Advice on baby slings please - I have a dodgy shoulder...

[excitedandscared]

I'm looking for a bit of advice.
I'm 7 months pregnant with my first baby and so excited now it's untrue!

However, I'm a little worried as I had a shoulder operation about a year ago and am concerned I'll be uncomfortable, or worse aggravate my old injury and be in severe pain, after carrying a baby for a while.

So I'm planning on getting a sling and was hoping for advice on which people think are the best options. I've seen the 'Kari-me' and like the look of it - what do you think? Are there any others people would recommend?

Congrats!

I've got a carrier and a sling, you end up getting loads of pressies for the first baby! I've got a baby bjorn which DH loves but I HATE. I think it's my shape (big boobs, small waist) because DD just sort of hangs forwards and I can't adjust it to stop this happening. All the weight ends up pulling my shoulders forwards and it hurts like hell after about 5 minutes.

I've also got a ring sling like THIS which I love especially now DD is bigger because I love carrying her round on my hip. It might not be ideal for you though because it sits on one shoulder. I find it very comfy and can happily carry 19lb DD round for a good hour even though I am quite diddy . When DD was tiny I found the ring sling swamped her a bit. It's also supposed to be easy to adjust but it isn't really, it took me a while to get used to it.

For the next one (planning ahead!) I am planning to make my own wrap for when the baby is tiny and then use the ring sling when he/she is bigger.

Hope that helps narrow down your search a bit! Good luck with everything.

There are lots of stretchy wraps like the moby, the kari-me and the hugabub. These are great for newborns. You do spend a lot of time lifting and carrying babies and toddlers so I would expect that a wrap which spreads the weight over all of your body would cause less stress to your shoulder than "just" carrying your baby.

There's a great yahoo group where people sell or swap their old slings and carriers. It's a really good place to try things out, as you won't have wasted too much money if it's not quite right for you. It's called UKbabywearingSWAP. Slings have good resale value.

If you want to buy new, most of the sling sellers will be happy to offer you advice. BigMama is a good shop.

I love my close carrier, and so does DD, especially now I put her facing forwards. Her feet get so excited, dancing in midair whenever anything catches her attention! The fabric is nice and wide on your shoulders so really comfy to wear, and its stretchy and easy to use. Friend swears by her wilkinet but her DH loves the ring sling which she couldn't use with DD1+2 after about 6mths cos of her bad back.
I wouldn't get one antenatally tbh, wait until you can try some on, google your local sling meet or sling swap group

I have a ring sling - in which I still carry DD1 (2.9yo) sometimes, such as when travelling on the tube.

I also have a hugabub, moby and cailin bleu. These are all wraps and I use them all the time. The hugabub is my all time favourite and I have just recommended this to a friend who already loves hers too. It is especially handy as you use the pouch on the front to fold the whole thing inside itself - a big like a pacamac!

Cailin bleu is shorter and not stretchy so great for a bigger/older baby.

I bought the moby as I lost my hugabub for a while. It is thicker and was lovely and snuggly over the winter.

Both DDs were born prematurely and I carried them both from tiny - literally. They are both very calm girls and mamy people ascribe this to the fact that I wore them both.

I would say DO try to get a sling to begin using straight away - check out your local sling meet perhaps if you are lucky enough to have one close (I have to catch a boat to get to my nearest so have never made the trip!)

I have a dodgy neck and shoulders and agree that you will need a sling.

Stretchy wrap would probably be my number one choice. There is no comfier carrier for a newborn BUT for info, here are a few drawbacks:

1. they are hotter than most carriers. A cooler wrap is a GypsyMama/Wrapsody, ringsling etc. would be cooler still.

2. The baby does eventually get too heavy to be worn comfortably, because the stretch in the fabric carries on stretching. Some stretchies last longer than others though. A woven wrap will last you till your baby is walking for him/her self. As will an Ergo for most people. A ringsling will last if you like carrying on your hip - if you have an injury you may not be able to tolerate a onesided carry with a heavy child.

3. It is a little harder to get the baby out and lain down in cot/carseat without waking up, which depending on your injury and what your baby turns out to be like may or may not be a problem for you. A ringsling, mei tai or Ergo is easier to undo without disturbing a sleeping baby, and also to do up round a baby who falls asleep in your arms/lap/at the breast.

Many people have mentioned the Wilkinet. Personally, I found it drew more weight on the shoulders than some other slings - it is a good sling but probably not the best for someone with bad shoulders.

Thanks for all the great tips - lots for me to be looking into!
And I'll try and find out about a sling meeting so I can maybe try some out before I take the plunge...
I knew you ladies would sort me out! Thanks!

I found wilkinet really good in that it distrubuted weight well plus when baby older they can fac outwards..oyher slings stuck out too much on me and the ones with rings tended to give me back ache as baby at one side at a time - my friend who is tall found the ring ones fab but at 5 ft 2 i struggled and wilkinet solved all !!