Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

sling or pram...?

41 replies

blueberry69 · 09/04/2010 22:22

I have been trying to work out whether to buy a pram, a sling or both. I love the idea of a sling and as I live in London can't help but think it will be easier than a pram to get about with. But as this is my first baby i have no idea and wondered if anyone had any advice...?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

NumptyMum · 11/04/2010 09:09

However I also quite happily used the buggy - as others have said, can be very handy to get baby off to sleep then have some time away. I discovered that if we went to shops, the 'chiller section' buzz of freezers used to send him off to sleep, so I ended up using the pram for shopping and getting him off to sleep, got him home quick then had time to either catch up on sleep myself, or do other stuff (MN... ). Both slings and pram/buggys have their benefits and draw backs.

Tangle · 11/04/2010 10:28

It really is a case of try before you buy if you possibly can - I know lots of people think the Ergo is fantastic, but I tried it when DD was 3 months and didn't get on with it at all. I found trying to put it on my front by myself was really awkward (everything then does up behind your back), and however I adjusted it it always rubbed under my arms. It's not a bad sling - but it was a bad sling for me at that point in time.

As for the weight, when I tried the Ergo I also tried a Baby Bjorn. I hated it, and found my neck was aching after 5 minutes. But I'd happily carry DD for a couple of hours in a Hug-a-Bub as the weight distribution is so much better. And DD was 9lb 12 when born and stayed on that centile (over 90th, IIRC) for most of her first year! She weighs > 15kg (2.5 st) now and I can still cart her for an hour if I really need to - I definitely feel it a lot more, but if it's put her on my back in a sling or carry her on my hip, the sling wins every time.

It really is a case of finding what works for you and your DC. Good luck looking

hanaflower · 11/04/2010 13:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

grumpypants · 11/04/2010 13:59

I had a horrible experience with a sling once,which did stop me using it; a shame as i had loved them up til then. i had ds in a hammock type sling until he got to about 8 mths and then i used a front facing one. Anyway, I was walking with dd and tripped. Ds was facing outwards and i landed face down. I was too scared to get up and poor dd had to check his face for me . I had instinctively put my hands out and the palms were shredded, but ds escaped with just a cut nose. Don't want to put you off, but felt i shd mention it.

Meglet · 11/04/2010 14:04

I'd say both. Sturdy buggy for longer errands or if you have heavy stuff to carry and a sling for quick walks or when you don't have to carry much.

But look for bargains / second hand stuff.

MrsC2010 · 11/04/2010 14:45

I've gone for both. I've ordered a SleepyWrap and we're prob going to get the 3-wheeler Britax system as well. Reasonably priced but good etc.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 11/04/2010 20:40

Carrying my 2 stone toddler around is more or less a breeze and I am in no way muscley (I wish!) in fact I am a slim size ten. The weight distribution with the Ergo is very good, it is called an Ergo(nomical) for good reason!

DomesticG0ddess · 12/04/2010 12:06

I can't imagine anyone not having a pram, in the city or otherwise. I had a c-section and a very long, heavy baby and could not use the slings at all. I found baby bjorn to be OK once my back was bit stronger. But you need a pram for naps, carrying shopping and all your bits in, going to restaurants/beer gardens and having a nice lunch while your baby sleeps, leisurely walks in the park, going out for the whole day, etc etc. So I would say definitely get both.

everythingiseverything · 12/04/2010 23:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hippopo · 12/04/2010 23:09

Great post

misdee · 12/04/2010 23:14

sling.

much much cheaper and more versatile

my £10 sling

DomesticG0ddess · 13/04/2010 08:03

everything, I tried several - I bought a couple and borrowed a couple too, but I just couldn't find one felt secure. I remember accidentally banging his 3 week old head on the banister at one point because he was so long in the sling (57cm at birth!) and that was enough for me. But I did use the BabyBjorn for short trips. I just can't imagine going out for the day without a pram - the thought of baby on my front and all the paraphenalia on my back would make me feel like a camel - and no, not good with a CS! I imagine I will use a sling/baby bjorn quite often this time round though for the preschool run so I don't need to get pram out of the car.

Original poster

blueberry69 · 13/04/2010 09:49

Now this will undoubtedly be a very naive question - but assuming you are breastfeeding and have one young baby what is all the paraphenalia you need to take with you when you go out that needs a pram to carry it....?

OP posts:

DomesticG0ddess · 13/04/2010 11:49

Bfing does not always work, with the best intentions, so you may have bottles, etc. Nappies, wipes, nappy sacks, change of clothes, muslins (also I used cloth nappies so would have to carry all the used nappies home too). By 5 months you might need all the feeding bits and bobs necessary. I always carry water for me, wallet, phone, brush and other bits and bobs, all adds up! But if you are talking about a trip to your nearest shop a 5 minute walk away, then nothing!

I still think get both, especially if you have someone going to give you a pram for free. By the time our babies were 6 months old it was summer and my NCT group used to meet for a long leisurely lunch in a local beer garden with some wine (you can do this with first babies), while the babies slept in their prams... Lovely!

lou567 · 07/06/2010 17:06

My 7 weeks old baby girl will NOT sleep on her back, she wont go in her car seat because its on her back she will not go in her pushchair nothing! she just screams, i really dont no whatt to do. She does sleep on her tummy now thats the only way she will sleep other wise she does not sleep she just takes bottel after bottle becuse she is so over tired and does not no what to do with herself, her cot is rite next to my bed i always chek her temp and breathing, what shud i do any tips from anybody or is any1 having the same problem??

elk4baby · 07/06/2010 19:22

I'd say you need both, as they're not exactly interchangeable. My DS was in a pram, with a sling tucked in the shopping basket as 'insurance' for when he simply didn't want to be in the pram. We bought a great sling that we're still using sometimes (DS is 13.5months) - Beco Butterfly II. It's suitable from 7lbs up to 45lbs, so it'll last a long time . I wouldn't be without it on some shopping trips (when we don't want to take the pushchair with us), doc's app'ts or wehn we have to go on the tube through the centre.

Flip

1 2