Has anyone used a sling exclusively for the first few months?

[Satlie2019]

Hi, I am only 12 weeks pregnant, so possibly worrying a little early about this, but I was wondering if anyone has not bought a buggy for the first few months after their baby's birth and just relied on a sling? We live in a first floor flat at the moment and will probably be moving into a house in the first few months after the baby is born, as we are worried we won't manage to sell our flat and buy somewhere else in time before the baby comes. So I wondered if we could maybe get away with a sling at least initially until we move, as I don't fancy lugging a buggy upstairs and we don't have loads of space. An alternative would be to get a small lightweight buggy and keep it in our car boot, but if my husband took the car to work that would be a pain.

All my friends have bought buggies prior to their baby's birth, but I wonder if anyone has any experience of managing without one to begin with? Also, has anyone used a sling exclusively all year round? I am a bit worried the baby will get to warm in summer so close to my body and then as we move into winter too cold. I walk quite a lot, but when the baby is tiny I assume the sling will make carrying them relatively easy and I can put baby things/shopping in a rucksack. However I am concerned I am missing something, as everyone seems to have a buggy from the start.

Alternatively does anyone have any recommendations for a buggy under £400 that is compact, can be used from birth, and has adjustable handle bars? Preferably parent facing at least for a newborn, although happy to buy a carry cot ect to go with it.

Thank you so much

A sling is doable. I prefer a ring sling when they are tiny, as I am forever popping them in and out and can adjust it to actually breastfeed whilst walking.

I do feel like a packhorse with baby on the front and rucksack on the back, but when baby is small it isn't too bad.

Thank you that's good to hear and as you say it will hopefully help with breast feeding.

Regarding slings, go to a sling library and try different styles. It's absolutely do-able to not have a buggy and the first few months are when baby is most likely to prefer being on you as much as possible.
Regarding temperature, you just need to ensure you and baby are dressed appropriately- this is also something the sling library could advise on.

Personally I would have really struggled without a buggy. The first few weeks are fine with just a sling as with your first baby I doubt you will be out and about too much for the first few weeks but a couple of months down the line and you start meeting friends for coffees, going out for lunch etc and I think you will want to put the baby down. They do get quite heavy quite quickly and eating lunch with a six month old awake baby in a sling is not easy. A lot of places that have high chairs have the basic wood/plastic ones which are fine but not ideal until the baby is sitting well independently.

Am doing this now with baby 3. Babies 1 and 2 were never happy lying flat in a pram. Will buy a buggy when she’s 4-6 months. See if you can find a sling library near you- there you’ll find lots of people doing similar.

Yes, I used a sling exclusively for the first few months. I did own a pram, but preferred the sling especially as I had no car at the time and it made life a lot easier for me. She loved the sling, and when she was ever unsettled at home I would put her in there to calm down.

There's a couple of downsides like trying to use a public toilet with a baby strapped to your front or eating out and nowhere to put a tiny baby.

DD was born in October, and a combo of snowsuit and my body heat meant she was always toastie warm.

I stopped using the sling all the time by the time she was about 8 months, partly she was heavier and partly it was getting into summer and I was getting too hot.

No I've had c sections and there's no way I could have used the sling for the first couple of weeks at least

Placemarking for advice! In the same situation

Yup, I've done it. Babies were much happier there anyway and usually unconscious. I just got used to drinking coffee and eating over their heads. There's not much I can't do with a baby strapped to my front.

The only time it's a bit of a drag is in hot weather. Sometimes you just can't face the sweatiness.

Hi, yes perfectly doable! I have two dc and with both I only used a sling until they got too heavy (about 2) and then I use a stroller or they walk themselves. I did get a second hand pushchair under pressure from MiL but found it really cumbersome and inconvenient so never used it and returned it to the charity shop! Plus I love love love having them close to me!!

I didn't use it exclusively - we did own a pram - but I used the sling about 90% of the time for the first three months, and pram 10%. He's six months now and that proportion has reversed. I found a sling incredibly convenient when he would sleep whenever he was in it and was tiny and easy to work around. I found it got harder over time but I think I could have managed fine with just the sling for the first couple of months - I think it was around four months that he started to be less content to be in it awake, and also much heavier and wrigglier, and it all became less practical!

Would definitely agree to go to a sling library if you can - we found ours invaluable, and hired a much, much nicer carrier than we would have bought ourselves.

There is a chance that you'll have issues that make it harder - I've known women who had SPD who couldn't use a sling, and I've heard that some (but not all) women who have C-sections struggle with them - but you have a back-up plan if necessary, so I think your plan A is fine!

Had a buggy but the baby freaked out about it (various different ones actually) and also hated the car so...sling exclusively for about 4 months, bus+walking. I lost all the weight pretty fast! Do try to get to a sling library, and go again at 8/10 weeks depending on growth-the beauty of hiring is that as the baby grows you can keep up with what's exactly right for their size/you/the weather

Yep. Had two caesareans and both DC lived in the sling. Second DC was born 4 days before the first started school and I had a walk and a bus ride every day, twice a day. He bfed in there, slept etc. He emerged around 12 months later for brief periods but was regularly on my back until 3yo. Didn't bother with a pram at all.

If you have a C section then you will struggle.

DS was a July baby - is that when you're due too (remember having my 12 week scan in January last year!). Using a sling probably would have been easier if we hadn't had that massive heatwave this year, but then we weren't really going out in the day anyway because it was so hot so we just had early morning/evening walks. It did get sweaty though! Using it when cold is great, because you both have a built-in heater!

I used a wrap and then a ring sling in the first year. I bought an umbrella stroller (Britax Holiday) at about 12 months which I used in combination with an Ergo carrier until DS was about two.

My DS only ever went in a sling. We had a Close Caboo and then a Connecta. We did have a pram -which had belonged to DD - but he hated it on first try and actually with a 2nd child, I think a sling is easier. I don’t drive either so was handy on public transport etc. Definitely helped me get back in shape!!

First 3 months would have been fine for me, I barely used the pram but around the 4 month mark it got harder and my baby much kess happy in it

Absolutely- with 1st DC (August) we used the pram 3 times - for my smear (could have used car seat), once because it was there and I tried to walk to swimming once - which sucked as prams are harder work than just walking with a sling with all the hills where I live. We haven't got it out of the shed for 10 week old DC2...

I use my slings a lot (6 week old) but there’s times when a pram is handy- when shopping for example or when out for lunch/coffee as putting baby down sometimes is nice.

I had no problem using a stretchy wrap post C-section - the baby’s head should be close enough to kiss, so you carry them well above the scar when they’re a tiny newborn. I did have a buggy, but I only used it when it was raining.

A coat that goes over the sling makes it a lot easier - you can warm up / cool down both of you more easily that way. I found a sports rucksack (the drawstring sort with strings) with a few nappies, wipes, spare babygro, purse, keys worked well with a sling - the thin straps stayed on my shoulders better.

And sling libraries are great! A sling that fits one person is torture on another (a bit like shoes).

I've not exclusively slinger but used a caboo post section number 3 without issue.

It's not forward facing but a baby jogger city mini might fit the bill if you wanted a pushchair?

Forgot to say, I had a section and am really short and found that the Baby Bjorn style hurt like hell, but that a soft structured carrier like the Connecta (now Integra) worked beautifully for me.

You can definitely manage without a pushchair in the first few months, although it's handy to have one, it's not essential.

If you decide to get one, I think the Babyzen Yoyo is probably your best bet, as they fold up so small you should be able to find space for it in your flat. They're not cheap but you could try and get a second hand one. Plus it's a good investment as they are so handy for travelling etc.