Hannah’s early days were rough. She was in the special care nursery, and I had been through the wringer myself. Four days after she was born I stumbled into a baby store in order to rent a breast pump. I was not entirely coherent. It was the longest I’d stood upright since I’d given birth, and I was still pretty weak.

While I was there I laid eyes on some ring slings. I’d read something about slings, and I sort of thought I wanted one. We had a Baby Bjorn already, but it was early days and we were still loading up on baby gear in a rather haphazard fashion. So I chose a Maya Wrap, in a purplish sort of a colour scheme. I took it home and watched the accompanying DVD, pausing and rewinding and trying it out myself.

It took a while, but eventually I figured it out. Once I did, that sling saved my life more times than I can count. When Hannah was tiny and fussy seeing that sling would calm her down. A couple of times, at the end of my rope, I snuggled her into the sling and vacuumed. The combination of being close and white noise put her to sleep. My sanity was preserved, and I also got a clean floor.

As Hannah grew I wore her in different positions. Facing in, facing out, on my hip, on my back. I wore her at the grocery store, I wore her on walks, I wore her on trips. Eventually, I found that having her on only one shoulder for long periods of time became uncomfortable, and the ring sling was replaced with other baby carriers. But even as a toddler, Hannah always sort of preferred the Maya Wrap.

Hannah slingin' in Parksville

In the time between my two children they upgraded the Maya Wrap. There’s now a lightly-padded option, which is simply fantastic. I briefly considered replacing my old ring sling, but I just couldn’t do it. Because now, nearly 4 years after I picked it off a shelf, it’s my sling. It has sentimental value in the way a new one wouldn’t.

So now I have another baby and I’m using the Maya Wrap again. In spite of Jacob’s easygoing nature I’ve used it even more this time around, if only because I need a way to keep the little man safe while still having my hands free to tend to my wild child. My little guy’s already getting heavy for the one-shouldered carry when I’m going to be wearing him for long periods. But for short jaunts it’s still our go-to option, being the easiest carrier to get him into and out of in a rainy parking lot.

Slightly cranky Jacob at the pumpkin patch

If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that the decisions that you agonize over often mean nothing when viewed through the lens of time. All that you can remember in retrospect is the agony, having completely forgotten what you decided and what happened as a result. In a lot of cases it’s not even like you make a better decision, you just spend more time making it.

It was that way with the sling. I spent a long time picking out the baby swing we’ve barely used. I spent hours poring over the Babies R Us catalogue examining glider rockers and crib bedding I never even bought. But this sling that I picked up as an afterthought has been my go-to baby item, the one thing that I’m not willing to share or part with.

If I were to choose a ring sling today, with all of the options available, I would likely make a different choice. I’m not so much endorsing the Maya Wrap (although I love mine) as I am the idea of wearing your baby. Of finding a simple, versatile piece of equipment that will be serviceable for years. Who knows? 4 years later you just may be waxing poetic about how it was the best decision you ever made.