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| ABA Slings - WHY and HOW to use them |
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WHY use a sling to carry your baby?
 | You can carry a baby 'hands-free'. |
| The sling can be used for a newborn baby and up until 2+ years of age. The sling is strong enough to carry quite a large baby/toddler. Any limiting factor is your ability to carry the child, not the strength of the fabric. |
| It is worn on the front, although later on, it can be used on the back. |
| Fathers and other family members and friends can use it. |
| It is great for shopping, bushwalking or wherever the pram is not practical. Keep it in your nappy bag when not in use, so you don't leave it at home. |
| It doesn't take up as much room as a pram, so it is great for outings and holidays. |
| It keeps unwelcome hands off the baby. |
| It stops people poking their heads into prams and breathing on the baby. |
| Baby is carried in the correct orthopaedic, or 'frog-leg' position for baby's hips. |
| It calms a restless, 'windy' baby. The upright position against the warm adult body is very soothing. Often babies happily go to sleep. |
| It helps a mother feel warm and nurturing toward her baby. |
| Carrying a baby can increase a mother's hormone levels thus encouraging her body to make breastmilk. |
| Babies cry less, as they are used to their mothers' body rhythms from being in the womb. |
| Babies learn a lot by being upright and viewing the world. |
| Babies spend less of their 'awake' time crying. |
HOW to carry your baby in a sling
1. The ABA Clip-on Sling
- Clip the sling FIRMLY around waist, so it hangs like an apron, wrong side facing outwards.
- If you are right-handed, it is easier to lift the right shoulder strap up over your right shoulder, place it diagonally across your back and clip loosely to the left clip. (Do the reverse if you are left-handed)
- Place the baby on your left shoulder and slip the baby into the sling. Take care to place the baby's leg between waist and the clipped strap. Tighten the strap as needed.
- Supporting the baby's weight with one hand, lift remaining strap over left shoulder, across your back diagonally and fasten other clip.
- Adjust position of baby, making sure his bottom fits into the pouch. Lift him as you tighten the straps until they are firm and the baby is sitting on or above your waistline. You should be able to kiss the top of his head.
- Only the top of a small baby's head will be visible at first until he grows. This is fine, as a baby will turn his head so he can breathe easily.
Often the baby will protest the first time the sling is used. Give him a few minutes to get used to it. Pat and jiggle baby, walk around and baby should soon settle. It is easier to introduce the sling when the baby is contented, rather than already upset and crying.
It is recommended that you practise in front of a mirror so you are confident in putting the baby in without help.
To remove the baby, support the baby's weight with one hand while you undo the clips. Allow the straps to fall and remove the baby. Then undo waist clip.
2. The Meh Tai
The same principle is used, as for the clip-on sling, except that the straps are knotted instead of being clipped.
- Place the narrower edge at your waist.
- Cross the 2 bottom straps at back of you waist and bring to front and tie the first step of a knot. You should then have 2 ends to which the straps that cross the back will be tied when you are finished.
- Take the right strap across your right shoulder, then diagonally across your back. Tie on left end of the waist strap.
- Place the baby on your left shoulder, holding him high as you cross the other strap over and tie to the other end of the original waist strap. Let baby settle into the centre of the sling, with the lower section of fabric under baby's bottom. You might need to shake baby down gently to ensure his bottom fills up that section.
- Knots need to be firm and baby carried above navel/waistline. If that is not the case, hold the baby higher, shorten the straps and re-tie the knots more firmly.
- To remove baby, support the baby's weight with one hand as you untie knots. Allow the straps to fall, remove baby and then take off sling.
- Note: If the waist straps are too short to cross the back and be tied at the front, you can tie them like an apron. Then the 2 shoulder straps go straight over the shoulders and are tied to the waist strap.
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General advice:
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Be careful with hot objects while carrying the baby in a sling. It is NOT recommended that you iron, cook or drink something hot.
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Do not wear baby in a sling while driving or as a passenger in a car. It cannot replace a proper child car restraint.
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Finally, remember that the baby's bottom must sit on or above your waistline and the clips/ knots must be quite firm, otherwise the baby slips down. If that happens, lift the baby's bottom up a little to enable you to tighten the clip or re-tie the knots.
Judy Gifford 2005.
Mothers Direct have a great range of slings available, visit the Mothers Direct website at www.mothersdirect.com.au
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