And the winner is.........

Apologies for the cruel cliffhanger at the end of the last post. It was obviously very mean but I simply couldn't resist keeping you all waiting for a little while longer!

Anyway without further ado, the winner of an Ellaroo Wrap, Ellaroo Mei Tai and a gorgeous Sakura Bloom Ring Sling is......................

Christmas Competition

We think we are still the victim of recent changes to Facebook and people are not seeing our updates (if you are a fan and haven't been seeing our status updates, go onto our page and click like or comment on a few statuses which should allow us to show in the future) as it seems a little odd that only 6 people wanted to win three slings. However, with only 6 entries, those that did enter had pretty good odds of winning a great prize. We thought randomly picking one entry was the fairest way to do it.

All Set For Winter

So far this winter there have not been the ridiculously low temperatures and snow that we had had by this time last year (although if you're in Scotland or the North you may have had some of the white stuff over the last couple of days) but a cold snap is bound to be just around the corner. Staying snug and protecting your precious cargo against the elements is something that concerns many parents while using a sling or carrier in the winter, and to help you stay warm we've increased our range of babywearing clothing with some fabulous products from Mamalila. While obviously being incredibly useful and practical accessories for babywearing, the real beauty of these babywearing coats is they can be used for many years meaning they are worth every penny!

Slinging Around the Christmas Tree....

.....it's our fabulous Christmas competition!

We have an incredible prize of three slings up for grabs:

• Ellaroo Wrap in Seattle medium
• Sakura Bloom Pure Ring Sling in Espresso
• Ellaroo Mei Tai in London

All you have to do to be in with a chance to win all three slings is:

1. Subscribe to our blog (log in to Blogger/Google and click 'Follow' at the top of the page)
2. Leave at least one product review on our website (go to the product page, click the Write a Review button and follow the instructions)
3. Finally complete the last line of the 12 Days of Christmas in a babywearing/sling theme - "On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me......." and post your answer as a comment under the competition status on Facebook. To give you an idea we have put our thinking caps on and come up with an example! (We know you can do much better!)

Beco Butterfly Restocked and NEW Beco Gemini

We now have the Beco Butterfly back in stock, including a new print 'Luna' (right) which is a lovely subtle print on Espresso. For people looking for something plainer we also have solid 'Metro Black' and 'Espresso'. The Beco Butterfly is a buckle carrier which is suitable from birth due to the removable infant insert which holds the baby higher in the carrier while still supporting them in the correct seated position. The infant insert also secures your baby inside the carrier, even when the waistbelt is open which means the carrier can be passed between parents without the need to remove the baby first! Will also carry toddlers up to 45lbs in a front or back carry. Supplied with a removable sleephood and chestbelt as well as comprehensive instructions in both booklet and DVD format.

Boba Carrier and Boba Wrap now in stock

We're having a busy week at Big Mama HQ! Lots of new stock has arrived - we've restocked some of our popular slings and carriers as well as introducing a new brand.

Boba Carrier in 'Tweet'

New to the Big Mama Slings range are two products from Boba. The Boba Wrap (formerly known as Sleepy Wrap) is a stretchy wrap style sling - easy to use, the perfect carrier for newborns and is guaranteed to keep your baby nice and snug (and you hands-free) in the coming months. Available in a range of six plain colours that will suit both mums and dads. The Boba 3G Classic Baby Carrier (right) is a buckle carrier which, unlike most buckle carriers, is suitable from birth (7lbs) without the need for a separate insert or accessory. Fabulously supportive, the Boba 3G has the same basic design of the original Boba Carrier that is so popular, but with a number of new features, including innovative foot straps to support the legs of older children, and is available in both patterned and plain designs.

Babyhawk Restocked and Huggalugs Bundles

We have had a delivery here at Big Mama HQ from across the pond and now have the three fabulous Babyhawk products - Babyhawk Mei Tai (available in 4 designs), Toddlerhawk Mei Tai (available in 1 design) and Babyhawk Oh Snap! (available in 2 designs) - back in stock.

The two Mei Tais are very popular and rightly so. With a fabric panel in wonderful prints but reversing to a plain carrier they offer versatility as well as being incredibly comfortable for parent and child. The Oh Snap! is one of the most adjustable buckle carriers we've seen - the ingenious buckle system on the waist belt makes it even easier to get a great fit for parents of a range of sizes.

Warning - Counterfeit Moby Wraps

In recent months there has been an increasing amount of fake slings and carriers sold online. These are often made with cheap, unsuitable materials which have not been safety tested, and also may contain toxins in the fabric which are harmful to your baby. We have received the following announcement regarding counterfeit Moby Wraps:

Brrrr.........

Back in stock in four lovely gender neutral colours (Charcoal, Black, Olive Green and Chocolate Brown), the Tricot-Slen Stretchy Wrap is gorgeously soft, and the cosy, supportive jersey cotton is perfect for keeping your little one snuggled up warm in the bitterly cold weather we are all having at the moment while still leaving you totally hands free. Suitable from newborn to minimum 6-9 months (depending on the weight of your baby) there are several possible carrying positions including breastfeeding. These are very popular so get yours quick!

The MaM Deluxe Babywearing Cover and the Mamajacket are both fabulous weapons against the cold and will keep you and your child toasty when slinging out and about. Or how about some Huggalugs which are a great extra layer on little legs either under trousers or over socks/tights for babies in slings, toddling little ones or even young children out playing in the snow.

New in Stock!!

Been a bit quiet on the blogging front recently so apologies for that. There have been some lovely new things arriving at Big Mama HQ recently with more on the way....

Firstly we have the Ergo Baby Carrier (right) back in stock. This was the first two shouldered carrier I owned when my now 6 year old was about 7 months old and it was used a lot so it was great to be able to give the new design a try. My only sling "baby" is two and a half but the padding and supportive waistbelt meant it was incredibly comfortable for a back carry.The new design of sleep hood is brilliant and seems to support their head really well and the strong snaps on the shoulder straps it fastens to make it feel secure and not likely to pop off if they wriggle in their sleep. Available in three practical colours with accessories coming soon.

Woven Wraps - what length?

The issue of wrap length is something that we get a lot of emails about and it does make the whole choosing dilemma that much harder. There are a couple of factors which you need to take into consideration when deciding which length to go for and, although there are no hard and fast rules, this can help you make the right choice.

• The size of the people who will be using the wrap (not the size of your child)
• The carrying positions you want to achieve
• How proficient you are with a woven wraparound sling

Hotslings Designer Adjustable Pouch - In Stock!

The Hotslings Adjustable Pouch is now available in four seriously gorgeous designer fabrics - Eye Candy, Ingrid, Kyoto and the very popular Sweet Pea (right) - to add a touch of glamour to your life. The wonderful new design has buckles tucked away in the fabric on the wearers shoulder which allow you to adjust the fit of the pouch making it suitable for parents of different sizes (fits sizes 2-5 in the standard Hotslings).

A great pop-and-go sling suitable from birth to toddler and they look fabulous!

Follow Big Mama Slings on Facebook for great deals and giveaways

We frequently have competitions and great deals available to our Facebook fans, so why not join us? As a fan you can also post your best babywearing photos.

Slings and Arrows

A great article from evolutionary archaeologist Timothy Taylor published in New Humanist magazine, showing the evolutionary context of slings as a baby carrying tool.

Slings and Arrows

Back in Stock

Few things have come back into stock recently including Sling Rings, the Ellaroo Mei Tai (right) and Calin Bleu Cool Cotton Baby Sling.

We also now have the incredibly popular Babyhawk Mei Tai back in stock in three gorgeous fabrics, hurry though, these fly out! Fully reversible so a pretty side for mum and a plain side for dads. Of course, in the interest of equal opportunities for all slings and gender equality, we have no problem with dads wearing pretty slings - in fact if you have a photo of a dad wearing a non-typical dad sling then do send it to us and we can put them on the blog!

Sling Safety

There has been recent press focus on the safety of baby slings, following a publication by the US Government Agency CPSC regarding the safety of 'bag-style' slings and incorrect positioning, which can be dangerous to small infants. We will shortly be releasing a safety statement ourselves in collaboration with other sling retailers and manufacturers, but in the meantime please be assured that none of the slings sold by Big Mama Slings are of the potentially dangerous 'bag-style'. If you have any concerns about the safety of your sling or would like to discuss any safety issues prior to purchasing a sling, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Press release by our US sling manufacturers

Short video by Meg Barry, Babywearing Educator, explaining which bag-style slings are to be avoided and how to position your baby properly in a sling

Back in stock!

It's been a crazy few weeks at Big Mama HQ! The business has moved premises so Big Mama has been very busy. Please check the new contact details on our Terms page. Email remains the same but phone number and address have changed.

Since the move we've had deliveries so new stock has been added to the site. We are restocked with the ever popular Connecta, including the standard model, Solarweave and the new Connecta Integra (left). Beautifully made in the UK and comfortable from birth to toddler.

For a bit of glamour and luxury in your life, Sakura Bloom Ring Slings are back in Essential Silk, Hana and Pure, including the very hard to find Pure Aubergine.

Also in our Buckle Soft Carriers section we have the Manduca Baby Carrier back in brown, and new from Babyhawk the Oh Snap! Baby Carrier a highly adjustable padded buckle carrier in some gorgeous fabrics.

More stock announcements soon!

Mamajacket - now in stock in Wine Red

We are huge fans of the stylish Mamajacket at Big Mama Slings; it is a great babywearing coat and wonderfully comfortable during pregnancy too, while being elegant and simple enough to use as a normal coat as well. And it is now available in a gorgeous wine red as well as the standard charcoal. This coat has been very popular, especially as a Christmas present, and we expect it to be even more so now!

Calin Bleu Clearance!

Big Mama Slings is offering a fantastic 30% off all Calin Bleu slings, including the new Designer Fleece in Silver. These UK designed and made slings are a wonderful birth to toddler carrying solution, whilst also being stylish and simple to use. Complete colour illustrated instructions are included with each carrier. The standard Microfleece Carrier is a wonderful new baby present for those parents expecting in the colder months.

Connecta Baby Carriers - 4 new fabrics in stock

The Connecta Baby Carrier is a beautifully designed UK-made product, and we are delighted to have the Connecta in stock at Big Mama Slings. Created by a talented mother of six, the Connecta blends modern features such as strong buckles and webbing with the ancient Mei Tai design, giving a carrier that is equally comfortable on the back or the front. Available in Blue Gothic Rose, Plain Black, Apples & Pears and Lacework.