29.03.2024

Sling backpack

The sling backpack is an ergonomic and convenient carry designed for small children. The product has wide straps, a reliable belt and a large number of various straps. Sling backpacks attract the attention of many women during pregnancy.

It is believed that sling backpacks are harmful to the child. The debate about this is likely to continue for many more years. But it’s enough to remember that the carrying of children with the help of a special bandage developed historically, long before the strollers appeared.

Despite criticism, being in a sling backpack is considered safe and physiological if all conditions are met. However, not all products for carrying and postures are equally well suited to all children.

Can I carry a newborn in a sling backpack?

Sling backpack is very convenient for a young mother, but, unfortunately, it is not intended for carrying a newborn. It is possible to carry a baby in this device only from the moment when he is 4 months old, his height will reach 68 cm, and weight – 7.5 kg.

A newborn will not be able to vertically hold the body in a backpack, his head will tip over, and the spine will bend incorrectly – all this can lead to serious consequences, for example, a violation of the blood supply to the brain. At the same time, the shape of the backpack is too large for the body of the newborn, and the slings and panties can harm the muscular and skeletal corset of the child. That’s why you should not rush things and use a sling backpack ahead of schedule.

At what age is better to use a sling backpack?

You can use a sling backpack from the age of four months, and until that time, sling scarves and sling belts are used. But it should be noted that this is the minimum age threshold, and this condition is suitable for those situations when a young mother is not able to carry her child in another way. In other cases, it is not recommended to rush – it is better to wait for the moment when the child gets stronger and learn to sit independently. This usually occurs in 6-7 months.

From the point of view of pediatricians, physiologists, and orthopedists, without prejudice to health, a sling backpack can be used from exactly 6 months, while the weight of the child should be at least 7.5 kg. In all other cases, an increased risk to children’s health remains.

Check if the child is ready to wear it in a sling device is easy enough. For this, the baby needs to be placed on a flat surface without any support behind his back. If the child continues to sit confidently and not fall, while holding the back and head evenly and does not shake it in different directions, it means that the muscles of his neck and back are strengthened enough so that he can sit in a sling backpack.

Use cases

Sling backpack is indispensable for those parents who love to travel. Also, a young mother will be able to do everyday activities without giving a serious load on the spine, and the child at this time will be in the backpack in the correct physiological position.

There are 3 main options for carrying children in a sling backpack.

The first position – face to face

In this position, the baby sits in the product face to face of the father or mother. In this case, you should definitely use a special insert for the neck. Otherwise, the child will get tired soon enough, because it will feel discomfort, and this is not surprising, because he will have to be upright for a long time without sufficient support on his neck and back. Special additional inserts should be included with the sling backpack.

This situation is good because the baby is not afraid and will not look through her eyes with her mother, seeing her at any moment in front of her. And mom herself will be able to observe his condition and mood, talk to him.

Position Two – Face Forward

In this position, the child is placed with his back to his mother, facing forward. The advantage of this position is that the child will have the opportunity to observe what is happening around him and to study the surrounding space. In this case, the baby will definitely be relieved of boredom. At the same time, his back and neck will rest on his mother, and he can always cling to her if he wants.

But constantly and for a long time to carry in this position a very small child is not recommended. From the point of view of specialists, in this case, the baby receives too high a mental load, feels insecure and not protected, his experiences can be compared with real stress. It is better to seat the child in this position from time to time, at home, and not in crowded places of a large number of strangers.

The third position – on the back

In this case, the child is placed behind my mother’s back. A young mother puts on a sling backpack like an ordinary backpack. The baby will have the opportunity to turn his head in different directions and hug his mother. The situation is the least convenient among all of the above, but it is most suitable for situations where a woman is shopping or her hands are busy with something else.

So that wearing a sling backpack does not harm the child, it is important to listen to the opinion of the orthopedist on this subject.

As soon as the child gains the required weight and is 4 months old, you can put him in a sling backpack vertically. It’s better to start with a face-to-face position with your parents. This is the safest wearing option, and it also provides excellent visual and physical contact between mother and baby. After the baby is 6 months old, you can occasionally put him in a position facing forward, so that he can begin to get acquainted with the outside world.

Breastfeeding is not an obstacle when carrying a baby in this device. In order to feed the baby, it is necessary to lower him to the required level, while maintaining uniform support for the baby’s body. The straps should not be weakened, since the load will go to the pelvic area and the lower section of the children’s spine.

What is the difference between a sling backpack and a kangaroo?

For some reason, most parents are sure that this is one and the same, and there is no difference between a sling backpack and a kangaroo. But this is an erroneous opinion. The design of these products is different.

The first criterion by which they cannot be compared is security. In a sling backpack for a child, a more physiological position is provided – his legs are divorced and slightly raised, the butt is lowered slightly lower, this position is considered the most correct from the point of view of orthopedists. In addition, in a sling backpack, the child is firmly pressed to his mother, and his weight is distributed evenly. A reliable wide belt of dense fabric and straps hold the baby’s center of gravity and allow mom to wear it with ease, without seriously loading the back. All this cannot be said about the kangaroo.

In the baby kangaroo backpack, the legs hang heavily, the knees are below the level of the priest, while the entire weight of the child is shifted down. This position is unacceptable for those children who have not yet learned to sit on their own. Most likely, they will not only be uncomfortable, but also hurt in this device.

Thus, no kangaroo backpack can be compared in mobility, comfort and convenience with a sling.

How to choose a sling backpack?

You need to choose a high-quality and convenient sling backpack, taking into account the main parameters of the child (age, weight and height), as well as the presence of the model’s ability to optimally support the spine. It should be borne in mind that in comparison with other means intended for carrying children, a sling backpack has the largest mass, which means that the load on the spine of young parents will be higher.

The next selection criteria are seasonal features. A backpack made of excessively dense fabric will turn out to be too hot for the child in the summer, but comfortable for the off-season, so it makes sense to look at two sling-packs at once for the warm and cold season.

Good models necessarily include in their structure a rigid belt that optimally supports the lower back of an adult, and wide straps that do not cut into the skin of the shoulders. Thanks to these criteria, the load on the adult’s spine is distributed more optimally, the back gets tired much less.

The back of the sling backpack should be soft inside and fairly wide in structure, which guarantees the correct physiological development of the child. The presence of a hood is also welcome. It fixes the head during sleep and helps protect against adverse environmental conditions.

Sling backpack is a baby carrier with a tight belt and wide straps. This design helps to maintain the natural position of the child while wearing and gives a minimum load on the back of a young mother. Sling backpacks are recommended for use from 4-6 months. If there are any problems using this device, it is most likely used before the recommended time, or the child is sitting in it incorrectly.

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