Sakura Bloom Linen Ring Sling Review: An Update!

It's been over ten months since our Sakura Bloom purchase, and Emmy has grown just a liiiittle bit (like, you know, 15 pounds) since then! I figured it may be about time to update my review on our ring sling. While my first Sakura Bloom review is still completely true, it was written just days after our first purchase. Now that we've moved into toddlerwearing, I feel like I have so much more experience about what works and what doesn't, especially if you're looking for a carrier that you'll continue reaching for time and time again. 

(Pssst! Did you know that Sakura Bloom has changed the kind of fabric they use now?? Check out my review on their new Classic slings here!)

If you've read my first Sakura Bloom review, then you know I loved my sling right off the bat. The color, the lightweight breathable linen, along with the fabric you can pull over your entire shoulder all add up to an amazing baby carrier that's simple to use and so easy to carry around. No buckles, no extra large bag to carry around, just a simple fabric carrier that you can bring with you any and everywhere. 

Like to eat ice cream. 

Or visit the beach.

Or the aquarium. 

Okay, you get it, we use our sling for everywhere and everything. There have been so many times where I've been out and thought, "Wow, I can't imagine not having our sling!" Like the time that the restaurant we went to ran out of high chairs, or.. well, anytime in any store now that she's walking, really. I talk with a lot of expecting and new mama's, and my number one registry suggestion is always a sling. Sometimes it's the only way to soothe a teething beast, and even looking back to those ever so lovable "witching hours" that new babies seem to have, our sling has been a total lifesaver. While we have tons of different carriers and have tried even more than we own, the number one thing I love about our sling is the convenience. Not only is it the easiest carrier for me to nurse Emmy in, but it's just simple to use.  Even now at 14 months,using our ring sling is sometimes the only way I can squeeze lunch into my day. 

 Our sling is definitely still a huge statement piece. I love the color of it, and it's always nice to have something pretty to throw on when I feel like just wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Even after washing it and hanging it to dry, I expected that the color would change, but it's still as bright as can be. The sling itself has changed with use, though. It's so much softer that when it came out of the box! I always say it has a soft, buttery feeling. You can even tell the difference when running the fabric through the rings -- it gets easier as time goes on. Even though I had my Maya ring sling for a few months before buying our Sakura Bloom, I still felt like the fabric was much thicker and tougher to adjust. 

 And in the heat? We visited Florida pretty recently, and even in the 85 degree weather we were still so comfortable. 

 Even daddy gets in on the babywearing action. I don't think anything can prove a ring sling is easier to use than when daddy picks it up and puts it on. Sometimes he comes to me with one of our soft structured carriers half buckled around him and asks for help, but there's been many times where I've come home and he's wearing Emmy in a sling and cleaning house or cooking dinner (I have a keeper!).

 We love our sling so much that we got one in another color.. or two! Canyon is a gorgeous red that made me feel all sorts of peppy through our long dreary winter. And our newest purchase is one of Sakura Bloom's Essential Silk slings in sandstone/pebble. 

So now that she's bigger, and heavier, the time comes to address how I feel about toddler wearing. Our linen slings are definitely holding up to the 35 pound weight limit Sakura Bloom has on their website as we are still using them constantly. No slipping (which is so important!) and as supportive as ever. Of course carrying something that weighs 25 pounds on one shoulder for a long period of time can start to hurt.. Which is just another reason I love the unpadded shoulder fabric that spreads out and distributes the weight. It's a winner through and through.

As it is the lightest sling they have, I wanted to try something heavier and even more supportive which is why we purchased the silk sling. And while I have all sorts of things to say on that, I'll leave the silk sling for another review..! But when it comes to the linen vs. the silk, I think the silk is a worthwhile investment if you plan on babywearing into toddlerhood. If you're not up for the investment and plan on using your sling for shorter periods of times with a toddler over 20 pounds then a single layer linen will still do the trick. I mean..

Look at this happy little thing!

We still consistently wear her for long periods of time in the single layer sling. There's even a photo of me doing a back carry with our sling while cleaning our floors on Instagram! While I haven't personally owned a double layer linen Sakura Bloom sling, I have given it a try and it is very supportive as well. It's not as lightweight or portable as the single layer and it's also very hard to break in -- but definitely worth it. 

So there's an update for you on how our Sakura Bloom slings are holding up. Still in amazing condition with use every other day, still supportive our ever growing girl, and still make us both as happy as can be!

You can check out all of the Sakura Bloom slings at http://www.sakurabloom.com/.

Since my post here, Sakura Bloom has changed from using Irish linen to a stronger Belgian linen! You can check out what I think about the change on my review of their new slings by clicking here.