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Original poster

Fabric slings vs baby bjorn - which is best?

57 replies

TheBlonde · 16/01/2007 20:49

I used a borrowed baby bjorn for DS and it was okay.
I'm thinking of buying one for new baby but intrigued by all these other sling things

Are they just bits of cloth?
If they are good how come nowhere on the high st seems to sell them?

OP posts:
buktus · 16/01/2007 20:51

i have a new baby bjorn active if you are interested its the one in blooming marvellous still boxe only used once when on holiday, still priced at £70.00 will take £25 with postage

Mumpbump · 16/01/2007 20:52

Karri-me is brilliant. Just lent mine to my friend who had ds2 in Jan and she loves my sling too. It is so comfy and cozy for the LO.

mustrunmore · 16/01/2007 20:54

I loved the baby bjorn.Didnt try a clothy sling because I just wouldnt feel secure, and poss because the bb was soo much better than the Tomy shite we had for ds1!

MadamePlatypus · 16/01/2007 20:57

I think the advantage of some of the other slings is that they are supposed to be able to carry toddlers too. The baby bjorn only lasted us to about 4 months. I think the reason that they don't get in the big shops is that the slings that do are supplied by the big baby companies and it is probably easier for them to get shelf space.

aviatrix · 16/01/2007 20:59

This reply has been deleted

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buktus · 16/01/2007 21:02

oh dont worry i will put it on ebay for muchmore than that as they go for aroung £35 but when on mn i dont mind it going cheaper

Original poster
TheBlonde · 16/01/2007 21:03

buktus - What colour is it? the active is the one with the extra lumbar support yeah?

OP posts:
Piffle · 16/01/2007 21:05

buktus if you're still selling I'd be very keen I loved my old BB with dd and used it a lot in preference to lugging the pram.
I can only imagine one made 4 yrs later is better somehow

Pruni · 16/01/2007 21:05

Message withdrawn

buktus · 16/01/2007 21:08

link

aviatrix · 16/01/2007 21:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Piffle · 16/01/2007 21:17

if you'd still like to sell buktus my email is [email protected] I'd love it!

buktus · 16/01/2007 21:18

if you dont mind piffle i just want to see if the blonde wants it as i offered her it first is that ok?, if not i will email you for sure

foundintranslation · 16/01/2007 21:20

I had a (borrowed) bb for ds, which was OK but I didn't get on all that well with it (dh found it better), and apparently they're really not all that good at supporting the baby, at least not in the first few months.

foundintranslation · 16/01/2007 21:21

but it was a very old model. Maybe the newer ones are different.

mamama · 16/01/2007 21:30

The BB was great when DS was very small, but he quickly grew out of it, even though he is very small for his age. We stopped using it after about 4 months and have used a fleece pouch from Kangaroo Korner ever since. It is fantastic! He is 16 months and still uses it. I would definitely buy one of these over a BB. It is really secure and DS can go in a few different positions and still sleeps in it if he's really worn out. Great for flying too.

I also have an ergo which I use almost daily.

The advantage of a pouch type sling is that they are small so are easy to lug around if you are not using it - you can shove it in a bag, but the BB is very bulky.

Piffle · 16/01/2007 22:05

Of course Buktus, sorry for barging in like that

Original poster
TheBlonde · 16/01/2007 22:47

Thanks for the offer buktus but I may go for a fabric sling so please go ahead with Piffle

OP posts:
melpomene · 17/01/2007 00:03

I used a Baby Bjorn with dd1. It held her securely giving me 2 free hands, but the disadvantages were that it could get very hot in warm weather, and also it gave me backache by the time she was 4 months old.

Second time round, I used a Huggababy ring sling which was fantastic. The baby can be held in different positions as they get bigger, from newborn up to 18 months or older. It was very comfy and dd2 loved it. It's also possible to breastfeed the baby while carrying them in a Huggababy sling, which I often did when dd2 was small. (The instructions for the Baby Bjorn say that you can breastfeed while using it, but I never worked out how you were supposed to do that; the baby is too high up.) The only disadvantage of the Huggababy is that you do sometimes need to support the baby a bit with an arm or hand (especially when leaning over etc) so it isn't as 'hands free' as the Baby Bjorn.

kiskidee · 17/01/2007 01:20

Baby bjorns and tomy carriers are crap for many reasons. much better with a soft wrap that can take you from birth to toddlerhood.

visit: www.thebabywearer.com to find out everything there is to know about slings. you will have to register first but its free.

kiskidee · 17/01/2007 01:24

omg. for half the price of a BB you can get a fab pouch sling (or make your own) instructions to be had at theBabyWearer.com. I have made my own pouch slings in the past and made them for friends as pressies too. not hard at all and i am a sewing machine dolt.

kiskidee · 17/01/2007 01:39

this is where i bought my first sling from and it was beautifully made - custom made - actually and she will answer queries before buying too. so worth every penny - ie £25 for a 'piece of clothe.

maisym · 17/01/2007 07:30

the bb is fab for me - use it now for my 15month yr old. Perfect as I have a dodgey back & shoulders. The cloth slings are no good for me for this reason.

twickersmum · 17/01/2007 08:01

Olimia in Reigate have baby bjorns.
So does John Lewis i am sure.
Where are you based TB?

Cloudhopper · 17/01/2007 08:17

Sorry if this just confuses things even more, but if you like carriers, then you might find the Wilkinet more comfortable than the Baby Bjorn. We had both and from what I remember the BB suited my husband because of the greater strain on the shoulders and upper body, whereas I found the Wilkinet distributed the weight more onto the hips and lower body.