Best baby carrier/ sling?

[Elletine]

Hi everyone, I’m expecting baby #2 and have a fabulous, active 2.5 year old DS. When DS was born we used a buggy, but when the next little one comes I want to be able to keep up with my son without carting a buggy around and was thinking about investing in a good, comfortable sling or carrier.

We had a baby bjorn with DS but I didn’t use it much, I found it gave me back ache (though I had a CS with him so could have been muscle weakness!) and it was quite rigid/ didn’t move easily with me.

Please can I hear recommendations for a baby carried, wrap or sling that is comfortable for me and baby, secure, and will allow me to crack on with toddler madness normal life? Thank you

Woven wrap when they’re tiny - just tie them on, mine used to fall asleep in seconds. Later on I vote for the ergo 360.

I loved my Hanna wrap for the newborn stage and use an Integra after that.

We've used an ergobaby embrace since our daughter was born and she settled into it really well. It's quite soft so feels like a wrap but it has buckles so I can just pop her in and go without worrying if I tied it properly.

I started with a close caboo. Then moved on to an ergo and a tula.

See if you have a sling library locally as different carriers suit different people. For example loads of people swear by a connecta/integra and I hated it when I tried it. Just didn't sit right or comfy on me.

We used a wrap at first then moved to a Tula, still using the Tula now at 1 year old so we definitely got our moneys worth. Really comfy and easy to use. Highly recommend.

Should also add...my wrap was a Freerider, basically just a long piece of material and I found it a bit of a faff.

Slings are like jeans or shoes, everyone suits different ones. Best thing to do is Google for your local sling library or look on www.slingpages.co.uk as you can try a few out, they'll have weighted dolls so you can even try before baby arrives!
Having said that, my top newborn choices are a 2 way stretchy wrap (like lifft, not a 1 way like freerider), or a close caboo, or a mamaruga zensling. Have a look at those and see what you think.
Feel free to PM for any help, it's what I do every day.

I loved, loved, loved my sling! I didnt get on with the strap ones, this sling was so comfy! My ds lived in it for the first 7 months. I was also able to bf easily in it! kari-me.myshopify.com/

My Izmi wrap was great when he was little and I noticed them in the middle bit at Aldi the other day if you're after a bargain!

I used a stretchy one (Moby I think) for the first few weeks and for longer when at home then from about 2 months out and about a Beco Gemini which was brilliant. Have used it with 2 DC from about 2 months to over 3 years.

Loved stretchy wrap for the newborn stage, theres a knack to it somy advice would be to practice a few times with a doll or Teddy before baby arrives! But once you've got it, it's easy and baby is snug and supported and the sling is lightweight and comfy to wear. I used to wear it all day and pop baby in and out as needed

A Close Caboo is great for a newborn and super comfy and easy to use. Then we moved on to a Connecta when DS was a bit older.

Like others, I started with a Close Caboo. I didn't want to faff with tying a wrap so this offers a good compromise. Then moved onto a standard Tula and a standard Ergo. Prefer the Tula as it's thinner fabric and feels more like a hug

Thank you all so much! Will do some googling of all your recommendations, and grateful for all the suggestions of a sling library, I had no idea there was such a thing! @AnnaBegins thanks for the kind offer of a PM

They are a bit like shoes so what suits one person won't suit another!

However narrow bottomed carriers like the original baby Björn are a bit like cheap jelly shoes - not comfortable for anyone! :o

I favour a stretchy wrap and then soft structured carrier with wide base later.

I started with an Ergobaby Aura wrap which was great till around 3 months and DS was a bit heavier. I then consulted our local sling librarian and am now renting a Kahu Baby which is fab. Deffo try different ones on if you have the opportunity to!