Confused...there are too many to choose from!

Looking at getting a sling for DD...have been googling all night and now my head is swimming from all the options out there...hoping you lovely ladies with more experience than me can give me some guidance/advice to help me choose one!

I want something that firstly isnt going to be too expensive...although looking on the net i dont think i will find anything in my initial price range which was about $50! lol. If I have to spend more then so be it..isnt that what baby bonus is for :lol:
I thought about making my own but put it in the too hard basket...

So, I am after something that can be used in different positions, but at the moment DD really loves sleeping on my chest so that would be ideal, something that is going to last and can be used for a long time (want to get my money's worth!), comfortable and won't make carrying her too heavy, both DF & I don't have the best backs...and most likely a wrap. Had a look at the Ergo and similar and they dont really appeal to me.

Have narrowed it down to the hug-a-bub, close carrier or a ring sling, but there are so many different ring slings out there I don't know which one... Peanut shells also, but they aren't "one size fits all" and DF may want to use whatever I end up getting.

Man, they can't make choosing one simple!!

you can make a hug a bug realy easily, just by aporx 5m of streachy tshirt type material, if 150 wide cut in 3 lenght ways, end up with 3 wraps 5 m long, or if less than 150 wide cut in half. You don't even need to hem it as it won't unravel.

Then when bub is older you could get a ring sling or another carrier. I use my ring sling for quick trips, as dd likes to be on my hip, but for long trips I use a mai tai, so that she can go on my back. My dd started on my back at 4 months in the ergo, she has always sat with legs out, it is just her.

google how to make a carrier and you should find Jane andrea site on making rings slings to, that is if you are handy with a sewing machine.

Hope that helps.

peanut shells are on sale at arimehs store clothie bumz
they might be in ur price range

If you are considering a wrap, and want to use it long term, I would suggest a woven wrap rather than a stretchy wrap like the hug-a-bub. Woven wraps are much more supportive so can be used through to toddlerhood, most people find that stretchy wraps are fabulous for newborns but less supportive as the baby gets heavier and need retying/tightening as the weight causes the wrap to sag.

Some woven wrap brands to investigate are: Didymos, Storchenwiege, Girasol, Vatanai, Ellevil. Lots more as well, but these are some of the more commonly known ones. Depending on where in Australia you are different weaves suit different climates, Vatanai in particular are great summer wraps as they are thin and airy, Storchenwiege wraps are very supportive but are thicker and warmer. Girasols are somewhere in between. Didymos wraps come in different blends and weaves which vary in thickness and supportiveness. Generally speaking, the thinner the fabric or more open the weave, the less supportive, so finding the most supportive wrap that can still be worn comfortably in your climate is important (if you are in Melbourne, you are spoilt for choice. If you are like me, and live in North Queensland, it's summer wraps only).

For wrap information, google thebabywearer and baby carriers downunder - both are very good sources of information on babywearing. Wrapping is a little more specialised so most baby shops will not have any (let alone good) information. There are also a lot of choices (in both brands, styles and lengths) so telling you about woven wraps may not help your bamboozlement I'm afraid.

Ring slings: both Storchenwiege and Didymos also make ring slings from their wrap fabrics - these are excellent choices, especially if you intend to carry heavier babies - as they are supportive. Another good choice is the Maya Wrap Lightly Padded RS. Although some people find most ring slings comfortable, there are differences in the way that the shoulders are sewn and some people have preferences - if you are petite or narrow shouldered, for example, some shoulder styles will be more comfortable than others. Unfortunately, it is hard to say what will work for one person. If you (or your DH) have bad backs/shoulders, then a ring sling, or any one shouldered carrier for that matter, may not be best as your sole carrier, although it may be OK for short up and down type trips.

If you have the patience to learn to wrap, it is the most versatile way to carry your baby - there are many, many different types of carries. It is also the most comfortable and supportive way to carry, but there is a steep learning curve compared to other carriers.

HTH!

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peanut shells are on sale at arimehs store clothie bumz
they might be in ur price range

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I was about to say same thing!!!

I have ergo which i love but didnt like till he could sit up, baba sling hurt my back once he got heavier and have just ordered a close carrier for next bub

hun, I only live a couple of hours from you (Griffith). I have a meitei and a shell (both that I made) if you'd like to try them out, I'm happy to meet up. Just pm me.

I second making your own wrap. Just a piece of woven material, there are a million different ways to tie it. I went to a presentation when dd was a bub, and got some great ideas. It was in Brisbane though, but Im sure there are things on the internet.
Even last month, (DD is 31/2 now) we went for a bushwalk, and dd was ready for a nap. My friend has this wrap that she brings everywhere (similar to a jersey knit), and we used it to tie dd on my back, and it was great. Really comfy, and she was fast asleep.
I have owned the baba sling, the baby born and the ergo, and I would reccomend the baba for babies (although it can be useful for hip carrying when the are older - it just hurts after a while). I love the ergo, it is so comfortable for me. I can go out for the day and carry dd in it easily. Nowdays, she too tall for it but it still supports her weight well.
I would look secondhand if you are going to buy one. Baby markets, newspaper classifieds. E bay can be a bit expensive. Still you will save alot, and you can wash them and they will be fine.

I was in Cotmakers on Wednesday and noticed that they had a few different types of slings, so maybe you could go and try a few on with bubs to see what you like and then maybe make one yourself to save some $$?

ETA - have you considered a meitei? they are so versatile and hubby will be able to wear it too.