Sling help!

[Missjoebloggs]

I have a very snuggly (clingy!) 3 month old who lives in the sling. I currently have a boba wrap which is perfect, she’s snug and falls asleep and I find it really comfy and can wear it for hours without it hurting my back. However, it’s a right pain when we’re out and about taking it on and off as I hate the fact the material drags all over the floor.

I’ve hired a boba X and a Tula love to grow soft buckle carrier but I’m finding the shoulder pads too wide and bulky and baby isn’t enjoying them as she’s not so snug.

Please can anyone suggest something that might work for us? I’ve looked at a zensling? That looks like a happy medium? Any others people could suggest that are soft, not bulky and easier when out and about than a wrap? Baby is 12lb. Thanks!

I never got on with Tula. If you're narrow through the body it's often a bit too bulky.

The Lillebaby and Manduca fitted me best, DH preferred the ergo. In the short term, a close caboo or a mei tai gets the benefits of the soft wrap.but without big dangling tails - you can get lots of the close caboos in good quality second hand on eBay or FB selling groups, worth doing quickly as you only need them when your baby is smaller.

Do you have a local sling library where you can try some on? Something to remember is that small as they are now, they grow so quickly at this age, they'll soon move on from needing something quite so soft and snuggly, and the most important thing will be whether it is supportive and comfortable enough for you to keep wearing it over the long term.

Caboo are great.

Check out your local TK Maxx - I’ve seen them recently for £29.99.

I’ve just bought a Beco Gemini and LOVE it.

Loads in their sale becobabycarrier.co.uk/products/sale-beco-gemini?variant=18111148261491

Agree re Caboo. Goes on like a T-shirt, scoop it around baby and then tightened by pulling on the fabric through the rings. Really easy, very snug but not too hot.

I had the boba wrap and loved it. Never had an issue with material dragging on the floor though, I think I just wrapped it round again with a small knot on the side. Hope you find something that works x

I had a Connecta, but might have been a bit older...

Thank you for all your speedy replies! That’s exactly the issue I’m having with the Tula and Boba X, they just feel so bulky!

We had a caboo when she was really small and it was handy but I then preferred the wrap as I found it kinder to my shoulders.

The beco gemini looks more slimline, I’ll see if I can try one of those.

We do have a sling library yes, it just only runs once a month and obviously I’ve just missed this months meeting! so been trying some from an online library.

I hear a lot about mei tai’s, are they also just long stretches of fabric like the wraps or are they more structured and easier to put on when out and about?

It's possibly too structured for you, but i LOVE my ergobaby omni. DS is so comfy in it

I swapped to an Ergobaby original about that age. Can't recommend it enough. Still using it daily now at 13 months. I don't find it too bulky but did by 2nd hand from eBay so maybe the padding had flattened out.

Yep I bought a caboo for £29.99 from tk maxx a few weeks ago

I also loved my conecta (now called integra) when I had DS in 2015 planning to use it again but got the cheapo caboo for the very early days.

You may find the tails of a mai dai too long too. Although they are comfy (provided you don't buy a cheap one like palm and pond)

A wrap conversion or something like a lenny lamb buckle carrier have the softness of a wrap but the buckles are easier.

Connecta/integra are less bulky too.

There is postal sling hire if that helps?

I also liked the isara.

You could try a ring sling?

Mai dais are a sort of square panel then long straps - two which tie round your waist and then the others go over your shoulders, cross your back and tie at the front.

I used a connecta from when mine were about 4 weeks. They do them with petite shoulder straps too.