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Original poster

sling advice for hands free carrying of 2 month old

55 replies

Loulee · 09/10/2007 22:44

just wanting some advice please. so many slings on the market.....

Am wanting to invest in some sort of wrap sling that I can carry ds1 in completely hands free. I've got a baby bjorn but he's already too heavy in it.

also have a hug-a-baby (which was fab for dd1 and dd2 when they were a bit older and had good head/neck support) but it's no good for just now as ds likes to be upright. he's 2 months at the moment.
Any advice? Are the stretchy ones really stretchy? my back's quite small so worry there'd be too much movement. There seem to be so many to choose from...
Also want it to be relatively simple to put him in and out - incase i end up having to take him out when I'm out (if you get what i mean!)

OP posts:

Piffle · 10/10/2007 22:16

the washing is the ultimate challenge
I have a coorie which we love but not for washing!

NoviceKnitter · 10/10/2007 22:19

I LOVE my coorie - but not for hands free. Do you use it hands free Piffle?

Original poster

Loulee · 10/10/2007 22:22

so far the only one that anyone has claimed to load the washing while wearing is the moby

both my dd's always talk about coorying in when the snuggle up to go to bed

OP posts:

Piffle · 10/10/2007 22:23

nope cannot do it hands free

Original poster

Loulee · 10/10/2007 22:29

I think this needs a new thread - the ultimate challenge - can you load the washing with a sleeping baby in your sling - hands free?? This is what I want - and i want him sleeping upright!

OP posts:

geordiemacmummy · 10/10/2007 22:31

Loulee, WO and I went to a sling meet at Theos a couple of weeks ago - the woman that runs it had loads of diffent slings and wraps to try... I think the next one will be in a couple of weeks - might e worth going along and trying some? Think the website is thebabywearer?

NoviceKnitter · 10/10/2007 22:32

You see, I think that's down to the wearer and not the sling... or maybe I just use the sling as an excuse NOT to load the washing as often as I should

I have actually loaded the washing with the Kari Me, and the Coorie, but with various levels of one handedness...

Original poster

Loulee · 10/10/2007 22:37

Thanks gmm, theos it is then if i can bear to suffer another 2 weeks with the baby bjorn!

---and who wants to load the washing anyways??

OP posts:

geordiemacmummy · 10/10/2007 22:40

WHat about a Mei Tai?

NoviceKnitter · 10/10/2007 22:45

gmm what mei tei would you recommend or are they all basically the same?

Original poster

Loulee · 10/10/2007 22:48

gmm, just looked at the babywearer site you mentioned. They have reviews of over 1000 slings
reviews of hug-a-bub seem to come out tops

OP posts:

Original poster

Loulee · 10/10/2007 22:53

so do moby. maybe they all do....

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nappyaddict · 11/10/2007 00:21

nappynutty what mei tai have you got? i've got the mom tai which has the suppor thing that you fold down. i've got a few others but the mom tie is my fave.

geordiemacmummy · 11/10/2007 07:59

I've only used one or two mei tai's, they all seem pretty much the same?

nappynuttynormabutty · 11/10/2007 10:44

I've got an ellaroo one. Dh liked it but it was a bit of a girly print so he treated himself to one from a company called Front Back & Sides at a local baby show recently. It too has head support but the straps are more like moleskin or velour or something . They're both very similar tbh.

nappyaddict · 11/10/2007 12:19

have you thought of the close baby carrier?

Original poster

Loulee · 11/10/2007 14:20

that's on my final list:
close baby carrier
moby wrap
hug-a-bub

anyone any experience of hug-a-bub or the close carrier?

OP posts:

nappyaddict · 11/10/2007 14:49

no sorry but i think if those are the ones on your end list you really should invest in a mei tai too. once baby is older you will only be able to carry him that way cos he will be too heavy for any other way for longer distances.

KashaSarrasin · 11/10/2007 14:52

If you're thinking about a wrap-type carrier, given that it's for a 2mo you'd probably get more use out of a woven wrap than a stretchy one like a Moby/Hugabub. They don't need to be expensive - the Calin Bleu ones are beautiful (and British-made).

Otherwise you might want to have a look at a Connecta which are fab, and very easy to use, but much, much more supportive than a BabyBjorn - I have one and use it regularly with my 2.4 year old.

kiskidee · 11/10/2007 15:53

how much are you intending to spend on a wrap? do you mind if it is 2nd hand? (some babywearers prefer them pre-loved)

£30 is the minimum that you will find a good wrap for, new.

someone who gets on with wrapping find that they want a longer wrap for earlier on and a shorter one for later. If budget is a limit, get a long one first and see how you get on with it. you can always get back at least 50% of your original (new) purchase price hear on MN or elsewhere.

or get a longer wrap and a Mei tai.

geordiemacmummy · 11/10/2007 16:58

Loulee the woman that runs the sling meet up owns calin bleu.

Original poster

Loulee · 11/10/2007 18:24

oh god i really thought I'd got it sorted...now i don't know.AGAIN!
my reasoning is that I already own a hug-a-baby sling which I intend to use again once he's bigger. i also have an ergo carrier ( but personally not so keen on that one) which i could use again when he's bigger. The soft stretchy wraps looked simpler and like he'd be more cocooned for upright sleeping at the moment. Am i wrong??? I haven't a clue really just know I need to get rid of that babybjorn as fast as possible!

the woman at the sling shop (bigmama) thought I'd made the right decision!!!

OP posts:

Slacker · 11/10/2007 18:45

I wasn't terribly keen on my hug-a-bub - loads of fabric. Thinking of trying a Calin Bleu this time.

KashaS have you used a Connecta with a newborn? It looks great for an older child but not sure about for a tiny one.

kiskidee · 11/10/2007 20:08

this is how you would put on a hugabub, moby kari-me (or any wrap for that matter) with a 2 mo old. 5m. of fabric is not vastly different from 4.6 m which is normally the minimum the avg person needs to do the wraps for newborns. I can just get away with a wrap that is 4.2m long but then i am also a sz 8.

A stretchy wrap like the above is great for newborns and first time wrappers as are non stretchy (and stretchy) calin bleus or any piece of diy cloth.

the more expensive wraps like the the didymos, storchenwiege, hoppediz, ellaroo and girasol all have unique weave patterns which make them 'stretch' in all directions without having lycra or whatever in them and are all v. high quality. they are also v. supportive for you and for your child from newborn right up to 3 or 4 yr old.

they are all very popular and very good and some people who have tried/own loads have their preferences even down to a certain type from a certain manufacturer. for a first time wrapper this is all pretty academic and you really need to just jump in guided by price and taste in colour.

for a first time wrapper, the stretchy ones are forgiving for wrapping 'mistakes' where the non stretchy ones are less so. it also makes the babies 'poppable' in and out the wrap without disbanding the whole thing. the down side is that people who use them find them less supportive by the time a child gets to 9 or 12 mo if they will carry them for a long time - maybe more than 1/2 an hr. I have never used stretchy wraps myself so this is what i have heard others say about them.

Original poster

Loulee · 11/10/2007 20:35

Thankyou so much Kiskidee - that makes so much sense -

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