Sling/Baby carrier for newborn - advice please!

[chunkypudding]

Have looked at reviews but still managing to feel confused (seems my permanent state at the mo!)

Would really appreciate anyone's experience, also what their dp/dh thought as my fella is unsure about the whole sling thing and I'd like to get one that he is likely to use too, so bloke's thoughts would help...

Ta!

I had a tricot slen - a long, wrap around sling that dh was happy to use. He is also happy to use the ergo, which we used when the children were older - still use it in fact for dd2 aged 2.

DH didn't want to use the tricotti sling or the ring sling that I have.

Can you borrow one from a friend to try out and see how you get along?

check out www.slingmeet.co.uk it has more advice about slings (i am assuming you have only read the mn 'products' section) but also has a page to meet up with other sling wearers in your area. if you are in the northeast, there is a slingmeet in Durham City on thurs. 25th. Oct.

with a newborn (if a winter baby) he may be happy with a fleece pouch.

I thing a moby or a hugabub or a kari me in a neutral colour would do both of you for the first six months. It is about 5m of fabric but it wraps up completely and it is not nearly at all difficult as it looks on first appearance.

we have a wrap and a pouch - dh acknowledges the wrap is comfier on the baxk for long days but much prefers the pouch as it's quicker and easier to put on.

You might want to have a look on www.slingmeet.co.uk to try and find a group near you - should give you the option to see lots of different slings in action and help you narrow down the choice.

I've got a Hug-a-Bub that was great as a beginners wrap sling. Had really good weight distribution for both me and DD, but now she's 19lbs she's getting a bit big for it really. Alegedly you can breast feed in it, but I never got that to work. Never managed to get DH to wear it, though.

My dp finds a ring sling easiest to 'drive' Pouches and ring slings are great for tiny babies. Advantage of ring over pouch is that you can both use the same size. I love a wrap sling too and ds preferred being upright so it was great with him.

Thanks for all the help

knifewielding, I'm not sure if I've seen any with fleece pouches? may have just missed this??

Very much a winter baby-to-be, due 3rd Jan...

Am in a general state of panic as haven't bought anything yet and am finding the selection process a bit overwhelming!

We used a Tomy Rodeo sling and hubby got on fine with it too. Our baby is now 4 so there are bound to be new fangled slings out there but if you want one that is easy to use and does the job I am selling mine for £8.

dh used a ring sling when ds was newborn, then the baby bjorn (which I hated). He didn't get on with the wrap around (which I preferred!)

I would say definitely try out several if you can.

fleece pouches

am on 2nd baby and would recommend waiting til yours is born before buying.

dd (now aged 18 months) hated the tricotti and only liked the baby bjorn. Ds (aged 3 weeks) loves both. some babies dont like facing inwards at all - so you need to try them in the different types before spending the money really.

also worth considering the longevity of each make...baby bjorn you can use til they are quite old - over a year - not sure how long a tricotti will last for in light of the fact its stretchy cotton, a heavy toddler may well make it too loose.

but whatever make you go for - they are brilliant and the best way to get a baby to sleep

Oh, slings are great. Best thing we bought by far. We use a Huggababy www.huggababy.co.uk - worth watching the vids for how to use it properly, particularly as I'm rubbish with paper instructions!

Slings give you far more freedom - I wasn't sure how much I'd use mine but have done daily, plus my baby loves being soothed to sleep in hers.

My DP loved the Kari Me when DD was tiny. Have to say, I was a bit more paranoid about it as she seemed to slump in it so much and I was always worried about her breathing. She was fine of course and, like her father, loved the sling. Whatever you go for, we couldn't have done without a sling. I recommend a Coorie from brightsparkslings.co.uk as well as probably a wrap sling. Good luck!

ps: sorry to hijack but knifewieldingtoddler you seem like the expert! would you say a woven wrap is a good one to go for 6 months + - or a mei tei? kari me beginning to get a bit stretchy...

yep, woven wrap and mei tai. they are the bees knees.