Review // Soohu Sling from We Made Me

A few weeks ago the lovely folk at We Made Me sent H-Bear and I their brand new Soohu Sling to try. Sadly we didn’t get on with it as H-Bear was just too big and active, so I asked my fabulous mama friend Briony whether she’d be interested in trying it out with her new little boy. She said yes, so here is Briony’s review of the Soohu Sling:

I am a fan of baby-wearing. I regularly wore my daughter until she was over 2 years old; there was no better way to ensure she stayed asleep! Now I have baby number two (Oliver), I have well and truly discovered what the term ‘threenager’ stands for, so wearing Oliver has become a daily survival essential. I have been using the same semi-structured carrier I had for my daughter, which isn’t ideal for inside use. I’ve tried wraps with both children, but they aren’t for me, so I was really excited when Hannah asked if I could review the Soohu Sling for her. It looked ideal for using indoors when baby doesn’t want to be put down… and for when a young lady needs my attention!

First Impressions.

Lovely red polka dot design. Sturdy yet soft cotton fabric with a generously padded shoulder pad and a comfortingly strong clip in a funky turquoise colour.

Getting started.

I was really keen to get the sling on and give it a go, and I must admit I was surprised that it came with a thick instruction book. There are over 15 steps to follow in order to get baby safely in the sling. We Made Me have broken down how to use it into tiny steps, and in reality, it only takes seconds to get sling on and baby safely in it.

There are several different ways of using the sling, and each hold has a different (usually animal-related) name. The written instructions are accompanied by diagrams of cartoon animals showing each step. A cute touch, but I would personally find photographic diagrams of a human using the sling easier to follow. In fact, I ended up using the video instructions on the We Made Me website, and once I had viewed these I felt confident to get cracking with the sling.

Out and About

The ‘Easy Tiger’ cradle carry hold is recommended for babies aged 0-6 months, and the first time I put Oliver in the sling this way he initially seemed quite comfy. However, he was wide awake and soon wanted to be more upright and look around! I found that I could easily manoeuvre Oliver around within the sling until he found a position he liked, and one that felt comfy and secure for me.

The Soohu Sling came on holiday to Dorset with us and I ended up using it more than my old sling! It folds up easily underneath the pushchair, or in the rucksack, ready to be popped on whenever needed.

We visited the Swanage Railway while away and I decided to take the Soohu Sling in the place of the pushchair. To begin with Oliver was wide awake, and he took his preferred (nosey) position in the sling. It was really easy to slip him out of the sling while we were on the train so he could bounce on my knee, then slip him back into the sling when it was time to get off. During all of this, the sling remained on me; no buckles to undo.

I was very excited to discover that the sling can be used for breastfeeding but, because Oliver is such a long baby, I haven’t been able to use the sling for this purpose. Nevertheless, during our Swanage Railway adventure, there was no need to remove the sling in order to feed him.

Oliver was then ready for a nap. I settled him in the sling using the ‘Easy Tiger’ hold. In just a few minutes (with minimal jiggling!) Oliver was asleep and he remained asleep for almost 2 hours! RESULT! This is all the proof I need that he feels comfortable in the sling, as he is usually a 20 minute napper. During his 2 hour nap I pushed my daughter on swings, helped her on and off play equipment, paddled in the sea, and best of all, had an ice-cream!

Any negatives?

Due to the style of the sling, there is no getting away from the fact that the sling puts pressure on one shoulder. The shoulder pads are well padded and they have a split design which helps to spread the weight, but I do still feel some strain on my neck and shoulder if I use it for half an hour or more. Overall, I am far more comfortable than if I was holding Oliver without a sling. The sling can be worn over either shoulder, so could easily be swapped over.

Verdict.

I have used the Soohu Sling so much more than I anticipated! It is now part of my take everywhere kit; as essential as the changing bag! I use it whenever I’m holding Oliver for any length of time (popping into shops, giving him some time out of his pushchair on days out), and he continues to successfully nap in it.

I have had lots of compliments about the sling from other mamas; both about how stylish it is, and how comfortable Oliver looks in it. It is comfortable to wear and my husband has also happily used it! He even got Oliver to nap whilst wearing it!

My old carrier is still my preferred method of babywearing when I need both hands free, but for the majority of other times that I choose wear Oliver, the Soohu has become my sling of choice. I can’t wait to try out the other holds when Oliver is older!

The Soohu Sling from We Made Me costs £49.99 – find out more on the We Made Me website.

Thanks so much Briony!