A Complete Ring Sling Safety Guide: How hope&plum Takes You from Newborn to Toddler

Ring slings are hope&plum’s original carrier. We love that you can use them not only in those fresh newborn days but also throughout the toddler years. As with everything babywearing, ring sling safety is the top priority. It’s best to start with some general babywearing safety guidelines. Then, you can expand that knowledge to specific ring sling safety tips. Finally, you can become an expert in using your ring sling to grow with your baby.

There’s a ton of safe babywearing positioning advice out there, but we’re here to break it down into the basics! Whether you’re carrying a newborn, baby, or toddler, these tips apply in any carrier:

• Your little one should always be upright. In a front or hip carry, their head should be close enough to kiss.

• Their legs should be in a spread-squat position, with their knees slightly higher than their bottom.

For infants, their head should rest gently on your chest with a natural curve to their spine that looks like a “C” from the side. As your child grows and gains head, neck, and trunk control, their posture will shift to a “J” shape made with their torso and upper legs.

In addition to the general babywearing safety tips from the previous section, it’s helpful to know a few more specific ring sling safety tips:

• Thread correctly so that the fabric stays in place.

• You should always have at least 10 inches of tail through the rings along the short edge.

• A snug fit in the top hem and middle of the sling will keep baby safely in the sling even if they pop their seat (straight their legs, move their bottom out of the hammock, and “pop” the bottom hem up towards their back). 

• We don’t recommend doing a back carry in a ring sling. 

Let’s take a look at each safety tip:

Newborns should be worn in a front carry. They lack the strength to hold up their heads in a hip carry. For this reason, the safest place for your tiny baby is centered right against your chest. Their head should rest on your chest so they’re close enough to kiss, and their head, back, and tucked legs should make a C-shape against your body.

You can wear your newborn with legs in or out. We recommend trying legs out first. It's safe from birth. Plus, most babies do just fine in this position. If your newborn is so curled up they seem uncomfortable in this position - they don’t uncurl, they cry unless you take them out of the sling - you can try legs in. Make a small pocket and fold it in half so the “bottom” is in the middle of the sling. Slide baby in, making sure their weight is on their bottom, not their legs, and their legs are tucked up in a froggy position. Baby’s weight should never rest on their feet.

You should pull the top hem up to the nape of your newborn’s neck and snug up the top hem to offer the proper amount of support for their head and neck.

Pay attention to your infant’s behaviors in the ring sling and developmental milestones. These will help you make some changes to how you’re wearing your ring sling. If you’ve been wearing your newborn with legs in, switch to legs out once they start pushing to stand. If they’re hitting this milestone and their legs are in, they can stand up in the carrier, creating a fall hazard. 

Ready for a hip carry? Watch for two milestones: can you hold baby on your hip with one hand (no carrier)? Or are they rolling either direction? Either one is your green light — you don't need both. Growing babies like this position because they can see around more, but they can tuck into you and self-regulate if they feel overstimulated. For babies who are hitting this milestone, you can also pull the top hem to their armpits and let them have their arms out. This gives them even more freedom! And you can always tuck those arms in for more support if they fall asleep.

If they’re not there yet, that’s okay! It’ll come! Keep them in a front carry. But you might be seeing more of a J-shape when they’re awake and alert and only that C-shape when they’re asleep. You may have to make your pocket bigger so they’re not as high as they grow. Always make sure you’re sizing your pocket to look a little too small before putting your baby in.

Older babies should definitely be worn legs out and typically have enough strength for a hip carry with their arms out. You can still opt for a front carry, but many people find hip carries easier and more comfortable as their babies grow. As always, start with a pocket that looks a little too small for your baby. As your baby grows, focus on comfort: keep your rings in a good spot, spread your shoulder fabric, and get the fabric as wide as possible across your back. Small adjustments make a big difference!

For toddler-wearing in a ring sling, make doubly sure you set up your sling properly. Small changes from optimal ring placement and fabric spread will make a big difference in your comfort as you enter toddlerhood. Also, make sure you’re still getting your toddler a nice, deep seat, spreading the fabric from knee pit to knee pit (the back of the knee). This will ensure they are comfortable too! It can be hard to load your toddler from the top, especially with a pocket that’s small enough. Instead, you can try bringing the fabric up over their back, loading them from the bottom. Still sit them on the tube to get them positioned properly and tighten the whole sling so they come up to the right height if they seem too low in a big pocket.

Now that you know all about ring sling safety from newborn through toddlerhood, let’s look at the top ring sling tips for getting a comfy fit for both you and your baby:

1. Start with a pocket that’s smaller than you think you need. For real. Make a small pocket. Check it. If you think it’s big enough for your baby to fit, it’s too big! You should look down at your pocket and think, “This looks just too small.” It’s easier to loosen the pocket if it’s too tight than to tighten it if it’s too loose!

2. Load baby on the tube of fabric and keep it bunched in their knee pits. Your goal is to get baby’s bottom settled over the top of the tube with knees tucked above bum. Their body should be positioned like it will when you’re done setting up the carrier, except the fabric is all bunched at their knees and not spread over their back yet. After baby is positioned properly, bring the top hem up.

3. When making a seat, only bring up enough fabric to make a straight line from knee to knee. Your goal is to make a straight line with the fabric, not a triangle. Pulling up a bunch of extra fabric between you and baby doesn’t make a deep seat. Using the fabric to hammock baby’s knees above their bottom is what gives you a secure, deep seat.

4. Push up on baby’s bottom when tightening. Think of it like a lock and key: your baby's weight locks the rings in place. To tighten, push up on baby's bottom to take the weight off, then pull the tail through little by little.