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Ok so up till now I have sort of ignored all the stuff about baby slings thinking that I wouldn't use one, but the closer I get the more it interests me. So I'm wondering what are the benefits of using a sling and which one is best in your opinion? We have a baby born carrier which we used with DS but I'm wondering if a sling is used for different things? We don't have alot of money so will need to find one that's affordable.
Any advice would be appreciated.
TIA
Hopefully one of the gurus will see this and reply, but I thought I'd add my 2c.
The benefit is you get two hands free to do other stuff!
I have a baby bjorn and we (well DH) has used it with both the kids. He loved that it was easy on easy off. Truth is, they aren't great for the baby's spine or your own.
I used a neitei and a peanut style sling with NB and I loved both for different reasons. THe peanut was easy on easy off for me, but many bubs don't like the position they're put in in them and often they are sized (a ring sling is similar but multi sized) so unless you and DH are the same proportions it will only fit one of you. We loved it and only stopped using ours recently - DS is 18months old. he's finally got a bit too heavy for my shoulder.
We also loved the meitei for longer carries and back carries when he got older (although we used the peanut for back carries too). I have also carried my 20kg four year old in it too not so long ago, so quite versatile. It does have long fiddly straps which are a bit of a pain while you're learning but it fits all sizes.
Both can be exxie, but I made my own. The peanut cost me $4 - no joke I got some duck cloth on a great sale and I have enough left to make another should my heart so desire.
The meitei I bought 100% linen for for strength but also got a bargain so it only cost me $25.
Recently I have splashed out on a BabyHawk OhSnap - it is better support for my bigger kids.
We have a mini monkey sling and it's great. It changes as your baby grows iykwim. If u google it it will give u their website. Cost us $75 but so worth it. Plus it's what DH wanted as he didn't like the look of the others!
I never used a sling for DS1, was never a fan either. But as I got closer to DS2 I realsied I would need my hands free more & what would I do if bubs doesn't settle. Our ergo baby has been the best thing ever!!!! I felt like I had not left the house to do anything as I couldn't manage 2 kids.....had DH doing the grocery shopping for weeks. Then we got our Ergo and it's been great. I can take both kids to Woolies each week to do a decent shop, DH can take him in it for a walk etc to settle him when I need a break or have an appt & he is close to needing a feed. On holidays it was fantastic, could go to the beach and parks easier. And soooo much more.
It's GREAT!
I just brought a close carrier absolutely awesome the benefits are endless but lets put it this way if I didnt have it my newborn would be stuck in his rocker while I attend to my toddler or I would be stuck on the couch etc. I was really worried about it hurting me as I am a small frame but its so comfy and I have worn it for hours doing housework etc. I havent seen a bad review yet. As soon as he is in it he goes to sleep.
I used the hug-a-bub for both babies and it was such a blessing, especially for T, since she had colic and it allowed me to have her close. I tended not to do stuff with her tied on me, as I found it was just a bit exhausting hanging out washing, or doing washing up, or whatever, with her on me, but it was a lifesaver when we were out. It also meant (as they were quite close in age) that I could wear her and push S in the pram, and get quite a bit of shopping done, etc. Also great for if I went out with friends for coffees and she was getting cranky in the pram - could just tie her on and she'd go to sleep like that.
When T was older I switched to the ergo (without the newborn insert) and wore her on my front and on my back. I found wearing her on my back to be sooo comfortable. I could even do stuff like bushwalking and weeding with her on my back - it was great. She was quite clingy even as an older baby, so doing that meant I could do stuff like prepare meals etc while she snuggled up to my back or went to sleep. I'll probably use both again this time, hug-a-bub when s/he's little, and the ergo when s/he gets a bit older and heavier.
Oh, I should mention we also had a baba sling, which M loved but I didn't like so much. I found it irritated my back but M found he could wear S on his hip and back really well, and since S didn't walk until 14 months, it was very handy to have in the car if we happened to be out somewhere and didn't want to use the pram.
hope that helps!
Thanks girls. Sounds like the Ergo is pretty popular and I think I like the sound of the hug a bub too. I'm off to do a bit of searching on them both.
Hi Ella, the ergo I have heard is excellent for older babies, the hug a bub has great reviews aswell, the close carrier is a pre tied (for lack of better description) version of the hug a bub, some people dont like the whole tieing business of the hug a bub thats why they go the close carrier.
The ergo carries weight on your hips, not your shoulders, so tends to be more comfortable.
I also direct you to the issue of stress on the baby's spine - see here for an article on the topic.
Roryrory- thanks for the article, was a great read, definitely gives me some more things to consider.
With DD, I had a Bubzilla to begin with, although I was never 100% happy with her in it as a newborn, and then when she was about 4months, and wanted to see out, I got a Catbirdbaby Pikkolo, which both DH and I love - you can wear them facing in or out on the front and then a back carry for an older bub - DH has carried her in it recently and she's now 2. I started to like the Bubzilla to do a hip carry when she was about 6months and able to support herself really well - it was great for quick trips.
With DS, I got a Hug a Bub when he was a newborn, and I loved it. He wouldn't sleep well in the bassinet or pram, but had great long sleeps in the Hug a bub, and it meant I could deal with DD. I did worry that he would always need to sleep in it, but about 14 weeks, he did an about turn, and now will sleep in the bassinet longer than he'll sleep in the sling. At 5 months, I prefer him in the piccolo as I feel its a better fit for him. I've also started using the Bubzilla again to see if he'll sleep better when we're out as he's more shielded. I've always tended to take a sling with me as well as the pram and quite often end up pushing an empty pram around with DS in the sling, but at least it gives me somewhere to hang the nappy bag and shopping! :D
If DH would let me, I'd like to try an Ergo but he thinks 3 slings is plenty!