Please recommend me a soft carrier / is this a realistic way of thinking?

[PumpkinAndHoneyBunny]

DC1 is 15 months and has been walking since 9.5months old, so a confident walker but onviously slow as still very little. Am 15 week pregnanct and would like to avoiud a double buggy if possible. Can anyone reccomend a good soft carrier? My thinking is to use the soft carrier for DC2 until s/he is old enough for the stroller (around 4/5 months?), and by then DC1 will be over 2, so thinking DC1 can then walk/use a buggy board.

A couple fo questions - 1) is this a realistic way of thinking do you think? and 2) can you reccomend me a good soft carrier?

Used a bjorn with DC1 but only for 20 mins at a time one a day and it hurt my back and heard it's not great for baby's hips, so not keen on using it as DC2's main form of transportation for a few months.

Boba 3G. Absolute genius! I still use it for my 22 month old and you can use it for a newborn.

Sounds like a great idea and I would do the same if I was having another baby now. My partner uses baby bjorn but it is too heavy and painful for me, he loves it though. I've got a moby wrap which I adore, looks complicated but its not. I'm less than 5ft and dd is almost 10 months and I can use it for long periods happily. Congratulations.

Hi, I had a 25 month gap between my two and didn't bother getting a double buggy. I used a Wilkinet carrier for DD with DS in the stroller till around 4/5 months, then buggy board on our "big" buggy or DD in stroller with DS walking, gradually building up to longer & longer distances. DS is now 3.5 and still requests the buggy board occasionally but tbh it's made him get used to walking whereas I think this can be a struggle if you go down double buggy route. x

I would really recommend the Manduca. Most comfortable carrier I've used and really, really easy to use for both toddlers and newborns (no extra inserts etc unlike Ergo). We will have a 2y 4m gap and planning to use Manduca (+ Maclaren) as a transport solution for both.

DS now just 2, walks 80% of the time but sometimes still naps out & about, and it is much easier to carry a sling (rolled up in your bag) with you than pushing an empty buggy while hanging on to a wandering toddler!

I love stretchy wraps for newborns btw but if you just want one birth to toddler carrier then not the best choice.

Bondolino or Manduca. very easy to use and will last you for ages. Perhaps get a stretchy wrap second hand for the first 3 months if you like wraps. The close carrier is like a moby but easier to use, but again, its a stretchy so will only last for a short while.

if you can afford two slings between birth/ toddler age I would really recommend a wrap sling for the first 6 months -

www.snuggybub.com/ - this is the make I used, it is amazing - I admit to a vested interest as they are made by a friend, but it is my most valued posession - absolutely amazing in making the baby comfortable - you will see such a huge difference from the bjorn. I actually put my 10 month back in it this morning because I couldn't find the bigger sling and he went from tantrum/ whining to complete stillness in seconds..it still works! He used to sleep for hours in it - I carried him on some mammoth journeys in it pre-about 5 months...

but - for birth to toddler - the Beco - its amazing, incredibly comfortable - my 10 month old is 98thpercentile and I can barely feel him when I wear him in it.

yes that sounds fine. I'd also recommend a stretchy wrap and a soft structured carrier (Boba 3G gets my vote) for later.

I tried a stretchy wrap, a Wilkinet and my favourite one hands down is the Pognae. It's a Korean version of the Ergo and has some nice features that the Ergo doesn't have like a mesh opening for when it gets hot.

Thank you everyone and glad the general consensus is not that I'm being unrealistic! I was hoping to only baby wera until DC2 was able to use the stroller so birth to say 5 months.....I was thinkinga soft carrier would be easy as wraps look complicated to me amd I worry I'll do it up wrong and the baby won't be as secure.

Thank you all for the recommendations, will check them out now.

Dylan my sister has just past on a Moby wrap to me...I'm due in August! R u sure they're not complicated???

Moby wraps are brilliant I have one. They aren't difficult but they do take some practice. You do get quite hot though so don't wear a thick jumper, I didn't realise what little radiators babies are

I think a soft wrap, once you had hang of it, would be easier than a carrier as some can be a bit fiddly with newborns.
I'd look here and see if there is a sling library near you who could offer advice and let you try out some carriers or wraps. Ime it's a very personal thing as to which one works well for you.

Try to get yourself to a local sling meet or a sling library so you can try a few different slings out and see what you get on with best. Helps save you from expensive mistakes! Perfectly realistic to think you could sling one and have one in pushchair.

I'd suggest getting something you can easily use for both children so you can change them around according to what you are doing. Some soft structured carriers can be easily adjusted to go between a baby and toddler or a woven wrap would suit you well. A stretchy is great for a newborn and a good starting point but can't carry an older child.

Lolla, takes a few goes but easy once you get the hang of it. Used it so much when dd was teeny tiny and colicky and she still loves it.

You are totally realistic. This is roughly what I did. DD was 21 months when DS was born and she is active and prefers to walk than go in the buggy.
We have to use the car to get out so we don't walk far. When we get out the car i tend to have DS in the sling and hold DDs hand. She has a rucksack with a lead which we use if there is going to be traffic etc.

I got a Moby stretchy (soft) wrap, they are very comfy for newborns and i expect you'll wear it in the house too. mine was on most of the day and I had both hands free to play with DD. It'll last very comfortably until your DC2 is old enough for a normal buggy. (although you may fall in love with slings so much you carry on - I've just bought one that fits both DC, it'll be perfect when DD is tired of walking)

Stretchy wraps really aren't complicated at all but i agree they look a bit daunting.

Everyone said i'd never cope without a double buggy, so we got one. And we've used it about 10 times in 6 months. I can't think of any time we wouldn't have survived without it and sometimes it got in the way.

If anything, I can't cope with the double buggy because DD much prefers to have her freedom but i can't let her out if i'm out by myself because I can't hold her hand and push the buggy.

Everyone is happy with the sling/walking combo. There's lots more opportunity to interact with both of them, which DD especially benefits from now that she's lost lots of my attention.