Today's giveaway is from Upa Lala a company founded by talented mama, Brittan. Upa Lala makes durable handmade ring slings from designer cottons and natural linens. They also make Eco-Bags which are a practical, machine washable alternative to plastic bags. They were kind enough to send me the linen sling in ocean and slate shown in the demo below. I'd never used a ring sling before but quickly learned that for newborns it's pretty much indispensable.
Carrying a newborn in a safe, secure way whether on the go or around the house is not an easy task. When using a carrier, secure positioning as well as the pressure exerted on your baby's spine need to be considered and Upa Lala slings, when used properly, addresses both. It's also a wonderful comfort for both mom and baby. I love having Alexandria swaddled securely against my chest and it helps keep her calm and sleeping peacefully. I can nurse her easily by loosening the rings and moving her down a bit, and the extra fabric makes an excellent nursing cover. I was also impressed by the quality of the fabric which gets compliments every time I go out, not to mention the durability of the stitching. I'm pretty sure you could carry 5 bowling balls in this thing!
How to enter to win a sling of your choice:
1) Visit Upa Lala and click the Facebook like button on your favorite sling
2) Like the Upa Lala Facebook page
3) Last but not least, leave a comment below. A winner will be chosen from the comments at random at the end of the week!
4) Additional Entries: For 2 additional entries, you can also tweet about the giveaway and/or sign up for the Upa Lala newsletter here. (Just let me know that you've done so in your comment below)
So here's a demonstration of a safe and comfy hold for a newborn:
1. Position the sling so that the rings are on the shoulder of the hand you use (i.e. right shoulder if you are right handed) then place baby tummy down on the opposite shoulder:
2. Slide baby down into the pocket created by the sling (making sure that the inner side of the pocket is raised to baby's shoulder level) and position comfortably in the fetal position against your chest before tightening the sling for a secure hold:
3. You can tuck a rolled up cloth under the top edge for added head support:
4. The yard of extra fabric makes a perfect sun, wind (and germ!) shield and also doubles as a nursing cover:
And voila! The most natural hands-free way to carry baby...
Also be sure to check out Upa Lala's line of Eco-Bags. These reusable, machine-washable bags have a waterproof lining and can be used to tote everything from wet swim suits to bottles to soiled clothes. We use ours to carry snacks and water bottles on the go.
