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

Sorry for threadjack but:

Did you switch to back carry at some point countess? I'm really struggling with DS on my front now, which is a shame because I find carrying so much more convenient than the pram in a lot of situations. He's six months and 20 pounds, but isn't really very close to sitting independently so can't be back carried. I've checked with the sling library and the carrier (it's a Tula Free To Grow) is correctly fitted, and they suggested back carrying as the solution - but she also seemed very surprised that DS can't sit up at six months, which I don't think is that unusual!

I still usually front carry up to the age of 1 Lisa, but I don't have particularly big babies. I back carry more or less exclusively from age 1. I don't think independent sitting is important, really? The baby just has to have good head control. The risk with back carries is that you can't see the baby if their head has become wedged at an angle which impairs their breathing etc but a normal 6mo has full head control so this isn't a worry. Where I live there are tons of African ladies carrying tiny neonates in traditional wrap back carries.

Thanks countess. I think the problem is not so much the weight of DS but his length (he's 95th centile in length and everyone points out how long he is), which makes carrying him on my front so unwieldy.

The sling library were adamant that he should be sitting independently before we could try back carrying. TBH I'm a bit confused by what people mean by 'sitting independently' anyway - for instance, the NHS says that they should be doing this before weaning but the health visitor said that of course we should wean him at 6 months even though he's not, and that it's totally normal that he can't do it at six months. He has good head control, rolls both ways (and indeed across the room), and sits and plays with a toy on my lap - but it's like he doesn't even know what he's supposed to do if he gets placed in a sitting position on the floor!

Honestly, I know I'm just a mum on the internet, but as long as your DS seems developmentally normal I think you would be fine to back carry. If he can sit strapped into a high chair without slumping and doesn't immediately face plant if you put him in a sitting position, or can sit between and supported by your legs, I think you're fine. It is generally best to start weaning at 6mo as there can be difficulties if they miss the window. If it helps my now nearly 11mo could probably only really sit completely unsupported for a long period of time about 6 weeks ago, and I'd have no qualms about back carrying him from 6mo.

And yes, in my experience of 2 so far normal babies and a range of friends' ones, is that most 6mos aren't really "sitting independently" in the sense of sitting on the floor without any kind of support, but they can sit up if lightly propped by a high chair or human body.

Both have their place, it depends on you. I needed both. The sling was great for walks with the dog and to have in the car so we could nip into shops etc without all the rigmarole of assembling the pram. The pram was great for going to the shop as the shopping could go into the bottom, or summer walks (we have an off-roader) as both DS and I would have been sweaty wrecks in the heat! The pram was also essential for when I had physio or medical appointments post-natally - it was a safe place for him to be which didn't involve me lugging the car seat around (not great on your back).

The shops and the internet will still be there when your baby arrives though so no need to panic buy now. You could always get an inexpensive ring sling or something to have then see how you get on once the baby arrives. You don't really know until then.

I used the buggy less and less with each child. When the third was born the eldest had just started school and so a sling was much easier for the schoolrun because I could hold the hands of the older two (4&3 at the time). When we went out for the day as a family one adult would sling the baby, the other would carry the changebag (that was the short straw, much more uncomfortable to carry). But the buggy was useful at times to dump all the paraphernalia on and as a first time Mum I carried a lot more about with me. As PPs say, you will be able to get one once the baby is here and you have a better idea what will fit into your lifestyle.

I really wanted to use a sling much more than I actually did with baby DS. He was below the minimum weight for all the slings I liked for several weeks after birth, by the time he was big enough he was not very keen on going in one! So I'd say go for it but make sure you have a plan B.

You don't need sitting unsupported for a back carry and the assumption that all babies can sit by 6 months drives me mad, DS1 didn't either. It's not relevant for weaning, back carrying or forward facing in the car (the latter of course going the other way - you should wait until they are much older than sitting age.)

It might be that they want the baby to have good head control when seated which most babies who are used to slings do. And it may be with an SSC this is more crucial than less structured slings. I have seen newborn back carries in wraps and mei tais.

With DS2, I used the Baby Bjorn sling because DS1 was puny and needed to use the pushchair round town as he couldn't manage to walk throughout the trip. The lie flat pram concerted to the pushchair. It was fine, and I preferred it in winter as he was warmer next to me.
TBH a pram is a waste of money as DS1 would have been happy in a sling, only the grandparents used it really.

Thanks for all the advice. I am a still not quite sure what to do, but far better informed and I will definitely try to use a sling as much as possible even if I buy a buggy as a back up. Slings sound so convenient and I think it will be good to have the baby close to us. Thank you also for the tip re a second hand pram, I am going to look into this. The bugaboo bee sounds like an excellent option if I can put it in a cupboard, rather than have to have it in the car boot all the time, but I will look into a secondhand one as suggested, as I hope to mainly use the sling at least to begin with. I am really impressed by everyone who is able to use a sling with their older babies, but I just don't think I will be strong enough, so I will need a pushchair eventually anyway. Thanks :-)

Good luck, you will find a sling/carrier and pushchair that work well for you!

FWIW I found the pushchair reviews on madeformums helpful. And do look at them in the shop as well, John Lewis has a good selection. You could look there and then try and get one second hand.

Yes with the right sling. Easy with a close caboo

One thing I would say is get down to a sling library now before you have a bump.

Trying on different styles is a right pain / impossible with a massive bump.

I'm on baby no 2, he's 4 months old nearly 5 months and as yet he has not been in a pram. We took it to my mum's in her spare bedroom for storage after DD was born and there it remains although I may sell it shortly. We have a Close Caboo, a ring sling and a Connecta left over from DD which I use daily. I prefer it, I just shove him in and off I go. Especially as I don't have the car while DH is at work.

I have pretty much exclusively used a baby carrier (not sure you'd call it a sling as its more structured - its an ergobaby carrier) for DD who is now 12 weeks. I had a C section so didn't feel up to it for say 3 weeks (but I wasn't really up to pushing a pram either to be fair). Once I did start using it the belt part was well above where the c section scar was so it caused no problems at all. DD has lived in it ever since and I only rarely take out the pram when I fancy a change definitely doable in my opinion.

@LisaSimpsonsbff I started back carrying at 4.5 months for my 2nd with a SSC (Manduca) and a long, heavy baby. As long as they have good head control that's enough, and with being used to being in a sling they definitely had that. The bit I found where them being younger makes a difference is actually getting them round on to your back is harder to learn as they are younger and floppier - you have less margin for getting it wrong. DC2 I knew what I was doing and it was fine at 4.5 months, DC1 was a lot older before I was happy doing it it - it takes more practice than I'd realised.

If you don't get on with back carrying, I've found it makes a big difference front carrying a heavier child if you can cross the straps over your back. I don't know if the Tula grow with me is like a standard Tula where you can't cross straps - but you could always hire a carrier where it was possible for a few weeks.

I've not got much advice on slings but I live in a flat too with no space in the hallway for a buggy, so I bought the baby jogger city tour lux. It folds up super small and fits behind my front door. And it's (genuinely) one hand fold so I take DS2 out of the buggy, fold the buggy, Chuck it behind the door, and head upstairs, all in one trip. It goes parent facing and you can buy a folding carrycot for newborns. The handlebar isn't adjustable but it's a good height. The wheels are small so the ride is bumpy on grass etc but fine on pavements. You can connect a car seat to it if you buy a compatible one. (I have a Maxi Cosi pebble). It's under £400 too. If you just want a compact buggy for the odd trip out then it's worth a look. The other option is a Joie chrome DLX but I don't own one so can't say what it's actually like.

The Joie Chrome is a good budget pram but it isn't a micro fold.

Loads is great advice already so I won't repeat it, but I have exclusively 'worn' my babies up until about six months when I then use a buggy as well.

My top tip is get a baby wearing coat for the winter, forget about snowsuits. Mamaway are the company I use for them. I have two baby wearing coats, both have a panel I can remove to convert them to a normal coat. It means the baby is snug and warm, benefits from your body heat, and you can just pop a coat on over a sleeping baby to go out rather than having to take the bevy or of the sling, take the sling off, but a coat on, wrestle the beby into a snowsuit, put the sling on over the coat, and then put the baby in it. Honestly that sounds awful when you can just buy a coat that fits over you both.

Just search for baby wearing coats, there are loads on the market.

A similar idea to over although her idea is even better, I also bought a thick winter snowboarding coat in a size up, so it is massive, (in the sales i found one at 70% off), plus a babywearing cover (specially shaped blanket) In this freezing weather baby wears a thick fleece cardigan, hat , socks and woollen baby legwarmers by Hoppediz, I wear a sweater or fleece as normal, baby comes into the carrier with us both wearing sweaters. On top, i put the babywearing cover, and take a wool shawl with me to add an extra layer if it is really cold, but havent needed this yet as baby gets really warm. It is essential that baby gets your body heat. The cover, and the sides of my coat stop the wind getting in and causing heat loss. And the cover keeps rain off but I would have an umbrella too.

Can link to the legwarmers and cover that I have if anyone is interested.

I did it for 6 weeks with DC3. We bought a pram then because I had to go back to work at 7 weeks and DH was looking after him and working from home.
If you give it a try you will be able to look at prams any time you feel you can't manage without one.

@LisaSimpsonsbff I put dc2 in a hip carry from 4 months as he was getting too nosy to go on my front. I linked a video upthread for how to do it with a woven wrap.

My osteo said that slings are better for backs than pushchairs if you tie it correctly, something to do with the way you push them, going up and down curbs and steps, etc. I carried dc1 until 9 months pregnant and he was around 30lbs and I never had back issues.