Regular sling users - pros/cons?

[EithneBlue]

I'm really addressing this at those of you who already have at least one child and primarily used a sling for the first 6 months.

For a range of reasons, I'm looking at not buying a buggy/pram for the first few months after baby's arrival (due mid-late November) and giving the sling a really decent try first - that leaves me free to buy a small-folding buggy at 6 months which will be cheaper than a full travel system and take up less space (therefore fit in my tiny car and narrow hallway). I am just going to pre-empt the sling-haters here by saying that I have already done my research and know that if I hate the sling (or if baby hates the sling) there are enough prams available online that I can pick one up quickly if I decide that's actually what we need.

So, those of you who used a sling a lot (and therefore had time to get used to it) - especially those of you who used one with a winter baby - what were the main advantages and disadvantages that you found with regularly using a sling? I'm not asking for disadvantages in order to be put off (As I think is clear, I've already decided what I want to do) but I'm asking so that I can be a little more prepared and have a full picture :-)

Advantages:
Easy and quick to set up, baby feels safe and secure, hands free, can be used on any terrain, can feed on the go.

Disadvantages: Can’t carry lots, not all slings will suit your body type/shape.

We barely used DS’ pushchair for the first 6 months (we bought it for running anyway so only really bought the carrycot attachment for the occasional outing prior to 6 months). We won’t bother buying a double when number 2 (DD) is born, if DS needs the pushchair we’ll put DD in the sling.

But ItWasNotOk there are no time restrictions on slings. Carrying the baby in a sling (just like holding them in your arms or on your lap) actually exercises and helps strengthens their core - it’s not the same as leaving them strapped into something like a bouncer. I don’t think anyone would say never give your child playtime on the floor though!

Personally I used slings for transport and sleep, when they wouldn’t have been playing anyway.

Hmm I loved my sling but I wouldn't have not wanted a pram too. My son is 18 months and I still use it for popping to shops or to grab a coffee or go to the park but he is heavy!

Here's my pros and cons

Pros
Cosy, comfortable nice to be close
Easy to move around
Good for transport and popping out

Cons
I was always so so hot with baby in sling, I was constantly sweating.
It's nice to be able to have a few moments when they sleep not in your arms so you can have some space to drink a coffee (particularly if you breastfeed)
I enjoyed long pram walks on fine days - I would be tired covering same distance with sling
A friend only used sling and her baby at 6 months HATED the pram which was a problem.
Can't carry a lot of shopping

I had this little zip sleeping bag that went over sling and this was nice!

they can move about in the pram

In my experience, a November baby in the UK will have its movement in the pram so significantly impeded by a snowsuit plus footmuff or blankets that they won't be able to move and kick naturally much at all.

I used a sling and a pram at approx a 75:25 ratio for DS. He is now 2 and has since been diagnosed with hyper mobility, for which he has physiotherapy. The physio commented on his excellent core strength and attributed it to my use of slings, saying that he would have needed hours of tummy time every day to get the same effect. It has proved a godsend as it has mitigated many of the problems associated with his hyper mobility, which of course we didn't know about when he was tiny.

I pretty well exclusively used slings with both of mine (August and November).

Started with a Close Caboo, added a stretchy wrap as a spare (nappy explosions/big voms/reflux). Then got a buckle carrier (I had a Manduca, others are Tula and Integra).

First DC only went in a stroller with grandparents, DH and I preferred carrying as we like off road walks for leisure, ideally rough paths. I'd also use sling to pop to the shops, you can lob a rucksack on your back to carry a few bits. DC2 goes in the running buggy when I'm running with DC1 but that is the only buggy we have - we also have a big rucksack carrier for wilder walks when you need storage etc.

For layering I bought a zip us in panel to go on existing coats (of appropriate weight). Meant you can just open coat indoors rather than undress baby.

Disadvantages - putting a sling on in a wet carpark is a pain keeping the ends off the ground - but you can easily pre tie a stretchy indoors before you get in the car. Caboo and buckle carriers good for this.

You're a lot more in the firing line for bodily fluids, however you/clothes/sling are easier to wash than a pram (mine had allergies so were quite explosive).

Don't wear a jumpsuit if you're wearing the baby, you will really struggle to go to the loo...

I used a sling and a pram and my baby initially hated the sling - I think it made him sleepy, so whenever he went in it, he thought it was nap time and went bananas if he wasn't ready for a nap! He was also one that resisted the swaddle; he even somehow escaped when the midwives did it in the hospital, so I think he just wasn't keen on being restricted! However, he now LOVES it! And I love it too - it's so nice not having to worry about folding and unfolding a pram, and it leaves my hands free for holding a shopping bag or a takeaway cuppa! He's old enough to face out now, and it's easy to pop him in and take him out. Winter dressing isn't such an issue right now, but I have a cover that buckles round my waist and covers his legs, and it's easy to carry an umbrella over us both. I wonder whether he might have come to like it sooner if I'd persisted with it a bit more- as a FTM, I panic whenever he doesn't immediately like something, and give up a bit quickly. I agree with one of the previous posters about housework though - maybe cooking and cleaning are possible with a newborn, but my son now likes to grab things, so I would be scared of doing anything involving heat. I hope this helps and sorry for rambling - I'm trying to say that some babies might not initially love the sling, but it's definitely worth trying out, and you can always come back to it, even if you need to get a pram too.

@ItWasNotOK

"You could say exactly the same about a pram or bouncer; that’s not exclusive to slings."

Not really, because they can move about in the pram.

Bouncers are not recommended for longer than 30 minutes a day.

I wonder if you live somewhere with a warm climate. I agree to a point - my June baby was born at the beginning of a heatwave and could kick happily in the carrycot but my poor January baby was so bundled up that he couldn’t move much at all in the pram!

Had my baby nearly 2 years ago. Absolutely loved our sling. Can't remember what one I used, but it was one of those 'big long strip of material that you wrap around you and baby' ones, around £30 from the Tesco website.

Pros:
Hands-free so can do housework
Health benefits for baby (oxytocin, feeling relaxed / comforted from being close to mummy)
Doesn't cost must to buy
I just loved it and so did ds! great for bonding

Cons:
We only had one and when it got dirty it was a pain to wash and dry - felt pretty lost without it! Might be worth having 2? I don't know.
Related to the first con... it can get messy! The amount of times ds was sick directly into my bra!
People from older generations sometimes don't 'get it' & u can get criticism e.g 'aren't u making a rod for you own back'. However I wouldn't really class this as a proper con as sadly this happens with lots of things and is in no way exclusive to slings unfortunately! I got very used to ignoring the rubbish!

Overall I really liked the sling would recommend it.

Does it affect your back at all? I already have sciatica and wondering if it will irritate it more having a sling

My DD hated her pram until she was over 4 months old so a sling saved my life and sanity. We had a close caboo for when she was tiny but I found it really hard to go out with it on - that may just be my lack of experience of it. Then we bought an ergo omni 360 which we used all the time. I only stopped using it when she started to feel too heavy which was about 12 months.

if we are lucky enough to have another, we will be using the sling from the get go. I haven't seen any guidance that says it shouldn't be used for more than an hour. My DD slept in it for ages as it was the only place she would sleep!

We have a bugaboo bee so went for a small pram in the first place anyway as we have similar space issues.

@MrsK89 I don’t have any existing back issues but I never had any back problems using the sling, even when he was over 1 and pretty heavy. It’s important to get one that fits you properly and suits your body shape so try out a few. We had the ergo omni 360 and it worked for DH and me even though we are very different builds. Most people I knew had ergobabies and found them comfy.

@MrsK89

Does it affect your back at all? I already have sciatica and wondering if it will irritate it more having a sling

It might be worth talking to a physiotherapist or similar if you have a pre-existing condition, and you should definitely try a few to see what suits you, but it is much easier on your body than late pregnancy!

I had a November baby and used the sling loads. He was nice and warm close to me and I even had a coat we could both fit in. He also slept really well in it. He was a fairly heavy baby but we managed fine.

I used my sling with both babies from newborn to around 7 months. One baby born Mid summer, one mid winter. One boy, one girl.

Can't think of any negatives baby loves it. I did have to check on baby when newborn a lot when sleeping ( there is a risk of suffocation) but both loved it and I can only think of one occasion baby was crying, which was as they wanted feeding. Once a bit older I could easily feed on the move in sling. I used a connecta think now called integra.

I did find it hard on my bladder and back on the first few weeks. My uterus took a long time to go down on both big babies and therefore having them on your front is extra pressure on you / pelvic floor. I think the key is here to go on short walks and build up again. I was walking a lot before as have a dog, but birth does take it out of you, no need to rush into long walk.

We use our sling a lot, probably 80% of the time, 20% pram.

If I was you i would get a decent sling, but also get a small folding compact pushchair baby can go in sometimes, doesn't need to be carrycot full travel system.

Although I am happy to carry baby most of the time, there are times it is handy to have somewhere portable to put him down.

Used my sling daily for I'd say 4-5 months. Wouldn't of been without it. Though also used the travel system just as much.

Baby in sling, food/shopping & nappy bag in pushchair.

When the baby falls asleep in the car seat, very handy to connect to travel system. I would of spent a huge amount of time stuck in the car otherwise.

I used a wrap. Loved it. Very comfortable, especially when baby was small. Though I didn't get very hot in it. (Summer baby).
I'm the wet it's annoying to tie outside (long and dangling). I also have a baby Bjorn Carrier. Which I've only had since baby was 6 months. I don't get as hot in it, easy to put on and off.

My kids are now 13 and 14 so I am sure that slings are better developed now. I had c sections for both my children and preferred a maclaren buggy that lied flat for the first few weeks. A sling did put pressure on my tummy, although the scar is very low, the actual muscle tone of my tummy went down after birth and slings gave me backaches. It's something to keep in mind anyway.

After that, I found that it was troublesome to go out to the shops with a sling, carrying the shopping and the baby in the sling. I just found it too heavy so used the buggy for that.

I wouldn't go for exclusive sling personally, you don't 'need' a travel system at all. There are many umbrella fold buggies that can lie flat.

You can buy the more portable strollers that recline fully (safe for a newborn) rather than a travel system with a carrycot, that could be an option for the best of both worlds? It should see you through to toddlerhood as well. I planned to use a sling lots, but whilst recovering I found it really uncomfortable, and there were times when it was handy being able to just pop his changing bag under the pram and pop to the shops etc. I did use the sling a lot though, but I would have felt really restricted just having a sling. Sometimes I enjoyed having just a bit of time not being touched out too, when he slept in the pram or when we went for a walk, and we just brought the one which adapted as he grew.

We used a sling about 80% with DC1 and 100% with DC2 (got pram out of loft when second was born, but got rid because it was just in the way)

Pros

• babies love it, and usually go to sleep
• baby is under your coat, so doesn't need their own, this makes getting in and out of the car much faster (can't wear coat in car seat)
• can feed in sling whilst walking, great if running late, and don't have to find somewhere to sit down and get baby out of sling (and don't have to persuade impatience toddler to wait)
• you aren't stuck on wheel friendly surfaces, you can walk up/down steps, through woods, along beach, follow toddler round soft play
• baby hugs are lovely, why wouldn't you want to be tide in a hour long snuggle
• if you use a strechie, you don't need to re-tie every time so you can take baby in seconds.
• I've never met a newborn who doesn't cry when put in a pram.
• if babies asleep when you get home, go straight in and get on with your day instead of sitting outside or waking baby while trying to get buggy up step and through door.

Due to very bad SPD, I couldn’t carry my baby in a sling until I was more recovered - probably at about 8 weeks old. So the pram was essential for us to get out on walks

But if you’re up to it, I did love the sling once we got the hang of it x

'I've never met a newborn who doesn't cry when put in a pram.' I don't agree with that one bit!! Many babies including newborn love the feeling of being pushed around in a pushchair and fall asleep very easily in a pushchair. I think that's plain wrong.

Admittedly my sample size of babies I've known from birth is quite small (my 2 plus 8 family or close friends). But they all seemed to prefer to be held, and would cry if put down anywhere awake, pram included.

Once they are able to focus on things like pram toys, they tend to be more accepting. And older babies that can look around seem to quite enjoy been pushed. But non of the tiny babies I've known have been keen. Mine probably would have got use to it if I'd persisted, but when faced with two transport systems, to me it made sense to just use the one baby liked.

DS1 was born 8 years ago this November. He and DS2 spent at least 90% of the first two years in a sling. There are no cons, I honestly didn't need a buggy although I used it occasionally.

Enjoy snuggles!! Very envious

Advantages: most babies love it and will sleep in a sling (especially if you do the vacuuming!). Loads available so can go from tie your own to a really structured carrier (I have a stretchy for emergencies that lives in the car and the Beco gemini cool black for daily use). Very useful in pandemic when you don't necessarily want to put them in a trolley when shopping. Can breastfeed on the go. You can go on more adventurous walks offroad.

Cons: have to carry a separate bag for nappies etc. Baby can do fun things like stuff their hands in your mouth when they get older. You can't run/jog with a baby in a sling (can from 6 months with a buggy).

I use a combination of both but heavily weighted towards the sling.