Welcome to the LEIGHTON BUZZARD & DISTRICT NCT SLING LIBRARY!

THE LIBRARY IS CURRENTLY CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO COVID-19 SAFETY REGULATIONS

The Leighton Buzzard & District Sling Library is run by a group of volunteers and we hope to make our sessions and hires affordable for everyone.

We hold monthly meetings to allow parents or carers to see, discuss and test a different variety of slings. Dates for our meets will be posted as events in our Facebook page and are also available here, on the right hand side of this page. 

The library is open to any parents, carers or parents to be who wish to get more information about safe baby wearing or choosing a sling. We stock a wide range of slings and baby carriers that can be hired for a small fee (£10 for 1 month hire + £60 refundable deposit) or you can just try them on at one of our monthly meets. Please check the right hand side of this page or message us for more information.

You can find the slings we have available for hire in this site.

Please remember that you do not need to be an NCT member to use the library.

Click here to see our Terms and Conditions of hire

What is a Sling?

A baby sling is a piece of cloth that supports a baby or small child from a carer's body. The use of a baby sling is called baby wearing. There are various types of slings, some are soft structures, others hard structures or simply cloth. Soft or hard structured ones are often referred to as baby carriers.

There are lots and lots of different brands that make all sorts of baby carriers and prices can vary, as well as the types of body shapes and needs parents and babies can have, which makes the decision to find the perfect carrier a very difficult one. This is why the library has been set up, not only to inform and educate parents on the use of slings and the different types of slings suitable for different age babies, but also to allow them to try these for a period of time (usually about 2 weeks) before they can decide whether that particular carrier they would have chosen it is actually suitable and comfortable for them before they invest their money.

Why use a sling?

Good quality evidence on the effects of sling use is limited, though some of the benefits derived from skin-to-skin contact may apply. Skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth improves babies' temperature regulation, breastfeeding, weight gain and attachment. The close contact may allow parents to detect subtle discomfort cues so they can respond before crying begins. Comparative studies have shown that more holding and responsiveness is associated with less crying overall, although it did not affect colic.

For parents, slings offer a convenient way to carry your child, particularly in circumstances where a pram would not be suitable or you need your hands to be free, perhaps to see to older children, or just make yourself a snack and eat it in peace. Slings can also be used for discreet breastfeeding.

Click here for more info about slings and babywearing.

Sling Types at a Glance by EcoRoos is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.