ok sling experts, come and help me choose (am very picky I'm afraid)

[deaconblue]

I want a sling for dc2 (due May) so that I can bung baby in it at the park and round the house and have hands free for ds. We had a Baby Bjorn style one for ds and it took 2 of us and lots of tears from ds to get him in it. This time I need a sling that I can just lay baby in and sling on like a handbag. No complicated knots and buckles as I am hopelessly coordinated and won't be able to work them. I have big babes so needs to be big enough for a porker too.
Have seen this
premax
any good?

I highly recommend a 'Hotsling'. I have a baby bjorn which is all i bought when I had DD1 and used all the time, but when I had DD2, although I still used the baby bjorn, I longed for something simpler that I could just pop her in and out of. I bought a 'Hotsling' (from www.bigmamaslings.co.uk) I love it and wish I'd had it from when DD1 was born. It's so easy to use. It is a pouch sling made of a single loop of material, so no adjustments or straps or anything (you have to buy yourself the correct size, but that's v straighforward and explained on the website). From birth to approx 35 lb in various different positions. It folds up to practically nothing so can be shoved in any bag in case you need it when out.

DD2 is still very happy sitting on my hip in it at 13 months and I don't think I'll stop using it anytime soon, I hardly ever use a buggy these days (which is quite important for me as I'm always on the bus and the buses only allow two buggies on at a time so if I do take the buggy I can end up waiting ages for a bus which has space)

get a pouch - for a may babe I'd say a Murron's Pouch or a Kimmer because the fleecy ones eg Coorie can get a bit hot

(Hotslings are the same deal just pricier but they do do good colours)

AFter following thread and looking at links I'm leaning towards the murron's pouch from the freedom sling website. Pouch definitely looks easiest and not too hippyish looking iykwim (no intention to offend anyone there, just am crap with accessories so want something quite plain and non-scarf-like)
It will be mostly for in the house so not too warm is important.

if it's your only sling do consider getting a padded one (eg kimmer or hotsling) - the padding gets more important when they're older and in a hip carry and it's behind their knees

but at the price of the murron's pouch you could buy it as a test one then trade up to a posho one later

I would say get a wrap, something like a storch or a calin blu or a didy or, well or heaps really!

sorry, not too helpful!

have you looked on www.slingmeet.co.uk/forums to see if there is a group near you. you can go along and try out all sorts of carriers and slings.

i know the woman who runs slingjax (previously linked) and she does a great rental service. so does bigmama slings.

wraps do take a bit of practice but once you've done it a few times they're fab.

i now use an ergo for my dd who is a very tall 2.4yrs and it's great. there is a new german carrie called a manduca which people are raving about www.manduca.de/ apparently very versatile.

welcome to the wonderful world of sling addiction LOL

ps: Mei Tei could also be an option