Are you wondering about getting a sling for your new baby? Maybe you already have a carrier, but you feel it’s not right for the age of your child and you’d like to try another. Maybe you’ve had one recommended by a friend, but it’s more than you wanted to spend and you’re reluctant to pay out.

The thing about slings and baby carriers is they’re a bit like jeans. There are lots of brands and styles out there, some cheaper than others, some worth the investment – but also some, where you’re paying for a label but actually they’re pretty uncomfortable. When you buy a pair of jeans, you need to try them on, regardless of what size it says it is – you know they’re all different, and will probably end up not buying the ones you picked up first.

But where and how can you try on a sling before buying it? One answer, and still one of the best kept secrets in many areas, is a sling library.

I’ve heard of a Sling Library, what is one?

The word ‘library’ conjures up an image of a silent, formal space. Believe me, a sling library is neither formal nor silent!

You may find a sling library attends one of your local baby/toddler groups, or it may be at a local café or soft play area. You will find a collection of different types and styles of baby slings and baby carriers, available to hire. You may be able to browse the carriers by yourself, and/or you can ask a babywearing consultant or babywearing peer supporter for some guidance.

The idea is that you get to see a whole range of baby carriers, not usually available in the shops. Even if you’re intending to buy online, visiting a sling library can save you time and money, as you can try on carriers, before committing to buy. Even if you’re lucky enough to have shops like John Lewis, Mothercare, JoJo Maman Bebe close to you, they’re not going to be very pleased if you take all the carriers out their boxes and insist on trying them all on. They’re also not going to let you return the carrier once you’ve used it.

You can hire the carriers from a sling library for a small fee and most libraries will either ask for a deposit or a membership fee, just to cover the risk of damage or the sling going missing. Hiring a sling will help you to find out how easy a carrier is to use, and how comfortable it is – a trial period before you decide if that’s the sling you want.

Is a sling library run by the council? Do they make a profit?

These are privately run, and nothing to do with the council. Some are run as not-for-profit organisations, and any money raised from the hires will go back in to buying more carriers, and paying for the venues. Sometimes the babywearing consultants will be paid a small amount, but mostly they work on a voluntary basis for the reward of helping people and sharing the love!

Some sling libraries are run alongside babywearing consultancy business and baby carrier retail businesses. Whatever type of organization, hire fees are small and the nominal amount of money raised through fees and membership will just help to keep the library running, and keep the slings clean and safe. Where a sling library is linked to a profit-making business it is likely that the sling library benefits from a small investment from the commercial side of the business, and may be able to have more newer carriers within the hire stock.

So who runs a sling library?

Sling libraries will normally be run by parents who have used slings with their own children. A sling library can be run by babywearing peer supporters who have taken a basic training course, or babywearing consultants who have undertaken more training and are experts in the field. Larger sling libraries will have a few consultants and a few peer supporters.

What can I expect at a sling library?

A sling library is normally a drop-in session. However for busier larger libraries, you may need to book a time-slot in advance, so do contact your library before turning up to ensure you don’t have a wasted trip. It’s a good idea to get there well in advance of the end of the session, so you have enough time before they need to pack up. Allow at least 20-30 minutes to find a sling and arrange a hire.

You may be able to browse the slings yourself, or you can ask one of the peer supporters or consultants for some help. They will guide you towards suitable slings, give you pro’s and con’s for the carriers, and can demo them for you. Depending on the library and how busy it is, you may need to put your name on a list and wait your turn, so take some cash for a coffee, relax, feed your baby and chat to the other mums and dads waiting with you.

Do I have to pay?

There may be an entry/advice fee:

• Some sling libraries will ask for a small entry fee, which covers the sling consultant’s time, and may go towards the cost of hiring the venue and may also pay for a hot drink. If the sling library is attending a baby group that has an entry fee then you will be expected to pay for entry to the group.
• Some sling libraries offer a membership scheme, where you can pay a one-off or regular fee, and benefit from lower hire fees, and lower or no deposit.
• Some sling libraries may ask for a small fee if you are taking your own carrier along and not intending to hire from them. This is just to cover the cost of the time spent with you.

You will also need to pay a fee for sling hire. This can be around £5-£15 for 1 or 2 weeks, or more for longer hires.

There is usually also a deposit to pay. This covers the cost of damage or a sling getting lost. The cost varies between libraries and can be different for different slings. Bear in mind though that if you have paid no deposit or just a small one, if a repair or a replacement carrier is needed following some mishap while in your care and the deposit you’ve paid is not enough to cover expenses, you may be invoiced once the carrier is returned. Sometimes the deposit is waived if you are able to pay with a card – and again be aware the cost of any damage/loss to a hired sling can be charged to your card.

Free stretchy hire:

• Some sling libraries will hire stretchy and newborn slings for free for low income families. Do check in advance if such a scheme exists in your area, and whether you would qualify.

Should I stay for the whole library session?

There’s no need to stay longer than you want to. You will usually be able to get a coffee and your baby/toddler can play while you chat to other mums and dads. It can be nice to go with a friend so you have someone to wait with; it can be nice to make new like-minded friends and maybe arrange to meet there regularly; or it can be equally as nice to take a book and relax by yourself while your baby sleeps. But if you’re in a rush, you need to leave because your baby needs to nap or feed, or the social side of these events is not for you then do not worry. No-one is going to mind what you do or how long you stay for!

My baby is due be taking a nap at the time of the sling library, do I need to wake him?

Sling libraries will have weighted dolls you can use to mimic the size and feel of a real baby in a baby carrier. These are a great way to practice with a new carrier, and it saves putting your own baby in and out of multiple carriers while you find one you like. So no, you don’t have to wake or upset a sleeping baby. Your baby can rest on a blanket or in the play area, in your buggy, or it can be helpful to bring someone with you to hold the baby when needed. Peer supporters and consultants are also pretty willing volunteers for holding babies!

Where do I find my local sling library?

The place to look first is The Sling Pages map. Google is your friend too! Or ask in your local parenting group on Facebook. Another good place is NetMums, where you can search in your local area for ‘Sling Libraries & Support’. You could also ask any sling library you find if they know of any more closer to you, and they should be able to find out for you.

I can’t get to the sling library – what can I do?

It’s still worth getting in touch with your local sling library. You may find they can offer appointments outside of the published library times, or you may be able to arrange a hire and pick it up or have it dropped off to you. You may be able to book a virtual session via video call.

There is no sling library near me – what can I do?

Some sling libraries offer postal hires. Some retailers offer ‘try before you buy’ incentives. You may be able to book a virtual session via video call.

Here is our own sling library, bookable online and slings are available to pick up from BN27 or can be posted.

I didn’t get long enough at the sling library to try everything – can I come again?

Sure, there’s no reason why you can’t go to every sling library session until you have literally tried on and hired everything. Your babywearing peer supporters and consultants can help you with which carriers might be more suitable than others. It is a very personal thing and it can take some time to find out what you like about a carrier and what you don’t like, and you may want to do a few hires before you find a carrier you love. You may also want to come back when your baby is a bit older as your needs will change as your baby grows.

I didn’t get long enough at the sling library to try everything – it was really frustrating

If you would rather, you can book a private consultation with a babywearing consultant. This would give you a longer session, dedicated to you and your family’s needs, to explore many more options. These are invaluable if there are additional health or developmental needs, but anyone can book a private session and benefit from the expertise of a babywearing professional. Your consultant may also offer workshops or masterclasses, if there is something in particular you want to learn and practice in a dedicated space with others. Or they may be willing to set up a workshop for you and some friends with similar age babies to spread the cost of a consultation between several couples. Follow up with your sling library to see what other options they can offer you.

What’s in the Terms and Conditions of Hire?

All sling libraries should have terms and conditions of hire, but are you going to have time to read this when you’re in the middle of a busy library session? – probably not. Standard clauses include:

• Don’t smoke while wearing the carrier
• Keep the carrier away from pets
• Don’t wash the carrier – this may come as a surprise as you’ll want to look after it and keep it clean. However if the carrier is damaged in the washing machine you will probably end up having to pay extra. Most sling libraries like to know what their carriers are washed with, and use only skin-kind and eco products, and would rather do this themselves. If you have a disaster with poo or sick that does need to be cleaned up sooner rather than later then contact your library to find out how they would like you to wash it. You can spot-clean the carrier; some libraries may also provide drool pads to help protect the carrier from dribbly babies.
• Your deposit/membership covers damage or the sling going missing, but you may be liable to pay extra if the deposit is not enough to cover costs if the sling needs replacing or repairing – so look after it!
• Return the sling on time. If you return the sling after the expected return date, you may need to pay ‘late fees’ plus additional hire fees. Keep in touch with your library if you are not going to be able to return the carrier as planned.
• Read the sling instructions before use, and only use the carrier in a way shown in the instructions or shown to you by a slings professional.
• Don’t lend the carrier to anyone else while it is on loan to you.

Where can I buy a carrier from?

Your sling library may retail the carrier you have hired – so do ask. They may be able to offer a loyalty discount if you have hired from them, which can save you more money than you can get by shopping around (and it also saves you time and effort too!), and if there are any problems with the carrier then you have a friendly face and a real person to deal with, not a computer.

Even if your sling library doesn’t retail the sling you are after, they should be able to refer you to a trusted retailer, and may be able to pass on a discount to you – again, it’s worth asking!

Amazon and eBay can be tricky places to buy from, here’s a blog I wrote about buying from these sites/apps.

Need to know anything else?

Our sling library sessions are running virtually, slings can be picked up from BN27 or can be delivered.