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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Do i need a sling or will a pram be sufficent?

32 replies

sum04 · 07/03/2011 18:58

Just wondered if i need to buy a sling on top of a pram and if i will actually get much use out of the sling.
If i do go for the sling, i will be looking to buy a Babybjorn classic black sling???

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Crawling · 07/03/2011 19:01

I had one on DC2 I didnt really use it so no you dont need one.

FessaEst · 07/03/2011 19:05

I would turn your question around! I could have managed without the pram (but wouldn't have wanted to) but my sling (moby wrap) was the only thing that made my days possible, couldn't have been without it at all.

Bicnod · 07/03/2011 19:06

I would definitely have a sling - some babies hate being in a pram, or go through a phase of hating being in a pram... I wouldn't have left the house for a period of about 4 months if I hadn't had a sling to carry DS around in. Even when he would go in the pram I always carried the sling just in case.

This was the sling I used and I would heartily recommend it - you can get them secondhand on ebay for about half the price usually.

CountBapula · 07/03/2011 19:08

I'd wait and see what kind of baby you get. Mine is of the screamy, non-sleeping, pram variety. I discovered too late that he settles really well in a wrap sling - it would have made the first six weeks of his life much easier. Mine is a Close Baby Carrier - similar to a Moby but it's tied for you already, so slightly easier to use.

tiokiko · 07/03/2011 19:09

We used a sling quite a lot - meant we could go for walks in places that weren't pram-friendly.

We also flew quite a lot in the first year and couldn't have managed without the sling at the airport - checked the pram in so didn't have to faff about with it getting on/off the plane.

CountBapula · 07/03/2011 19:09

pram-hating, that should have said!

tiokiko · 07/03/2011 19:10

PS we inherited a BabyBjorn classic from a friend but I found it really uncomfortable. We then inherited a BabyBjorn Air (I think?) from another friend which was much better.

This time I'm going for BabyBjorn Synergy which has the back support - another friend had this and I tried it with DD and was really impressed so hopefully it will be 3rd time lucky!

bessie26 · 07/03/2011 19:11

We borrowed a sling for DD & I found it really useful for things like making a sandwich & hanging the laundry out! Unfortunately we can't borrow the same one again for #2 but I got a Baby Bjorn one for £10 from our local second hand baby shop

colditz · 07/03/2011 19:13

I didn't need a sling for Ds1, but used it loads for Ds2.

Basically, everything can wait whilst you hold your crying child - except your other crying child! SO if this is baby 1, don't bother, if it's baby 2, it might save your sanity.

mummynoseynora · 07/03/2011 19:15

2 things.... one you can easily survive with just one of those... I however after DC2 would choose the sling over the pram every day.

As per a previous poster I would strongly reccomend a moby wrap - FAR more supportive for you AND a newborn than the babybjorn types... you will find most people who have used a wrap / mei tei type sling will be strongly against the baby bjorn type ones... I'm one of those I am afraid so will only go on if you want me to

Firawla · 07/03/2011 19:20

i think it depends on you and your lifestyle and habits really, i got them for both my ds and hardly used them at all really, cos i'm just more in the habit of using the pram/buggy but also maybe depends on your baby and what they seem to prefer. although if you get one and dont hardly use it you could probably sell it on again so if you think you may use it, worth a try?

veggiemama · 07/03/2011 19:20

I would get a sling and a pram, I found with my DS I couldn't live without either, we got a babybjorn active which I never really liked and I ended up getting a cloth sling which was perfect for popping him in and keeping my hands free.

Umnitsa · 07/03/2011 19:31

Following advice on MN I bought a lovely Moby sling which has been used a dozen times since DD was born in September. Actually the only time I used it a lot was at hospital - we were kept for three days after birth and it was great when I needed to go to another floor or outside (they believe it's unsafe for a mother to carry a baby in her arms and would have insisted I use the plastic cot to transport her around the hospital, but the sling saved the situation).

I was quite fond of it (it also hid my post-pregnancy belly but DD does not like the sling at all and if she is grizzly being in the sling upsets her more.

On the other hand, the BabyBjorn bouncing chair has saved my sanity.

As others suggested, wait and see what works for your baby.

LunarRose · 07/03/2011 19:37

Hmmmm... I am always really jealous of people who can carry babies in slings. I had back pain through both my pregnancies that took quite some time to resolve. I had a very nice sling for DS but I couldn't really carry him in it for more than 15-20 mins (and that was pushing it). They are absolutely useless if you get back pain, the pushchair was vital!

hails35 · 07/03/2011 19:43

Don't know where you live but in my area (Lancashire), there is a sling library where you pay £5 for a sling for 2 weeks use. They have a variety of different slings so you could use different ones if one doesn't suit.
It may be worth looking to see if there is a sling library near you - at least you won't waste your money if you or baby hates it!!

InmaculadaConcepcion · 07/03/2011 20:43

Our wrap slings were (and still are) invaluable. I really don't know how we would have managed without them.

The Baby Bjorn ones are ubiquitous, but aren't terribly ergonomic for the wearer and tend to position the baby with legs dangling straight down, which is a big no-no according to seasoned slingers.

That said, our pram/buggy/carseat combo has also been extremely useful, so if you can afford both...

cara2244 · 07/03/2011 21:08

For my clingy baby it was the only way I could get anything done - housework.cooking a meal etc. Front slings are nice with babies under 6 months. I bought a mai tai style wrap for 20 quid on ebay. Used it until he was 18 months.

cat64 · 07/03/2011 21:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mercibucket · 07/03/2011 21:17

if I had to choose I'd choose the sling and not the pram, and I wouldn't go near the bjorn types either - pouch slings are nice for babies or else wraps or mei teis for all ages. but imo it depends on your baby and your style - most people get prams not slings so if you are not comfortable being different in a crowd it's probably not the best option and a bjorn would suit you better. some babies also just don't seem to like being held so close although ime it's more likely that a small baby will hate the pram than hate the sling

mummynoseynora · 08/03/2011 08:19

Lunar Thats not entirely right... I can still carry a 14month old baby in a sling no probs - in fact its far easier than carrying him by hand and I have had years of back problems caused by bulging discs....

half the time its about finding the RIGHT sling, and the RIGHT carrying position... most babies are happy in them when you find that :)

Limelight · 08/03/2011 08:43

It will depend on your baby. I was a committed pram user with DS, largely because I'd bought a babybjorn which was unquestionably the biggest waste of money ever. DS hated it, and it gave me terrible back pain. With DD, I've used an ergo babycarrier, and have also just bought a moby sling. I've barely used the pram.

See how it works out.... but please don't buy a babybjorn!!!

daimbardiva · 08/03/2011 09:49

I think it depends on your lifestyle really - I have a dog and live in the countryside and spend a lot of time out for walks so used my sling a huge amount. It was in fact a babybjorn - my ds loved it and I found it really comfortable (my dh didn't though) and I carried ds in it unitl he was one! I'm always amazed at how polarised opinions on them are (see post above!) - I think it really is just each to their own. I also tried a babasling but didn't get on with it at all.

I've got another baby on the way and can see myself using the sling a lot again, especially with a toddler around. I used to keep ds in the sling even when we came in from walks to do hoovering etc. as he enjoyed being in there.

juneau · 08/03/2011 10:49

Yep - depends on your baby. Some babies are happy to lie in a pram, others demand to be held all the time. My son was the latter type of baby - he just wanted to be close to me and it meant I got nothing done.

Luckily my SIL had given me a Didymos sling as a gift (didymos.de/english/index.php) and I used it all the time for the first few months. At about four months I switched from that (which was starting to sag with the weight of DS), to an Ergo baby carrier (www.ergobaby.eu/en/p1832/ergobaby-original-carrier.htm?gclid=CIbr_JjlvqcCFUEb4QodClMZAw), which was fabulous. I used it all the time until he was about 18 months old. It was just so comfortable for us both as it puts the child's weight on your hips, not your back or shoulders. He could sleep in it, breastfeed in it, just hang out and be part of whatever I was doing - it was probably the best piece of kit I had for him.

theresapotatoundermysink · 08/03/2011 10:54

Baby Bjorn slings aren't the best if you're going to go for one. I had one and found it uncomfortable past 4 months. Moby wrap slings are brill but there are many others. I use mine about 50/50 to my buggy.

blondepinhead · 08/03/2011 11:09

We had a BabyBjorn Synergy and while my husband loved using it I didn't. I guess I'm just the wrong shape for the back support bit, it was really solid and dug in quite painfully on my back. Also by the time DD was about 4 months old she was so heavy that it gave me serious back-ache to carry her in it.

I did love carrying my baby in the sling though, so we got an Ergo off ebay and it's absolutely brilliant. DD is 1yo now, absolutely massive for her age and we use it every day, more than the pushchair. It's one of the soft pre-formed slings, and you can carry them up to the age of 3, allegedly! You can also get a special infant insert for use from birth. They are expensive, but better value for money than the classic BabyBjorn type in my opinion.

I've noticed that BabyBjorn are now getting in on the act with a new soft sling - here. Don't know how good it is as I've never seen anyone with one.

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