Qs about Bear Hug Baby slings

Read on another post that these are pretty good... well have checked out the website and ... theres a lot of different types...! Original... summer... sassy... linen...

Basically I am looking at one I can breastfeed in... but something that won't be too hot as the weather warms up... and also something that will last us to about 18-24 months... would you go the mesh, cotton or cotton/linen? What are opinions on the mesh (summer) style slings? It says up to 14kg... so how long would it last us (no idea what weight babies are supposed to be and when :redface:)?

One more question about the sizing... I am 156cm, and Shel is 170-somethng cms... but I am size 10-12 and she is size 12-14... Does the height matter? Would Size 2 be ok, or would you say size 3? It's better to have it too long than too short right?

Sorry for all the questions, I dont know much about ring slings except I want one lol!

I can't help you on much with that one Leash as I haven't seen them before. Just wanted to let you know that Zander is around 16kg and he's three & a half, so going by him, you'd be able to use it up to about 3 years.

Hi Leash!

The only difference in these slings are the fabrics used, so the functionality is the same. You can breastfeed in a ringsling, they are one of the best types of slings to feed in, as they support both a cradle hold and an upright hold.

In some ways it's six of one, half a dozen of the other with mesh versus light natural fabrics. The mesh may be breathable, but it's polyester, which can be hot. And you may find it less supportive with a heavier baby/toddler. Cotton/linen is lovely and breathable, and softens up beautifully. I know a few people with the cotton/linen and they love it. I have the cotton one and it is a good balance of supportiveness and breathable.

I'm not too crash hot on weights, but my boofer 9 month old is 10kg and is above average for height and weight. I think that 10kg is about the average for 12 months. Not sure about 14kg, I think it's about average for 2 years, because the rate of growth drops off. I can only wear a ring sling comfortably for short periods now, but I have back and shoulder issues and a 10kg baby so prefer a two shouldered carrier.

There are few ring slings that are supportive for a toddler (especially for long carries), because any one shouldered carrier is distributing the baby's weight unevenly. A two shouldered carrier like a mei-tai is much more supportive as it distributes the weight evenly over a large area. But you may find that as Jazz gets older and starts walking, you may not carry her as much, but it will be handy for trips to the shop etc. At that point if you are still enjoying carrying her (and she still wants to be carried a lot), you might decide to invest in something more supportive. But at this point, a ring sling is a good option. There is no one carrier that is going to 'tick all the boxes' in terms of convenience, longevity, etc, etc, so it's best to go with what is going to be good for you now.

As for sizing, it depends on personal preference as to how long you like the tail, and whether the person feeding likes to cover up with the tail when feeding. My BHB was made before they started sizing them, and it is about 170cm long and comes to mid-upper thigh, I'm 167cm.

HTH!

Leash, why don't you email Belinda and ask her? She lives in Briz, so maybe you could go and check them out before buying?