Turnaround Time: Muslin, Mesh and Conversion Ring Slings – 5 – 7 working days | Wrap Conversions – 5 – 6 weeks
Turnaround Time: Muslin, Mesh and Conversion Ring Slings – 5 – 7 working days | Wrap Conversions – 5 – 6 weeks
There’s a lot to consider when buying a baby carrier, and possibly even more if you choose a second-hand one. Whether you’ve picked one up online, had one passed on from a friend, or inherited one from a family member, the second-hand route makes total sense for your wallet and the environment. But before you strap in, there are a few key safety checks worth knowing about.
We’ve all been there: a friend messages saying they’ve got a carrier you can have, or you spot one on a selling app for a fraction of the retail price. It feels like a win, and it can be, as long as you know what to look out for.
Babywearing safety has come a long way in recent years, and not all carriers, however loved, however barely used, are made equal. Our understanding of infant airways, posture, and fit has changed dramatically over the past two decades. A carrier that seemed perfectly fine when it was bought might not meet the safety standards we hold today.
The turning point came in the late 2000s and early 2010s, when a series of tragedies involving infant carriers prompted serious investigation into how babies breathe when worn. The findings changed everything.
Newborns and young infants have disproportionately large heads relative to their body, and critically weak neck muscles. In the wrong position, even briefly, their chin can drop to their chest, compressing the airway in a way that restricts breathing. Because they lack the strength to reposition themselves, they cannot signal distress or self-rescue. The danger is quiet, fast, and invisible to an onlooking parent.
Pre-2010: Bag-style sling carriers were widely sold with minimal safety guidance, and no standardised UK framework for sling safety education existed.
2010: The US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a safety warning on bag slings following infant deaths. Several models were recalled, and global awareness surged.
2012: The UK Sling Consortium developed the TICKS guidelines — the first clear, accessible framework for safe positioning in any style of carrier.
Today: TICKS is the recognised standard across the UK babywearing community, NHS trusts, and perinatal care teams. Modern carriers are designed around its principles.
The TICKS guidelines were developed by the UK Sling Consortium to give parents a clear, memorable checklist for safe carrying. Every time you wear your baby, run through these five points:
T — Tight. The carrier should be snug enough that baby can’t slump. Loose fabric creates dangerous gaps.
I — In view at all times. You should always be able to see your baby’s face without moving fabric or shifting them.
C — Close enough to kiss. Baby should be high enough that you can kiss the top of their head with ease.
K — Keep chin off chest. There must always be at least a finger’s width of space under baby’s chin. Chin-to-chest compresses the airway.
S — Supported back. Baby’s back should be gently rounded and supported, never slumped or curled forward unsupported.
The problem with many vintage carriers, and we use the word ‘vintage’ loosely, is that they were not designed to meet any of these criteria. Some actively work against them.
It is not about age as a vanity issue, it’s about design, materials, and the knowledge (or lack of it) that shaped them. Here is what makes so many older carriers genuinely unsafe:
Buying a pre-loved carrier is a brilliant, sustainable choice — as long as you know what to look for. The second-hand market for quality carriers is healthy and trustworthy when approached with care. Here’s what to check:
✓ Know the brand and model. Research the specific carrier before buying. Is it still sold by a reputable brand? Is it TICKS-compliant by design? Has it ever been recalled? A quick search can answer all of these.
✓ Check all buckles and fastenings. Click every buckle. Test every adjuster. Any buckle that sticks, catches, or doesn’t release cleanly is a safety risk and may not be replaceable.
✓ Inspect every seam. Run your thumb along the seams under load. Look for fraying, puckering, or seams that have pulled away from the fabric. Pay extra attention to the seat panel and shoulder seam joins — these bear the most weight.
✓ Ask for provenance. How many children has it been used with? Has it ever been in an accident or a fall? Has it been stored damp? You are entitled to ask, and a trustworthy seller will be happy to tell you.
✓ Look for the safety label. The original care and safety label should still be present. If it’s been removed, you lose important information about the carrier’s weight limits and age suitability.
✓ Stick to reputable pre-loved communities. Groups and marketplaces dedicated to babywearing tend to have informal quality checks, knowledgeable sellers, and community standards that keep listings honest.
✕ Any bag-style or hammock-style sling, regardless of brand or age
✕ Carriers with missing hardware that cannot be sourced from the original manufacturer
✕ Carriers from car boot sales, charity shops, or unknown origins with no history
✕ Carriers that are more than 10 years old, however good they look
✕ Any carrier you cannot identify by brand and model
When buying new, the sheer volume of options can be overwhelming. Here are the non-negotiables:
✓ Ergonomic seat. The seat should support your baby’s legs from knee to knee, positioning them in the natural “M” shape with knees higher than bottom. This protects developing hips and is the baseline for any carrier worth considering.
✓ Clear weight and age guidance. Every good carrier will clearly state the weight range and developmental stage it’s suitable for. If this information is vague or missing, keep looking.
✓ BS EN 13209 compliance. This is the European safety standard for child carriers. It should be clearly stated by any reputable UK retailer. If you cannot find this information, ask before you buy.
✓ A carrying position that keeps baby visible and kissable. If the design positions baby too low, or tucked inside fabric where you cannot easily check on them, it does not meet TICKS, regardless of what the packaging says.
And perhaps most importantly: if you are ever unsure, ask a trained babywearing consultant. Many areas of the UK have sling libraries where you can try carriers on with support, get your positioning checked, and find the right fit for your body and your baby.
Humans have carried their young since time immemorial. From woven scarves and animal skins to intricately crafted traditional carriers passed down through generations, babywearing is one of the oldest forms of closeness between a parent and child. Across cultures, in every corner of the world, people have found ways to keep their babies close, using whatever materials and knowledge their communities held.
That ancestral wisdom is something worth honouring. And part of honouring it today means making sure the carrier in your hands, whether it’s brand new, lovingly passed on, or pulled from an attic, is actually safe for your baby to be carried in.
From the Inuit amauti – a hooded coat designed to carry a baby snug against the parent’s back, to the brightly woven rebozo of Mexico, the kanga of East Africa, and the podaegi of Korea, traditional carriers are as varied and beautiful as the cultures that created them. Many of these practices have been refined over hundreds of years, shaped by climate, terrain, and deep communal knowledge about how babies thrive. They are not relics; they are living traditions, still used and still meaningful.
It’s worth saying clearly: if you encounter someone carrying their baby in a way that is rooted in their cultural tradition, it is not your place to correct them. A practice passed down through generations within a community carries its own integrity and wisdom. Wisdom that may not be immediately visible to an outside eye. The safety guidance in this post is intended for people navigating the modern consumer carrier market, not as a lens through which to judge the carrying practices of other cultures.
Not sure about your carrier? Book a consultation with a trained sling educator, or visit our sling directory to find your nearest sling library.
