Which baby sling/carrier do you recommend?

[saturdaynightgin]

DC2 is due in August and if he/she is anything like DD, will be very clingy and not like being put down. This was fine first time round, but now that DD is in a routine, I won’t be able to sit with baby napping on me etc.

So.. which baby sling/carrier would you recommend? Are there any you’d stay away from? I don’t have a budget as such, as we don’t have any major purchases to make having kept all of DD’s baby things, so I don’t mind what price range they are.

Thanks in advance

For mine what worked best was a stretchy wrap (Boba wrap or similar) for the first couple of months then a Connecta as soon as little one has a little more head control.

But my absolute top tip is to find a sling library in your area. And if you have a c section or are struggling u get out with two at the very start then consider paying for a sling consultant to come to you so you can try different styles and see what you and baby like best.

I second the boba wrap! They're amazing and have some very pretty designs too!

Definitely try a sling library. What's good for one person isn't right for another.

Having said that I used a Moby wrap early days and then a Beco Gemini which I love and still use for both DS (nearly 3, back carry) and DD (13 months).

Wouldn't touch a Baby Bjorn with a barge pole. Got given 2 for free and passed them on for free.

Yes you need a sling library, what fits one parent and baby might not work for another. Fwiw I used a ring sling and stretchy wrap to begin with and then moved onto my sleepy nico- a.much underrated brand. DH gets on with that too.

Thank you for the replies. I’ve never heard of a sling library, and a quick google shows there’s none in my area.. in fact it’s not showing any in South Wales at all!

Any of these any good? There will be others!

If you can get to a sling library you really should. As others say, it’s quite a personal thing. What is comfortable for you might not be for someone else. FWIW, I’m quite petite and I find Tula to be a good fit. If I were having another baby I’d take a look at the Tula free to grow. But there might be other solutions better for you. The generally popular thing is a stretchy wrap for a newborn and then a buckle carrier. But there are also ring slings, Mei Tai carriers, and woven wraps. I tried a bunch of different things from the sling library before eventually buying our carriers

We had a Hanna wrap and now a Connecta, both of which I love. Are there any mum's you know with one you could borrow for a quick trial before buying?

Moby wrap followed by a beco for us. Where in South Wales are you?

I didn’t get on with the cloth wraps at all. I’m looking for one at the moment with dc3 and want one that just clips on if possible as I couldn’t do the cloth ring ones on my own

I’m in Neath, which is just outside Swansea.

I don’t know anyone with a wrap or sling. Do you know if places like mothercare let you try them out before buying?

So there’s a sling meet in neath - if you search the Swansea sling meet group on Facebook the details will come up. Don’t go to Mothercare, they are generally clueless when it comes to slings. Sling meets are always super friendly and helpful and you’ll get to hire a sling to see if you like it before you have to buy.

Stretchy and then a connecta. Please don’t get a Bjorn - hideous things. I had one at first and have got it out for this one for DH to use if he wants to, but have stretchy for newborn and then will buy a new connecta. Used our last one literally till it broke - 20 months till DD was 2.5!

I love my Baby Bjorn mini carrier. I tried a cloth one that you have to wrap round you and couldn’t get on with it - kept worrying she would fall out! The BB one is ideal as it’s quite structured and very sturdy. I use it every day at the moment. Suitable for newborns and my baby loves it.

I loved my ergobaby with a close caboo for the early weeks. Defo gonto a sling library. And research safe carrying (TICKS) and proper hip safety.
babyslingsafety.co.uk

welshweasel oo thank you!! I’ll have a look at that later on!

Ergobaby carrier but I prefer my sling!

DH likes a Manduca from newborn. I currently alternate between a woven wrap, a stretchy wrap and a close caboo with 12 week old DC2. Caboo and stretchy are good if going out in the car as can put them on at home then pop baby in on arrival. Marginally less secure if leaning/thrashing around. I like the woven wrap around the house but mostly like having 3 options for when they inevitably get a major vom or poo explosion - often have 1 on, 1 drying and one in wash.

Flat wraps dry a lot quicker than the caboo or Manduca.

For me the Manduca came into its own around 9 months when DD started arching away in the stretchy slings and I got the woven wrap as a backup for then that is useful now.