Hope & Plum Ring Slings: What I Love, and When I Reach for Something Else
Why I Still Love Ring Slings—Even If They Aren’t My Go-To for Long Carries
I’ve worn all kinds of baby carriers over the years, but there’s something undeniably sweet about a ring sling. They’re beautiful, fast, and perfect for that early newborn stage when your baby just wants to be held all day, and you still need to function (kind of).
While the Hope & Plum meh dai is my personal favorite for longer or more supportive wears, their ring slings hold a special place in my heart. They’re the first ring sling I actually enjoyed using. They helped me feel human again while keeping my baby close during some of the hardest postpartum weeks. And they’re the ones I reach for when I just need something quick, cozy, and easy.
What Makes Hope & Plum Ring Slings Special
There are a lot of ring slings out there, but Hope & Plum gets the details right. Their slings are:
- Hand-sewn in the USA (Minnesota!)
- Made from natural fiber blends—cotton, linen, hemp
- Available in multiple lengths for different bodies and preferences
- Created with strong aluminum sling rings
- Beautifully dyed with vibrant, earthy colors and unique patterns
They also offer a variety of shoulder styles and if you’ve ever struggled with ring sling shoulder fit, this matters more than you might think.
Why I Reach for a Ring Sling (And When)
For the early newborn stage
Those first weeks are all about skin-to-skin, contact naps, and surviving the witching hour. A ring sling makes it easy to hold your baby close while still eating, walking, or helping your older kids. The fabric is soft, the fit is snuggly, and the setup is quick.
For errands, pickups, and quick ups
It takes me less than a minute to thread and toss on a ring sling so when we’re heading out the door and I know I’ll need a carrier for a short burst (library drop-off, grabbing groceries, school pickup), it’s usually what I grab.
For breastfeeding on the go
Once I got the hang of adjusting the rings and baby’s position, it became second nature to nurse in a ring sling especially when I needed to feed discreetly or without stopping
Why Ring Slings Aren’t My Everyday Carrier
For all their beauty and ease, ring slings do have limitations, especially for longer wears.
As someone who deals with chronic shoulder and neck pain, wearing a baby on one shoulder can start to feel unbalanced and achy if I go past 10–20 minutes. For those longer stretches, I need a carrier that distributes weight more evenly (like the meh dai or a well-fitted wrap or buckle carrier).
And that’s okay. Not every carrier needs to be your everything.
The Bottom Line
Ring slings are an incredible tool to have in your babywearing toolkit, especially when you’re in the thick of newborn life or just need something fast and cozy. Even though they’re not my first choice for longer wears, I still consider them essential. They’ve supported me through some of the most tender, blurry, beautiful moments of early motherhood.
And Hope & Plum’s ring slings? They’re among the best I’ve used.