Babywearing

So with this pregnancy I have been thinking a lot about babywearing. I liked the idea when I was pregnant with Chase but it never seemed really necessary so I didn't do it very often.

When I did use a sling, I used this one:

It worked well for infants (Chase was all of a few weeks when I used it) and it was ridiculously simple.

Then there was a recall on it... blamed in the death of an infant. I checked the tags and mine wasn't actually part of the recall. It was either the model after or before but this particular one wasn't part of the recall. Still, in my head I couldn't get past the idea that a baby died in a sling so similar so I stopped using it. I tossed it in a bin and forgot about it.

A few months ago Adam and I did a purge session at our house and I tossed it in a giveaway pile along with some other odds and ends baby stuff. I didn't even think twice about it.

A week ago, I was at a friends house who had started using a similar style sling with her second baby. She abruptly stopped using it when she heard about the total and complete recall on all of these pocket style slings. Apparently the positioning of the chin on chest for the baby lead to 2 more infant deaths.

3 beautiful babies lost their lives in this sling. My heart drops just typing that sentence.

And I put Chase in that sling... must shake off the guilt....

She went on to tell me that they were offering a very nice replacement sling... or they had other items if you were spoiled on the babywearing idea... which I am most definitely not.

This is the sling they are offering:

It's very similar to a Mei Tai Wrap which I have always liked.

Oh well... guess I missed the boat on that one.

The next morning I was at MOPS. It had been a rushed morning to say the least and I was more than a little frazzled by the time I sat down. I look over to the swap table and what do I see poking out from the top of a box? A black toile sling just like the one I used to have. Weird.

I didn't feel comfortable taking the sling and claiming it as my own just so I could get the replacement sling so I relaxed in my chair and started talking with someone.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe it was my sling... I had given a lot of stuff away and I had given some to the church (as well as Goodwill and other places). So I went over the box to poke around and immediately recognized some stuffed animals and other odds and ends as stuff I had donated. Then I opened the sling and sure enough... there were a whole bunch of knit caps that I had tucked in there when I donated it!

It was my horrible awful recall sling! I was ecstatic!

As soon as I got home I checked the website to be sure they were in fact recalling this sling and low and behold... they were!

I submitted my claim, printed the form and sent in my sling! In a few weeks I should have a brand new sling to use with lil bean!

Now I have my ring sling (used extensively on our SF trip), a handmade Moby wrap (thanks to my friend Danielle's instruction!) and soon a Mei Tai wrap! I'm ready to wear this baby!

Oh and the replacement sling comes with:

Score!