Ergo, Rose and Rebellion or Stokke

[BinarySolo]

Which of these carriers is best? Been looking into it for a few weeks and I feel like my brain's going to melt!

I had a babasling at first last time but I never felt that confident that ds was safe and was constantly heckling he was still breathing, it was good for breastfeeding tho.

I then had a babyborn. I think I was able to use this for much longer as ds was small, but I don't think there was really adequate back support for me, and having read up further have concerns about hip positions.

I also have a big little life backpack thing. It's great for long walks but bulky and doesn't offer much head support.

I do a lot of walking and would like a carrier that works in front and back positions and that's comfortable. Would like to be able to use for a good length of time too.

[Barbeasty]

I think it's a very personal thing, which you find most comfortable. I'd recommend going to a sling meet or borrowing one from a sling library to see how you get on.

The Stokke is most expensive, but has the lowest top weight. It also isn't recommended to carry your baby facing out.

The ergo and I think the r&r let you hip carry.

Just to confuse you even more, have you looked at Boba or Manduca? The manduca lets you cross the straps at the back as well as the rucksack type straps with the ergo & r&r.

[RooneyMara]

I haven't tried R&R or Stokke (though I think they tend to be a bit overpriced iyswim - doesn't mean the carrier isn't good)
but I have got an ergo and am very fond of it.

It's comfortable, well more comfortable than any other carrier I've tried and I've had about 6. It's expensive and you need to watch out for fakes - only buy from a listed stockist on ergo.eu's website and don't go to amazon or any of the unlicensed google hits as they'll be cheap but useless.

just saying - I expect you already know - but I got one from China and then a real one and have had to go through the chargeback process for the fake.

[OhMyNoReally]

I have an ergo, love it. I have shoulder problems but I get no pain from the ergo. It's great.

[BinarySolo]

Thanks for the advice. I was originally veering towards the Stokke, but now it's a toss up between the Ergo and the R&R. The funky designs of the R&R really appeal and I like that it's uk made and reversible and machine washable. The Ergo seems highly rated tho, and there's a stockist near me that does a try before you buy.

I still think the Stokke sounds good, but think there's probably others that perform as well without the price tag.

[pootlebug]

When are you due? Of those three the Ergo is my favourite by a long way, but I don't really like it for babies under 5 months or so, especially in summer as the insert bit is really warm. Have you looked at the Manduca as well? I second the suggestion to try something out at a sling meet or sling library as different buckle carriers work for different people.

[freelancegirl]

Im a bit of a sling failure, bought both a moby wrap (gave it to a friend) and an Ergo - beautiful looking thing £90 from lovely local shop (so def genuine) and couldn't get DS comfy in either. He's huge though and I'm crap with that sort of thing. DH bought the stokke and it's ok but I think we're just crap sling users as a family :)

[freelancegirl]

I keep thinking of going back to the shop and saying they can buy it back half price as its still in box! It's months ago now though so am too embarrassed. .

[LemonBreeland]

I don't think the Stokke will be much better than a Baby Bjorn tbh. The Ergo and R&Rs are well liked amongst ling users.

I loved my Ergo but some find it bulky.

[RooneyMara]

Freelancegirl, you could easily get more than half the price on ebay - if you've got the receipt, photograph it close up and state in your listing that it is 100% genuine and from a registered stockist.

People will be biting your hand off for it - there's not many on ebay and at least half are probably fake with no evidence to prove otherwise.

[BinarySolo]

I'm not due until September. There is a sling library near me but they don't have the R&R. The manduca looks good too, it looks a bit bulkier tho. I keep thinking I've decided then change my mind!

Both dh and I are average height, but I worry about the ergo being shorter. Could this be an issue? Have also read that R&R can be saggy.

[BinarySolo]

Ugh! I've just looked at the Boba 3G and that looks pretty good too! I'm even more confused!

[freelancegirl]

Thanks Rooney. Yes am thinking about that, just not done anything with eBay before and so flippin' busy. I need to though

[pootlebug]

I wouldn't worry too much that your local library don't have the R&R - they probably have a range of other suitable things not in your original list. I run a library and have so often seen people coming in wanting to look at X and Y and ending up trying on X, A, B and C and hiring and liking something they didn't come for at all....

[Barbeasty]

I have to say I love my Boba.

I tried a Boba 3g and a Manduca at our local sling meet, and they were pretty similar in terms of bulk.

I'd go to your local sling meet and try what they have. If you still want to try something like the R&R, you might find someone there has one, or there are online libraries.

If you try a few and like them all, then you can start deciding on price or how pretty they are!

[Rockchick1984]

I love the R&R, used mine daily from 3 months to 18 months (when I got a preschool size as DS was far too big for it!). You can cross the straps at the back which is very comfortable, and when doing back carries you wear it like a rucksack but there's a chest belt to hold the straps close. Not sure if its suitable from newborn, I'd probably say only when baby has a bit of head control :)

[BinarySolo]

Well the sling library woman hasn't got back to me. There's no contact details at all on her website so I had to message her via her Facebook page! She runs a consultancy too, so a bit odd to not include at least an email address. The group meets tomorrow, but have no idea if it's an open group or if I can take a 2 year old. Other sling library sites I've looked at seem much friendlier!

Pretty much decided on the boba 3G. Would have been nice to have had a play with it before buying though!

[freelancegirl]

I didn't enjoy my sling library experience. The lady who ran it was too busy to show me how to use anything and I never used the one I borrowed! I think it added to my overall sling failure. Good luck! And if you decide you want the ergo instead you can have my never been used one for a very good price! I gave away my moby and DH is keeping his stokke although we don't use that either. Humph. I had visions of myself being such a sling person.

[BinarySolo]

Not Huddersfield by any chance, freelancegirl?

Shame you didn't get any help. My ds loved being in the babyborn, but now I've researched it I'm going for an upgrade!

[freelancegirl]

The library? No it was London. It was a bit of a cringey experience all round for some reason. I was really looking forward to it too. I think she was being over run with orders at the time which I guess is good for her. But as a new mum I wasn't very confident in holding the baby and trying to safely put him in on my own at that point. So I bought the Moby - found that too hard at home on my own, bought the Ergo - was too put off by that point as it looks very easy. Now he's too huge to lug around anyway. But my DH sometimes puts him in the Stokke around the house.

Happy to post the Ergo (if I got that wrong?) if that's what you meant rather than where was the library!

[pootlebug]

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your sling library experience, freelancegirl. I run a London sling library (have no idea whether it was the one you visited!) and it does vary in how busy it is - some weeks I am able to take more time than others to help people although I do always try and spend a few minutes with everyone who comes.

I don't think anyone makes any money from a sling library - hire fees are used to purchase more slings, and given that most people running them have small children of their own it's just not feasible to open for so long as to be able to guarantee to give everyone who comes lengthy periods of attention. That's one reason why most of the London sling librarians are also qualified babywearing consultants and offer one-to-one consultations (although we do charge for these). Please don't give up on slings - they are fab when you find one that works for you!

[BinarySolo]

Hi freelancegirl. Sorry I was asking about the library and not the sling, tho thanks for the offer. I'd stick it on eBay if I were you. Stokke and ergo seem to hold their value really well and since you've hardly used it I expect you'd get close to what you paid for it.

[freelancegirl]

Oh I hope it wasn't you pootlebug although the lady who ran it did seem very nice! It was just busy. I did wonder what makes people want to do that sort of thing but since having a baby there seem to be a lot of altruistic folk out there who volunteer to help and advise too so I just thought it was one of those things people do for the love of slings :)

Yes I WILL get around to ebay at some point. I have a load of other things too.

[BinarySolo]

I'm quite a procrastinator when it comes to ebay. It's taken me 2 years to put the unused cloth nappies I bought on there.

[freelancegirl]

I rather like the idea of little Ergo and Rebellion