How to Use a Ring Sling: Thread, Seat and Tighten

To use a ring sling, thread the tail up through both rings and back down through the bottom ring only, put the sling on with the rings high on your chest, and slide your baby into the pouch from the top so the fabric runs from knee to knee under them. Then tighten in three separate strands (top rail, middle, bottom rail), check TICKS, and take your baby out in the reverse order with one hand under them the whole time. Six steps, about a minute once learned, and the first dozen goes are the hard part.

Read your sling’s own instructions first. Weight ranges differ: Moby’s ring sling instructions, for example, give 8 to 33 lb and say never to use it with babies smaller than 8 pounds “without seeking the advice of a healthcare professional.”

Before you start: practise low

Practise the first few times sitting on a bed or kneeling on a carpeted floor, so any slip is a short drop onto something soft. A teddy or a bag of rice makes a decent stand-in for the threading and tightening steps; the seat only makes sense with a real baby.

Check the sling while it is flat. Moby’s sheet says to look for “ripped seams, torn straps or fabric and damaged hardware before each use.” The two rings should be the purpose-made, seamless kind sewn into the sling, never a replacement from a craft shop. The ring sling guide covers fabrics, rings and sizing if you are still choosing; a plain woven sling such as the Boba Ring Sling is a reasonable thing to learn on, because a fabric with some grip forgives a loose first try.

Step 1: Thread the rings

1. Hold the rings in one hand with the sewn-on fabric hanging below them.
2. Fan out the loose end (the tail) so it is flat and the full width of the fabric, with no twist anywhere along it.
3. Feed the tail up through both rings.
4. Bring it over the top ring and back down through the bottom ring only.
5. Pull a little tail through and tug the rings: the fabric should lock against itself.

If the fabric slides straight through, it went through one ring or through both on the way back. Undo it and start again.

Step 2: Put it on

1. Slip the sling over your head and one arm, so the shoulder with the fabric becomes the load-bearing shoulder and the rings sit at the front.
2. Move the rings up to just below your collarbone, roughly where a corsage would go. Rings that drift toward the armpit lose their grip angle.
3. Spread the shoulder fabric so it covers the whole shoulder cap rather than roping into a narrow band.
4. Adjust the pouch so it hangs at about your opposite hip, with the open pouch facing up.

Step 3: Seat your baby

1. Hold your baby upright against your chest, high on the side of the sling shoulder.
2. Slide their legs into the pouch from above, so their feet come out under the bottom rail.
3. Lower them gently until their bottom sits in the deepest part of the pouch, the bottom rail tucked behind their knees.
4. Reach under and draw the fabric up from knee to knee, so their knees sit a little higher than their bottom. The International Hip Dysplasia Institute calls this the “M-position”, with “the thighs supported and the hips and knees bent”. More detail is in hip-healthy babywearing.
5. Gently tilt their pelvis forward, so they sit in a slight scoop rather than straight down onto the fabric. That deep seat is what stops a sling feeling tippy.

Keep one hand on your baby throughout. Moby’s sheet says to “keep one hand on baby while moving,” and that applies double while the sling is still loose.

Step 4: Tighten rail by rail

Never pull the whole tail at once. It drags all the slack into the middle and leaves the edges loose.

1. Top rail first. Pinch just the top edge of the tail and draw it through the rings. This edge runs behind your baby’s upper back and neck.
2. Middle next. Feed the middle of the fabric through in a small fan.
3. Bottom rail last. Draw the bottom edge until the fabric is snug behind the knees, which locks the seat.

Pull each strand out and slightly up, in the direction the ring points, with your other hand supporting your baby’s back. If something is still loose, sore or slipping, the four usual faults and their fixes are in the ring sling adjustment guide.

Step 5: Run TICKS

Ireland’s HSE spells out the checks on its carrier safety page:

• Tight enough to hug your baby close, “high up and in an upright position with their head supported.”
• In view at all times: you can see their face by glancing down.
• Close enough to kiss the top of their head by tipping yours forward.
• Keep the chin off the chest, with “a space of at least a finger width under your baby’s chin.”
• Supported back, tummy and chest against you.

A newborn in a sling is upright and tummy-to-tummy, never lying across you in a cradle. Moby’s sheet warns that babies younger than 4 months can suffocate “if face is pressed tightly against your body”. Recheck after any sleepy quiet stretch, because a dozy baby slumps faster. More on the airway rules is in babywearing safety.

The hip carry, for an older baby

Once your baby has steady head and trunk control, the sling’s signature position is the hip carry. Moby’s instructions mark theirs “5M+”. The steps are the same, with three differences:

• Seat your baby on your hip, on the side opposite the sling shoulder, facing in toward your side.
• The top rail sits around their armpits once they are strong enough to hold their body upright, which leaves their arms free.
• The seat matters even more, because a hip carry pulls the load sideways: fabric knee to knee, bottom rail snug.

Step 6: Take your baby out

1. Put one hand under your baby’s bottom and keep it there.
2. With the other hand, ease fabric back through the rings a little at a time. Lifting the edge of the rings slightly releases the friction lock.
3. When the pouch is loose, lift your baby up and out the way they went in.
4. Only then take the sling off over your head.

If your baby has fallen asleep, the AAP’s advice is to move them to a firm, flat sleep surface on their back as soon as possible (HealthyChildren.org). Loosen slowly and lower them bottom first.

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FAQ: using a ring sling

Which shoulder should a ring sling go on?

Either. Pick the one that feels natural, then swap shoulders from carry to carry so one side does not do all the work.

Can you use a ring sling with a newborn?

Yes, in an upright tummy-to-tummy position, high enough to kiss, with the face visible and the chin off the chest. Check the minimum weight on your sling’s own instructions, and ask your pediatrician first if your baby was premature, small or has breathing problems.

How long does it take to learn a ring sling?

Threading takes a minute to learn. The seat and the three-strand tightening usually take a few practice sessions, ideally over a bed while your baby is calm and fed, before they feel automatic.

How do I know the ring sling is threaded correctly?

Pull a little tail through and give the rings a firm tug. Correct threading locks: fabric through both rings and back through the bottom one holds, while any other path slides or jams.