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Hello Manchester

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I’m Ruth, the person behind Bundlebees. I have 2 daughters; the eldest born in 2017 and the youngest in 2019. Both have been carried in slings since they were a few days old. 

My first carrying experience was before I became a mum myself as I carried one of my nieces in a stretchy wrap while my sister went to the dentist. I loved having this little squishy baby all cuddled up to me and vowed to do the same with any baby of my own.

I started with a stretchy wrap with my eldest. I attended Chorlton Sling Library (as it used to be called) when drop-in sessions were run by Rebecca as I wanted to see what else was available. I ended up hiring a Woven Wrap as it was so comfortable and I loved the look and feel of the material. My husband didn’t get on with it at all, but enjoyed using the Connecta – my second purchase(!) This was my first experience of how different slings suit different people.

I accidentally fell into helping Rebecca out at a particularly busy session she was running on her own, and from then on I became a regular helper.

I became a “Born to Carry Peer Supporter” in September 2017. I then completed the “Slingababy Babywearing Consultancy Course” in November 2019.

Carrying in slings started as a lovely way to cuddle my daughter. That turned into a practical solution for those inevitable periods when she wouldn’t be put down, teething, separation anxiety, getting things done. I found it far easier to keep a sling in my bag for when my toddler didn’t want to walk home from the park rather pushing an empty pushchair around. 

When my 2nd daughter arrived, being able to carry her in a sling left me hands-free and able to deal with the older one.

There are lots of reasons to carry our children; it helps with bonding, it helps children feel secure and loved, it can help reduce instances of postnatal depression, it frees up our hands, the cuddles are nice… I could go on. Ultimately, we are a carrying species. It can be really overwhelming and bewildering to look through all the sling options available today. I want to help parents and caregivers make the right choices when it comes to baby carrying. Remember, slings are like the perfect pair of jeans – what fits perfectly on your friend, doesn’t work for you. There is no best sling, only the best sling for you and your circumstances.