in thinking that £100 for a sling is crazy?

[DidntWeAlmost]

My DS, 9 weeks is getting bigger. Still only 11lbs but will need a sturdier sling at some point.

I've just been using a long bit of stretchy material that I got off eBay sir £6 (it is amazing and exactly the same as the ones you can spend up to £80/90 on).

Anyway, my dad gave me £50 to get a good sling for him from mothercare.

They do their own brand ones which are £18. I can't see anything wrong with them but a bit reluctant to buy, as some are close to £200!

To me that just seems completely crazy.

AIBU to think that's way too much and actually their own brand sling for £18 is probably fine? Any suggestions?

Thanks all. I'm going to eat my words and say you've convinced me to get a more expensive one! Found my local sling library and going tomorrow :)

Bought a reduced B Bjorn when we had DD but only used a couple of times as never felt she was secure or comfy and I found it uncomfortable to wear. Bought an Ergo baby for our DS last year and it was amazing in comparison, so comfy, DS always felt so secure, so easy to put on.

Didn't use it daily but still felt we got money's worth, cost £115 but sold it recently for £60. We didn't buy anything for DS other than new mattress for the cot and a few bits of clothes so felt cost was justified.

I see your point about a sling which is just a piece material. But for one with buckles, you get what you pay for. I got a beco Gemini. Cost about 80 quid I think. Worth every penny. Used it every day until she was about 14 months, and almost never used the pushchair.

Ergo baby is much better than the one you linked to, which will be uncomfortable and give you back pain.

I would much rather get a second hand ergo baby than a new cheap sling.

Echoing that the ergo is so worth it. We use ours 95% of the time, so every day, multiple times a day for year one, and I’m sure will still be doing so for a long time.

Your sling library will be a great place to start. You don't have to spend ahuge amount on a stretchy wrap - but in my experience it is hard to find anything really decent below about £38 new. I have just finished selling slings and advising people after over 11 yrs. There are lots of cheap ones online on sites like amazon and e-bay with 100s of reviews so I used to see LOTS of customers who bought them and found they were difficult to tie properly and get a good fit - as they were just any old piece of stretchy fabric - i.e. not designed for carrying babies. 5m of fabric is going to have a basic price (even at say £3 a metre you are up to 15 for the cheapest) then it should be edged, finished, packaged, insured, and tested for safety of dyes etc with babies' skins in mind. ANd none of that is taking into account the design of the fabric which should have been tested to prevent sagging, and the safety testing/approval of the instructions. A company who does all that would expect to make some profit on top for it to be worth their while - and usually postage has to be included too.

Watch out for fakes. Moby fakes are everywhere - the fake companies used to try and sellt o me as a business and made terrible excuses when I pointed out they were fake as I was an authorised retailer. Also, you find fake Ergos and other big brands all over Amazon and Ebay - check the authorised retailers on the manufacturers websites. Retailers are not allowed to sell on auction sites in the UK but there are one or two official shops - but they will be selling at full RRP.
Again - buckle carriers have to undergo really rigorous testing of every part which adds on to the cost and the parts have to be super safe. If you get a carrier designed to carry a baby to a higher weight, it will be designed to spread the weight of your child much more comfortable as it has to for that higher weight limit. The good positioning of the legs (not overspread at the hips, and knees higher than or parallel to the hips ) also makes it easier to carry for longer. Think of the difference of carrying a large child with their legs a wrapped around you, to carrying them straight.
Have fun at the sling library!

Even the 'just a piece of fabric' ones have variation in price points. A £20 cheapie will feel and wrap very differently to a £120 one. I would say that above sort of £200 it levels out, the wrapping qualities may not improve but people get into the handwoven artisan type wraps, limited editions etc

i had the most expensive Bjorn - i used them for both my children till they were about 2/2.5. I had a few cheaper ones and they were not very good - my back hurt and i could only carry them for very short periods of time. The bjorn was a great investment IMO.

You get what you pay for. The Ergonaby ones are so much more comfortable and provide much better support than a cheap £18 Aldi baby special

I spent €100 + on a beco Gemini before my son was born. One of our best buys! Definitely worth every penny

Connectas are great. They changed their name though now and rebranded as systema or something. Be warned though OP, my little boy was far too heavy even to back carry by the time he was 9m old. Some kids grow big! We wasted £70 on our connecta basically 😬

My kids grow big, but with the right carrier I can carry up past 3, 4 etc. I wouldn't use a connecta though as not enough padding, for a larger toddler etc I would use a wrap or a toddler/ preschooler Tula, Kinderpack type thing.

It is worth checking out the hip positioning as some baby bjorn types don't have the optimal positioning. Our Ergobaby is amazing! Def worth the money.

Just bought an ergo baby 360 for £65. They're 90-135 online. Not sure if I've just spent way more money than I should but I had a look on eBay and the fact that it only had 30 seconds left seemed like fate to me...

Fab! And your sling library should be able to help you with getting your ergo really comfy. Please check that the seller has proof of purchase of the ergo though, there are many many fakes out there. Fakes can be dangerous for baby as the buckles break and the dyes are not baby safe.

I think that sounds like a good buy - and it’s a good sling. And don’t forget if you want to trade up in the future it will still have value. I spent £70 on a Manducca 3.5 years ago and still use it a couple of times a week as my DD is still a few KGs off the 15kg limit - I love it, well worth the investment

It looks genuine.

Oh man I so hope I haven't just been ripped off.....

Yeah, my kids are big but I carry my 9mo in the Tula free to grow everyday AND my 3yo sometimes still goes in it on the back carry. The right sling will be worth every penny.

Oh no. Just seen that the eBay seller has sold another 3 of the same thing with the same photos to advertise. Ffs have I just bought a fake?!

I got a lovely connecta but my baby boy grew and grew and grew so it wasnt comfy. I tried the Tula FTG and hired for a few weeks while i ordered a toddler Tula as he was at the top end of the FTG at 9 months old (he was massive). When we got the toddler one it wss a bit big for him but it was the best £130 ive spent. So much easier if I'm on my own than wrangling the buggy into the car. It fits in my bag for when he insists on walking then gets too tired or if I'm in a hurry.

I’m guessing it’s a fake, seller is a private seller and seems to be selling just these slings, all brand new. Unlikely that’s she’s got a supply of genuine ergo baby slings and nothing else and is selling them on eBay!

I wouldn’t take the chance tbh. I would get from John Lewis or somewhere, if there are any issues, etc they will replace and like pp says you don’t know where it’s been manufactured, if fabric dye is dangerous to baby (esp as they often chew/slobber/lick the sling) and if straps are safe, etc.

I had this sling and loved it but I know people who didn’t like it at all. You are best trying from a sling library first to see which you get on with best. You can buy second hand but I would only buy from someone you trust and know where they bought it from originally or with proof of purchase.

@Kardashianlove too late now. I could cry!

So after all of that I've probably ended up with the shittiest sling money can buy not cool at all...

@didntwealmost check the labels carefully, look for things like poor printing, spelling mistakes, weird English.
Although often fakes are so good that it's hard to tell.

@tinysnickersaremyfavourite I wish I could just cancel the sodding order