Baby sling
Slings provide comfort and support for the baby and allow the parent or carer to keep their hands free as they go about their everyday tasks.
[6] These are baby carriers that use dynamic tension, a length of cloth and metal (such as aluminum) or nylon rings.
Some "hybrid" ring slings have curved seats sewn into the body, similar to the seam in a pouch.
Sometimes called "tube", "pocket" or "ringless" slings, these are generally formed by a wide piece of fabric sewn into a tubular shape.
Most pouches have a curve sewn in to shape the cloth to the parent's body and hold the baby more securely than a simple straight tube.
The wearer slips the pouch over the head and one shoulder, sash-style, creating a pocket or seat to hold the baby in.
Many paediatricians and baby-wearing experts do not recommend pouch slings because babies can suffocate when held incorrectly.
Suffocation risk is greatest in newborns and infants under six months, and usually occurs because the baby's chin is collapsed against his or her chest, constricting the airway.
This can be easier for the wearer as the sling often remains tied on and the baby is lifted out and put back in as required.
Pieces of cloth can be turned into slings by wrapping the fabric around the carrier and the baby and either tying it with knots or using a twist and tuck method to secure the ends.
Rebozos (Mexico), mantas (Peru), kangas (Africa) and selendangs (Indonesia) are all rectangular pieces of cloth but are tied or wrapped in many different ways.
There are now hundreds of different brands of mei tai available with a variety of features, but the longer straps, taller body and wrap-style tying method are found in almost all of them.
Mei tais are suitable for front or back carries with children ranging from birth to as heavy as a parent can support.
Similar to the Hmong and Mei tai carriers, the onbuhimo has long top straps and a rectangular body.
Most soft structured carriers are loosely based on the traditional mei tai with a main flat panels and four straps which are shortened and fitted with buckles for added convenience.
One design, used in New Guinea, resembles a small Mayan-style hammock, in which an infant or child is either carried in a net on the back of an adult, or hung on a tree branch or house beam.
Historical photographs of indigenous peoples show babies worn in sashes, baskets and nets hung from the parent's forehead.
[14] Advocates argue that other types of slings are safe, especially when the baby's face, nose, and mouth are visible at all times.
