Review by Nicola Friend
Is there anything that says "I've got motherhood nailed" more loudly than wearing your baby in a proper sling? I think not. I must admit that I had traditional slings down in the 'not for me' category. They looked great, don't get me wrong, but I figured that they must be difficult to put on and anyway, my baby's a wriggler, she'll break free if it doesn't have serious amounts of hardware to keep her in place, right? I couldn't have been more wrong.
I took the Mezaya Baby ring sling to try on holiday and, honestly, it was a total revelation. The instructions were really simple to follow, and much to my surprise, the lack of buckles and fasteners to fiddle with actually made it easier and quicker to put on, seriously comfortable to wear and it felt really secure. G made no complaints on entry and settled in comfortably really quickly, her weight was distributed well and didn't feel heavy. She didn't even mind having her arms tucked away. Popping her in the sling in the morning meant that I could tackle the breakfast buffet abroad with both hands and she was safely bundled up, making friends and taking it all in.
The sling is made from Irish linen with two aluminium loops sewn into the fabric, which you double the end through to secure. I have the London Light sling from the Heritage collection, the light grey colour is a winner, it goes with everything, although I must admit the pink one (here) nearly swayed me. The breathable fabric means that neither of us get hot and sweaty, it can be dressed up or down and seems to smarten up even the most casual of outfits. It has definitely attracted lots of attention, I've lost count of people that have asked where they can get one.
Any downsides? Well, the pale coloured fabric means that dribble shows up quite prominently, but there's not much you can do about that. Overall, I think you've probably guessed by now, I'm in love. Not only is it light to pack, easy and comfortable to wear, essentially it's a lovely piece of linen so can be used for all sorts, we found it doubled up as, among other things, a pram shade (Tom had a big falling out with the parasol) and a tie to keep baby upright in a high chair that she's not quite ready for!
I may not have this motherhood thing nailed, I'm not sure anyone does, but wearing my smiling baby on my chest makes me feel pretty good. This really is one of those things that I wish I had discovered sooner, If I'm lucky enough to have another baby (gulp), I'll be popping it in this sling from birth. I'll need two hands free at all times once G is walking and talking, never mind my breakfast buffet.
The London Light sling from the Mezaya Baby Heritage collection is £48.99. Find out more here.
Note: The sling should be slightly wider over my shoulder than is shown in these photos but hey, I can't nip back to Tenerife for a re-shoot so they'll have to do!