Can you help me find a sling for a 7mo+?

[dizzy77]

I'm starting to appreciate the world-without-prams and ready to give up on hoisting the car seat onto the unwieldy wheels if I can get away with it. DS, at 7mo is growing out of his Baby Bjorn. The world of slings seems rather daunting and varied, and I'm slightly terrified by the idea of my PFB's only support being knots tied by me (dizzy by name, and by nature). Lots of sling advice seems to be based on carrying tiny newborns curled up like prawns. What kind of sling would you recommend for an older baby, 18lb+, without killing one's back?

Ergo!

www.ergobabycarrier.com/

Beco gemini. Absolutely the best sling I have ever used, and I've tried them all.

As a bonus, it's got a setting where they can sit like in a babybjorn (which is not great for them, but they do love it and you can carry on doing it occasionally) without breaking your back.

Beco is not dissimilar to the ergo, but IMO they have eliminated some of the ergo's flaws.

Plus they don't have the dodgy corporate practices....

i loved my babyhawk

Wow thanks for the speedy response guys. I think I'm looking for something where he can face forwards - sounds like it's not good for DS to do that in the Bjorn/held up by the cahunas for long periods? Does this impact the recommendations so far at all? Corporate websites only seem to show pictures of tinies facing in - I am lacking in imagination it seems.

Beco Gemini can be forward facing.

We have the Beco butterfly II and love it. Comfy for me and DD, DH can use it. I can wear it front and back, comes with a little hood.

It's not great for them for long periods but they do love it so much and doing it every so often is not such a big deal imo. Also tinies apparently get overwhelmed by the world if facing forwards too much (someone should have told mine this, they were always trying to look out) which is why the manufacturers usually recommend having them facing in.

I recently got a Rose and rebellion carrier and it's fantastic! Ds is 24lb and feels light as a feather in it, even dh who has back problems can use it comfortably! It can be used for back carrying if ds wants to see the world or front carrying while he's still small enough for me to see over his head

Ergo baby here too (I'm not going to ask about dodgy stuff, it's bought & used now).

Plus, we've got the weather cover too, essential in this constant flippin drizzle.

Facing out is not recommended because it puts a lot of pressure on their spine, plus it's the most uncomfortable position for you, because their weight cannot be distributed to your body evenly, so it wouldn't be comfortable much past 6-9 months anyway.

Also as discrete says it can be overstimulating for them, the problem is not being able to see out, but not being able to hide and relax against you - most babies are nosy but they need that safe option to recharge their batteries. A hip carry, front carry slightly to one side with one arm out (so they're kind of facing sideways) or a back carry is best if they want to look out. A back carry is pretty much your only option after 12 months anyway, or before for bigger babies, it's much more comfortable for you and once they get tall you can't see where you're going

Ergo isn't bad in the sense of exploiting people etc but they do have a habit of pushing smaller companies out of business and they're not necessarily the best SSC out there, just well known (although easy to get hold of for this reason)

Do you have a sling meet locally OP? That's usually the best place to go to get an idea of various different carriers and try a few out.

If you don't want to do knots then you might find a SSC more reassuring, but a Mei Tai or wrap will last you a lot longer. They are surprisingly easy to tie and feel very secure, but best if you can try one out in person - look up the sling meet :)

Just replaced my Beco Gemini with a Manduca. I loved the Beco but find the Manduca much more comfortable. It's softer, too, and DS seems happier in it.

I love my connecta I can carry my 2 1/2yr old boy on my back very comfortably although it's used more for the 15 month old boy.

I loved my patapum but DS is massively too big for it suddenly at 3, which is a bit of a shame.

I used the Tricot Slen. Wonderfully comfortable, with lots of different possible positions, incl. out and in facing. It's suitable from birth onwards, still great even when dd1 was way over one year. Obviously at that age they don't need head support any more, but when she fell asleep while facing me, I only had to tug at the material a bit and her head was supported nicely.

Thanks for all this info - lots of good ideas. I had half expected to move DS onto my back relatively shortly - we were given one of those structured hiking type carriers but that seems a bit much for zipping around town and he's not yet big enough for it. I also have a mei tei knocking around which I bought in the v early days and discarded due to knot fears/complexity (I am now getting more sleep though, so might find it easier ).

Bertie, thanks for clarifying this, as well as the pressure point, I do think DS needs the option of "switching off" when it all gets a bit much: I ended up holding on to his forehead when he once dropped off in the bjorn, although I'd worry about my back if he was arranged in any way off centre (too many years of laptop shoulder/too-heavy handbag to speak of so far). Sling meet is a great idea, I hadn't considered this - I think our local NCT may do this sort of thing - will ask around.

I'd definitely have another go with the mei tei if you still have it knocking around. Try and find a sling meet so you can get a demo of a back carry! It's quite scary at first but I am v clumsy and managed never to drop my DS!

A MT or SSC is a much better option for back carries (IME) I fond that structured "hiking" type carriers pulled DS's weight back away from me which was quite destabilising and heavy, whereas I could carry him comfortably in a MT until I got pregnant with number 2.

If you search for "Tibetan back carry" or similar on YouTube there are loads of videos that show you how to tie a back carry with additional support across the chest (if your MT straps are long enough!) and although it does look rather extraordinary if you have big boobs (wear a pashmina!) that was very comfy for me.

I definitely wouldn't recommend forward facing, not comfy for you or baby.

Another fan of the Connecta here (which is based on a Mai-tai but with snap buckles instead of knots). Very light and non-faffy, very comfortable and very easy to do back-carries (there's an easy method where you start sitting down with the your baby sitting behind you, so no worries about dropping them - then you'll find you'll work out a way of getting your LO on your back without having to sit down....)
I still carry my DD in the Connecta and she's nearly 2. She'll happily drop off in it if she's tired enough.

Sling meets can be found by Googling or going onto Facebook, most have groups on there.

Good luck!

Another Rose and Rebellion fan here.. My almost 3 year old still goes in hers on my back when we go on long walks!

I have a Connecta but I never managed to get the hang of a back carry with my 15mo boy so I got a Beco Butterfly instead which is much easier for idiots like me because it has an internal harness and I can put him on my front and transfer to back relatively simply.

I still use the Connecta if I want a quick carry for shop-flitting though. Its actually a better shape.

Can I add a question as I've got a similar issue to the OP. Where's a good place to look for second hand slings? I've heard that ebay can be dodgy for Ergo's due to lots of fakes being around. Is it the same for Mei Tai? In which case, where can we look?

There's a website called www.Naturalmamas.co.uk which has a Marketplace section and is a great place for second hand stuff. FSOT slings I think is the section.

Sorry I tried to add a post saying it's in the forums/community section.

It's a babywearing website so lots on there. You want the FSOT (for sale or trade) section or you could post in ISO (in search of) if you know what you want.

Thanks, have just had a look and I say Aaaaargh! All the acronyms and jargon! I thought it was enough to get to grips with all the cloth nappy stuff, and now there's this too . I'm sure I'll get the hang of it though.