Slings and baby carriers - your views please?

[carriemumsnet]

Hi All

We've been asked to gather some views on Slings and baby carriers in addition to the find the best surveys.

So if you have a spare moment and have used one (or more) would you mind telling us
1 If you used one?
2. How long you used it for and why you stopped?
3. How would you rank it as a nursery item ? essential etc?
4. Do you think the designs have improved and how?

Any other insights and thoughts on the subject!

Thanks as ever in advance

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

[RosiePosie]

I have used many, including the ergo - which I agree is fab. For me a good sling is an essential piece of equipment, more so than a pushchair or a baby seat/rocking chair.

I would say that the highstreet slings ( ie babybjorn or tomy etc ) are not the best available. There are many more comfortable slings available that can be used for much longer. For these you need to do your research and shop online. My personal favourites are:

For a newborn - a Wilkinet and a fleece pouch sling ( such as a Brightsparks sling )

For an older baby - The ergo or patapum ( both similar in design )

I used the latter two until about 5 or 6 months and the ergo until 18 months. I would still be using the ergo now with my two year old, but stopped slinging when I became pregnant.

[carriemumsnet]

bump

[champs]

hi carrie!!

1 yep used and using one a wilkinet
2. used with ds1 for 6+mths stopped as i had sciatica and it flared up, ds2 for over a year and still using with ds3
3. very esential
4. have only used wilkinet and had the one i have for 7years so not sure about improvements.

[morningpaper]

Which is the best for someone with a bad back? Not BAD bad, just a bit wussy and weak and aches after five minutes?

[champs]

i've only used wilkinet, but was good for me as it held baby right in close and supports baby. it was well balanced.

[WigWamBam]

I used a Wilkinet. Correction; I had a Wilkinet which remained spectacularly unused as you need to be a contortionist crossed with an octopus to get the best out of it. Herding cats is easier than using a Wilkinet. Baby in front, with your other hand grab the left tie, with the third hand grab the right tie, with your fourth hand make a loop, borrow someone else's hand to pass the other end through the loop, yet another hand to wrap it round and tie it - and all the time the baby is howling its head off and falling all over the floor. You have to practice on a teddy bear, and even that's almost impossible. I got dd into it once, and she screamed the place down until I took her out. Very expensive too; cost me £46 and much of my sanity.

[LeahE]

Best for someone with a not BAD bad back I'd say the Ergo, probably. For a BAD bad back probably the Hug-a-bub a bit of a faff to put on and take off but wonderfully supportive and distributes the weight evenly over the torso.

1 Yes - a Hug-a-bub, a shoulder ring sling (can't remember which one, didn't get on with that style), a Kelty Kangaroo, a Cwtchi Mei Tai-style and an Ergo (at different stages - the Hug-a-bub was fantastic with DS as a newborn but too much of a faff for me to use longer-term, the Kelty Kangaroo took over from it at about 2 months through to around 7 months when he was really too big for it, the Cwtchi and the Ergo are our current carriers and each has advantages.

2. Still using at 1 year+. Didn't use at the height of summer because it worked out very hot carrying DS that way, but started again as soon as it cooled down a bit.

3. For us, an essential. DS has never been keen on his pram/buggy and the carriers/slings give us an alternative that he likes and let us interact with him when we're out.

4. Don't have long enough experience to comment on improvements.

[champs]

hi WigWamBam!! i really find it easy, i even have the extra long lenghth too. but a few peeps have had a nightmare with it, reading your post, i'm wondering if me being double jointedish in my hands and arms has any bearing on how find it so brill, has anyone else found wilko a nightmare?

sorry but lol@your analagy!!

[WigWamBam]

I had the extra long straps too, Champs ... given my norkage it was the only way

I think it's one of those things that you either love or loathe; guess which I was

[champs]

love?? LOL

i found that the wilkinet was good for my ahem..bulky frame

[tassis]

We loved our baby bjorn. Had a tomy first and it was a NIGHTMARE - too many clips and straps. BB is so easy to get on and off. Particularly liked to use it in early weeks between 4pm and 5pm which was ds' cranky time. Sometimes I'd walk to a friends, sometimes just wear it around the house.

Downside - I found it uncomfy from when ds was about 4 months. Dh was still Ok with it for a bit longer.

[rummum]

I had a Baby Bjorn and loved it, I found it really supported the babys head as so many I had seen the babys looks uncomfortable with their heads flopping about. (Mind you this was nearly 10 years ago and things have changed)
I also liked the way you could have the baby facing forwards as well. Unfortunately DD was a big baby and I gave up after about 4 months, although hubby continued to use it.

[pupuce]

1. Used Baby Bjorn and Hug a bub

2. Baby Bjorn used for days - a nighmare to fit and really uncomfortable after 30 mins (kills your back), hug a bub used for months (even years) and often for more than2 hours at a time
3. Baby Bjorn - don't waste your money (or back!)
Hug a bub - a really useful wrap. You can get on with life as baby is well tucked in and comfy. You are totally hands free and no back ache. Also you do not need to put baby in a snowsuit to get out as you can put the baby in the hug a bub and the whole thing underneath your own coat! Brilliant.
4. Don't know about the more recent baby bjorn (active?) but fundamentally it does not look comfy for the baby.
Hug a bub is just a wrap. The quality of the cotton is great.

Guess I am ahuge fan for Hug a bub or similar wraps.
As a doula I use it and I would say 80% of clients buy one as they can try it and find it fab. Usually they already had a Baby Bjorn but that's quickly put to the side for this fab sling.

[pupuce]

I would like to add that the baby Bjorn is for a baby of 8lbs at least (and unlike others I do not feel babies are that well supported!) as a hug a bub is for babies what EVER the weight (including premature babies) as they are so well supported and tight. Also when older they can be front facing and you can even breastfeed babies dicreetly with the hug a bub.

[Nbg]

1. We had a Mothercare 2 way one. We bought it so that we could use it for when we had to walk the dog as we thought it would be easier than the pushchair.

It wasn't. Total nightmare to get on and dd never seemed comfy in it.

2. Used it two or three times stopped because of above.

3. Although ours wasn't very good I would say they are a good item to have. Sometimes it's nice to have baby close to you and it's nice not to have to take the pushchair everywhere.

4. Definatly think the designs are better and I'm sure there were better slings at the time we got ours.

[bluebear]

I've used a Kelty Kangaroo - it's like a hiker's version of a baby bjorn in that the baby is in a pouch that clips onto the carrying harness so it's easy to put on - but unlike the b.b. it also has a supportive rucksack style back harness..also has a little bag which velcroes onto the baby pouch which was very useful. Loved it and used it until babes were 9 months or so and too heavy to carry on the front. Was essential for ds because he had reflux and screamed if he wasn't upright so couldn't use a buggy, and for dd because then I could push ds in a small single buggy and we could get out and about easily.
Also had a hugababy ring sling - didn't use it so much with ds although dh used it all the time when ds was tiny - didn't fit my shape so well. Used it loads once dd outgrew the kelty - was fantastic with a baby that can hold on a bit, and sit on your hip.
Also had an ergo - agree that it is comfy and packs down really well - but the chest strap gave too much emphasis to my chest and I felt too embarrassed to wear it in the end.
Haven't looked at many 'new' designs - still think you couldn't improve on a kelty kangaroo for a front carrier.

[emkana]

I used a slingeasy ringsling with dd2 until she was about a year and absolutely loved it, esp. in the first few months as I could get on with life and still keep her happy and close.
Cannot for the life of me understand why can't you can't buy slings like the slingeasy in high street shops - baby bjorn seems to be totally dominating the market. Yet when people saw me out and about with the slingeasy they all said what a great idea it was.

[pupuce]

Emkana - you are right - the market is dominated by very powerful baby Bjorn.... there are so many far better products out there ! And cheaper too..... It's the power of marketing!

[picnikel]

1. Better Baby sling (from NCT catalogue) - great for teeny baby and can use as a hip seat for toddlers.
   
2. Baby Bjorn - it was good while it lasted but dd got too heavy by 5 months or so. Friends have found the one with lumbar support better.
   
3. Hippy chick hip seat - fan-bloody-tastic, couldn't live without out it as have a limpet for a dd!!

[JendleWendleBells]

We used a Wilkinet. My DH loved it - since he was usually the one carrying DS - and DH has a whole history or back, knee and other problems. We used it from when DS was newborn and it held him really well with lots of head support.

[Clary]

1 I used a Baby Bjorn for all my 3 children; also a Bush Baby back carrier.
2 I carried them in the Baby Bjorn for at least 8 mths and up to 10 mths in the case of shrimpy dd; Bush Baby is still in occasional use for ds2 (2.9)
3 Sling: Essential. Without doubt the best £45 I spent in baby equipment terms. But then I do walk a lot and had to use non-buggy buses when DS1 was small. With babies 2 and 3 I found it perfect with older child in the buggy, avoiding the need to buy a dread double buggy (I have 2 yr and 22mo gaps). Backpack was worth getting just to carry a baby down the cliffs and over the beach on holidays (buggy is tricky on a beach) and we also do quite a lot of walking in the summer.
4 Baby Bjorn is now swankier and looks more padded etc. But mine was perfectly comfortable.
Bush Baby ditto.
Interesting the variety of opinion on here.
Have to say that I only tried the Babybjorn sling. The one pupuce recommends is probably very good. But for me, the BB was fine, I would carry the baby in it for hours. DS2 was in it constantly for his first 6 mths or so.

[naturemum]

Hi!

My DS is 31/2 months old so still experimenting with slings.

1. Baby Bjorn and just bought Huggababy (ringsling).
   
2. Used the Baby Bjorn less and less until about two weeks ago as I felf there was a lot of pressure on shoulders and wanted to try a different style sling. Only used Huggababy twice outdoors as still getting the hang of it.
   
3. Slings are a great - especially good in the early days for dad and baby bonding. It's great to get out of the house without the burden of a pram. Lovely to have the baby next to you. An essential.
   
4. No comment.

[Babydaze]

My DD is 8 mths. old and I'm still using the Baby Bjorn. I would recommend it. Find it comfy & easy to put on/off by myself.I expect to get lots more use out of it. It's also easy to wash (just as well as the black does show up the dirt) It's probably my best baby buy so far.