Available Slings

After the recent NWA Boutique Spring Show, here are the slings that I still have available. Until I get my Etsy shop up and running, please just send me an email if you are interested in any of these or a custom sling.

Next Event

With the delay in the CPSIA testing requirements, I will continue to make and sell Little Goose Baby slings until I am no longer able to. In fact, I plan on participating in the upcoming spring edition of the NWA Boutique Show. This spring's show will be held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Springdale. The date is Saturday, April 25th. I will post additional details and the website as it becomes available.

I am so excited, as the event in the fall was quite successful. My husband and I are expecting our second baby within days of the show, but I feel confident that I will be able to be in attendance for most of the day. You'll also get to see some additional products for babies and children that are hand-crafted by my mother -- details to come...

NWA Boutique Show

I've been invited to participate in the NWA Boutique Show on November 15. See the website for directions and times. This is going to be a very exciting event! The products that will be offered by the 25 vendors are geared mostly toward moms and moms-to-be. Admission is free, and it's the perfect time to get gifts for Christmas. Don't miss it!

Video: Tummy to Tummy Carry (Hip Carry Variation Described)

Here's another very popular newborn to toddler carry. I use this hold for both my newborn niece and my 2-year-old daughter. To accomplish this hold, prepare the sling by positioning the rings at "corsage height" and loosening the rails enough to form a pouch. The inner rail should be close to your body, and the outer rail should be pulled out and down. For a newborn or young baby, place the baby up against your chest/inner rail of the sling as you would normally hold the baby in an upright position (usually a newborn's legs "frog up" and a young baby's legs may straddle your body or bend and cross "indian style"). Next, pull the outer rail up the back of the baby over the shoulders for a newborn, or under the shoulders for a young baby with better head control. Use the tail of the sling to tighten the body of the pouch and then the individual rails. The tail is useful in this carry to block sun, rain, light, or too much action.

To use this carry with an older baby or toddler, instead of having the inner rail against your body, thread both of the child's legs through the sling, and position child with legs straddling your middle. Pull the inner rail up under the child's knees and the outer rail up to the child's armpits. Tighten both rails - the snugger the child is to your body, the more comfortable this carry will be. A variation of this carry for older babies with good body control (around 6 months) and toddlers is for the child to be positioned on your hip instead of on your front. The legs should still be straddling your middle, and everything else is the same. Be aware that many babies and toddlers being carried in this position will arch their backs and throw back their heads. While the baby is not likely to fall completely out of the sling if the inner rail is snug under the knees, it is quite startling for everyone and should be watched for.

As always, for your comfort and security, the bottom of the pouch should be no lower than your belly button, and the baby should be pulled snugly against you. And please observe all safety precautions.

Wearing Twins

I get asked a lot about how to use a sling with twins. While I personally do not have experience wearing twins, I do know that it makes things easier on parents and caregivers to be able to wear one baby while having both hands free to care for the other one. That's where I would start. The following links have additional information on how to wear two at a time using ring slings and other types of carriers.


http://www.thebabywearer.com/articles/HowToO/Twins.htm
http://www.mamatoto.org/Default.aspx?tabid=77
http://www.babyzone.com/Community/Posts.asp?tpc=12154497&brd=945

Video: Newborn Cradle Carry (Feet at Rings)

This carry is one of the most popular holds for a newborn, and it can be adapted as the child grows. It's a perfect position for discreet and hands-free breastfeeding. To prepare to use this hold, be sure that you are in a safe location (not in the middle of a parking lot where you might be hit, for example), and observe all other safety precautions. Position your ring sling so that the rings are at "corsage height" or slightly higher as it will probably slip down as you adjust the tail. With the inner rail pulled up against your stomach below your chest, open the pouch by loosening the tail and pulling the outer rail away from your body. Insert the baby's feet first a few inches away from the rings and closer to your body within the pouch. Always keep your arm around and under the baby until he or she is completely secure in the sling. As you ease the baby into the pouch, pull the outer rail up around the baby while maintaining several inches of the inner rail between you and the baby. The baby should be lying at an angle across the pouch of the sling, with the feet closer to you and the head closer to the outer rail. This positioning keeps the rails from coming up over the baby's head, which usually causes them to feel closed in and uncomfortable. While using your arm to lift the baby slightly to reduce tension on the rings, pull the tail of the sling out and down to tighten the pouch. The bottom of the pouch should be no lower than your belly button, and the baby should be positioned close to your chest. Finally, find the sides of the tail that correspond to the inner and outer rails and pull to secure the sling for comfort and safety. To conveniently breastfeed your baby in this position, simply lower the inner rail close to your breast, position the baby at the breast, and use the tail of the sling as a cover. It will take some practice to figure out the best way to secure the sling for comfortable, hands-free breastfeeding.

As the baby grows, you may find it more comfortable for him or her to have one or both feet sticking out of the pouch over either the inner or outer rail. This position continues to be great for breastfeeding as long as you need it.

Elizabeth and her daughter Rebekah kindly modeled all of the newborn carry holds.

Craft Fair

Some friends and I have put together a booth at a local craft fair. The area where I live is famous around the country for the fall arts and crafts festivals that are held here every year. I have put a couple dozen ring slings in the booth along with another dozen doll slings that are sized for toddlers and children to carry baby dolls and stuffed animals in.
It's been a lot of work putting everything together, and I really hope that we all do well. I know that everything that we have is super cute!