design while some will squirm a bit before getting used to it. It is all part of the process of upbringing a child. So, don’t fret. Just be patient and find out what works well for your baby.

To get your baby get used to a baby-wearing ring sling, it is best to introduce a sling when your baby is in a relaxed state. If your baby happens to have delicate skin, it is best to work with slings that come with soft fabrics such as linen. This helps them to feel comfortable from the very first time. Find out the positions that your baby comfortable with trial and error.

First-time mothers can ask from other mothers who have experience making use of a babywearing ring sling on how to comfortably position their newborns in a baby sling. Joining a mother’s forum is another way of learning the tricks of how to make use of a baby ring sling. There a lot of forums for new mothers to learn the act of making use of a baby sling in the right manner, so that mother and child are both comfortable.

Watching some videos on how to make use of a baby sling is an additional means of learning. Getting books on how to use a baby ring sling is a good way to solve the problem too.

Mothers can also ask their pediatric doctor on the proper way of making use of a baby sling if any of the above ways do not seem to work out.

Sources of Information On Using Babywearing Ring Slings

The proper use of a babywearing ring sling is no doubt an issue for new mothers. That said, in the digitalized era of today, there are a number of days to get information on how to use a baby ring along in the proper manner.

The internet is awash with many videos that show how a mother can comfortably make use of a baby sling. Social media websites like YouTube and Twitter, are the quickest ways to watch videos recorded by pediatric practitioners on the proper positioning of babies in a baby ring sling.

Apart from these video websites, ebooks are also available on the subject matter for parents who prefer reading.

Another way of getting information on the use of babywearing ring slings is my asking questions from other mothers who have made use of it or to search out social groups on the internet that cater to issues revolving around its use.

Initially, the use of babywearing slings is without a doubt a tricky thing, but with time it becomes less tasking and more of something that is done mechanically from memory. So, new mothers, don’t give up. Continuous practice does help in the long run. It might just be the solution to getting your restless baby becoming calmer.

Tips On Proper Positioning of a Baby in A Baby Ring Sling

For new mothers, there are few tips to get your child in the proper position so as to make you and your baby comfortable in a baby sling.

• To start with, ensure that the sling is very close to your chest. This helps to keep the baby in a stronger, secure hold.
• To prevent your baby from succumbing to acid reflux, it is best to position your baby in an upright, M-position. This also helps in the proper development of the hips. Improper positioning of your baby could result in hip dysplasia.
• Keep your baby’s legs free outside the ring sling, so that the backbone develops in the right manner.
• The baby seat of the sling should be deep enough to make your baby sit comfortably.
• Adjust the tightness and height of the rings before placing your baby in the babywearing ring sling.
• To make the hold more secure for your baby, ensure that the fabric of the baby sling is well spread over your shoulders and over your back .

Apart from the above tips, baby ring slings that have colored patterns are easier to make use of in carrying babies than the ones that come in plain colors. Baby ring slings that have strong, softer fabrics like cotton or linen like Pure life Nalakai are more baby-friendly in comparison to synthesized fabrics like polyester.

To make things much easier for you, just follow this simple yet very safe strategy termed “TICKS”.

T in this instance stands for tightness. Ensure that the baby sling is right at all times to prevent your baby from slipping unexpectedly.

I stands for in view. In other words, you should be able to see the face of your newborn whenever you look down. This helps you to know when your baby needs to breastfeed

C stands for Closeness. The position of your baby when you use a baby ring sling should be high up and close to your lips. 

K means you should keep the baby airways free. This is done by making sure that the chin of your baby is not in close contact with their chest.

S stands for proper and secure body support for your baby at all times.

Advantages of Babywearing Ring Slings

Baby slings have proved to promote the proper development of hip muscles in babies, unlike baby carriers that hinder the movement of muscles. This free movement that a baby ring sling provides has a corresponding effect on the mental state of a baby, as they are in a safe, joyous mood most times.

Apart from making babies feel secure, it also enables them to sleep more. This is of the soothing sound of the heartbeat and shared body heat they get from mothers. It is similar to the way they feel when in the womb. As a result, babies carried with baby slings are more likely to be quiet and observe siesta periods more.

Hungry babies get their mothers’ attention easily when they start showing signs that they need breast milk.

Parents can also go about their daily routine without much stress when using a baby ring sling. This is especially great for mothers who have to go through a number of domestic chores like shopping for groceries, going to work, preparing meals, or house cleaning.

Baby slings also promote easy breastfeeding of babies as the babies are in close contact with the chest of a mother. This in turn help in the proper development of their cognitive and behavioral skills.

Children with special needs have also shown signs of improvement when mothers make use of baby slings to carry them around.

New mothers also benefit from using babywearing ring slings. A number of studies on postpartum depression have come out with findings that shown a decrease in the level of the hormone linked to postpartum depression.

The use of baby-wearing ring slings is highly recommended by pediatricians for these reasons.

Conclusion

Are you looking for a cheaper way of emotionally bonding with your new baby without hindrance? Getting a baby ring sling is your perfect option. There are different baby ring sling brands in the market. They come in different designs and purposes for use. Be sure to pick one that is safe, suits the purpose for which you intend to use it, the perfect color versatility, and fits into your budget plan easily. Babywearing ring slings are not easy to make use of at first, but with time it becomes a normal task.