If you have spent any time on my Instagram or Facebook, you probably already know that I am a HUGE fan of babywearing. I want to wear ALL the babies, ALL the time (because – baby snuggles. Duh.)! I was recently given the chance to try out something new to me – a WATER sling!! Beachfront Baby sent me a gorgeous water ring sling for me to test drive with Lily. They do have wraps as well, but I went with the ring sling, as it is better for older babies. I would have loved a wrap when Lily was a newborn!
My Beachfront Baby Water Sling is Here!
Initially, I was super excited to try it…and then I got nervous. The thought of a baby in water, all wiggly and wet seems a little daunting to me, but I was excited to try it. Shipping (even to Canada) was ridiculously fast, and I ripped open the package to find my lovely new sling. There are SO many colours to choose from, and mine was even more vibrant in person than on the website.
When I first took the sling out, I went “GAH! I have to thread it myself!” Thankfully, it was so much easier than I thought – they send detailed instructions and it literally took me about four minutes. You do not need to re-thread it unless you wash it. They also have tutorials online to learn how to use it properly – Lily was snug as a bug in the sling in a matter of minutes following the video. Disclaimer – I have previously used ring slings so I wasn’t a total newb, but it was so easy to follow even if it is your first time. I was surprised at how soft and light the fabric is – and love that the rings aren’t plastic! As Lily is a bit older, we preferred the hip carry instead of the heart-to-heart.
Test-Drive on Land
So, because it’s March and I live in Canada, my test drive was obviously not going to be happening on a beach. I planned to try it in a few different ways – clothed around the house and running errands, in a pool, and in the shower.
My initial concern was that because it was mesh-like, it would stretch and sag, or slip right through the rings because it is soft. My concerns were totally invalid – you do get it nice and tight and it doesn’t slip through at all! I find that I do need to do one extra tug on the rails after baby gets settled, but after that you’re golden. I have worn her in it for looooong walks and plays at the park, going grocery shopping, and doing chores around the house and have had no problem at all. We were both comfortable and happy the entire time!
I think my absolute favourite thing about the sling (other than the fact that I can wear it in water) is the size of the fabric on your shoulder. It is so wide, going right from the top of my shoulder to down my arm a bit – it is so comfortable, especially because it is such a soft, breathable fabric.
The next test run of the Beachfront Baby water sling was unplanned – poor Lily came down with a bad cold, and she was so congested and stuffy. Like I usually do, I decided to give her a steam bath. I started stripping us both down to get ready for the heat and steam, when I saw the water sling and decided to use it. It was seriously a godsend – I know it’s not what it is marketed for, but it was worth every penny to have with a sick baby. It was good to test drive the heat factor as well – we were pretty sweaty (as expected!) but the sling allowed me to have her close and upright without holding a sweaty, wiggly baby and actually allowed for a lot of airflow. Baby-wearing win!
Sick Lily in the sling for a steam bath
Test-Drive in Water (gulp)
Next up were the test-drives I was a little apprehensive about – actually taking it in water. We went to an indoor pool to try it out – and I needed it to work because I had my three-year old with me too! In all honesty – in the pool was probably my favourite. She was able to swim and splash safely without me having an anxiety attack. She felt safe and secure the whole time, I didn’t worry once in the pool that she would slip or come loose. Added bonus that Lily figured out on her own – breastfeeding was a breeze. She was being carried on my hip so she was right at breast-level and just pulled down my bathing suit and helped herself when she was tired of splashing and playing. She loved being able to see everything that was going on and I didn’t have to try to hold onto a slippery baby!
The only place I didn’t love using the water sling was in the shower…and that was totally a personal thing. She still felt safe and secure, but I was pretty awkward trying to shower with the sling over my shoulder. If you have done it – any tricks or tips? I would love to be able to shower without waiting for her to nap or play on her own!
Another bonus when using it in the water was that it dries really fast. I just tossed it over a towel bar and it didn’t take long to dry at all.
All in all – total win for me! I wish I had it on vacation when Andrew was a baby! I am hoping to get a lot of wear out of it with Lily though, as you can use it from 7lbs-30lbs! I find I do reach for it a lot when I’m at home, as it is soft and comfy (I love the wide shoulder!!!), and can put her in and out in no time at all.
Are you interested in getting one of your own? Beachfront Baby is offering all Bawlers & Crawlers readers 10% off any item when you enter promo code bawlers2016.
Head to their website to check them out, and you can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube.
Happy (water) Babywearing!