About
A little about Central Lancashire Slings
Central Lancashire Slings was set up by Gemma & Clare. After both having babies that always wanted to be close to them, they researched into babywearing. They started visiting West Pennine Slings which was the closest sling library to them at the time. They made some wonderful new friendships and enjoyed learning about different slings so much, they went on to do peer support training and volunteering with WPS.
As time went on, they thought it would be great if Preston had a sling library of its own. To start with, in January 2019 they set up Preston Sling Social – a friendly babywearing meet up where parents could geek-out about their own carriers and have a play with Gemma & Clare’s personal stash.
This quickly evolved into a full sling library, and after doing their consultancy training with Slingababy, Preston Slings was officially born in April 2019.
As of 2020, the library had over 50 slings and carriers and had helped over 80 families around the Preston area.
Then COVID-19 came about and the sling library went dormant for over a year. In this time, Preston Slings relocated to the Chorley area, and started operating from a brand new Buckshaw Village based venue and became Chorley & Preston Slings. During this time, Gemma and Clare parted ways, leaving Gemma to run the sling library solo (they did however remain good friends!)
In 2022, during maternity leave for baby number two, Gemma was made redundant from her ‘day job’ and decided to press on with the sling business full time. This lead to another rebrand to incorporate more of Lancashire, and Central Lancashire Slings was born. There are some very exciting things on the horizon and we can’t wait to see what the future brings!
What is babywearing?
Babywearing is simply the act of wearing your baby or child in a sling or carrier. There are many different types, from soft woven and stretchy wraps, to fully structured ‘buckle’ carriers. Babywearing has been around for hundreds of years, in many different cultures. In the western world, with the rise of modern conveniences like prams and strollers, babywearing went ‘out of fashion’ in mainstream parenting.
Why is babywearing important?
Through years of study however, babywearing has been proven to provide much needed nurturing and bonding, especially in those early weeks and months of your new baby’s life.
Using a sling is also a massive convenience in itself! Want to be up and about with your hands free, whilst still holding your baby close? Sling! Want to walk where a pram just won’t go? Sling! Baby won’t be put down without crying? (this is VERY NORMAL INFANT BEHAVIOUR) Sling!
What we offer:
Sling Library Drop-In Sessions
Central Lancashire Slings operates friendly sessions from our main base in Leyland, as well as monthly pop-up sessions across Lancashire. You do not need to be using the library services to attend - simply stop by for a brew and chat with likeminded parents.
These groups are the perfect place to come and meet new friends, have a well deserved brew and check out all the slings available to hire.Sling Hire
Slings & carriers can be an expensive purchase. By hiring one (or a range) before committing to that big purchase, you can try different styles and get a great idea of what fits you and baby best. Some people hire slings without ever buying one. This may be because they are using it for a short time ie. holidays, or just that they like to constantly experiment! Whatever your reason, we have a vast selection of different slings and carriers to try.
Sling consultations
Are you brand new to babywearing and don’t know where to start? Have you seen lots of conflicting information online and feel a bit overwhelmed? A 1-to-1 consultation at the sling studio in Leyland or in the comfort of your own home is a great way to learn babywearing basics & safety from a qualified sling consultant.
Do you have some prior babywearing knowledge, but want to expand and learn new skills eg. back carrying or breastfeeding in a sling? This is where a tailored consultation can really help.
Sling workshops
Occasionally we will run group workshops which will focus on a specific skill eg. back carrying. These workshops are a great way to learn something new, and meet new friends!
Do you have a group of friends who all want to learn the same skill? Bespoke workshop bookings can also be arranged. Please contact us for more information.