If it's too stretchy, you just have to wrap it around yourself tighter, if it's not as stretchy, you just wrap it loose.
I even tied Tyler HAB style in some swimwear lycra once just for a bit of fun ... it was lovely and sparkly ... as long as I tied it up tight he wasn't sagging around my knees! !
The most important thing is the knot at the back ... always remember to tie right over left, then left over right (or the other way) ... that way it can't come undone accidently.
I also 'made' mine, if chopping 5m of material in thirds constitutes making? I have used it a lot. It is brilliant for my bub to sleep in especially as he is going through an anti-cot thing for day sleeps. I was hesitant about spending the $120 on something I wasn't even sure I would use, with the plan that I would buy an ergo when he was bigger if I liked it. I think I spent about $30 on my material but has been so worth it.
I was given a hand-me down Baby bjorn from my SIL. It was good for the first little while, he is now 5.6kg and it really pulls on my shoulders. I used it for shopping and when out of the house as it was easier to put on. I have ordered a pikkolo which is sort of similiar but much much better, and can be used for longer. Plus they are prettier, that being said I did order the plain black one (still funky though) - I figured there would be more chance of my DH wearing it.
I love the pocket on the HAB. If you make one I'd persoanlly sew a pocket on it- makes short walks around the block so much easier with somewhere to put the house keys.
I love my HAB. I would not be without one, especially if you have a unsettled bub. It was a life saver for the first 3 months of Loren's life. Practice makes perfect when putting it on. Don't attempt to use it for the first time in the middle of the night when bub is upset!!!
Yes, Diva and the other girls have a point, you can make a HAB on the cheap very easily, and I always suggest that to people who can't justify spending so much money.
BUT, I bought mine full price before DD was born and from 3 days onwards she spent a good deal of time in it every day (up to 6 or 7 hours) until she was 4 months old (then around 3 or 4 hours until 6 months). It saved my life. I never regretted having spent the money for one second.
YES, they are a little fiddly especially in the beginning, but you soon have the hang of it and it will take less than a minute to put on. If you want to wear it out, I found the best way was to tie it at home, then put your bub in it when you arrive at your destination.
I have never BF in any sling or carrier. I think my boobies are too big or too low, or something, just couldn't get it to work. But maybe that's also because I used to like tying it really tight and wear DD quite high up.
DH wore it a couple of times but felt a little "girly" in it. That's why I bought an Ergo, which he likes much better. Better for Bub's spine (and your own) than a Baby Bjorn, but still more masculin in looks. I still use it a lot. Actually, in this household it's usually me who gets stuck carrying DD when we're out and about cause DH likes to complain about his "bad back"
If you do want to make one yourself, you can just buy a little iron on motif and iron it on the middle of your fabric to help with the tying.
this is an awesome thread - thank you, thank you, thank you!!- i liked the "link" to the mamatoto site. found it very helpful!! i'm now looking forward to the weekend to try and make one myself - much cheaper than buying one and than hating it later on (especially now that i'm not working anymore). i'm also going to try and make the sling/shawl one they had on their site. it looks good for bf...
I'm going to try to make one- and my friend is going to sew a hem for me around it (just cause I like things to look 'finished' ). I like the idea of the iron on motif in the middle too- thanks!
I'll let you know how I go- although I'll have to get a friend/ sister to test it out as I think my huge bump might get in the way!
That is very true sunshine_sieben ... so here's Diva's no-holds-bar review of the ergo.
Is is worth it? - Possibly. The ergo is certainly more "structured" so you can see where your money's gone ... there's no way I would try and make a bodgy DIY ergo, for what it is, they've done a fab job.
The backpack/attachable nappybag? I don't see where the money is in this ... good idea, bad design ... the attachment clips can undo with the slightest jiggle ... highly annoying when you're trying to reattach the thing, sight unseen 'cause bub's in the way. The side pocket bit is not attached inside, so it flops to the side and things can "escape" out the top as it's a hollow tube so that you can access things from the top as well as the side.
Multisized? - Not as much as the HAB. If you're "vertically challanged" (approx 5 foot or less) or ridiculously tall (6 foot plus) then it's probably not going to fit you well ... it'll fit, just not well.
If you've got small shoulders or are very broad across the shoulders then it's not going to fit you well either as the shoulder pads are very wide which makes them too wide if you're narrowed shoulders or not wide enough if you're very broad.
If you're "cuddly" then you're going to need the waist extender belt, so you're going to have two clip/buckle things digging into you when you bend/kneel/crawl.
Support? - Once again, it's not bad ... just not as good as the HAB. There's a sunshade that you can fit to cup bub's head so they're supported to a degree whilst they're asleep/shaded/kept out of the wind. If you've got a bub that doesn't like to be held really close to the body, then the support in this is great. I personally like the support in the HAB much better, as I have to hold bub's head when I bend down/crawl/kneel in the ergo leaving me one handed to retrieve things.
Ease of use? - Difficult. I honestly thought the ergo would be a "wham, bam, thank you mam" kinda design where you just chuck them in, and away you go ... but nooooooo .... first you have to put the waistband on (making sure you thread the buckle through the saftey strap). This is hard when you've got the nappybag already attached ... really easy if you don't.
Then you have to "centre" your child in the middle whilst picking up one shoulder strap. I found this really difficult as I have G cup boobs and couldn't see if our son was centred ... he always looked it up top, but his bottom half was doing a whole different thing.
The other difficult thing about this supposedly easy manover was that I kept picking up the lower bit of the strap, not the strap itself (as it was down too low), so I would have to bend over with child in one hand whilst fishing for that first strap.
Once you've got them, putting the straps on is easy, and wiggling bub down into a seated position is really easy too, a bit of a jiggle here, a poke and prod there.
But then we come to the part where you need to be at least double jointed, or have a yoga degree ... clipping togther the chest strap that is now around your neck.
This bit is easy if it is up around your neck, but I found this position uncomfortable and really needed the chest strap to be around my bra line ... something I just couldn't do no matter how I tried ... I needed help.
Then you've got to adjust ... the shoulder straps, the waistband, the chest/neck strap, the sunshade (depending on whether they're asleep or awake and the weather) ... most of this you can do beforehand, some you have to do whilst bub is in place.
I also "tried" to do the backcarry and almost dropped our son repeatedly ... I just don't have enough hands or the right balance, and quite frankly, it's not something a nervous nellie mother could do with confidence first time round ... it would take alot of practise.
So I'm thinking of selling it ... I took it out today to see the CHN. I got the waistband sorted, that was quite comfy, but I just couldn't get the shoulder straps comfortable by myself, but I did get it better than yesterday.
The attachable nappybag weighed everything down so much that it made putting on the ergo very difficult, and also taking it off was horrible too. I had to get the CHN nurse to hold our son whilst I got myself back into it, and our son screamed the house down as we were trying to get him settled in it (I don't think he likes having his legs splayed that much), which is something I hate, 'cause I want to be as self sufficent as possible.
It's also got no rain protection what-so-ever which is something vital on this squally island.
So we've decided to buy the baby carrier that we've always wanted ... we feel very silly for not buying it in the first place.
Now it's not going to be for everybody (maybe anybody ) but considering that we walk about 6km every day, and fly off this island regulary and therefore use public transport ALOT and can be away from home/hotel 24hrs or more, in all sorts of weather (snow as well) I'm thinking this will suit our needs best.
We're going to go with the macpac possum+rainbow+sleepyhead, or the Mont Bambino. But we'll definately keep the HAB for round the house and we'll put it in the possum's or bambino's spare pocket, for when the framed carrier is a bit too much.
We'll let you know which one we chose next Wednesday and do a review on that one as well ....
For all those with a HAB or Moby Wrap and you're thinking pastures are greener in ergo land they're not.
Unless you've got a toddler ... I personally think the ergo would be brilliant for toddlers on your back ... just not before.
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). I like the idea of the iron on motif in the middle too- thanks!
) but considering that we walk about 6km every day, and fly off this island regulary and therefore use public transport ALOT and can be away from home/hotel 24hrs or more, in all sorts of weather (snow as well) I'm thinking this will suit our needs best.
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