Browse FAQs
Buying questions
CalmFamily is a small business that supports many families worldwide, through its work and as an employer and training organisation. When you choose to buy from a small business, like us, rather than a tax avoiding multinational corporation it makes a difference, to us, to our world-changing vision, and to the work we can do in the future.
Our shop is stocked only with items that we believe can be really valuable and beneficial for families. We examine safety, sourcing, ethics, quality, and sustainability when considering our product range and only stock items that we think can be beneficial.
We have several articles that can help you to choose a sling:
If you need someone to one support then we can help.
You can get in touch on 0800 6891251 for a quick chat (free 15 minute phone consultation).
Email us on hello@calmfamily.org, or message our Facebook page, for advice or to arrange a longer consultation, or a video consultation. We will be happy to help. We are experienced in supporting a hugely diverse range of families including those with more complex carrying needs. How do I check safety in my new sling?
We have a helpful article that gives you pointers on what to look for for a good fit in your sling or carrier: Does my sling fit OK?
If you still need some help then we offer online video fit check of up to 15 minutes for £5. To book one of these email us on hello@calmfamily.org or message our Facebook page.
We do offer carrying consultations. We offer online and telephone consultations priced by duration as follows:
30 minutes: £15
60 minutes: £30
90 minutes: £40
2 hours: £50
All members of our team have different areas of specialism in sling support, and different availability. To book a consultation please email on hello@calmfamily.org or message our Facebook page. We will arrange a mutually agreeable time and duration for your needs.
You will then be emailed an invoice to be paid prior to the beginning of the consultation. This will be via Stripe.
Depending on availability of the consultant it may be possible to pay to extend the duration of the consultation to allow for extra time where you need more support or time than you anticipated. An invoice for the extra time will be generated at the end of the consultation, and will be emailed to you to pay. This will be charged at the rate of £15 per half hour or part thereof.
We sell many useful items in our shop, from slings to muslins, to the Great Swandoodle; the softest swaddle wraps you have ever encountered. HOWEVER, what we really recommend you do if you want to buy gifts for a family expecting a baby is read this article, and think about what they really want and need.
There is so much focus on buying stuffer new babies. They don’t need that much stuff though. If you really want to support the parents we suggest doing things a bit differently. Roma Malone, CalmFamily consultant wrote this article “Why lasagne is better than a baby grow” about what she wanted this time around when her baby was born.
Another good read is “After birth: support in the postnatal period” to help you consider what you can offer new parents that will really make a difference.
No, these do not read like shopping lists from our websites. Why? Because supporting new parents with what they really need matters more to us than upping our sales.
Visit our shop and choose a stretchy wrap from our selection. You may find this article helpful for making your choice.
Click “Try now or spread the cost”.
This will show you the breakdown of what you will pay now (shipping cost only), and what you will pay in 4 weeks if you choose to keep the stretchy wrap.
Add the item to your basket and checkout. This will be a Stripe checkout service. Stripe will save the card details. You will then receive an email with the end date for your 4 week hire period.
We will dispatch your order.
Enjoy using your stretchy wrap for up to 4 weeks.
If you wish to return your stretchy wrap, then please send it back to us (include return address here) by the date in your email. We will check that your wrap is in good condition and undamaged. We will register your wrap as returned, and no further payments will be taken if the wrap is returned on time and in good condition.
If you wish to keep the stretchy wrap you will not need to do anything. The payment will be taken from your card automatically 5 weeks after your date of purchase. This gives a few days leeway for postage.
Late fees, and fees for damaged goods apply, see terms and conditions.
We have a 30 day return policy, see the Returns and exchanges section of this FAQ page.
If you really aren’t sure what you want then we would suggest having a 15 minute free phone consult with us, and maybe hiring a bundle of carriers to see what really works for you, rather than taking a risk on buying.
Slings and carriers are a very personal purchase. Nobody can tell you what is going to be right for you. There really is no good alternative to trying something out for yourself.
We don’t have a physical shop. We offer hire and Try before you buy services for several of our products to give you a chance to try them out and see if they are right for you. We are also happy to help answer any questions you have about any purchase you are considering. Get in touch by phoning us on 0800 6891251 between 09:30 and 14:00, Monday – Friday, emailing us on hello@calmfamily.org, or contacting us via our Facebook page
There are a few discounts available for retail orders.
There is a discount code off retail orders on our rental paperwork. This gives our rental customers a discount off not only slings, but all items in our shop.
When you sign up to our email newsletter you will receive a one off code for 10% off retail orders .
Local slings libraries have discount codes for hiring and buying through us at CalmFamily. When we merged with It’s A Sling Thing we moved this sling library benefit over too, and it applies to all retail orders.
Lifetime members of It’s A Sling Thing have a discount for 25% of rental orders and 10% off retail orders.
CalmFamily membership (not yet released) offers retail order discounts that vary by membership type or level.
CalmFamily consultant members have a discount on retail orders from our public shop in addition to having access to the consultant shop for supplies.
Here at CalmFamily we take our decisions about what we sell in our shop seriously. We only retail items that fit with our ethos, and our values. We will want to see, feel and test your product to be sure that we can be confident in its quality. We will also want to know about your company ethics and sourcing information.
If you think that you offer a product that will fit this bill, and support families to meet their needs and build calmer relationships then we would love to hear from you about it. Get in touch by emailing hq@calmfamily.org
