Sling beads are a developmental tool for motor skills, a gum teaser and a stylish decoration for mom.
Sling beads appeared in the everyday life of a young mother relatively recently. But very quickly they became an indispensable part of the “mother's” wardrobe. They were brought into fashion by lovers sling (hence the name). And after a couple of years, the charms of this jewelry were appreciated even by those mothers who, for some reason, did not like the sling. Today, sling beads are increasingly referred to as mamabuses or feeding beads. But the essence, and most importantly - the use of the accessory does not change from this.
Why do you need slingbus
As a rule, children under one year old often sleep on a walk. Especially if it's a stroller ride. But there are situations when the walk is delayed, it's time for feeding, you need to take public transport with a baby in your arms, or the baby just woke up too early. For such cases, the mother usually has a whole arsenal of rattles and rodents in her bag. Which are successfully replacing mamabuses.
Sling beads are a necklace made of large, most often wooden beads, which the mother wears around her neck while the baby is in the sling or in her arms.
It is universal a toy for babies of any age. From three to four months (as soon as the skill of grasping objects appears), it is convenient to hold and twist the beads in your hands. From six months (when the teeth begin to erupt), the beads perfectly "scratch" the gums and soothe the baby. Being on the mother, the child always has a toy at hand that can be felt, fingered or gnawed without disturbing others. In the stroller, sling beads can be hung from the hood by adjusting the desired height with the help of ties - so that the baby just looks at them, can reach out or chew.
Mom's favorite toy is always on / istockphoto.com
Benefits for mom
Sling buses are not only a convenient alternative to a rattle, but also a great help for feeding breasts. No wonder they are called feeding beads. Often, babies are restless during feeding, grab the mother by the hair, pinch the chest and face. These are reflex actions associated with the inability of a small child to concentrate. To avoid such unpleasant moments, give your baby beads. They will occupy the baby's arms, distract his attention, and the feeding process will be much calmer.
Benefits for the child
Sling beads are great for developing fine motor skills / istockphoto.com
For making mamabus, beads are used in different sizes, and sometimes in different shapes. Some are tied with cotton thread or covered with natural fabric, some are left smooth or rough. Playing with such beads is an excellent training for small motor skills and the development of tactile sensations in infants. To broaden the child's perception and make beads more interesting, various rustling elements are sometimes strung on them. But closer to six months, it is better to remove these parts, because the sling beads turn from an educational toy into a teething toy. This is the best teether for your teeth, it is always at hand, does not fall to the ground and does not get dirty. And with the help of beads, year-olds can be introduced to the concept of size (small, large, medium) and color.
What are the sling buses
Mother beads are usually made of wood or silicone. It cannot be said which of them is better and which are worse - these are sling buses for different purposes. Therefore, it is not bad to have one and the other in stock, but you can decide which of them you need right now.
Wooden beads are a multifunctional accessory. They both entertain and develop the baby. And if your beads are from juniper, they also disinfect the air: even after processing, juniper wood continues to release phytoncides (herbal antibiotics) into the air. Natural wood beads look very stylish and aesthetically pleasing, so many mothers continue to wear such jewelry even when the child grows up. Only they no longer call him mamabuses, but ethno-beads.
Feeding beads will become a stylish ethnic-style jewelry in a couple of years / istockphoto.com
Silicone beads are also called chewable beads - they are an alternative to teethers. These beads are safe for the baby, because they are made of food grade silicone (like nipples and ordinary teething boxes). They are easy to clean and sterilize. The beads are smooth, elastic and resilient, so children are happy to pull them into their mouths and chew them. Many mothers say that this is a purchase with an eye to the future - after a year it will be easier with the help of silicone beads to wean the child from nipples.
DIY sling beads
Silicone mamabuses can be purchased at specialized children's stores. They cost an average of 200-300 UAH. But knitted sling beads based on wooden beads can be made with your own hands - then the toy will not only be useful, but will also preserve all mother's tenderness and love for the baby. To make such an accessory, you will need beads of different sizes (they can be found in stores for creativity and hand-made), cotton yarn for knitting, minimal knitting skills and a little loose time.
For tying beads, you need to choose natural dense thread / istockphoto.com
For a small necklace, three beads with a diameter of 30 mm, four 25 mm, and six to eight pieces of 15 mm are enough. Large beads can be taken unpolished (you will tie them with a thread). But small ones should be well polished so that there is no risk of driving a splinter into a delicate children's hand. It is important that the beads are unpainted, because some of the paint from the wood peels off, and can get into the child's mouth.
You can crochet or knit sling beads. The work is done in stages: first, "put on" one bead, then the next. Moreover, immediately after strapping, each bead must be strung on a tight lace and made a tight knot on it. When the beads are collected, they must be washed. Mamabuses are washed only by hand - in warm water with the addition of baby soap.
It will also be interesting for you to read:
How to play with a toddler under one year old: tips for every month
How to calm a crying baby in 5 seconds
9 proven ways to distract your baby: tips from a young mom
