Geneva Carnahan believes 90 inches of fabric can change the lives of a mother and child.
That’s why the 78-year old Dayton grandmother scours stores for the best deals on material, cuts and sews it into a comfortable sling for a mother to carry her baby. The final touch is an O-shaped ring, purchased at bargain-basement prices from an Arizona retailer, to hold the sling in place.
Any mother — or father, in some cases — who comes with a child to the Heart to Heart Sling Share at Corinth Church in Belmont leaves with a carrier. Since 2010, she’s given away more than 500 slings. The next event is Sept. 7, with instruction sessions beginning at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.
Carnahan and a team of volunteers, including church members and mothers who’ve received slings in the past, offer instruction on safe baby-wearing techniques, giving parents mobility while keeping their child protected near their bodies.
“People would buy these slings for $65, and nobody told them how to wear them or how to use them,” Carnahan said.
The Heart to Heart Sling Share attracts about 30 new mothers each month, and Carnahan sews about 40 slings to make sure no one leaves empty handed.
Read more at http://m.daytondailynews.com/news/lifestyles/parenting/close-to-a-mothers-heart/nZY4y/