can someone talk to me about slings / baby carriers

[Youcannotbeserious]

I need a baby carrier for my baby (now 3 weeks) so that I can take the baby walking with the dog.

We walk about 4 miles, 3 times a day. The midday walk, the baby can go in the buggy (and maybe even the evening walk too) but I'd much prefer to put the baby into a sling/ carrier for the morning walk (and maybe evening walk)

The baby cannot hold his own head up yet, but I'd like a carrier which (ideally) frees up both my arms / hands but leaves him feeling secure and can be used for as long as possible.

Any suggestions please?

how about a wrap for good support and ace flexibility

I've got one of these FAB! Can't recommend it highly enough!

We have a Moby wrap www.mobywrap.com/
and a connecta www.connectababycarrier.com/ for our new baby - 3 weeks tomorrow (will also be getting a Mei tai - same as the connecta but ties instead of clips!)

we use them both for dog walking - the moby is very very secure adn i can even pick up poo and her still feel secure - problem is it gets very very warm (been ok in the mornings before gets too hot) - the connecta we have is the sun protector one and is also great, much much cooler - i think it will really come into its own when she is a little bit bigger, but as long as my husband is about to sort the poo etc she is fine in there - she loves them both and sleeps well in them - they are both very comfortable adn don't pull on back etc!

We tried a friends babyborn one and it was awful hurt my back, baby was uncomfortable and hated her weight resting between her legs! would def highly recommend the moby wraps and connecta though!!

I love the Better Baby Sling
Really comfortable and adjustable.

Fairibell - is the sun protector the solarweave one?

And is that OK for young babies?

I spent a small fortune on a Bill Amberg carrier and I find it both uncomfortable and insecure for DS...............

I'd definitely go for a wrap. A stretchy one like the moby fairibell mentioned is great for a newborn but not as supportive as a woven wrap once your baby gets bigger, but a bit easier to use until you get used to it. There are lots of types available, look at www.slingjax.co.uk/catalog.php?category=5 or www.bigmamaslings.co.uk/zen-cart/baby-slings-carriers-wraparound-slings-c-10_49.html for an idea of styles and prices.

If you check on www.slingmeet.co.uk you can find out if there are any meetups near you where you can try out lots of different slings to see which suits you best.

Agree with KashaSarrasin. I have a Moby which was fantastic when she was a newborn and we rarely ever used a pushchair ( I don't drive so we walk ALOT!). However, DD is now 6 months and 16lbs and I find it is too stretchy for doing anything other than short carries as she ends up round my knees! So i'm now searching for a mei tai and a woven wrap instead. If you do decide to get a moby to start off with (as it is really easy to use because of the stretch) then you can resell it on ebay for almost its original value and then put that towards a new sling for an older baby. Hope you find one you like, enjoy!

We have two slings, one for Dh and one for me- because finding the right one is the key imo. We are very differently sahped though DH and I (bit like Jack Sratt and his wife!)

Dh has and loves the Baby Bjorn but no woman I know can get on with it.

I have (I saw my sister getting on well with hers and decided to copry) a close baby carrier and adore it- shall get a link

close baby carrier

It is fab for ds4 who is 9 weeks but rather under sized (9lb 4oz) and cannot hold his head up all the time, in fact its the only place other than in my arms he stops crying!

I am a woman, and I love my Baby Bjorn. Dd is 13mo and still goes in it! (She doesn't exceed the weight limit yet). We only bought it when she was 4mo, and I wish we'd had it when she was tiny.

Ah lol, you may well be a different shape than my, er, rotund sellf and sister lol!

or maybe just better at adjusting it than me?

Hi Peachy - its the only bit of kit I own that keeps my norks strapped down! We have the one with the back support, not sure if that makes any difference, it is quite easy to adjust.

Of course, it would be even easier if she'd just GO IN HER PRAM!!!!

Ah pink- ypu have one like mine! Thought ds4 was te only one ever . I have 2 buggies (long story but dont change car when pg after buying buggy coz it wont fit in lol) and he will have nowt to do with either of them.

they run a fitness class here you do with lo in a pram... if only...

I don't have norkage ssues, but I do have weal arms (partly congenital) and hips bigger than most counties tp contend with

Its just as well she's petite as the only way I can get her to sit in the pram is by bribing her with food. Which isn't desperately feasible to do all day.

Walk, child, walk! Although I suspect that may be even worse!

www.ergobabycarriers.com/babycarriers/category/carrier/
We got this one, it's useful also for young or light toddlers. It's very versatile. I think we got it from Little Possums, if I remember well, but there's other UK websites that do them.

check out slingjax

sorry! is the solarweave connecta!! is great although more drap the head bit at6 the moment if directly in the sun!!

dd is very comfortable in it as long as is on tight enough to have her body against mine - the her head rests on my chest! only time i need to support her head is if i bend over at all! bedning no prob with wrap tho as back of her head gets tucked in!! too warm at the moment though!!

DD was just under 6lb at birth and was fine in connecta i just wore the waist strap higher up under my ribs or roller it over to make the body of the carrier shorter!! hard to explain!

has anyone tried the Bushbaby cocoon one? Am seriously considering a sling/wrap/carrier bag for dc2 when it arrives as the whole double buggy dilemma is doing my head in.

sparkletoes Bushbaby Cocoon is the carrier my husband uses and one of the only pieces of kit he's not moaned about me buying. He finds it really comfortable and it's great that baby can just be detached and laid down in cot/car seat without having to be disturbed. I do use it from time to time and although not as comfy as a wrap sling it's much better than some others I've tried and I can potter about for hours before getting back ache in it.

piximon thank you so much for your reply, will def put that one to the top of the list! How on earth did you manage with all your babes!! Is there a perfect double buggy that I am missing?

i second the slingmeet website - ive met some lovely mums that way, and you will get LOADS of advice. If you go to a meet you could ask others to bring a selection of slings and you could test them all!

Im still carrying DS(16mo) and its great! (good exercise too these days)

I reckon I've tried them all!

Hated the Ergo, but only tried as back carrier. Hated Baby Bjorn

Wilkinet seems to work well. Don't like all the fannying around with straps, but DS loves it and will fall asleep in it.

Oh, and if no one has pointed this out before, it isn't a great idea to take dogs out with a sling, unless you live in the country (um, think picking up dog stuff as you have to lean down with DC...)

For dog walks, I take the pram!

check out the summer sling showwww.summerslingshow.co.uk happening next month. get loads of tips there.

Thank you all pooter, ilovemydog and nadster for your thoughts, would love to go to the show but it would be a 9 hour drive! Will check out websites tho thanx!!