Happy 1st International Babywearing Week!

To celebrate the 1st International Babywearing Week (12th to 18th November) we are offering 10% off all orders over the value of £10 placed from now until the 19th. This coupon is valid throughout the shop and can be used as many times as you like! Enter HAPPYIBW1 at checkout to receive your discount.

Happy Babywearing from all of us at Big Mama Slings.

Behind the Business - Scootababy

Scootababy have just released a new and updated version of their popular hip carrier, and we thought this would be a great time to focus on the brains behind this ingenious sling.

Audra Meng started the business, 'We officially launched in August 2007... however, the design and development of the Scootababy carrier had been in the works for a full year prior to that. I actually first started thinking about a fast and comfortable hip carrier when my first son was a baby (he is now almost five!). After my second son was born, I decided I had to figure out a way to make exactly what I wanted... and so Scootababy was born.'

Audra says 'The best thing about being in the sling business is helping a mom try on the carrier, and watching her eyes light up when she realizes how comfortable and easy it can be to babywear! Making things just a little bit easier, and helping parents get on with their day gives me great satisfaction. Having a baby is such a huge impact on your life -- I had no idea how much our lives would change. But babywearing helps you do all the things you would normally do -- run errands, shop, go on hikes. For me personally, it's been great fun learning the steps involved with setting up and running a business, particularly the manufacturing process.'

Audra is a keen babywearer and has used many different styles of carriers with her children: 'Any comfortable sling that promotes attachment and babywearing is a great sling! I'm a particular fan of ring slings for tiny babies, used in a reverse cradle position -- very handy for babies wanting to nurse a lot. I also love mei tais for back carries while hiking.'

Audra's top babywearing tip - 'Bring baby's weight in closer to your body as much as possible -- this makes it more comfortable for you. And make sure baby is in a sitting position, with knees up above his/her bottom -- this makes it comfortable for baby! And please always keep baby's safety in mind when babywearing.'

Probably the most beautiful pouch in the world...

Hotslings have just released this beautiful new pouch, just in time for summer. Called 'Kyoto' it features a subtle asian-inspired print which is feminine without being too girly. We love it and hope you will too! In stock in sizes 1-5, other sizes available on request.

Beco Butterfly Baby Carrier - Back in Stock

Following the recent buckle upgrade by Beco Baby, we now have our first shipment of the new Butterfly carriers in stock featuring the improved hardware on the carrier. This carrier is a great choice for small babies up to toddler and has a unique inner harness which holds your baby safely in the carrier. Available in a choice of four fabrics: Ava (pictured), Isabella, Solid Black and Jack. Stocks are limited and as Beco Baby are changing their fabrics monthly we advise grabbing one while you can.

Sakura Bloom Ring Slings - Hana and Pure Ranges now in stock

Sakura Bloom are known for their beautifully simple ring slings, offered in a range of natural fabrics and colours. The shoulder design is especially comfortable for carrying older babies and suits most parents, whilst the fabrics used are so comfortable and supportive that even the heaviest toddlers can be carried with ease. Big Mama Slings have now added to our existing range of luxury slings offered by Sakura Bloom to offer you the Hana and Pure ranges - both still as carefully made with the same attention to detail and lovely fabrics, but featuring more simple designs. The Pure range is also suitable for both parents, making it a great choice for a family sling. All silk and linen slings are also very comfortable in the hotter weather.

Sakura Bloom are also offering a wonderful chance to win a set of the slings - simply purchase one of the Ring Slings through the website and you will automatically be entered in the competition by us.

Competition Details:

Purchase a Sakura Bloom baby sling between April 1 - May 11, 2008 and you are automatically entered to win an entire baby sling wardrobe vlaued at £580. The baby sling wardrobe consists of 4 Sakura Bloom baby slings:

• 1 baby sling from our pure or hana collection
  
• 1 baby sling from either our linen simple or linen essential collections
  
• 1 baby sling from either our silk essential or artisan collections
  
• 1 baby sling from our tussah luxe collection

Calin Bleu Limited Edition Gauze Slings in Stock

Big Mama is delighted to be able to offer these delicious gauze slings from Calin Bleu. Available in the 'crinkly gauze' fabric and batch dyed for a beautifully rich colour, these 4.3m wraparounds are a must for all fans of light-weight slings. Even the contrast stitching is a wonderful dark burgundy, adding a special extra touch. As with all Calin Bleu slings, a colour booklet is provided which shows step-by-step how to get the most out of your baby sling.

Rose Silk Millefiori Didymos Wraparound Sling now in Stock

Big Mama has a very small amount of the Size 6 length Didymos Silk Millefiori in a very spring-like pink in stock for immediate shipping.

New Babyhawk Designs in Stock

We've just had a delivery of Babyhawk Mei Tai Carriers with some lovely new designs, as well as restocking the popular Cathedrals on Natural combination which is a summer bestseller for us. We were so taken with the new Mod Sakura fabric (pictured) that we have stocked it in both the natural and charcoal straps. Perfect for summer!

Clearance Sale of Slings and Carriers - More Stock Added

We've added a few more designs which are being discontinued to our Clearance Sale, in addition to the remaining end of season items we have left. The following items are still available in very limited quantities and are not being restocked:

• Little Gems Mothering Necklaces
• Zolowear Pouches
• Zolowear Jade Lite Ring Sling
• Zolowear Cotton Sling - Limited Fabrics including Organic Berry, Sustainable Sable and Organic Stone
• Beco 4th Generation Accessories
• Hotslings Detachable Pocket - Limited Fabrics

The following items are still available in seasonal clearance at fantastically reduced prices:

• Wool Babylegs
• Supersoft Babylegs
  

Hotslings Baby Pouch - Spring 2008 Prints Now Instock

Hotslings Baby Pouches are one of our bestselling ranges, and rightly so. We have sold Hotslings for many years now and watched them grow from a small business to one of the most successful baby carrier businesses around. All Hotslings pouches now come with DVD instructions as well as an illustrated how-to booklet, all neatly packaged in a handy storage bag. Hotslings are a wonderful birth to toddler option, as they pack up so small and can be stashed in your changing bag or under your pushchair for that 'carry me NOW' moment all parents know so well. How often have you tried to hold on to your baby in one arm while steering your pushchair precariously with the other? Hotslings pouches are the answer!

We're delighted with the Spring 2008 range from Hotslings, featuring NYC - a subtle and stylish print; Full Bloom - gender neutral yet pretty enough for dressing up; La Vie en Rose (pictured left) - dark pinks and browns for a sophisticated look and Parisian Blue Hemp for those looking for a greener choice.

New Napsack Colours Now Instock

We're delighted to offer the popular Napsack Mei Tai in solid chocolate Java and Khaki, reversing to solid black (pictured left). Both colours are offered in the same comfortable yet sturdy twill and come complete with illustrated instruction booklet. These carriers are a great choice for newborns and for babies who like being carried on the front.

Behind the Business - Calin Bleu

Calin Bleu is a family-run business based in Scotland, manufacturing wraparound baby carriers. Anne Dhir is the brains and creative energy that has driven Calin Bleu from small eBay-based beginnings to one of the top UK sling manufacturers in less than 4 years.

Anne started Calin Bleu after the birth of her first child. She wanted to carry her child in a wraparound sling and started making her own wraps; positive comments from friends and family encouraged her to make her slings to sell. She has now refined her range to a lightwight yet supportive gauze and a super-comfortable microfleece, available in a range of fashionable colours. Anne is particularly attached to the microfleece wrap ' They are so expensive to make that we hardly make any money on them. But I HAD to have one for our little boy who was born last August. In order to have one I had to order hundreds so here we go! They are so soft and snug and light. On a more practical level, I also love them because they are easy to use and can help parents discover the joy of wrapping.'

Although business has grown since launching her website in 2005, Anne has still managed to launch Sling Meet in conjunction with Stephanie French, Zolowear's UK sales rep. Sling Meet is a unique forum for parents to join up with sling users in their neighbourhood. The site now has many groups who meet regularly throughout the UK and Ireland, and as Anne says 'I feel a bit of a sling matchmaker, helping parents find other parents who use slings in their area. They can try a sling before they buy, get some help to find a more comfortable fit with their carrier, get some tips on carrying baby on their back... Meet new friends and share a nice cup of tea with other mums who have a shared interest.' Sling Meet has been of great benefit to the sling-wearing community and this is mainly thanks to Anne's efforts!

Anne's passion for helping parents be attached to their babies is clear when you ask her what the best bit of her business is: 'The most precious moments of running a sling business is helping a mum use her baby carrier, you can see her face light up, it's so comfortable, I can't feel her weight, dancing around, look I've got my hands free! I wish I had one of those for my first child. I'll have to tell my friend about it. And this morning, I was stopped by a mum when I dropped off my daughter at pre-school, her friend had a Calin Bleu wrap sling and loved it. It made my day!'

Anne's top sling tips:

Take your time. You didn't learn to bike in one-go, it's the same thing with slings.
High and Tight. Most parents who find their sling uncomfortable are wearing it way too loose. Remember, baby is at kiss level (bend your head to kiss their forehead) and wear it tight. If it sags after a while, it's because you haven't tighten your sling enough.

Supersoft Babylegs - What Are They?

Babylegs leg warmers for babies and toddlers have been on the market for some time now, and are one of our best sellers. We recently added the Organics range in a gorgeous choice of colours too; these are a blend of organic cotton and stretch materials. Supersoft Babylegs are a wonderful addition to the Babylegs range and we are highlighting them in our sale at the moment to introduce more parents and babies to them.

Made of 100% polyester, these baby leggings are longer, stretchier and much softer than their original cousins. They are an ideal choice for chunkier babies and older toddlers, and can even fit adults! Their softness is their biggest selling point; our two year old reaches for these leggings over any others and in fact uses one of them as her comforter! Available in Navy, Cream, Lollipop, Flames and the ever-popular Rainbow, there's a Supersoft to suit all tastes and outfits.

Currently available at the fabulous price of £5.50 for a limited time

Why use baby leggings?

• Keeps legs warm in slings and carriers
• Great for EC
• Makes potty training and nappy changes so much easier
• Looks fabulous and very cute!
  

Babyhawk Mei Tai Back in Stock

We've just received a shipment of Babyhawk Mei Tai - included were Kimono Cathedral (our best selling print), Carnival and two new fabric choices: Plum Sakura and Rio Stripe (pictured). Babyhawk Mei Tais are one of our best selling soft carriers and have proven to be very popular in the UK. If your child is now a toddler we also offer the Toddlerhawk, perfect for those bigger kids who like to nap in ther carrier. We also still have some Babyhawk Deluxe in stock; these Mei Tai are lined with minkee fabric for added luxury.

Organic Moby Wraparound Baby Slings Now In Stock!

We are delighted to offer the Moby Organic Wrap, available in a lovely neutral undyed cotton colour. This wrap is sure to appeal to those parents who are looking for the most natural products possible for their baby, and the price is in our opinion excellent for an organic product. Moby Wraps are deservedly popular with parents of newborns.

Choosing the Right Sling for You and your Family

We often get emails and phone calls from customers who are overwhelmed with the choice of baby slings and carriers on the market. Choosing a product you haven't used before is always daunting, especially when you are a new parent and want to ensure you make the best choice for your family.

Baby slings have been around since the beginning of time in some form or another; as our babies are born in a relatively helpless state humans have had to devise ways of transporting their young while carrying on with their day to day tasks. Nowadays, even though we are 'blessed' with all manner of gadgets and conveniences, parents realise very fast that keeping your baby attached to you is a very easy solution to coping with the addition of a new family member. Over the past five years the baby sling market has grown fast, with new manufacturers appearing almost daily.

Many sling companies are small; this limits the amount of products they can make and means that you can only buy them in specialist sling shops as they cannot supply major chains with the volume needed. However there are brands who are moving into high-street shops which spreads the word that there are some great, comfortable and attractive options available to the new parent looking for a sling. We are often asked why slings aren't more readily available, particularly as parents want to be able to see and try on slings before spending their money; we usually recommend Sling Meet. If you are in Bristol or North London you can also visit BORN who stock a nice range of slings.

If you do decided to purchase a sling online, there are several specialist sling shops selling almost every type of baby sling being produced. You can also buy slings off ebay but do pay particular attention to the quality of the product you purchased; if in doubt please ask the seller before buying. There are several reputable sellers on ebay who will happily answer your questions.

Purchasing a sling from Big Mama is very easy; we are happy to answer any pre-sale questions and have a customer-friendly returns policy. Our consultants are available to chat online as well, just click on the Live Chat box on our site. We have put together a comprehensive page on choosing your sling as well.

We will be adding some in-depth articles on choosing slings for different age and need groups shortly, which should hopefully be helpful.

Rockin' Baby Pouches Now In Stock

We've just added the Rockin' Baby Adjustable Baby Pouch to our range of slings; after nearly four years of selling their popular ring slings we are delighted to have these fabulous pouches in stock too. Currently we are stocking the Small/Medium size which does fit a large range of sizes; if you do require a different size you can always request one through us.

So - how do they work? A nifty zipper system allows you to find the perfect size for you. The first time you try your sling on there may be some adjusting involved but after that, it's just pop on and go. Like most pouches, these fold up small and are incredibly convenient for toddlers who want to walk, then be carried, then walk, then be carried....

All Rockin' Baby products are designed and manufactured in the US.

Beco Butterfly Recall Information

Beco Carriers has recently issued a recall through the US recall system of Beco Carriers sold in January and February 2008. If you have purchased an affected carrier and have not been contacted by the company you purchased it from please email them right away and stop using your carrier until further notice.

The official recall notice can be seen at on the Beco Carrier site