Baby Slings

Hi there, I read through the older posts about baby slings but since it's been quite a while since anyone's written about them I thought I should start a new topic.
I'm due in August and really love the idea of a sling but am not sure about the one shoulder type like the Babasling because my shoulders hurt even just wearing my handbag for a while so I'm looking into the other types like the Tricot-Slen slings.

Any suggestions? Pros/Cons?

I had a hot sling and couldn't get it to work right. I wasn't comfortable and neither was my son. I think part if it is I'm a rather well endowed galand things kept getting in the way.

I have a mei tai my sister made me and I love it. They can be used from new born, but I started using it from about 14 weeks. The benefit of it is that any one can use it and it can be used for years (bil will still carry their big 3 1/2 year old in it) I have a couple of links on my computer about them and I can post them when I'm next on there if you want.

I have this one and am currently using it with baby number 2 and I love it. 

http://www.attachedtobaby.com/Sleepy-Wrap-Baby-Carrier-P106.aspx
It also goes by the name Moby wrap.  I picked mine up in the states, but I am sure you can find it in the UK.

It was definitely daunting at first, as it's essentially one long piece of stretchy t-shirt material.  It comes with instructions on how to tie it up and put the baby in.  I remember practicing with a teddy bear before my first was born, getting used to tying it up and putting "the baby" in. 

Once you get the hang of it, it's fab.  Both my babies just love it in there and just go straight to sleep. It goes over both shoulders and around the back, so it has lots of support. 

Just seconding the Moby recommendation, I have a 10 week old and he loves it in there!

I have heard great things about the Moby, but I am a lover of the Rocking Baby sling, it seems like it might hurt, but if you can find a good tutorial, its quite easy and comfortable. I also love the Mei Tai...you can pick one up on ebay quite cheaply. Check out Youtube for tutorials on how to use them!

I have a ring sling (from Freedom Slings on ebay) which I now keep in my nappy bag at all times and it's fantastic for last minute sling needs.  I initially bought it with my first child for travelling through airport and have it now for my second.  They both love being in it.  It also doubles as a blanket when needed.

I also have an Ergo carrier and LOVE it (you can use it front carrying, hip and backpack style).  I bought it from the Ergo website's auction site so got it at a super bargain price with other extras (change bag, teething pads etc.).  I find it very comfortable and the shoulder and waist padding very comfortable even for extended periods of time.

I have a Baby Bjorn Active that I bought when my first was born, but wasn't too thrilled with it, as DH would use it, adjust the back support to meet his needs, but an absolute FAFF if I wanted to use it as it took ages to get the adjustments just right.  If it's just you using it though, it's great and very easy to get baby in and out of the carrier.  It became uncomfortable in the shoulders after wearing it for longer than half an hour.

A friend of mine has a Close Parent sling and loves it.  I was looking at getting one, but got my ring sling instead.

I did tons of research before choosing mine and ended up getting the Wilkinet baby carrier.  It's a nice sling and carries the baby well and can be adapted for them as they get bigger and want to sit in different positions.

The funny thing was that I later got to know the lady who developed it.  I had known her for some time before I realized who she was and we figured out that I was using her carrier.

http://www.wilkinet.co.uk/Default.html

I had a Baby Hawk. I really liked it but didn't use it as much as I'd hoped. That, however, is more because I was in chronic pain after the birth of my second child than it being a bad carrier. Truth be told, I could still use it for my kids now as they carry up to 40lbs! Hmmmm...

http://www.babyhawk.com/

(and yes, I was a sucker for being able to chose my fabric)

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I've looked them all up online and am now just trying to decide on which one.

We're planning on using a Moby wrap for our babe, we've heard really good things about them for newborns. However I've also heard that once the baby gets a bit bigger that they start to sag and thus aren't ideal. Something like the Maya might be better for older babies.

You should look into a babywearing group near you, here's a website with some groups throughout the UK:
http://www.slingmeet.co.uk/

Our baby's not due until July, but I really like the idea of slings. There are loads of groups and forums on the internet for babywearing and lots and lots of information about it, my husband and I are having fun practicing how to tie all the different positions for the wraps!

I used a Freedom Ring Sling when #2 was a littlie.  It was nice to be able to lie him in it (especially for feeding) and also to "rock" him to sleep while I was doing chores.  He was very small so it was easy to hang up washing or do a number of other daily activities with him inside.  Once he got big enough to move around, I sold it on because it just didn't work for us.  I tried a variety of different positions and nothing seemed comfortable for him or myself.

We had a Baby Bjorn for a little while after that (he loved being able to face forward and see everything by then).  I found this carrier extremely annoying due to the positioning of the baby.  My son has very long legs and even at only 4-months-old, it was very hard to carry him because his legs were dangling right in between mine!  I've also read many reviews that say this position (all of the babies weight being directly in between their legs) is not good for the baby (don't know the validity of that though).

The Ergo and Mei Tai are our favorite slings now.  The baby is actually "sitting" in the carrier, so their legs go to the sides of your body (no tripping over dangling baby legs or being forced to walk like a duck!) and it seems more comfortable for him.  The Ergo is extremely easy to adjust and the Mei Tai is "self adjusting" to the person using it (because there are no buckles) so I find both of these very convenient if different people may be using them.  I have had back problems for years and I found that the Ergo/Mei Tai design to be the least painful of all the ones I've tried.  The weight is mostly distributed to your hips so keeps your shoulders and back from being too stressed.

I've never tried a wrap but heard lots of good things about all of them.

The Ergo carrier is great and supports proper positioning of the baby (unlike the Baby Bjorn, which is awful for baby's posture and should really never be used!). You'll need to purchase the newborn insert to begin using it right away. My husband always uses this to carry the baby in.

We tried a Baba Sling but I really didn't like it--the one shoulder strap really hurt my back and I found it hard to position baby in a comfortable position. I used this maybe 2 times before I gave up on it.

The Moby wrap is great but for newborns I prefer the Hoppediz newborn wrap, which is identical to the Moby except it uses less fabric so is easier to tie on and is much cooler for both baby and mum to wear, especially during warm summer months. It is designed to last up to 12 months though, whereas the Moby will go beyond this... my daughter is a very hot-natured baby, so the Hoppediz won out.

I had the most success with the Moby wrap for the first few months. But, once our son could fully support his head and back, the babasling has been great. I just got a little tired of having to do all that wrapping with the Moby--and, as noted above, the child gets heavier and there is sag. That's not a problem, but I like how easy the Babasling is. And, now with a 20 lb+ child, it's helpful to be wearing him in the sling for just a bit more support.... (Our lift was out for three weeks, and I was so glad to have it when going up and down all those stairs!)

Unfortunately, the best advice is probably to have access to a number of different types of carrier and be able to find what's best for you. My husband was hopeless with the Moby, but did well with the Baby Bjorn. At least a lot of people put stuff up on ebay-- and you can get ahold of it there for less. Although it might be nice to have a shiny new Moby wrap-or any type of carrier- that thing is going to go in the wash so often, so quickly, it'll be less colorful pretty darn quick!

If you can't access a babywearing group sometimes baby fairs let you try them or try local NCT Nearly New Sales http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/events/nearly-new-sales