The Sling Lady

The new patterns of Hotslings Adjustable Pouches have started to roll in! We just received an infusion of designer prints, including Black Ecru, Sweet Pea, Kyoto (above), Eye Candy and Ingrid.

Anyone remember the excitement in the babywearing world when Sarah Palin was photographed signing documents while wearing baby Trig in a sling?  That was the Ingrid Hotsling!  Whether you love or hate her, I think it’s pretty cool when an influential woman makes statement like that!  Check her out:

and here:

You just don’t see a lot of other political moms taking their kids to work like that!

When I heard Hotslings was debuting a new Adjustable Pouch at the ABC Expo last month, I was intrigued.  A great adjustable pouch is a beautiful thing – you don’t need to worry about getting the sizing just right, which is great for post-partum and also means you can share it with other people who may want to wear your child.  Plus, it’s also nice to be able to make your pouch a little bigger or smaller to accommodate breastfeeding, heavy clothes, etc.   It must be hard to do, though, because many adjustable pouches have gone by the wayside, including an effort by Maya Wrap.  People have tried snaps, zippers, buttons, velcro and probably a whole lot of other ways to get some adjustability going, with varied success.  So, I was curious to see what Kristen De Rocha, Hotslings’ owner and founder, had come up with.

After seeing the new slings at ABC and then receiving my first batch, I think she’s onto something!  These pouches are super adjustable, come in cute patterns, and are comfortable to boot!  Unlike other adjustable pouches (including one of my favorites, the Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Pouch), you can adjust the carrier with baby inside and also you can tweak both rails separately, so that with this pouch, you get a lot of the adjustability of a ring sling but with the ease and poppability of a pouch.  This pouch cupped my shoulder quite nicely so I didn’t even miss being able to do a shoulder flip.  It’s also got leg padding on both sides so that you can easily switch shoulders without worrying which side the padding is on.

The new Hotslings Adjustable Pouches compress down quite small and come in their own little backpack for easy transport.  You can use the backpack separately as well.

My only quibble with the Hotsling AP is that it is definitely less sleek looking than the standard Hotslings.  The ruched fabric and straps hanging down on my shoulder are a little busy for my taste.  Since my KKAFP fits me so well, I can have the ease of a pouch without the extra baggage on my shoulder.

That being said, the Hotslings AP is a great option for anyone looking for an adjustable pouch in cute fabrics that can be used year round.

Shop Hotslings Ajdustable Pouches here.

More and more, we are seeing baby carriers featured in mainstream magazines, as a growing population of parents realizes how essential a good sling or pack carrier is to modern parenting.  The March 2009 issue of Pregnancy Magazine article “Away We Go” features Hotslings and the ERGO baby carrier as top picks in the baby carrier category, and I say: “right on!”  Both of these carriers are fantastic choices for moms and dads looking for the best options out there.