My sister-in-law is going to have a baby and I would like to buy her a baby sling. I never used a sling with my kids so I know nothing about them. I have heard that they are good for "attachment parenting", i.e. much better for the baby's development than carting the baby around in an infant carrier. Are there certain types and/or brands that are better than others? I appreciate any info you can share about the type of sling that is best and where to buy them, i.e. specific websites.
Thanks!
Austin Baby has a great selection of slings & carriers. My son & I love the 360 Bebe Pouch Sling. http://austinbabyonline.com/ They are located at:
505 W Mary St
Austin, TX 78704
###-###-####
Peace,
S. S.
I loved my BJorn vs the other kind that hang over one shoulder and can completely cover the baby. I tried both and found that when my daughter was first born I could put her in it, facing me, and she would almost instantly fall asleep. It has great neck support for that age. You can even nurse if you lower the straps a little. Now that she is 5 months and has all her head control I face her out and she can see the world. I also like it because when she is in this most people won't come up and just start petting the pretty baby. They might touch her feet but that's ok. The best part for me was that it had straps on both shoulders and was supportive to my back. The other sling that draped around me put all the weight on one shoulder. I tried it when she was just born and it was ok because she didn't weigh much but the minute she started plumping up it just got to heavy for my one shoulder and was hurting by neck and back. Now it sits in the closet unused. I know the wrapping ones look so inviting for the baby, and they are, but the front carrying Bjorn is just as cozy to them. They have their faces and ears right next to mommy's heart. The only thing that ever worried me was that when she fell asleep when facing in her little face was smushed up in my cleavage. I always wondered how she could breath like that but after awhile of constantly checking her I realized I was being paranoid. She could always breath fine.
Again, it is the Bjorn. It comes in different colors and types but all are about the same in concept. I preferred the white and gray one that was designed to be cooler to both you and the baby. I figured having a summer baby in TX that was good idea. You can get them at Babies-r-us and Target for somewhere in the $79 range.
Good luck! And congrats on becoming an Auntie!
Here's a great website that shows you the positions each type of sling/carrier can do: http://www.thebabywearer.com/index.php?page=bwposchart
Be sure you give her a receipt, though. My baby hated being "worn" (I bought both the Baby Bjorn and the Peanut Shell and was never able to use them). She didn't like to be stuffed into those things no matter what the websites say. It might be better to wait till the baby's here and see if she can try out different types. Every baby is different.
i actually have 2 slings and a baby bjorn. i love all of them and would purchase again. i got the slingezee at special addition and a peanut shell at baby coco. both are great, and better for certain things. i like the sling ease b/c it is adjustable. it is a little warm in the summer b/c of the padding. it is nice to have the shoulder padding though. now that my daughter is older but still tiny the peanut shell is great to use to carry her on my hip. the baby bjorn with the back support was a life saver for me b/c i used it daily. i literally had to carry my daughter 18 hours a day b/c she had colic and reflux. comfort is the best thing. special addition is great about teaching you how to use and trying the on. most places won't let you return slings once they've been used. good luck!
http://www.slingezee.com/default.aspx
http://www.thepeanutshell.com/
Hi K.,
I would suggest taking your sister-in-law with you to buy the sling. Better yet, I'd wait until the baby is born so she can actually try out the sling. I received a sling as a gift, but after my son was born I ended up going a completely different direction with sling choices.
Just a suggestion :)
The link to the babywearer is an excellent plance to start for information. There are many styles of carriers out there. For the traditional Ring Sling, I like the ones that have the 'rails' or edges a different color, so I always knew where the edge of the fabric was. But as my baby got older, I loved the mei tai carriers because they were less fabric and I could easily wear him on my back as well as front.
My online store, http://childtogo.com, carries several types of slings. I don't have all in stock as many are shipped directly from the manufacturer, but I am willing to meet any local mom to help her measure and try out a few styles. A lot of people like the double-loop slings. They feel less stress on their shoulders and the baby is well protected. I just thought they were a little hot myself.
I recommend http://zolowear.com/ . Although they are the pricier than most you are getting a quality made sling that is durable and washable yet soft and pretty. Personally, I had the Baby Bjorn and a Zolo and much preferred the Zolo. With the Zolo my baby was secure and snuggably cozy. I think newborns like it because it imitates being in the womb. The Baby Bjorn on the other hand felt like my baby was just dangling in front of me, arms and legs hanging out. This was my experience.
I used an Ergo Carrier with both of my children. It can be used as a front pack carrier and as a backpack.
There's an excellent site on babywearing Peppermint.com which features slings of all kinds. Ring slings, slings you knot, Ergo carriers, anything you can think of. The owner and her staff are knowledgeable, friendly and will converse with you in email or by phone about the mom's needs. The owner is a mom herself and chose the babywearing lifestyle so she can tell ya all about it. :)
