Baby slings

[Fortheloveofbaths]

Hi all!
I Abu for posting on here I just have no clue what I'm looking at! First baby 😱

Just sat looking at baby wraps/slings online :-) we have no sling libraries in our area :-( and i have no idea what to get tbh!

I'd ideally like one that isn't over complicated as I'm terrified I'll tie it myself and baby will fall out or something 🙈 also I think from what I've read that frog leg position is best? Is that right?

I'd like one we can use from birth and my parents have given us £100 to get one :-)

Any experienced sling parents out there? Haha thanks in advance!

Do you have a John Lewis near you? I bought mine from there and was able to try a load on.

It's a sling thing do a telephone consultation and rentals too. They will be super helpful

I second the suggestion for a close caboo but I think the weight limit is optimistic personally. So second hand is probably best. I wouldn't buy an ergo second hand as there was a thriving fakes market for them and that can be really unsafe.

Connecta - so simple and comfy to use. And you can get them in so many different fabrics.

I had the same worries about anything too complicated and I can't be arsed faffing with a wrap type one.

I have a Close Caboo (ring sling) which I love (DD asleep in there now), but when is your baby due? IMO it isn't a hot weather sling at all. I had it for DS who was a summer baby and we both hated it, far too hot (it's like thick jersey material). DD is a winter baby and we have gotten so much use from it. She has all her naps in there when I'm flying solo with both children.

I also have a Connecta which IMO was much better as a summer sling and got so much use out of it with DS. It has much less support around the head than a stretchy wrap type sling though, which I would personally recommend for a newborn.

Is there any chance you could travel to visit a sling library? Every mum and baby combo is different (DD won't nap in Connecta, DS always did) so you may benefit from some advice!

If your up for buying second hand there is an affordable sling sale page with a max £100 on facebook. I had a baby Bjorn for DD and im pregnant again. I won't be using that this time as now know they dont put the hips in the best position. I plan to use stretchy wrap then get a connecta

We had a cheapish wrap for when ours were tiny babies (think it was called Ama Wrap). It was great and I tied it by myself with no problems and I'm not that especially dextrous!

When they got to 3-4 months, we switched to a Sleepy Nico. Loved that too. Used it with both of mine till they were toddlers.

I tried my friends baby Bjorn (sp?) and absolutely hated it. It gave me backache on the walk round trip corner from one house to another. I don't know what it's like for the baby, but I could not use it.

Get a Boba wrap, stretchy wraps are much of a muchness but I have this one and it's gorgeous and thick and supportive. Also affordable.

Then when baby is about 6-9 months old, you'll probably have met a few other mums - so if you want to keep carrying by that point, see if you can scope out what soft structured carriers (buckle carriers) are around and try a few out (these are a bit like jeans in terms of fitting) and then look around some second hand sites/trade groups and see if you can find one you like second hand.

Also OP if you look on eBay and selling pages be careful of fake branded carriers. If the price is too good to be true it is a fake.

The caboo close to me is a ring sling. I found them easier to tighten and fasten than a length of material. Essentially its still a stretchy soft wrap just in place with a ring for ease.
Natural baby shower sell them for about 50quid.

I have a caboo, they’re great but definitely check TK Maxx if you have one nearby. I paid £30 for mine and they had several in stock.

From the beginning I had a Moby wrap, which was really great and so snuggly for my baby. I watched a few YouTube videos and it wasn't too tricky to get the hang of. I would say it was a bit more tricky for breastfeeding on the go - I could loosen it, but I found tightening it up again quite difficult! It was also quite warm during the summer. Next time I'll go for a wrap, but a more lightweight one for when baby is really tiny.

We got a Beco 8 when baby was about 5 months and it's been really great! We're still using it at 2 years old (it goes up to 20kg). It can do front (facing in and out), back and hip carries and is really easy to get on and tighten and loosen for feeding, etc. You can cross the straps at the back when doing the front carry, which is much more comfortable than usual soft structured carriers which have backpack style straps with a clip across at the back. It's got a lumbar support pad too, which makes it comfortable to carry all day! It's also got a zip panel at the front to make it a bit cooler in summer. We travel a lot and it's been invaluable! Highly recommend! :)

Just ordered an ergobaby 360. Can’t wait!

If you go for a cloth one, practise tying it a few times using a cushion or toy to get confident before trying with baby. Once you've got the knack you can tie it in your sleep and there's generally not much need to tie out and about (in response to the dragging on the ground comment) - just keep it on even if you take the baby out. I used a "je porte mon bébé" wrap (I'm not in the UK, it might be called something else there) and loved it. Changed to an ergo at 6 months and I find it much harder to adjust than tying the wrap as you have to get the straps just right!

Can I just caution everyone about the use of these slings. Having worked in child protection I’m aware of more than one case when very tiny babies have suffocated from incorrect positioning (in soft slings.) Please seek professional advice before using them.

Babywearing consultant here - I definitely recommend It's A Sling Thing for an online consultation! They do postal hires too.

Personally I went for Close Caboo when my DS was titchy, then Beco Gemini from about 4 months (though can be used from newborn). Both can be picked up fairly cheaply second hand and they really hold their value. My DH hated the Caboo but loved the Gemini, which we're still using nearly three years on!

I used the Beco Gemini. Can be used from birth. Baby needs to be 3kg if I remember correctly. It was extremely comfortable, we used its till our son was 3ish.

Really recommend a postal sling library, it will allow you to try before you buy. They can also advise on what is suitable. Also beware of fakes if buying online. If it looks too good to be true it may be.

I used a sling from birth to almost 7 years (before I get judged, they’re great for carrying sleeping kids through passport control late at night, especially when I’m travelling alone and need my hands free for luggage).

I used a Moby from birth (aka a stretchy) and then moved on to an Ergo until DS was 3, and also a woven wrap. Then had a Lillebaby Carryon which was perfect and I’ve just sadly sold it to a friend.

If I had my time again, I’d have used a woven wrap from birth as they are so versatile, as well as the buckled carrier for when they’re older.

YouTube ‘Wrap You in Love’ as she has great videos on how to tie. Oh - and practice with a teddy bear in front of a mirror!

@Divebar it’s true that sadly some babies have suffocated, but you don’t need professional advice before using a sling! Follow the T.I.C.K.S guidelines and it’s fine. Obviously some slings like the handbag ones (hopefully not being made anymore) shouldn’t be used.

@Oriunda unfortunately a lot of crap is still being made in China and sold abroad. Hence all the fakes plus things that are actually banned in the UK being sold on Amazon and eBay.

I’m aware of fakes and of course you need to buy genuine article. You don’t need professional advice before starting to carry your baby in a sling though. You just need to buy a sling from a reputable source and follow the guidelines.

Tie those stretchy wraps really tight! Our DS hated his at first until someone showed us that we weren’t tying it tight enough. Once it was tighter he felt really secure and would snooze happily.

YouTube videos can be confusing and in my experience you can’t really practise tying a sling while pregnant, or with a doll - it’s so different with a wriggly/fragile baby. I’d wait until baby is here then go into a shop and ask to try a few different models.

Yes, I would not recommend buying a baby sling on amazon - or in fact any item for a baby on amazon, unless you are 100% sure it is a trusted brand (things like Tommee Tippee bottles, for example, are OK). There are so many Chinese sellers flooding amazon at the moment and they don't bother to adhere properly to regulations required in the EU which we take for granted, they don't need to, because you're buying from outside an area where they apply. These sellers even show up as "Amazon recommends" etc so it's not always clear. I always google the brand now to make sure it's an actual brand and not some weird unknown one. Another clue is when the item name is a string of vaguely related keywords/phrases, rather than a product name or short description. Items intended for babies have to go through massive amounts of safety testing, don't scrimp on this. Buy second hand if you need to save money. (The bonus is the previous owner may be able to show you how to use it.)

The most recent case I saw in the news of a small baby suffocating was a baby being carried in a stretchy wrap sling, which is totally safe when used properly. You don't NEED professional advice before using a sling, but you absolutely should make sure you're certain you know what you're doing. They aren't designed to eliminate all errors of use. Knowing what to do can be achieved by an appointment with a sling consultant, a visit to a sling library or meet, talking to an experienced friend, getting someone with experience to look at your tie, or doing a lot of research online about how to identify a safe, secure carry. But it's not like a pushchair where you can pretty much expect to be able to use it without ever having seen it before.

I loved my Ergo 360 from when mine was about 3 months old but I hated using it for a newborn even with the insert. After that age and it was amazing. I’m expecting again and was planning on using a stretchy wrap for the first few months.

Sorry I didn’t read the whole thread but I had a moby wrap when they were tiny and a more structured one from eBay when older. I carried them until they were 3/3.5