Hip carriers such as ring slings can be very useful for parents who prefer a slightly “off-centre” upright positioning, or those who have children who want to see more of the world, but aren’t yet ready to consider back carrying. Hip carrying preserves the visual connection of parent-facing positions and can be very quick for mobile children who want to be up and down frequently, or for a lightweight carrier for occasional use. Hip carriers can be fabric based ring slings, pouches (for use with older babies), some buckled carriers and a few “carrying aids” that are not hands free.

Here is a quick link to a video about how to use a ring sling; as if you were having a consultation with Rosie herself and Lucy (from Little Lifts)

Like all carriers, ring slings and other hip carriers need to be used safely and the TICKS guidelines should always be followed. The most important consideration is to protect baby’s airway; a baby’s neck should never be folded in half and two fingers should fit between their chin and their chest.

The most frequently adopted position for carrying young babies is upright and facing the parent, with legs slightly spread apart (the M position) and head well supported, as this will also protect growing hips and spine. Most frequently this will be the simple upright position slightly “off-centre” from the midline, with the fabric being adjusted snugly around baby for the perfect fit. There are ways to use a ring sling to hold a baby safely in other positions, but these need to be done with care. Pouch slings are best used for babies from three to four months and up and MUST fit the adult’s body properly to be safe; loose fitting pouches can pose a risk to the airway.

Ring slings are very versatile, and can be used for front, hip or back carries as babies grow. They have been around for thousands of years in many traditional formats to allow parents to carry babies on their front or hips, from the Mexican rebozo to the Welsh babywearing shawl and the German Hockmantel..  simple, practical, incredibly useful.

A ring sling is a piece of woven fabric usually about 2m long and 60cm wide that has one end sewn securely into two strong rings.

They are worn on one shoulder with your child sitting in a pouch on the opposite side of your body, with the loose end of the fabric threaded through the rings in such a way that the tension holds the fabric firmly and the weight is distributed across your shoulder and back.

They are derived from the ancient practice of tying short cloths around the body with a knot at one shoulder, such as the Mexican rebozo shawl (which is a multipurpose cloth).

Ring Slings are very versatile for a wide range of ages, and can pack away small, which is great for portability and convenience. Once you have the knack, they are very quick and easy to put on.

They can be used from birth, and allow preservation of the natural foetal curved position with knees tucked up into the M shape, and many babies will sleep contently in a ring sling, allowing the carrying parent to be hands free (which can be very helpful with toddlers around).

They are useful for feeding as they can provide discreet cover, or allow semi-cradled or sideways seated positions for breast or bottle access. They can be perfect for quick up-and-downs with toddlers, or to keep in the car for emergency carrying needs.

For babies who love to see where they are going (and not yet ready for back carries) a ring sling allows a comfortable off-centre or hip carry that still preserves healthy hip position. Children can see past the nearside shoulder and also look directly ahead. This position allows a child to turn its head into the carer’s chest, away from too much stimulation. Babies have not yet learned to organise and “zone out” of their multiple sensory streams, and need to be able to retreat and sleep safely.

Types of Fabric

Many ring slings are converted from cotton woven wraps, as cotton is easy to care for, soft, strong and supportive. Some may be made of blends of cotton, wool, linen, hemp, silk or bamboo. These fibres can add features such as extra supportiveness, grippiness, softness or glide, and people will often have their preferences. Linen, silk and hemp are extra supportive for older children, but can be a little rougher than cotton, whereas bamboo adds softness and smoothness. Some grippier fabrics can be harder to work with, while slippy fabrics can feel as if they are loosening a little

Some ring slings will therefore be thinner and cool to wear, some are dense and blankety for extra comfort.

Wrap fabric works very well as a ring sling, as it moulds well around a child and the wearer’s shoulder and is easy to work with and tighten through rings. Ring slings made of cheaper cotton or with things like padded rails or shoulders can be much more difficult to use well and safely. I do recommend going to your local sling library to try a few out and see the difference for yourself.

Types of shoulder

The most common types are simple gathered shoulder and pleated shoulder. They are all different and most people find one style suits them best, it is worth trying a few out from the sling library or sling meet to see which works best for you; what is right for one person may not suit another.

Simple gathered shoulder; this enables a good spread of fabric across your shoulder in a cupped distribution, as well as spreading widely across your back. Most ring slings have this shoulder.

A popular variation of this is a “floating” shoulder, where the seam is sewn about 9-12 inches away from the rings. This keeps the seam behind the shoulder (which can help to keep the rings nice and high) and the double layer of fabric adds to the feel of cushiness.

Pleated shoulder (typically with knife pleats): the fabric is kept in a narrower distribution to the top of the shoulder but still spreads widely across the back.

There are many variants of pleated shoulders, such as

The Eesti shoulder is a pleat at each edge with simple gathering in the centre, it will spread widely to cup the shoulder, but less broadly than the gathered.

The box pleat shoulder (with knife pleats) is of medium width across the shoulder so keeps it a little constrained for a tidier look at the front while still spreading across the back.

Here is a photo tutorial for a upright ring sling carry with a baby. Please click/swipe through each image.

Here is a separate link to the photo tutorial.

Useful videos can be found here and the photo tutorials here.

Feeding in Ring Slings

Feeding is possible in ring slings and some buckled hip carriers, with a little care to ensure baby’s airway is well protected. Typically, for breastfeeding, this involves loosening the panel in stages so baby is lowered gently to the nipple.  No breastfeeding is hands free, and it is usually a good idea to get some help and advice from people who are familiar with how to do it. Please note that when baby has finished feeding, he must be returned to his safe snug upright position, close enough to kiss.

You can read more about how to breast and bottle feed here.

When can I start hip and back carries?

Babies can be carried “off centre” on the front from early on, as long as their natural tucked narrower M shape position is preserved. Lateral hip carries tend to work best when babies begin to sit comfortably the parent’s side, this is typically about 3 months or when baby begins to roll.

It is possible to back carry with a ring sling and many families find this a quick way of carrying an older baby. It is harder to do than the front and hip carries, but your local sling educator (find them at Sling Pages) can help. This French video is one that I like and use myself.

Read more here about beginning to back carry.

Can I face my child forwards in a ring sling?

Indeed you can, once they have head control (typically about 4 months). This is known as the Buddha position and some babies love it! Their legs are crossed into a buddha position with feet in front of the tummy (so weight is not placed on the ankles).

Pouches and Carrying Aids

Simpler than ring slings but very similar, pouches are “tubes” of non-stretchy fabric, usually cotton, which are folded in half along their length and then partly unfolded to make a deep pouch for baby to sit in.

You need the right size for your body shape for them to work well so they do need to be fitted, and used properly. They can be risky if used badly as it is very easy for a young baby to slip down inside the pouch and end up with the chin pressed forwards onto their chest or their face squashed against the parent. That said, once a baby is nearer four months or so with robust upper body control, pouches can be very useful for quick carries as they pack down so small.

Carrying aids are not technically slings at all, as they are not hands-free and the parent will need to support the carried child with one arm. These are things like shaped mesh cross body sashes that a child can ride on the hip (some of the weight borne by the opposite shoulder) or small shaped seats that are buckled around the parent’s waist for a child to perch on.

Buckle Hip Carriers

There are a few buckled hip carriers such as the Scootababy that support children fully and are hands free; many parents find them invaluable tools for getting on with daily life with a child held comfortably on the hip, where they usually tend to rest when in arms. They can be used for central front carrying and back carrying (with caution) and fit best from around 4months up.

If you need some more support, please get in touch with your local sling educator.