To think whoever says babyslings are comfortable is a fucking liar.

[Ionlylikeitwhenitrains]

Cuz they ent.

Bastards.

I'm also a massive fan of my Connecta. It's got buckles so you're not faffing with reams of material, but it's still very comfy
I use mine every day with 6mo DS.

I used a BabyBjorn with DD and didn't use it much at all. Not comfy for either party.

I have multiple problems with my legs, back and pelvis, I am also a size 22 apple shape, I had a section with DD 3 months ago and she has lived in her close baby sling since we have been home. I actually resent the fact I bought the iCandy peach, it is great, but it gets used more for carting shopping about, and I can honest say she has been in her pram less than 10 times. I would say you need a material one, mine has 2 rings either side of the hip and you sit baby in the cross section at the front, pull the fabric over each side of baby and tighten by pulling the fabric through the rings, tie up and off you go! I practised by watching an online video on YouTube, I used a teddy bear first, and DD did cry the first fed times whilst putting her in, but once you are off and walking she falls asleep for ages. Now when she sees me put it on her legs start going and she gets all excited :)

YABU. I still carry my enormous 1 year old everywhere. Can't remember when we last used the buggy.

You obvs have a dodgy sling. The long piece of cloth type is the most comfy but a pita to put on. Second for me is my Beco- quick to get on and off and still comfy for long walks (did 2 hrs recently)

scholes34 I agree about marketing, I wonder why everyone has the bb when they are so fundamentally useless even with a tiny baby. I think their reputation comes from the fact that their other stuff like the bouncer chair is better than their competitors. DS still uses his bb bouncer chair it's strong and folds flat, I love it.

Ellie - I've heard ethos aren't great for shorter people. I can see why as I'm 5ft7 and couldn't be much shorter and still comfy.

Onward - you could front carry but back is comfort. Try either scooting him round from sitting on your hip to piggyback or if he's used to being tossed around stand behind him with both of you facing forwards, grasp his shoulders/upper arms tightly and him round up into your back (which I prefer as it gets them good and high). There are YouTube videos. Also practice over a bed so they understand the commands 'lie flat' and 'hold on'.

Oh fecking autocorrect. Ergos. Comfier....

I used a babybjorn, a wilkinet and a patapum. All good.

One day I was at my mums and my brother and I decided to go for a walk with his dd, who was 18 months at the time and not walking for long distances.

No sling handy, so I put her on my back like the African women do, and tied a cloth around her, so she was pressed in towards my body.

Massively comfortable! More comfortable than any other way of carrying.

Baby Bjorn is rubbish for any type of housework.

Can someone tell me how to work the kari me?

I think it's designed for thin people with a cups.

Slings are very good but you ned to find the right one for you and your baby - and learn how to use it properly!

A sling meet or sling library will let you try on lots of different ones, give you advice and help you get them fitted, and may lend you them out. They also tend to be fun socials with tea and cake - all for a contribution to the room hire or similar...

www.slingmeet.co.uk/

PS I now have 7 woven wraps of different lengths/patterns, a mei tai, a wompat for DH/GP use (which are ACE :) ), and 2 ring slings. Happily carry my toddler for as long as she wants, and often for naps... very comfy :)

Babybjorn and babaslings are just rubbish IMO

Karime needs to be bandage tight - tighter than you might think, and fairly high as well....

Oh I exclusively babywear as in I do not own a buggy and I wear my 17 month old AND my three month old and can clarify it is not uncomfortable. I use ergo on my back for toddler and ellaroo wrap on front for baby. I even carried toddler on back in ergo until I was about 32 weeks pg, I love it.

However I did have to play around and find the right sling for me. At first I had an mei tai which I detested, I tried it when DD1 was a newborn and it felt unsafe, like her head was falling back all of the time/my neck was killing. So I tried a maya ring sling and I detested it.. I could never put it on right and it always killed like a bitch. I eventually got there with the ergo and haven't looked back since, love it! Definitely would advise an ergo..

Baby bjorns are the worst ones to use, along with bag slings (such as baba sling). The best slings are the woven wraps like the ellaroo and other companies do them too, or soft structured carriers like the ergo or beco. But it is personal, everyone has different opinions. But yeah, def avoid baby bjorns.

HTH

if its uncomfy you have the wrong one, soft carriers are better, babybjorns are horrible uncomfortable baby danglers

"im amazed by all the people carrying toddlers! ds was nearly 14kg and over 3ft tall at 2.4years. the very idea of carrying him in a sling or on my back gives me cramp!......"

That is the same size as my toddler (2.2years) and he still fits comfortably in a sling.

To person asking about putting toddler on ergo its definitely better putting them on your back, I tried it on my front and it hurt so bad I thought I was going to die. There's great videos on youtube showing you how to get them on.

I don't know why my typing is all crap- on ergo, an mei tai.. Must really need sleep..

So I've read every post and here, I think is all the relevant info I'm standing at a pretty statuesque 5ft 1 my ain is 5 weeks old and my boobs are fluctuating between 30 c-d spending on when lo has a feed.
I walk for at least an hour a day and have a 25 month old in a maclaren xt so heavyish pushchair.

PLEASE someone recommend something or tell me where I'm may be going wrong.

Oh and the sling I have says.victoria sling lady it was given to me

Are you tying it quite tight, with the baby's head high on your chest, almost under your chin? Spread the passes out across your back as well.

Also you may be using core muscles that you wouldn't normally - may take a week to build strength. Carrying your baby like this is excellent for core strength - I've lost inches off my waist

Victoria sling lady slings are good stretchy slings - she's also a very helpful lovely mother herself who will help you if you contact her :)

www.victoriaslinglady.co.uk/

I have a Victoria Slinglady as well - only 5'2 1/2" here with a 38FF bust. I find my VS really comfy, although I mainly wear it in the house when DD (5mo) is grumpy & avoiding sleep in the evening (live in a hilly area with a lot of dodgy pavements and worry about tripping). However, last week it had a lot of use as we travelled 250miles on the train to visit Future MIL & couldn't fit the pram in her Ford Ka when we took DD out and because we used the pram to move the luggage around the train stations.

My tips:

1. I find it best/comfier to carry DD really high up, so baby's head can rest on the chest above your bust - you might need your DP's help to hold your baby high enough when adjusting & tightening the sling. To justify this, I do have some back problems, and the higher you make sure the baby is carried, the less strain you feel.
2. I usually use the Pocket Wrap Cross Carry - to make sure it's comfy for baby, make sure the crossed bits under the bum are opened up to hold the bum, not bunched up under the legs.

See www.youtube.com/user/victoriaSlinglady for VS's demo videos on how to use them.

The whole 'if it hurts you're doing it wrong' really makes me .
We don't all have the same mattress or sofa or shoes because some people find things comfy that others find really uncomfortable, so why can't we say the same about how we cart out babies around?

I was given one of those slings which is a massive piece of material that you wrap round. My slightly-on-the-large-side friend swore by it. I tied it on myself and couldn't even get it round the requisite number of times WITHOUT the baby in it, never mind with. My mum and I spent hours trying and admitted defeat.

I think slings are like the rolling your tongue thing and its some kind of genetic predisposition.

I live in a village with a lot of Fijian ladies and they all walk around with babies strapped to their backs (well, not all, but the ones with babies iykwim), it looks so lovely and easy and handy. sigh.