Baby slings

[moomin35]

Can anyone give me any advice on a good baby sling for a newborn? I've bought a Baby Bjorn one second hand off ebay but have heard mixed reviews. I've heard the moby one is good? Any advice appreciated :-)

Have you got a sling library near you? Ours has a million options, you pay about £6 to hire for a few weeks to see if it's the right one for you. Saves expensive mistakes!

Baby Bjorns are awful, they don't support the baby well and are uncomfortable for the parent.

Mobys are great for newborns. I had one for DD and I is wonderfully supportive. Youtube is great for showing you how to tie and wear it.

If you prefer something more structured, then have a look at a mei tai and ergo wih a newborn support. Do beware of cheap ones from ebay though as they are often fakes.

I've got 4 slings (eek!) because DS hated them all so much. I find the Baba sling good for a brand new baby.

I found the Close Caboo good for a newborn (it's a stretchy fabric one but easy to use, so no need to learn complicated wrapping technique unlike other fabric wraps)

However I wouldn't have wanted to use it for long, it's really for the titchy stage.

I wish I'd bought a Beco Gemini, it seems to be great for newborns and older babies. Pricey though and second hand ones are rare.

i had a caboo close carrier which was great until about 4 months when DS wanted to take his arms out, look around, lean back etc. i second a sling library as you can try a lot and find one that is comfortable. ended up getting an ergo which is great for me and can be used for a back carry for toddlers but you need an insert for a tiny baby - the insert is thick and padded so probably not so good for summer babies. but DH finds it uncomfortable.

BabyBjorns are pretty crap only good for short periods - eg to settle a colicky baby after a feed. They are no use for actually transporting a baby anywhere because they don't spread the weight well over the adult's body and the baby's weight is carried on his/her crotch which isn't comfortable for long periods (like a parachute harness).

I recommend a Moby wrap. My baby is now over 20lb and still perfectly comfortable in a front carry. Most babies won't reach 20lb until around 9mo mine is a fatty. It is suitable from birth. A newborn is held right down his/her spine, like a hammock (only upright) and an older baby sits in it with back, bottom and thighs supported. Tummy and chest are always in contact with the person carrying.

It takes a few goes to be confident tying it but once you are it's dead easy. My favourite feature is that you can take baby in and out quickly and easily for short nips - for me this would be eg school run, doctor's appointments, dashing into a shop from the car.

I used a Moby when DS was newborn and I now have an Ergo. He's 2 now and goes comfortably and happily on my back. I did have a Babybjorn and regretted not doing more research before buying it.

Lots of good advice here; I second it all. Please get rid of the baby bjorn!

I liked Moby for a newborn too. My friend had a Bjorn for her DS and wore it once. I lent her our Moby and she said it was like night and day.

Worth noting too that the moby is only one example of a stretchy wrap. They are great and really supportive but the fabric is quite thick and they might be too hot for a summer baby, depending on when you're due.

Moby for a newborn. I had a Connecta to use when baby had a bit more head support.

I loved the Moby in the early days. We switched to an Ergo after 6 months. I now have a woven wrap too!

It gets addictive...

Like a few others, Moby then Ergo. Love(d) them both. I'm definitely a big fan of a wrap/sling that keeps the baby facing in to you. I don't like seeing a tiny baby facing out.

I loved our stretchy moby style wrap, so easy in every way. we got ours from Victoria sling lady, a cheaper version of the moby. excellent quality and service.

Loved my close caboo, was a comfy lifesaver in the first three months!

Can I also add that my hand eye coordination is poor and I am clumsy but I found the caboo easy to use

We started with the Close Caboo then moved onto the Beco Gemini and the Connecta. There are so many more and much of it is personal preference

Oh dear it sounds like I've wasted my money on the baby bjorn then :-(

Afraid so - there are a lot of them available second-hand because they don't see much use. Second-hand wraps, mei tais, ergos, on the other hand, are like hen's teeth.

You will find a Moby or similar on eBay for £20-30 though. And when you sell it on after however long you should get your money back.

Also, a BB can't go in a washing machine. Believe me when I tell you that a sling needs to be machine washable!

Moomin, I listed my BB on ebay for 99p but it ended up making £26, so all is not lost. Make sure you keep any boxes/receipts, especially if you buy an Ergo. There's a market in fake ones and genuine second hand ones seem to command a good price.

Everyone will tell you something different so a sling library is the best place to go to try things out. I don't have one near me so I used www.itsaslingthing.co.uk. I'm really glad I did as my son hated slings and prefers his pushchair so it meant I didn't waste money.

Boba 3G worked for us. Almost identical to ergo but you don't need to buy extra newborn insert. We still use it now for DD who is 21 months.

Countessofrule- I bought by baby bjorn second hand on eBay and they do go in the washing machine. This was a really important pre requisite for me buying a baby item second hand.