To think slings vs prams is a daft debate.....

[crackcrackcrak]

I have both so what do I know.....
But I have friends now almost at war about it. AIBU to think its just a personal preference based in ease of use (both) that's just been hijacked as a superior parenting choice?

How ridiculous, most people I know use a bit of both - I can't imagine anyone argueing over solely using one or another. They both have their place and suitability surely!

Some people do think they are so much better than others and look down on the 'normal' persons practical choices in so many things these days!

seriously, back away from them

bet the sling one is a ''baby wearer'' snigger

Oh hell yeh re baby wearing. Prams are evil innit. There's a sling meet round by 'ere where they bitch about pram use.

But the baby wearers are totally persecuted for being different........

I've also heard one self define as a 'crunchy mama' barf

YANBU. I went to a "sling meet" when DS was tiny and it was utterly bizarre. It's like using a sling is a badge of how fantastic and holistic a parent you are. I couldn't get on with slings, they just killed my back, but no matter what I said they wouldn't accept it, they just kept pushing other slings, saying I would definitely find one to suit me. Nope, not a single one was right. In their eyes my failure to use a sling was a failure as a parent. It was so incredibly weird I just couldn't understand it. There seems to be some ideology around slings but I can't figure it out - I mean what on earth could it be??

I've never come across a debate about it

crunchy is v american

sling no good for me - incredibly booby, short waist, unsteady on feet. Scary.

Cailin - exactly that. I have a lively friend who thinks her doing is utterly amazing but doesn't give a fig if anyone uses one. And another re acquaintance who has become a knob about it, frankly.

Can't stand any holier-than-thou parenting philosophy. I have a Baby Bjorn sling thing which is no doubt inferior to a wraparound-type sling and of course also use a pram; some reusable nappies and some disposables; did a half-arsed blw / puree combo and co-sleep out of necessity rather than choice. As for Water Babies classes ...

Gah, the whole thing makes my teeth itch.

I love slings, lots and lots, I am looking into establishing a sling library locally, that is how much I love slings, I have 4 wraps, 2 ring slings and a pouch sling, I carried my 2yo when 38 weeks pregnant in July, seriously, I love slings.

I also have 2 pushchairs, and if I need to be fast, wear heels, or it's hot and I don't want to be sweaty, I am walking a long way and my 2yo might get tired (yeah I don't love them enough to back carry a 15kg toddler along with a front carried gigantababy, it's one or the other) and I know I will not need to negotiate steps, tiny shops etc, I will gladly use them. So there.

There are better things to argue about.

I have never been to a sling meet although I have met "baby wearers" though La Leche League. I have never met a militant sling wearer or a militant pram user. Most of us have far to busy lives to care.

I met a couple of militant cloth nappy users, but they have been amusing rather than offensive. Ie. One lady desperately trying to persaude to start using cloth nappies inspite of the fact that dd was 100% toilet trained.

I've got a friend who is a pita about prams. I think she's found the Perfect Pram now so hopefully she has calmed down slightly now but she did go on and on about them. Apparently you can judge whether you'll get on with someone based on the pram they push .

I do love slings but I don't talk to anyone about it!

Oh, and as for EBF - I do it because I'm too idle for FF! (joke, with more than a grain of truth in it )

How stupid! I use both. Depending on what I'm doing I'll decide which is more suitable.

I don't see what there is to argue about? I've, in 5 months, only bumped into one other slinger around here. I don't count the baby Bjorn users!!

I carried them when they were tiny, found meitais and wraps handy.

When they were bigger though... no. I used to say it was because my back is a bit dodgy, but that's not strictly true. I just like my personal space. And toddlers are STICKY.

The fact that I felt I had to lie about it makes me feel like a bit of a twat.

Unlurked I think there's some truth in that. Saying that I'd established that woman was a twat before I seen her stoke baby on a stick pram.

Well for a thread about slings 'v' prams, posters sure are getting wound up about it!
I use both at the same time: 5mo in sling, 2yo in pram (lightweight McLaren type).

It's just a means to an end really, no need to start offending either user type.

It is ridiculous. I used both, but there are people in both camps who are quite hardcore, shall we say.

Right have I been living under a rock? Wtf is a 'crunchy mama' and a 'baby wearer'?!! I can't see the debate, its personal preference and anyone who judges someone for using one or the other needs to get a grip. I couldn't get on with my sling with either baby. Maybe I'm a weakling but it hurt my back, where do you put your bag too?!

I use both. Can't do loads of shopping with a sling (although you can bung baby in sling & stuff more bags in buggy) & sling very handy for steps/ beaches/ public transport.

I think most people I know do both, never known anyone be militant about it!

YANBU, who really cares about this sort of thing?

Crunchy I assume refers to granola/hippy types?

I have a sling and a buggy and love them both for different reasons.

do they have pram meets? I think a sling meet would be my idea of total hell

YANBU, it's down to personal preference. I would use a sling, but I'd be terrified of what'd happen if I fell over. So pram it is!