OT: Baby slings

[HunnyJar]

With our new little one arriving in early September, I've been thinking about getting a sling or some sort of carrier. I bought one (Infantino) that I had planned on using with my daughter, but it ended up getting misplaced and then forgotten. And then a few days ago I noticed the same carrier was being recalled by Infantino. So, I'm now trying to find some information and suggestions about slings.

I have seen the Hotslings and Petunia Picklebottom slings. Not sure if one is better than the other. I know I want to find one that is easy to use and is also newborn friendly. Any help and tips are very appreciated!

 

[El&Asmom]

Congrats! I wore two of my dds from newborn to about 18m and rarely used a stroller in the first year. A sling was just so much easier.
First, I would head over to thebabywearer.com for as much info as you'll find anywhere on slings. You can get slings on their FSOT forum from other moms and not have to pay full price for new. Plus you can resell for a good amount too.

Here is a list of my favorite slings
Sleeping Baby Production ring slings. Jan is a WOHM that makes THE BEST ring sling on the market. And she has great prices. I just wore dd 16m today at the zoo in one comfortably. They are great from itty bitty newborn to toddler.
Hotslings are great for "popability"
BabyHawk mei tais are my favorite mei tai. I don't know how I would take care of a baby without one of these. Dds spent many hours in ours.
Dh loves the Ergo, and I love it for a back carry. It's not very useful until baby is about 5m though.
Some love Moby's. I never got into into wrapping but many love it especially with newborns.

I have used many others, but those are my core slings to have with an infant.

Have fun shopping. It can become addictive.

 

[viviensmama]

We have a peanut shell and LOVE it. My daughter is 8 months and I wear her in it practically all day.
When she was a newborn it was much easier for me to use a wrap though. We used a sleepywrap from day one. Honestly I would buy a sling and a wrap closer to your due date, keep the tags on both, and see what works better for your little one. It is hard to imagine what it is like wearing one with the weight of a baby in it, plus your baby may prefer to be held in a position easier with one type of sling.
I prefer a pouch sling (the non adjustable kind), but you may like a ring sling better as it offers a custom fit. For me it was too much to mess with.
My suggestion if you just want to buy one and be done with it is to buy a wrap, like the moby or the sleepywrap.

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

I never really liked the slings. I've had back problems in the past and I do better with the baby's weight spread out evenly as opposed to centered on one hip. I know others who loved theirs and used them until baby was well over 20 lbs.. They have used Peanut Shells and Hotslings with great success.

I had a MobyWrap that I LOVED. It does take a bit to get used to the wrapping, but it really only takes a couple of tries. It was very comfortable and easy for me to use and was the only one my husband would wear. I will say that friends of mine find theirs hot, but I never had that problem.

My other carrier is a Mei Tai that I picked up at a yard sale. It's great and works just fine, but if I had it to do again I would get an Ergo from the beginning. I think it's a great balance between structured and comfortable.

Glad you found out about the Infantino ahead of time...those never looked right to me in the first place. So sad it had to be recalled for the reasons it was recalled.

 

[Sazuburns]

I like ring slings for newborns - they can lie down for feeding or be in a more comfortable (for mum and baby) upright position the rest of the time whilst still staying in the foetal position. I have a Freedom ring sling and a Maya wrap one, although of the two the Freedom is my preferred one.

Avoid anything with a deep pouch where the baby is lying down and the fabric appears to close around the baby, especially if it isn't adjustable as the baby could end up 'chin to chest' without you noticing and this is what is most likely to lead to breathing problems.

For an older baby I like Mei Tais and soft structured carriers (ssc) based on the Mei Tai idea, eg the Connecta. These are better at weight distribution than a ring sling and the ssc ones are quite quick to take on and off.

 

[Rachie0507]

I used a ring sling with two of my children and loved it! I loved the flexibility--I could put the baby in different positions depending on what we were doing and how he/she was more comfortable. My son is almost 8 and I bought the sling before he was born so I'm not sure if it is even sold anymore. It is called the No-Jo Original Baby Sling. There are SO many more options for those interested in babywearing than there used to be though. Research online!

I just switched my DD over to an Ergo because she was getting too long for the sling (she will be 2 this summer). I love the Ergo! I thought we would only be using the back carrying position, but she actually likes the front too. I find it much easier than using a stroller and she prefers it too.

 

[HunnyJar]

Thank you all for responding, I'll be checking into all the mentioned carriers/slings. I'll also check into the thebabywearer.com and see what I can find there. Thank you again!

If anyone has any more tips, suggestions, etc.. Please keep 'em coming!

 

[MommyPoppins]

Ring slings are my favorite. Of course I'm partial to the ones I make myself.

Mei Tais are also very comfortable, but not as quick and easy on/off.

You can buy used slings/wraps/ssc/mei tais at both babywearers.com and diaperswappers.com.

I don't care for the Sleeping Baby Productions shoulder style. I like the psling style and a simple gathered shoulder. But everyone is going to like something different based on body style and such.

Good luck finding a sling. I LOVE wearing my babies!

My fav. ring slings are Pslings, but..........very pricey. LOL!

 

[monkey30]

I am using a cuddly wrap (same as the moby just here in Canada) and LOVE it, It kept him super close while NB (he was 3 days old when I started `wearing`him) and in a good position. I did figure out how to nurse with him still in the wrap but found that he did not like it, so I just took it off when feeding.

We used it all through out Disney World, and at home, I get many coments on it as it is not a huge thing wear I live to babywear. I was not a big fan of the slings as I am a large women and they just did not fit right, but had no issues with the wraps.

 

[HunnyJar]

Oh my.. There is SO much to learn! It seems a little overwhelming to take it all in at once! So many different kinds of carriers and slings.. Whew!

I appreciate all the comments and suggestions. I'm still learning about what's out there and help is welcome!

I have noticed on some of the websites for slings that they mention bra size.. Is that really important? I ask because my husband might want to use the carrier/sling sometime and well..he has no bra size.

Thanks again!

 

[MommyPoppins]

With a wrap, mei tai or ring sling that really wouldn't matter. Most ring slings have a long enough tail that even your DH should be able to wear it. Mei tais and wraps are about as adjustable as you can get. lol. A pouch sling is really hard to get the "right" fit unless you can try them in person. Even with measuring properly my pouch sling is still a tad bit big, but the size smaller would be WAY too small.

 

[GoinToDisney]

I like variety. I had a September baby, and my favorite for the earlier days was a kangaroo korner fleece pouch. I used the tummy to tummy position so I could see her face and keep her upright. The next carrier I was able to use and love was a Moby wrap. Those are great because they are available at Target and maybe BRU and you can register for them. I have a maya lightly padded ring sling, and I am learning to like it now that my LO is 6 months old. I can actually nurse her in it, so that's nice. It's not very comfy on my shoulder, though. I have a hotsling, and it's nice as a backup to keep in the car in case I am stuck without a sling, but not my fave. The kangaroo korner adjustable pouch is the only one-shoulder sling that feels comfy for me. I love my Ergo now that the baby is bigger.

 

[MommyPoppins]

I like variety. I had a September baby, and my favorite for the earlier days was a kangaroo korner fleece pouch. I used the tummy to tummy position so I could see her face and keep her upright. The next carrier I was able to use and love was a Moby wrap. Those are great because they are available at Target and maybe BRU and you can register for them. I have a maya lightly padded ring sling, and I am learning to like it now that my LO is 6 months old. I can actually nurse her in it, so that's nice. It's not very comfy on my shoulder, though. I have a hotsling, and it's nice as a backup to keep in the car in case I am stuck without a sling, but not my fave. The kangaroo korner adjustable pouch is the only one-shoulder sling that feels comfy for me. I love my Ergo now that the baby is bigger.

Why haven't I thought of that? lol! I have been desperately trying to sell my hotsling(selling everything I can get my hands on to save up for Disney. LOL) because I don't use it anymore, but I guess if I can't sell it it is the perfect little sling to keep in the van for emergencies. I keep my mei tai in their, but it takes up more room and I often will just bring her car seat in instead of going through the tying up the mei tai process. lol

 

[HunnyJar]

Are the ring slings and mei tais very difficult to get used to? Does it take a bit of practice to use it? That has been one of the reason I was scared to just go out and buy something. My husband is gone over 12 hours every work day and I worried that I would buy something I wouldn't be able to put on myself.

I know I'm probably worrying about nothing, but to be honest I'm a huge worrywart and when I'm pregnant that worrying doubles or triples. Seriously though.. I appreciate all the helpful comments. This has been very helpful to me.

What would all of you recommend as a starter carrier/wrap/sling? Something easy to get used to.. I figure maybe I can get one to try out before the new little one gets here.

 

[MommyPoppins]

A mei tai is super easy to use if you just carry the baby on your front, it does take lots of practice to carry on your back though.

A ring sling is really easy, you just put it on like a sash and slip baby in, then adjust by lifting babies weight and pulling on the tail to get the right fit. I think that with a wide width ring sling(most are about 30 inches, I prefer ones that are around 40) there isn't much adjusting needed once you get the right fit for your size baby. I never adjust my psling, just slip it on and slip the baby in it. The wide sling I have made are the same way.

There are millions of youtube videos to help you learn though.

They are def easier to put on than those baby bjorn type carriers.

 

[El&Asmom]

The only time I ever needed help was when dd was little, and I wanted to wear her on my back in a mei tai. Once she was a bit older, and I could scoot her to my back, I didn't need help with it anymore. Occasionally, when we get out of a car and I'm flipping my straps around my back, if dh is there, he helps make sure they aren't twisted. Not necessary, just our little ritual.

I also forget to mention the Connecta. I used my solarweave Connecta at WDW for hours and hours last year when dd was 5m. It is a perfect combination of the comfort of a MT, and the ease of a soft structured carrier. It's especially nice since the straps aren't as long so it's great for wintertime or when it's wet outside and you don't want to get your straps wet from dragging them on the ground. Don't be overwhelmed. You'll find what works for you and your dc. The only thing I would worry about is spending the bank account from buying up carriers.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I don't mean to hijack, but this question may benefit the OP. Which is "better", the Wrap or the Mei Tai? I've been longing for a Mei Tai for *ever* but the Wraps look mighty nice!

 

[El&Asmom]

I don't mean to hijack, but this question may benefit the OP. Which is "better", the Wrap or the Mei Tai? I've been longing for a Mei Tai for *ever* but the Wraps look mighty nice!

"Better" is in the eye of the beholder. I personally prefer a MT but many would say a wrap. And at that, it depends on the kind of wrap. The Moby and others similar are great for younger babies, but as they get bigger, the stretchiness makes them less supportive. A woven wrap can work from newborn through the preschool years, but they tend to be pretty expensive.
In my opinion, a MT is a wonderful carrier from newborn to about 1y. Many use it longer, but my kids are long and we switch to a SSC or just use a RS after that age.
I say try one of each and see what works for you. If cost is an issue, you can get good prices at thebabywearer.com FSOT section. If they don't work, resell them.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

"Better" is in the eye of the beholder. I personally prefer a MT but many would say a wrap. And at that, it depends on the kind of wrap. The Moby and others similar are great for younger babies, but as they get bigger, the stretchiness makes them less supportive. A woven wrap can work from newborn through the preschool years, but they tend to be pretty expensive.
In my opinion, a MT is a wonderful carrier from newborn to about 1y. Many use it longer, but my kids are long and we switch to a SSC or just use a RS after that age.
I say try one of each and see what works for you. If cost is an issue, you can get good prices at thebabywearer.com FSOT section. If they don't work, resell them.

Cool, thank you I think the major factor is the stretchiness being less supportive in a wrap. If I knew I was going to have more babies, I would probably do the wrap, but I think I'm going to go with the Mei Tai. I've wanted one for a looooooong time anyway! Thank you (I wish I could buy both, DH would kill me!)

 

[MommyPoppins]

You can get a non-stretchy wrap too.

I think wraps are probably the MOST comfortable for mom, but it really depends on where you live. Here in SW FL I would NEVER wrap. lol. It would be SO hot!