Calling all babywearing mums.........................................meet here!

[bealcain]

I'm a babywearing mum of 2 and wanted somewhere other than slingmeet and TBW to generally talk to other BWing parents!

mylittlepudding - I carry dd2 on my back, and carry what I need in a rucksack on my front. I use the pram if i'm going shopping because them I can carry everything underneath the pram.

god there's just sooooo much to say! nice to see you ginger and EP, thought i might invite you along for the ride!

lairyfairy - i certainly know what you mean about the excessive boobage! if ds2 is on my back it's fab, i can actually stand up straight! however when my sis wore ds2 the other week she said it squashed her boobs (he was in a FCC) cant say i've had the problem, or maybe i have i just ntoice anymore.i'm a 28/30JJ have you found BWCC squash your boobs?

kk i cant wait to use my slings with a NB, think thats one reason why i was so broody as didn't start BWing ds2 till a bout 3/4 months. My DF tried my moby the other day around the house and said he hated it. He was totally against it all when i started, but i recently wrote an article on it and got him to proof read it for me and was trhen willing to try. the MT is mainly so he can try DS1 on his back when we go out, however i'm not sure he will.

indith PMSFL at your DP

Mawbroon i am so jealous, i have to wait till my bday for a kindercoat, if i'm even getting one! i'd be in it all the time! cant wait will be really disappointed if i dont get one!

funnypeculiar a ring sling at 20months? for long journeys? you brave woman

Chirpygirl are you now wearing both?

MLP i was trying to find a solution to this myself, as when wearing both no free space, however i usually pre-wrap, then shove ds1 on back, then put ds2 in, so think after i pre-wrap, may be able to put on a bag over my shoulder then ds1, think it will work as long as strap long enough??!

Bealcain, won't be a problem for much longer I am having a reduction in 2 weeks ya.
MLP, I carry a bag with a really long strap on my side. the biggest prob I have is putting ergo on over winter coat. destined to freeze.

when i have my next one im so gonna do the baby wearing thing my lo loved being in her mothercare carrier and i keep seeing this blissfull looking mummy with red hair on my bus with her little ds and he looks so snuggly and happy she even has a funky shopping trolley much better than a pshchair if you ask me lol

do any of you find having big boobs makes its hard i was always worried my lo would be smothered lol

Big boobs makes it better, more comfy.

Indith, the Scandanavian MT makers all seem to make gorgeous ones unfortunately they are also more pricy. I think they put more into craftsmanship as they will always end up more expensive than the US mts.

I have a guiltless philosophy that a mummy can never have too many carriers and every mummy should (at least one) dream carrier.

Besides, have you seen how much a pushchair can set you back? and it is not the kind of thing you'll consider handing down to the next generation.

more practically though: if you can get one custom made with your own fabrics by another maker in the US or UK, there is no reason why they can't be just as gorgeous.

Hello- please can I ask for some advice?
I have a 9-week old DD who hates to be put down and am beginning to think that 'wearing' her might be the only way I can function for the next few months! However I don't find it very comfy and think I might not have the right equipment- I'm looking for some recommendations or tips.

I currently have a pouch sling that was passed down to me. It has a ring so is adjustable but DD always looks really squashed and won't settle, and my shoulder hurts within minutes. Am I doing sometging wrong?

I also have an infantino front carrier (like a cheaper baby bjorn) which is ok for short periods but then rides up in the back and makes my back ache. It's also a bit of a faff to get on and off.

I am quite petite (5' 5 and size 8) and my baby is around 11lb at the moment. I would really like something that fits really snugly but will last and is easy to get on/ off. Any ideas? I'm interested to see that many of you have a number of slings- do you use them for different purposes or do you get addicted so you have to keep buying them for fun (like me and shoes )

TIA!

pendulum: if you go to www.slingmeet.co.uk you can find out if there is a slingmeet near you soon. you will be able to try on different slings, get advice from bw mums on how to tweak them to make them work best for you and even rent one before you make a commitment to buy one.

otoh, if you don't have one and you are anywhere near me, i would be happy to meet up with you and let you try out mine and/or lend you one if funds are short.

others will come along soon with more info. I am being naughty to be on this page as i am at work at the mo.

the infantinos/babybjorn types are not very comfy for most adults to wear for any period of time.

A wrap pendulum! Easy when you get used to it. I tried a few slings before I bought my first one (a wrap). Ds seemed to prefer being upright and chest to chest so a wrap was perfect. You can keep it on and take the baby in and out too.

Kiskidee that is true, I hate the big clumpy pushchair though I do now have a lightweight stroller for creche and stuff but slings are way better and I really can't see myself using a pushchair once I have more than one dc!

I think I am going to be brave and make a MT myself. I have instructions, my mum has a sewing machine. What can possibly go wrong?

Indith - PMSFL......you're brave making one!

Pendulum - agree with a wrap. i'd go for a stretchy first as LO is so young, try a moby, i think they're fab. it doesn't take that long to get used to the way you tie it on, quite simple actually.

Lairyfairy i went to see my gp about it earlier this year and he said it's definately a possibility once i've had my babies and finished feeding them....could be a few years yet, but only being 21, time is well on my side!

dressedup - i dont think it makes a differnce re:size of boobs, your baby will always be comfortable with his mummy. you cant smother them in a sling, because you are always totally aware of how they are, or if something is wrong.

Haven't read thread yet. I'll be back later as I have to go out soon but I want to join in please!

I am of those of you happily carrying your older babies.

I have a wilkinet which i used loads for the first 6 m of ds life - but never got on with it on my back. I have a framed carrier for back packing but it hasn't had many outings. There is only 20m btwn ds and dd so i found a double much easier for all the stuff i had too carry around. By the time ds was walking more and out of nappies, my dd was too heavy for wearing all day - she is now over 17kgs at 19 m and my back has been 'put out' several times .

she stills loves lots of contact though - we co-sleep and i am still bf - so if there was a way of carrying her w/out crippling myself i would love too.

I have a Moby D and my baby has reflux and he really settles when wrapped. We've had problems with him settling overnight and I wore him for about 3 hours on monday and he slept like a log when in the wrap and was only up twice in the night. My dad moaned that it would damage my back but i was absolutely fine. It takes a bit of practice to wrap but i think it's well worth it. I hired one from here and it made my decision easier. I bought a babsling first but returned it as lo looked squashed.

I've also bought a funky shopping trolley for when i go into town to do xmas shopping i can wrap him and put all my pressies in the trolley - hopefully i won't look like an old granny.

I've noticed when he is in the wrap everyone smiles and thinks he looks so comfy - not heard anyone say he looks uncomfortable.

Great, thanks! A wrap it is... ooh I love a good excuse to shop

Thanks for the slingmeet link kiskidee, there isn't a meet near me (Berkshire) unfortunately but the site was really useful for researching what's available. Looks like either a Moby or a Kari-Me would be my best bet- possibly the latter since it looks a bit more supportive.

Can I also ask whether it can take babies a bit of time to get used to the sling? DD is colicky and I have had her in the front carrier today to try to soothe her. The result- more crying, only louder because nearer my face, and little fingernails raking my face

No get a woven wrap not a stretchy one! They take longer to get used to but when your baby gets heavier a stretchy wrap is really difficult to get tight enough to stop stretching!

he may take a while to settle in a sling but remember that with a wrap she will be pressed right up against you and feel more secure and cocooned than in a 'normal' front carrier.

any particular brand you';d recommend indith?

I have an ellaroo, loads of people on here say that the didymos is great. There is not a whole lot to choose between different woven wraps or different stretchy wraps really as they are a long bit of cloth at the end of the day so it usually comes down to price/pretty patterns.

ellaroos are good as indith say. another 'light' wrap which is not so expensive is called girasol. they are both fab for tiny babies and into a bit older. hoppediz are also quite reasonable but the fabric is more durable tan ellaroos and girasols.

you can get them from a company in scotland called www.bitsforbairns.co.uk

alternatively join the yahoo group UKbabywearingSWAP and get one second hand. there are loads of people having stash sales at the moment as they are raising money for christmas no doubt to buy more slings!

Hi everyone
I have recently bought an ellaroo from another MNer (thanks hidingbehindthesofa!), to carry my 21 month old on my back! He is extremely grouchy in the afternoons and needs to be worn, but the ring sling on my hip was hurting my back.

So far we have not got on brilliantly with it - I have had better luck with dd (3 1/3!) who is cooperative and keeps still while I tie it and tweak it.

I have found that a few times I have tied it perfectly, and others I just cant get it right...I'm sure its just a matter of practicing, but any tips would be greatly appreciated

Erm...mirrors!

Also, don't know what wrap you are doing but I find if doing a back cross carry then putting the cross bits high up on the baby and spreading them down is easier than trying to aim for the right bit, it also aids in flailing arm avoidence.

Or you can do a cross carry on your front, loosen it and shrug it round to your back and tighten again!

Thanks Indith, I will try all of those!

I got my freedom sling yesterday think its gona take some getting used to!! cant seem to sit 12 week old dd in the feeding position, but shes ok upwards snuggling into me!!
i have a tomy harnessy type carrier, but its so much fuss!

lol, i dont see many mothers babywearing around here ( actually dont think ive seen any!) My granparents used to wrap babies up in a shawl 'welsh fashion' i think this is what i look like with the sling on! cant wait to get out and about wih it. i got a phil and teds for dd, but much prefer carrying her when shopping!

any tips on the freedom sling welcome, and HELLOOOO everyone !!

Pendulum - agree with indith re: get a woven, bit iof like me, you;'re addicted you'll end up getting anew one every month or so! my woven is bebina rainbow, 2nd hand from UKbabywearingswap, the material is fab!
Although i have a moby, which i love as is a bit more snuggly for young ones.

Bigmyrh - have you tried a Mei tai? my ds1 is 2 and a bit, and i've found it's the easiest way to get him up and down so he can walk, w/out having to rewrap, plus it;s so light that the carrier itself is no extra weight, unlike the framed ones.

Bruhaha - where did u get your shopping trolley? i;m thinknig one of these would be great.

Hi Everyone,

I've just bought my fifth sling in five months (dd's age) but just love them. Wear her all day and use them for different things.

My new Baby Hawk Mei Tei (Hi Peachy and Kiskidee!) is just brilliant for out and about, and for napping at home. She crashes out in it like a flash and I can get on with jobs as arms aren't restricted. It's my new favourite.

Also recently got a ring sling (maya wrap) which is fab for pottering about the house so she can see what's going on. Love the way it allows you to cuddle your lo as you potter about.

Had Kari Me since pg - DP loves it, I found it a bit too tight when she was newborn (paranoid about suffocation) tho DP and DD loved it. Now she's bigger I find it too stretchy, tho DP now uses it in hammock position to get her to sleep at night (Mei Tei only works for day naps!) and I sometimes put her in it facing forward when I'm cooking.

Coorie got when she was six weeks and indispensable. Used it solidly till recently, now just use it for quick trips here and there. Couldn't have done without it.

And I've got a Calin Bleu which is same as Kari Me but I find it much more supportive as the fabric is less stretchy. Another time I'd go for a woven wrap. Haven't used Calin Bleu this last week as too excited by Baby Hawk - but plan to rotate them to give different muscles a rest.

Together all these cost less than the pram we have given and have got miles and miles more use - another time I wouldn't bother with a pram. It was DD's wish to be held all the time but in hindsight I wish I'd planned it that way as it's so easy and lovely and gets you fit too.

Sorry, long, DD asleep on lap and me feeling evangelical about babywearing...

Hi there, am not BFing at the mo so shall share my wearing story!
Started wearing DD1 when she was a few months old with a Brightsparks cuddie ringsling and was converted from day one. Loved the fact I could keep it in the car and pop it on and off.
Then bought a mei tai for back carries and made my own woven wrap out of some muslin material I found online for back carries up until I was 8 months pregnant.
Went a bit crazy over last few months and at highest count I had 3 pouches, 2 wraps, 4 mei tais and 2 ring slings! I managed to sell some of them and am clearing some more (sorry, that's very cheeky of me)
I didn't use pouches with DD1 but DD2 loves hers!
Proudest moments have been wearing DD2 around tesco at 36 hours old in a hotsling and BFing her in the park in a stretchy wrap while helping DD1 feed the ducks!

Am glad I have a double buggy that I was given for mooching round to park where I have to do lots of running and climbing with DD1, but wouldn't have spent money on it. I do have a lovely 3 wheeler and a stroller but I tended to use them when I was going to the local supermarket and couldn't carry DD and shopping! Now I carry DD2 and push DD1 and shopping, genius!