Advice on purchasing a sling???

[mellys bubby belly]

Hi all,

Hubby and I only have the one car at the moment which he needs for work - as such it's highly likely that I will be catching public transport around a lot of the time.

As our pram is HUGE and I'm dreading the thought of lugging it on the bus all the time with a newborn, so I'm looking to buy a comfortable sling to use instead (or for the majority of the time anyways).

Anyone have any advice on what sling to buy for prolonged use (ie walking around the shops for hours etc etc - hee hee am I optomistic or what to imagine I'll have the time for that ) that's not going to turn me into a hunchback?

[Junglemum]

i had a Hug a BUB for when DD was tiny and i found it great, really comfortable, great for her to sleep in when out. But i admit a little fiddly to put on. I also had an over one sholder sling, but that was too uncomfortable and made which ever side i was carrying her on ache.
I still use the HAB a bit (DD 11 months) but mainly use my ERGO. I would recommend a soft structured carrier like an Ergo. There are a few different brands around. The beauty of them is that as bub gets older you can carry them on your back. They also distribute weight over your hips as well as your shoulders so you are not carrying all the weight just on your shoulders.

JMO- i have heard people say they find the ERGO uncomfortable, not me though!

[feeb]

I have an ergo which is comfy to wear but I find it very fiddley to get on and off alone.
I also have a baba sling which i bought so that i could put it on easily alone, i do find after a while it hurts my sholder that it is over.

[BellyBelly]

Be careful of those front pouch holders and spine compression in babies. They can also really pull on your shoulders. I didn't like the Baby Bjorn, lasted a couple of months and my back couldn't take it, got a HAB and loved it, lasted 12 months Easy to wash/clean, if you dont like it you can send it back and supports an Aussie business.

[mellys bubby belly]

Thanks guys!!

Been doing some Googling on your suggestions so am feeling a bit more educated!! There's so much stuff to buy for Baby #1 and it's great to have some feedback so thank you, thank you, thank you!!

[Nelle]

What do you want to use it for? For a newborn? For newborn til 2 or 3 or just for the first few months? Is it important to have more than one position (eg, facing out, or on back)? How important is looks? Will it just be you wearing it, or will your partner wear it too?

Keep in mind that if you like the Ergo, you'll need an infant insert for it. You won't need an insert for something like the Pikkolo, but that has its pros and cons depending on your body size I'm finding. Those two are both SSC's (soft structured carriers). There are also Mei Tais (my personal fave), Ring Slings, Pouches, Wraps (like the Hug-a-bub, and you can also get firmer ones).

If you find you're not getting enough answers/info, maybe post a link to this thread in the Babywearing section, to catch the attention of more people who already use baby carriers.