Safety Statement

We all love the benefits of babywearing and just like most things in the parenting world, it does come with safety guidelines. These guidelines are there to help ensure the optimal wellbeing of the infants/children and their caregivers.

At Babywearing Ireland we often get asked for fit checks and advice around slings and carriers. Our volunteers are always ready and happy to advise where we can. We would like to encourage caregivers to reach out through our Facebook page if they have any concerns at any point.

A few key points:

• Never do anything while wearing your baby in a sling that you would not do when carrying a baby in arms; e.g climb on a chair to reach something

• Keep a close eye on your baby's temperature and how the baby is dressed; lighter layers are best, with scope to add/remove as necessary. This includes the caregiver, heat is shared between you both.

• Although there is no time limit on the time that baby can spend in the sling, it is important to pay close attention to hunger cues and take regular breaks for nappy changes etc. Breaks for your own comfort and rest are equally important.

We at Babywearing Ireland will always advise you to follow the manufacturers’ guidelines (regarding weight limits and age of baby) that come with the product. We are also aware that some slings offer better positions than others and we will always try to guide you to what is best for the infant and caregiver.

Unfortunately, it is a fact that there are some slings in circulation which have been recalled for safety issues. We always try to inform our community of recalls, (thankfully quite rare) as and when they arise.

The main thing to remember is that we are all parents/caregivers and that is why we are in this community. We all want what is best for the most precious people in our world. We all started somewhere and we can all learn something new, even experienced babywearers

When we know better, we do better.

Take care and stay safe.

TICKS Guideline

Babywearing Ireland follows the TICKS Rule for Safe Babywearing devised by the UK Sling Manufacturers & Retailers Consortium.

Please also follow manufacture instructions and make sure the sling is in good condition. Babywearing is a useful parenting tool, however, parent observation is always required.

You might also check out our blog posts for more babywearing tips.