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Original poster

slings/carriers

13 replies

booyhoo · 14/06/2009 13:45

i have a babyk ring sling and i tried it today for the first time. it cuts into my neck, it doesnt adjust easily, ds doesnt look or feel comfortable and after only ten minutes of wearing him my back hurt. am i just doing it wrong? i watched a tutorial on how to use it and did all the things it said to but im just not happy. ds is only 2 weeks old so not the heaviest.

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greensnail · 14/06/2009 19:36

I couldn't get on with my ring sling, i found it really hard to adjust and couldn't get dd looking comfortable. I ended up buying a wrap sling which i love and use all the time.
Hopefully someone might come along who knows a bit more about slings who can help you out.

JackBauer · 14/06/2009 19:54

The first time I tried on a ring slig I found it did this too, I woujld practise with a bag of flour or something with weight that isn't a precious baby so you can fiddle without worrying
It shouldn't be touching your neck at all, put it on and then tug down the bit over your shoulder so it cups it more, it sounds like you are wearing it too high on our shoulder. I will find a pic if I can to show you, hang on.

JackBauer · 14/06/2009 19:57

This is too hig and will hurt your neck.
This is how it shoudl sit on yoru shoulder If it doesn't spread out then maybe you should try one that does, you can sell/swap on yahoo ukbabywearing swap group.

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JackBauer · 14/06/2009 19:58

Sorry, spelling appalling, am talking to DH while posting

Original poster
booyhoo · 14/06/2009 22:40

i think thats the problem jackbauer mine is stitched together at the shoulder so it wont spread. whats the difference in a wrap sling and ring sling or is that an incredibly stupid question?

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drowninginclutter · 14/06/2009 22:44

I had a ring sling which I used about twice. I still can't see how it would have worked properly unless DS had been happy to lie in it with his head at the bottom end, I watched the DVD which came with it and I'm still none the wiser.

I bought a Kari-me after seeing one on someone at a baby group and coming home with sling envy. It's a wrap sling (just a long bit of material which you tie round yourself). Only took 2 goes to perfect the tieing and I loved it until DS outgrew it.

JackBauer · 15/06/2009 09:35

not stupid at all. I coldn't manage a ring sling that was sewn together, I ended up selling mine and buying a different one with an open shoulder.
A wrap sling is (as dic says) one long strip of fabric that you tie round yourself this shows the basic carry for a newborn, and there is a good video here which is very popular for some reason.
They are a lot more versatile but take longer to put on and off than a ring sling.

Have you tried slingmeet.co.uk? you can meet up with people with different carriers and try them out so might be worth a try?

dorisbonkers · 15/06/2009 10:51

I second wrap slings. I have two ring slings which I do find easier to breastfeed in and for my daughter to nap in the day, because in a front cross carry in a wrap you have to engineer their legs out to squoosh them round to the nipple.

I use a wrap -- two brands stick out for me (I bought and tried several) Girasol for a thicker woven one, and Calin Bleu gauze for hot days.

They wash well, turn unbelievably soft and distribute the weight so much better than a structured carrier that I have never bought a pushchair.

JackBauer · 15/06/2009 13:59

(loving the word squoosh btw)

Original poster
booyhoo · 15/06/2009 14:44

thank you for great links. i can see why that video is so popular, the tiny baby is so cute. if my newborn was that small id just put him in my pocket! i think wrap looks like the better option for me re the weight distribution.

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TurtleAnn · 15/06/2009 18:14

I couldn't get on with the 'slings', I had the baba sling and DS screamed every time we tried to put him in it. Even though he was tiny the sling always seemed to small.

We now have the baby bjorn with back support, DS loves it, we both live in it. It is suitable for carrying him round the house, to the park (although you still have to carry the changing bag as with all slings). Not suitable as a breast-feeding support though.

Reesie · 15/06/2009 19:51

I didn't get on with a ring sling either. For dd2 - I made my own moby type wrap. Very easy - just buy the material from ebay and cut it into a desired measurements. It ended up costing me about a tenner - rather than the £50 for buying the branded ones.

I use mine now all the time. It gets a tired baby easily off to sleep, you have your hands free to sort out a toddler and dd2 seems to like it!

Reesie · 15/06/2009 19:54

Just to say that it is a 5.5metre piece of material that is the width of your breast to your hip bone made out of t shirt/jersey material.

Then just have a look here to show you how to put it on.

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