Slings & Sleepy Dust

Tuesday 7 February 2017

Baby wearing is a concept I became familiar with during my first pregnancy.  I loved the idea of continuing to keep my baby close after birth as we learned to navigate this new life together.  It turns out I had much to learn.  This week I sat down with mum of three, breastfeeding counsellor, baby wearing consultant and owner of local business Sleepydust Sling’s, Rachel Keena, to learn more. 

Like me, Rachel says it was love at first sight when she was introduced to the world of slings at a local breastfeeding group.  When her last little baba, Charlie was born, he was popped into a stretchy wrap and a total addiction developed, ultimately inspiring her to train as a baby wearing consultant - someone who is trained to teach caregivers how to safely wear/carry their babies and help them chose the sling that best suits their needs.

Can you outline some of the benefits of Baby Wearing?
- Babies who are carried statistically cry less.
- Carrying regulates baby's heart rate and oxygen levels, improves circulation and aids in digestion.
- Decreases the stress hormone levels in baby's blood stream resulting in a calm, relaxed, happy baby.
- Develops and strengthens all the muscles needed for sitting, standing and walking.
- Offers easy access to baby's food source when breastfeeding without needing to stop or sit down and offers privacy , if desired, when doing so.
- Promotes optimum hip development.
- Babies who are often carried fall asleep quickly in their sling and usually sleep deeper and for longer periods of time. It's often said slings come with Sleepydust, hence my name.

What are the most popular types of carrier?
The most popular types of carriers I have found through our sling meets and consultations are soft structured carrier's (SSC’s) followed closely by stretchy wraps for cuddling new-born babies. SSC's are a group of carriers that resemble a backpack in appearance. They have two padded shoulder straps and are secured with buckles. Many also have a padded waistband which all help to evenly distribute the weight of the child making it more comfortable for the wearer.
A stretchy wrap is a long piece of stretchy material usually made from 95% cotton and 5% elastane that you wrap around you and your baby.

Rachel provides three different types of consultations:
At “An Introduction to Slings Consultation”, we start by having a short chat about you, your baby and what you will be using your sling to do e.g. long walks, in and out of shops, around the house. We will then try then different options available that suit your needs while I explain the difference of each and the benefits and safety of baby wearing.  During a “Full Consultation” you pick the sling you want to use and we spend an hour perfecting your technique. I ensure everyone leaves comfortable and confident in their ability to wear their baby. I also provide a half hour “Troubleshooting Consultation”, where we tweak a carry you already know but something is not working.

Rachel facilitates a Sling Meet in Carlow and helps to admin the group's Facebook page, Sling Mammies Carlow. Drop along to a meet or visit www.sleepydustslings.ie