Seeking Input on Sling

I used the Maya wrap. Found it online and Loved it. I was able to hold my daughter in it from infancy to age 3+. It was a little difficult at first, but there is a great video that is worth it. Best Wishes.

I would suggest a Maya Wrap. My daughter (who is actually names Maya) loved it. I could nurse in it and actually have my hands free. I the fabric is very breathable so you don't have to worry so much about the baby over heating. Also, the Maya wrap will allow you to carry you child from newborn to toddler. Check them out at www.mayawrap.com.

Look up Kangaroo corner.. when the baby's older.. you can get an ERGO.. loved that sling! I didn't find one when my son was really little that I loved, but now I could. Check out the babywearer meetings too though.. they actually let you borrow slings too!

Hi Jennifer,

There ARE so many to choose from. And frankly, much of it depends on you.... your body type, what is comfortable for you, and what you find 'easy'. I will tell you my experience and you can take the info and go from there. There are MANY others that I did not try and each have plenty of moms who loved them.

When my daughter was born I desperately wanted a sling. But, really knew nothing about them. So I just started reading about them and trying them.

My First: A ring sling: This is a large piece of cloth with 2 large rings that the sling slips through and hold it in place. My daughter, when she was very tiny liked this. However, I could not wear this for a long period of time. I put it on per the instructions, but after a couple of hours I would get a terrible cramp in my shoulder and neck.

Also, once my daughter got a little older (like about 2 months) and was becoming more 'aware' of her environment, she didn't like being tucked down into it, but also didn't really find it comfortable to be sitting up in this particular sling. So, for both of us this quickly became a 'non-user'.

In addition, when I did use this one, I found it difficult to do stuff around the house. It was like baby was just in the way. I felt like I couldn't really get my arms around the front to really do anything effectively.

My second: Baby Bjorn: This was a shower gift. I used it off and one in conjunction with the ring sling. It isn't suitable for very tiny babies. I used it for a short period of time, but by the time my daughter was about 3 months, SHE HATED IT! And frankly, so did I. We were living in Germany at the time and since we lived right in the city we didn't have a car. I walked everywhere. I could NOT make the 15 minute walk to the city center without my back KILLING me. Now, granted, they have improved the design now and there is a lower back support on one of the newer models, but again, my daughter hated it. She did NOT find it comfortable.

My Third: 2 pieces of cloth: I can't remember the 'name' of it. I actually purchased it in Germany, but I HAVE seen this concept here, once. It is two pieces of cloth that each look like a huge belly band. You criss cross them and put baby in the front 'pouch' that is formed. Although it was very comfortable for me.... my daughter HATED it. Not sure why, but she did. In addition, I always found it just a bit difficult to get on. I found it confusing. I know, it sounds simple enough, but apparently I was just experiencing sling challenge with this particular one.

My FOURTH: The long wrap: I actually liked this one and so did my daughter. It's just the long piece of cloth that you wrap and wrap and wrap. I liked it because you could wrap it so many different ways. YOU controlled how tight it was or how loose. My daughter found it very comfortable. I wrapped her so she was in front, sitting facing me. I never tried to wrap her facing out, but I know you can.

Now, you CAN nurse in all of these. It just takes practice and a little patience.

The thing with the wrap was I often found it difficult to get the wrap just right after nursing. Also, I never felt comfortable taking her OUT of the wrap in public because it always took so much room just to wrap me back up! ha ha ha

My FIFTH: The ERGOBABY. LOVE LOVE LOVE this one, and so does my daughter... still, at 19 months.

www.myfavoritebabycarrier.com

The above website sells them with a GREAT money back guarantee. It's something like a 3 month trial period...where you can buy it, use it for 3 months and if you don't like, send it back for a full refund.

Now, you DO have to buy the infant insert if you want to use it with an infant. (until they can steadily hold their head up)

Reasons I love this: It is comfortable. The shoulder straps are wide and cushioned. It has lower back supprort. It puts baby in a good 'seated' position so baby is comfy.

Easy to nurse. The straps adjust easily and quickly so you can loosen them a bit and just nurse. There is a little 'hood' that you can cover baby's head with in case of light rain or for nursing privacy.

Convenient. It comes with an integrated little pouch in front so you can put a pack of travel wipes and a diaper in there for short runs. LOVE this. You can also get other 'attachments' like a larger pouch for keys and wallet, and a diaper bag.

Seriously, this is a GREAT carrier. I love it. You can wear it on the front, back or side.

The ONLY criticism I would have, is I wish the waist strap was a teeny bit longer. I am not a petite woman, I could use it comfortably, but it was at it's longest. So something slightly longer would have been just nicer.

Now, there are other carriers that are very similar to this one. I believe they are newer and I have not tried them.

There is also the Mayan Wrap (?), which looks very similar in design to an ErgoBaby, but it is more of a wrap. I know some moms who have used these and really really love them.

I would start researching the different options, go to some of the sites suggested by the other moms. Get the pros and cons on each, think about your body type... do you tend to have low back issues, neck and shoulder issues, etc... Think about how you want to use the sling. Is this for errands, wearing baby around the house, etc....

Wearing your baby is GREAT. It promotes the bond between baby and mama. It does NOT produce a clingy child. As you can see, I tried lots of slings. I was committed to wearing my daughter often. And I did. She is now 19 months old and VERY independant. She is also a child who can play on her own. We do something together, and then she plays for an extended period on her own. Most days she is not constantly at my heels. She has her moments of course, but all in all, she is very self sufficient. I really attribute that to the fact that she knows I will be there for her when she needs me.

Baby wearing promotes the assurance in baby that mama will be there and that mama will help. It's a great way to get to know your little one!

Congratulations on your pregnancy! Please feel free to message me with any questions on any of the slings I talked about. More then happy to share my experiences.

I had, loved and purchased for many girlfriends who share my sentiments-the Peanut Shell. It's a little more expensive than some others (I tried the Eddie Bauer one and another one from Target and didn't care for them at all), but I think worth the expense. The PS keeps it's shape and was very comfortable to wear. My baby loved it and it was particularly helpful on flights.

Hello! Congrats on a great decision. It really all depends on personal preference....I have a hot sling pouch, a "petunia pickle bottom" pouch sling, a Sling Ezz ring sling, a Baby Hawk mei tai (aka ABC), a moby wrap, a woven wrap(Giresol), a Beco 4th gen and the standard-Bjorn. I used all at different times and for different reasons.

Check out thebabywearer.com for great info, definitions, pics, reviews and sale of used or SAHM made carriers also visit diaperswappers.com- as they have a forum where people sell or trade their carriers. Its great b/c you can find someone with a body just like yours and ask- what worked, what didn't
Finally- we have a metrodetroit babywearers group-we meet the 2nd Sat of each month, usually in Royal Oak at one of the coffee places. We bring our "stash" of carriers, are there to help others,try on each others stuff, teach people new to it, etc. And kids are welcome. PM me if you want more info.

Good luck!

PS- I can't get my spell check to work- so sorry for any (probably many) errors.

I used a Hotsling and found it comfortable and easy to use. But, I'm sure it all depends on preference. You might want to go somewhere and try a few on. If your in the Ann Arbor area - The Little Seedling has a good selection and helpful staff.

Well no matter what I would get the Sling that is like a long piece of cloth that you wrap around you and snuggle baby inside. My son had HORRIBLE reflux and had to be near me at all times I literally could not put him down for the first 5 months of his life. Even when he ate he had to be in an up right position and also had to be in an up right position for AT LEAST an hour after he ate. I slept with that sling on. And me and baby would sleep at night on the couch him in the sling me sitting up with the recliner out. Hard times but we made it. And that sling held him close enough as an infant that he wasn't falling all over the place. I could cook, do laundry clean and yes he could eat while in there too...:) Thank God for the sling...get the cloth one. Well my babies were little babies too like 6 lbs. and short guys too. So if you have bigger babies maybe the other kinds will work for you. But I STRONGLY recommend the sling that wraps around you like a big cloth...Good luck.

I hsve used a Baby Bjorn for my first two kids and liked it, but it had its downfalls. I couldn't nurse and my back got tired fast. I just had baby #3 and bought the Moby Wrap and U love it! It is not too expensive and you can use a nursing hold if you like. There are a bunch of ways to wear it. I bought mine locally at Budha Belly in Birmingham, but you can also order online. If you can't figure out how to use it, you can also find videos on you tube. I just used it yesterday for about four hours and it was very comfortable.

I have bought many, many slings and carriers. I have so many that it's a kind of joke.

My two favorites that I will keep and use are: the Maya Wrap (actually a ring sling) and the Ergobaby.

Ring slings are great for little babies. You can put them in the sling horizontally or vertically. You can control how high/low they ride on your body. You can switch shoulders, although you'll find that you prefer one over the other. And it's a snap to nurse in public. Both of my kids love the Maya Wrap. But when they reach a certain weight, I can only use it for a limited amount of time.

Someone previously commented on the Ergobaby, and I have to agree with everything said. I have other carriers, and they're fine until the baby reaches a certain weight. Most carriers put all of the baby's weight on your shoulders. I had a BabyBjorn and it was fine for about 6-7 months, but after that I couldn't use it for more that a few hours at a time because it would give me a serious headache. I can carry my 16 month old all day in the Ergobaby with no problems because her weight is on my hips and not my shoulders. Also it can be used as a front carrier or a back carrier, so it's great for doing things around the house. I've never tried it with a small baby though, because my younger one was 10 months old when I got mine.

Here is a link to a sling/carrier review I wrote on my blog. I wrote it before I had the Ergobaby, when my younger one was about 7 months old.
http://samanthakawakami.blogspot.com/2008/07/baby-slingca...

One more thing, a lot of people have been mentioning hotslings. You have to be very careful about sizing for a hotsling because you cannot adjust the length of the material. If I were picking between a ring sling and a hotsling, I would go with a ring sling because of the fact that you can adjust the length and it gives you more versatility. Ring slings do have a bit of a learning curve. You probably won't feel really secure or comfortable the first few times you use one, but after that they are great.

Good luck with your baby carrying!
Sam

I had the same problem, I actually tried a couple before I decided on the Hotsling...the only problem being that you absolutely have to size it correctly. My daughter is 7-months-old now and still loves to "ride" around with me. I found that with the adjustable ones my daughter's head rested on the buckle. You may want to go to the store and actually try some on to find what works best for you, you could ask 8 people and get 8 different recommendations. Good luck to you!

I chose a ring sling, it was wonderful! hands free operation, really a lifesaver since I had a 3 year old as well. My little guy lived his first 4 months in that sling and was content as can be. I chose an unpadded, but since you plan to bf a lot in your sling, my reccomendation would be a padded sling. Here is a great website I referenced a lot when my little one was born (even though I actually bought my sling from a WAHM mom on ebay. it was great! for about 15 dollars I got to pick the fabric I wanted and she made it specifically for my shirt size)

http://www.kangarookorner.com/choose.aspx?t=chooseBreastf...

I suggest you go to www.thebabywearer.com and register on the forums there. There's a meetup every 2nd Saturday of the month (so there's one coming up), and the ladies can help you decide which carrier/sling will be best for you and even give you some pointers on nursing in one of them.

As for me, I never got the hang of nursing in a sling. I have a maya but couldn't really work the logistics out, and by the time I learned of thebabywearer.com my baby was a little too old to handle being snuggled in with me all the time. It would have been great to know though!

Good luck, and congratulations!

Baby Bjorn...it's a little pricey but by far the best one.

LaLeche League has a publication that costs very little on Babywearing. Check their website www.llli.org. Also, if you attend a meeting in your area, the moms will give you lots of advice on slings. They are very helpful!

Just one little note - you've gotten such great imput!! I got both a bjorn and a sling (although more rare to find used) at mom 2 mom sales. I also bought an expensive cute sling for outings but found overall for me the most practical was the bjorn. I have heard great things about the ergo and my friend has one - they are pricier. If you can get a good price on a used bjorn it would be a great back up. (like 25 vs 95). PS I also got the maya wrap after she was a little older and loved it but plan on using it with our next one - it seems very comfy...& I bought it at little seedling in Ann Arbor and recommend that place highly - worth the trip!! (ok that was a long note!)

mom2momlist.com Good luck