will someone please help me with baby slings

[Focusfocus]

I am 29 weeks pregnant, expecting DC1 baby boy this October. I am a size 12 and as I type this am wearing regular non-maternity size 12 joggers and tee. Not sure whats gonna alter in next two months but that's an idea of size. Am about 5 ft 6.

I've got the following baby carriers all preloved, and some offers. Can you please tell me if that's an okay selection to start with or if I need more?

I've got -

A BabaSling for £4
A Baby Bjorn for £6
A Wilkinet for £free
A Chicco go carrier for £3

I've got offers for -

An Ama Wrap for £25
A Moby for £20
A Victoria Slinglady for £16

Whatever doesn't suit can be immediately sold on our local FB group so not too bothered about getting a few especially at these prices.

Should I get any of the three offers I mentioned? I quite like the idea of having a few to try at home instead of sling libraries at the outset. As I saidselling within the day is no probe. DH will probably prefer the buckled carriers (slim built 5 ft 9).

Any thoughts?

[poocatcherchampion]

That seems like a lot of carriers!

I just had a moby for a newborn.

I wouldn't touch a Bjorn or similar.

[Laquila]

To be perfectly honest I'd get rid of the first four and buy the Moby wrap or the VSL. The latter two are much more suitable for a newborn than the first four, which are what are known as narrow-based carriers - these don't really give the optimal leg and hip positioning for little babies. When your newborn has outgrown the stretchy wrap, you could sell it on and look at either a soft structured carrier (I'm a fan of the Manduca, the ABC and the Moby Go) or a woven wrap. Congratulations on your pregnancy, by the way!

[Focusfocus]

Thanks very much! Will try to recover some money from first four and go for something stretchy!

[Sparrowlegs248]

I can't get on with the stretchy. I have tried it several times, DS always gets upset when i put him in and his head is not supported. I have put the shoulder pass over his head as per instructions for a new born, but he has quite a strong neck i think as bobbles head and it pops out then flops.

I have a new version baby bjorn (not the narrow base sort) and used it properly today after trying it on a few times. It was great. DS was happy and comfy and it was easy to manage. You probably won't get one second hand though as i think they are quite new?

Couldn't get on with ergo or manduca either. Tricky to use alone.

[squigglehead]

Yep, get rid of the first 4 and go for the Moby or VSL (they're really the same thing). Once your DC is too big for the stretchy you can move on to a woven or a soft structured carrier like an Ergo - I heartily recommend the facebook group "Affordable Baby Slings for Sale or Swap" :) congratulations!

[Roseybee10]

Moby!!! Don't touch a baby bjorn!

[PlasticGreenDinosaur]

I used a boba stretchy wrap (similar to a moby) until dd was 6 months then switched to a lillebaby ssc. I couldn't use the stretchy for the first few weeks as I had emcs and it put too much pressure on the scar, but once I got going I loved it.

However, my dh couldn't get the hang of tying it and after a couple of goes he gave up - which is why I got the lillebaby we both now use. The lillebaby is easier to get on and off and is really comfortable and will last for ages (I've seen pictures of 3 year olds being carried in them). It is suitable for newborns without any extra inserts as well so it might be worth looking at? My dh carries my daughter in it at least twice a week now and is totally converted to baby wearing

[ohthegoats]

Sling addict here.

I had a boba stretchy wrap for first 6 months. All 3 of us loved it. I liked that I could wear it under clothes - meant I could take a coat or cardigan off when I arrived somewhere without waking her up.

Boyfriend then moved on to the boba 4g, but it was too wide across the shoulders for me, and I wanted something I could wear under coats. Ended up with a hoppidz mai tai, which I used from month 4/5 to 7.

She's 10 months now and we regularly still use the boba 4g. Now she's heavier she weighs it down so it doesn't feel so wide on my shoulders. Also it's summer, so I don't need to wear a coat on top.

We also have a little lives rucksack and now I use a didymos ring sling to carry her on my hip for short in and out of car type trips.

[WLmum]

Dd3 lived in a moby until about 5 months - super sad when she got too big, so lovely and cuddly. Moved on to a freedom ring sling and carried her on my hip til she was about 12/18 months - she loved this even more but was physically harder work. Then got an ergo which is fabby. Still fine and she's massive at 2.5 now - my 5 and 8 yo like a ride around the kitchen in it now and then!

[mrsmilkymoo]

I would go with a stretchy for a newborn. I had an ergobaby wrap which was lovely. After about six months (dd is tiny) we moved on to a boba 4g, initially using the baby insert, as well as a woven wrap. Dh prefers the boba but you can get more of a custom fit with the woven wrap, although it's more fiddly to put on.

[Pico2]

I've got a moby, but never got on with tying it. I prefer the baby bjorn, but don't use it nearly as much as I thought I would. I actually use a hippy chick seat thing more.

[LadyLuck81]

I use woven wraps and prefer them to stretchy and my ever faithful connecta too, which I got for a bargain on a preloved site. There's so much choice and not every baby relishes being carried so I'd not go overboard before they're here.

[DanyStormborn]

I also wouldn't use the first 4. I loved my Moby Wrap (there are also other good stretchy wraps on the market). After he first few times I could tie it in 30 seconds and I loved that I could take the baby in and out of it without having to re-tie it or take it off which is good in the newborn days with loads of feeds and nappy changes. Now at 5 months we still use he Moby Wrap but are also experimenting with less stretchy options that will allow back carrying, like the Ergo, a Mei Tai or woven wraps but I don't feel these would have suited me with a newborn.

[Focusfocus]

Thanks very much all of you!

I've researched this quite a bit and put up the first four for sale. In the meantime, I've got an offer to buy a moby wrap for £20 which I have accepted, so will be going with that for the newborn. I appreciate it's not for everyone but stretchy wraps do seem to be the top choice, and that's what I can base any decision on at the mo. And moby seems to be popular, and since this cost me less than the victoria sling lady, I went for this. Thanks very much again!

[ohthegoats]

Good choice.

I put my daughter in a stretchy wrap within an hour of being home from hospital - my inlaws were there, so they watched her while we popped upstairs and set up the bedside cot etc. I put the wrap on upstairs (I'd practised tying it while pregnant - couldn't get it perfect with the bump, but could vaguely work it out), came straight down and put her in it.. then got on with cooking and eating dinner. She pretty much stayed in it all day most days until she was 3 months old. We lived in a building site of a freezing cold house, so it wasn't really alright to put her down anywhere.

[TeaandHobnobs]

The moby is an excellent one to start with. Tie it tighter than you think necessary, there should be no slack in the fabric - you stretch it to pop the baby in.
And if at some point you feel you want to move on from the stretchy (I used it for c. 10m with my first very small baby, but DC2 is huge and has got a bit too heavy for it much sooner), see if you can find a local sling library and try out a variety of slings / soft structured carriers, as different ones suit different people. Personally I am a big connecta fan, but I know other people prefer a bit more padding/structure than they offer.

[pocketsized]

I had a moby, but found tying it anywhere other than inside very fiddly (tried to put it on in a muddy, windy car park to walk the dog once, suffice to say the dog didn't get his walk!) Very willing to accept that's me being inept rather than the sling, but I switched for a close caboo which is very similar, but I found a lot easier than the wrap around moby. Still using it for 5mo DD now :)

[PlasticGreenDinosaur]

pocket I found it easiest to tie up the stretchy wrap before going out and put coats etc on over the wrap so I could take them off while I was out if I wanted to. That way you can just slip the baby in and out of the sling as needed without needing to fiddle about too much.

[Buglife]

I wish I'd used my stretchy wrap with DS more from birth but it freaked me out a bit, I wasn't confident I could put him in right. Then I got a Connecta when he was 3 months and it was fantastic. So when you move on from a stretchy I'd recommend it. I found carrying him so good for those unsettled days when he would just cry and fight sleep in the pram, and he was all snug under my coat and a blanket wrapped round him in winter. I love carrying. Just not in this hot weather! Remember to keep the baby in thin clothes under the carrier as the fabric counts as a layer.

[plummyjam]

People slate the Bjorn but I have found it very useful with a toddler and newborn to ferry about as it takes seconds to put on. Useful for getting out to the car or wearing for short periods if the baby starts wingeing in the pram.

For long periods or naps the Moby is better and more comfy but it does take longer to put on so not great if you'll be taking baby in and out a lot.

I know some people say you can just wear the wrap all day and pop baby in and out but in my experience the wrap stretches and loosens so needs tying each time.

No harm in having more than one though, they are easily sold on.

[pocketsized]

I tried that Plastic but I found the knotted bit was always in the way, either behind my back or catching on the seat belt. I found the caboo less fuss, but I know everyone has different preferences :)

[Roseybee10]

I preferred the caboo to the moby.

[Linguaphile]

Moby is a good choice. If your DH ends up getting frustrated with it, though, you could go for a really soft buckle carrier like a Connecta. Fab for littles and it's the ONLY carrier my tall, skinny DH will use (he says wraps, Manducas, etc are to hard/complicated).

[Sparrowlegs248]

I'm going to go to a sling meet - sadly they are only monthly where i live so will have to wait a while. I feel I must be missing something with the stretch wraps. Mine is a Kari-me just a length of fabric so must be the same as many others, i know how to tie it but just don't feel comfy with it.

Re the Baby Bjorn - I initially avoided it due to the narrow base but they do a wide based version now. Although I have heard they give people back ache i haven't found this myself yet.