Slings?!

[Kelerina]

Where do you go to buy slings?? Is it mostly online? Haven't seen them in any baby shops, mothercare etc? What sling is best? I would be happy with something fairly low tech, basically a stretchy bit of material but DP wants something a bit more structured with buckles and braces! Is there a compromise sling or do you think we'll need one each?

Thanks!!

There are sling libraries where you can try them out. It's worth getting advice as they're not all great. I've had my baby in a moby since he was born. That's a good soft wrap one. My partner happily uses it too. Looking to get a more structured one now he's bigger

And I'd say online to buy them. They do them in my mothercare but I'm not convinced they'd be good ones.

I had wilkinet slings for both mine and they were great. No buckles but structured body for baby to sit in. The baby is held tight in to your body so doesn't feel so heavy over the shoulders when they get bigger but it can be a knack to get tied up. I think they can only be found online though.

Mothercare should have some, also John Lewis normally does but they are usually cheaper online once you suss out which one you want. We had a fairly basic one from toys r us for our first ds but for our 3rd ds we invested a bit more money and got a baby Bjorn. I have to say it was well worth it because it was so comfortable for me and DH to wear and really easy to get ds in and out of.

Find your local slingmeet/baby wearing group/library.

Its a great way to mmeet people as well.
Try some out.

Its mire complicated than prams - you can't go wrong with a Moby for your first sling.

Moby for a tiny, Ergo for a bigger baby (has some buckles to please DH )

Def try and find a local sling library then you and your dh can both have a play and see what you get on with before you part with cash.

A stretchy wrap is fab with a squishy newborn. My dh has never managed to learn to wrap though and we have 3 dcs now! He uses a ring sling. You might find a Close carrier a compromise though, is is sort of like a pre tied stretchy wrap which is easy to adjust.

Buying is definitely mostly online. The facebook group Slings and Things- FSOT (which stands for for sale or trade) is very active and a good place to buy slings second hand. Just don't get sucked into the trading of very expensive bits of cloth though! You can find well priced slings on there too :).

We bought a Close Baby Carrier with DS which is a stretchy fabric one so good for early on and is adjustable with rings so don't need to learn to tie anything and less complicated. We are going to use the same again this time but buy another for when baby gets bit heavier and want a more structured one and we love the mamas and papas Morph one which you can try on in store along with the other makes they sell (they had the Stokke and Baby Bjorn in when we went) and they were great at giving advice in general.

Have a look at Kiddicare online which does good videos of how products work to give you a better idea.

Definitely try and try them - different ones work for different people/body shapes. I have a wilkinet for up to about 5 months then an ergo carrier - I don't get on with the ergo with the infant insert, but one of my bosses loved it. Watch out on ebay etc for fakes - there are a lot around.

This is a great website, both for buying and also for explaining the different options. I used moby for first few months, beco far that. Please don't go for a forward facing one, they're dreadful for baby's back/posture.

That website that Missing linked to is great because it does the sling covers as well. We've got a MAM cover and it's fantastic. I also like this place for advice about various types.

I was saying to OH that a shop somewhere local that has a range of slings would be brilliant.

I do a lot of walking / commuting - stints of up to 3 hours twice a day! I went with reviews and currently have 3:

Baby Bjorn
Great sling but with heavy use I found it taxing on my back. The actual carrier is comparatively heavy and my little one is not keen on being pressed tight to get it all clipped up (altho if fine once in it!)

Bubasling from Mothercase
Purchased when my little girl was too small for the Baby Bjorn but I couldn't get the hang of it and haven't used it.

Rose & Rebellion
Brilliant sling - very very lightweight, easy to use and I honestly can't figure how the weight is redistributed as its so comfortable. I got recommend it by a friend who uses it with her 3 year old.

There are local independent shops around who stock slings, however your best bet really is to find a local sling meet (either google sling meet then your town name, or try on www.slingmeet.co.uk as this shows most of them). The ones from mothercare, John Lewis etc tend to be overpriced and not ideal for a baby's spine and hip development. www.slingguide.co.uk/ is excellent for impartial advice and some reputable retailers :)

I love our Kari-me. Stretchy material type. Expensive but worth every penny - about £40. Dh hates it and uses hand me down baby bjorn we were given. I find my tits get in the way and my sling holds baby higher. So we each have our own sling.

Moby when little (or other stretchy wrap such as Kari-me or Victoria Slinglady)

Rose & Rebellion when a bit bigger.

I've found our local sling library brilliant.

In general, I've found if you can buy it on the high street it's not much cop when it comes to nappies and slings. The internet is a wealth of information! Check out the sling section on MN too.

Moby or Kari me then ergo. Baby Bjorn not ideal as bad for baby's posture and also not great for back.

We have mamas and papas "flex" sling - really easy to put on as essentially just two loops, but all the benefits of stretcy. M&P are doing a sale st the moment too..

Natural mamas website has lots of information and also a for sale board where you can buy used slings which can make it more affordable :)

I wouldn't generally recommend baby bjorns as they're write pricey, have a limited lifespan compared to other brands (ie-once baby gets to be a certain weight they get really uncomfortable) and aren't necessarily the best for supporting the baby's legs and spine as the seat is quite narrow. I would also steer clear if any front-facing positions as there has been a lot of research to show how this can cause problems to babies' hips and spine. Hth