Which baby sling?... and why?

[[M]umma[M]ia]

looking for reccomendations on baby slings.. from newborn - how ever old..

which one do u have? or which do u reccomend and why?

thanks

ETA - added question - which sling is good to breastfeed in?

[feeb]

I have a Baba sling which was great from newborn till about 4 months but after that it hurt my neck.

I have ergo which I loved from as soon as DS could sit up found it very awkward with a newborn lyeing down. Its great still now especailly if I have someone to put him in it on my back!

I have just bought a close carrier to use with new baby for ease of getting to and from car with DS and baby. as so many BB girls talked so well about them.

[Winter]

I loooove my Tyion Sling from Franklyn & Spencer. Its like a hug-a-bug, that wrap around style, but different material and a bit cheaper. This is my favourite out of the 3 I have.

I have a Baby Bjorn too and that was good for quick trips to the shops because it was quick to put on, but DD was never really that comfy in it and it hurt once she got a bit bigger.

I also have a over the shoulder papoose style - I don't know what they are called? Baby lies down in front - style and that was really good to rock her to sleep for the first couple of months.

[Cassius2]

i have an ellaroo ring sling. am using it everyday since DD was a newborn (she has just gone 2). easy to use, easy to store in a nappybag or handbag and good for stints at the airport and on planes as a blankie.
i have a shoulder problem but have found that this does not aggravate it too. so all round i love it! can recommend it for ease of use and comfort.

[Glamourcide]

I bought a Bubba Moe sling for Squirt. The reason? It was leopard-print, and I am a SUCKER for a cute leopard-print!
The other reason was that I'd seen a lady walking around Woolworths with her daughter (who was 3 or 4 years old) sitting in a Bubba Moe sling on her hip and she swore it was still very comfy and that the sling was the same one she'd bought when her child was a newborn. I thought for $80, if it lasts that long, you can't really go wrong. It's incredibly easy to put on and get bub into and out of, it's cute as all get out and I can even feed Squirt while walking around with both hands free. The one and only downside is that if worn for longer periods, it really does give my neck and back a caning, but that may well be because I have scholiosis and am in serious, serious need of a visit to the chiropractor anyway - my back is still 'out' from being pregnant and I just haven't gone to see the chiro to get put back into place.

So, yeah, if you're looking for something simple and comfy for shorter trips to the shops etc, I reckon you can't go wrong with a Bubba Moe. They're very cheap, too

[Pandora]

i have a bubzilla that i used from newborn. As long as your newborn is not 10lb like mine was - he grew out of it in under a month.

I LOVE my Kozy Carrier (mei tai) but I found it less suitable for "hands free" as a nb as there is not the same neck support as a sling like a hug-a-bub or close carrier

[~Raven~]

I loved a hug a bub for a newborn! Only recently stopped using it too because I got an ergo and really like it! Looking forward to carrying bub on back which I've never done

[Razzberry]

I hve a peanut shell but haven't used it yet as bub hasn't been born yet!!! I chose it because I loved the colour (pink and brown) and it looked comfy! Have yet to see if it will be very practical though.

[~Kim~]

I have 3. A baby bjorn, a meitei and a shell sling.
I made the meitei and the shell myself. I would have loved a fancy store bought one, but I just couldn't afford them.
I love the two I made myself so much. Both have their uses. Meitei takes longer to put on but is great for long periods whereas the shell is great for quick trips. I have used both since Nate was born and I can carry my 3yo in both too.

[Muffy]

i have the peanut shell sling, it is so comfy!!! doesnt hurt my back or shoulders!!

[inlove]

Hi,
i will start by saying i have very big and long babies and i had pelvic instability when i was pregnant with both so i have desperately searched and searched for a carrier that would not aggravate my pelvis too much!

I tried the basic over the shoulder sling Nurture sling was the brand i chose it was cheap, easy to put on and to put bubs in and lovely to use to rock to sleep but my babies were just too big they grew out of them really quickly!

With my second i bought the hug a bub not too long after she was born that was good but i found it difficult to get it just right, i am a bigger girl and it was not attractive on either! Loved the concept and if you got it on perfectly it was good when she was little!

Now i have got the Ergo which i have used a few times it is very comfortable to wear and it hasn't flared my pelvic problems up too much, DH reckons he would struggle to do up the top clip if he was on his own but i can do it okay!

Hope this helps

[Olive]

i used a karma baby sling/pouch from birth to around 5 months with millie, she then fitted into tthe ergo, i didnt like the ergo from birth as i found it awkward, i would have love a pikkolo as you can you it from birth with bubs in the froggy position right up to toddler position front and back carry
i breastfed millie in the karma baby easily

[suse]

I have... ummm... a few carriers , each of which serve a different purpose.

Woven wraps:
- 4.5 mtr Vatanai (long wraps are good for multi layer carries - eg: FWCC - front wrap cross carry). The Vat is a good summer weave, but is not as supportive for older babies, even in multi layer carries.
- Size 2 (2.7mtr) Didymos Jim Jade (linen blend). Linen is really supportive for older babies/toddlers, this is a rebozo length wrap which I predominately use for quick hip carries. My DS is not patient enough to stay still long enough to let me wrap him in back carries unfortunately, but he still likes being wrapped for cuddles.
- Size 4 (3.7mtr) Didymos Jim Jade. A longer length 'shorty' which is a good length for kangaroo carry, ruck carries, and hip cross carries.

Ring Slings:
- Psling (these are a fantastic ring sling - they have a wider body, so great for toddlers, a unique shoulder style which is really good for people with narrow shoulders, and once adjusted don't need to be readjusted).
- Wrap Conversion (a Didymos 'waves' weave converted to a ring sling).

Mei Tais:
- Wrap Conversion mei tai (the rest of the Didymos 'waves' wrap which has been made into a mei tai with wrap style straps, which are wide and unpadded - this gives the comfort of a wrap and the convenience of a mei-tai).
- DIY BBO (Ball Baby Overall) mei tai. These have wide, unpadded straps, similar to a wrap conversion. I find wider straps more comfortable, especially in a front carry with crossed straps on back.

SSCs (Soft Structured Carrier):
- Beetlebums SSC (this is my beautiful beast, uber comfortable and supportive with my heavy, tall toddler).
- Bamberoo Solarveil SSC. Equal in supportiveness to the Beetlebums, but with a solarveil panel in the body (and solarveil hood), making it much cooler than a solid bodied carrier.
- Scootababy hip carrier. Fantastic if DS wants cuddles or a feed, but supportive enough to wear literally all day. This is also my DP's preferred carrier, as it is great for quick up and down trips.

I've also had (but sold):
- Catbirdbaby Mei Tai. These are a great mei tai for smaller babies, and for petite mums as they have a narrow strap angle. Also good for newborns who like legs out as they can be cinched in at the bottom. Catbirdbaby also make the Pikkolo buckle carrier which has a similar advantage.
- Connecta buckle-tai (a mei tai with buckles). Again, great for when DS was smaller, and really good for petite mums, but I found this less supportive with a toddler, and needed a wider bodied carrier as he got older.
- Storchenwiege 'Leo' wrap (3.5mtr). This was bought predominately for ruck back carries, but the weave is too hot for the tropics. Great supportive, bombproof wrap though.
- Olives & Applesauce SSC. These are fantastic if you can get one. Too wide in the shoulders for me though unfortunately.
- Ergo. Great for lots of people, again, too wide in the shoulders for me. I also found it too short in the body for my tall baby.
- Bear Hug Baby Ring Sling. These are a fantastic, well priced Australian made ring sling.
- Solarveil Ring Sling. This was my water carrier when DS was little.

As for feeding in a carrier, you can pretty much feed in any carrier from a front or hip carry, but some are definitely easier than others. Pouches are a little more tricky to feed in if a baby prefers to be upright, as they can't be adjusted to lower the baby to the breast. Likewise with SSCs, because of the structured waist band they are a bit harder to feed in, but still doable.

A really important thing to consider is not all carriers suit every wearer, and some are better for smaller or larger babies (or smaller or larger wearers). Some for example, are specifically designed for toddlers. Others have shorter bodies or cinching mechanisms which work better for smaller babies. Sure, I, or anyone else, can say what we prefer and why, and this will give you a good point to start from, but it's pretty subjective. The best way to find out is to try. If you have access to friends with carriers, ask if you can try it on first.

A few general tips though:

Generally speaking, the easier a carrier is to put on (or the less steps involved in doing so), the less adjustable it is.

Wraps are the most versatile and adjustable (and ultimately most comfortable in terms of fit), but have the highest learning curve, and can be difficult if you have an impatient baby or toddler. Stretch wraps (like a HAB) are better for smaller babies, not so supportive for older ones as they sag. Woven wraps are preferable for older babies.

Pouches are the least adjustable - they must be sized to the wearer. Few people (although there are exceptions) find them supportive enough for toddlers. One shouldered carriers are generally not as supportive as two shouldered carriers, as the weight is distributed unevenly.

SSCs can only be adjusted as far as the buckles let them. Very petite wearers often find it difficult to get a good fit on many SSCs. The shoulders are often too wide (slipping off in a back carry), or can't be tightened enough. The waist may be too big.

Ring Slings and Mei Tais both have great adjustment capabilities, but there are many different types and some work better for some wearers, others for different wearers. Ring slings have different shoulder styles, mei tais have different sized bodies and strap construction.

Not saying this to confuse the heck out of you, but just so that you know that if you like the idea of a mei-tai (for example), and try a particular brand that doesn't feel right for you, there are always alternatives.

HTH!

[hj1981]

Holl - do you have something to tell us? are u pregnant again?

[Moi]

I loved the hug a bub when my DD was a newborn. It kept her so snug and it was comfortable for me. She slept in it and I could BF.

Once she got older I started using the Ergo which I love because it's much quicker and easier to put on and off and it's more comfortable for carrying a baby when they start getting heavier. I was able to BF using it.

HTH

[Kitt3n]

for the first 6 months - close carrier, without doubt!!

thereafter - slowly work your way through Suse's list!