Been thinking, could I get away with a sling for new baby rather than a buggy, if so which are the best? <novice!>

[DisenchantedPlusBump]

Hiya,

When baby is born will have a (just turned) 4 year old (who walks everywhere) and a 2.5 year old who is not a good walker at all!

I have a jane powertwin here already, so for long journeys will put baby and 2 year old in that.

But for 'popping out' could I just use a sling and 2 year old in umbrella stroller?

Whats the best to get?

With DS2 I had one of these ... here, but didn't like it at all

I felt baby was all squished and always looked uncomfy!

TIA for any advice!

Really Tink?

That would be fabulous!

Great advice on here,

theres just sooo many to choose from.

My email ... pug_d at hotmail.com

No problem. Do you know what you're having yet?

Disenchanted, i bought one of the wraps in the bigmama sale yesterday and i got it today. If you look at the sale page, there is still a 4.6m storchenwiege (inka) available. (4.6 is the standard lenght for people between size 12 - 16 UK clothing)

If i were you, I would get it. (i got the 4.1 inka yesterday as I am v. petite)

Our 2nd is due in Nov when DS will be 22months. I am loving the look of this one not as complicated as a wrap but should last well and looks comfy

I'm having a girl tinks

Will look now caribee

I really wanted to sling dd when she was little but she seemed to hate it so despite trying various different slings we never had any success.

When ds was born I was absolutely determined to make it work for exactly the reasons you state. I did lots of research, chatted to lots of successfuly slinging mums and set out determined to persevere... very little luck. I have an ever growing pile of rejected slings and two children who refuse to be slinged.

Not meaning to put a downer on your plans - I wish you very much more luck than I had - just posting my experience to prepare you for all eventualities. Hope it works for you (and would anyone like to buy a sling? )

Had a soft fabric Kari-me-style sling for mine but only good for ds born in March as vv warm. Both mine have loved their Baby Bjorn. I think newer ones come with lower back support as mine pulls a bit on your shoulders, but ds is pretty heavy now.
Dcs are 2.2 and 5 months so I bought a Bertini pushchair second hand which comes with a toddler seat. Not the best-looking thing ever, but carries toddler and baby, is easy to steer and is no wider than a normal pushchair. Toddler seat is v secure and can be removed to make a normal pushchair. Try searching for 'Bertini toddler' on Ebay if you're interested.

Ladies, loads of good advice on here. I've been looking at slings and getting quite confused. I was already leaning towards a wrap, and think I will go for one now. I'm thinking of either a didymos or a storchenwiege (sp?)

storch and didys both are excellent wraps. the main problem is deciding which one colourway (colour combination) you like the most.

if you have never wrapped before and will be wrapping a newborn, look at youtube for 'front wrap cross carry'. IT is easy to learn and v. useful for carrying tiny babies.

infact, here you go. because it is another chance to link torstein

and here not torstein but she does it v. v. sllloowwwly.

OMG caribee Im in love with that man! lol

Looks easy enough!

So which Is the wrap in the youtube video?

YOu are not the first MNer who has fallen inlove with torstein.

His wrap is a stretchy wrap called a BBSlen, a Scandanavian wrap company I believe. Stretchy wraps are very very good for novice wrappers as it is forgiving with mistakes and your confidence. When the baby starts to get a bit heavy, around the 6 to 9 month mark depending on the size of your bub, it is time to move onto a woven wrap as they become more comfy for heavy babies right into toddlers.

I learnt on a woven wrap because I was too cheap to buy twice. though I now own about a dozen woven wraps.

If you use google UK, you will find a few vendors for it. I have seen them but can't remember them. they are all reputable vendors and the BBSlen is well thought of in the Slinging world.

DS HATED being put down when he was a newborn and screamed the whole time he was in the pushchair so I didn't use it much at all.

I had a wrap sling and loved it so much I bought another 2! The great thing about a wrap is that you have the option of so many different positions-even with a newborn. DS hated the cradle hold but was sometimes ok in the hug hold (more upright but still at an angle across your body), most of the time I just had him upright against my front though. I still use the wraps now and carry him on my back a lot, he loves it up there and I can get on with stuff. I can carry him on my back for hours without it pulling on my shoulders or hurting my back-wraps are great for distributing weight.

I also had a pouch but because ds hated lying down it didn't really work for us when he was tiny so I gave it to a friend. Now I've improvised one out of a sarong and use that to hold him on my hip when I want to be able to just pop him on and off.

I also have a mei tai

Wraps definitely get my vote though, so comfortable, very secure so completely hands free-I could even change dd's nappy on the floor with ds in the sling

its possible!

there are two things to consider though -

1. will you need to change nappies and if so where will you do it? as long as you have an umbrella stroler that lays almost flat, you will manage with it

1. what if baby falls asleep when you are sitting down - it will most likely not stay asleep in the sling, they usually sleep in the sling when its moving and wake up when you sit, and then you will need to put it in the buggy

1. It would never have occurred to me to change nappies in the buggy! I've always used the floor

1. When ds was newborn the ONLY way to get him to stay asleep was to keep him in the sling, if I'd put him down in pushchair/cot whatever he'd have woken instantly. If I sat with him in the sling he'd stay asleep for hours.

I suppose it all depends on the baby, just like anything else!

I am always puzzled about stretchy wraps not being suitable for older babies. I'm still using mine at 2 years and I still find it comfortable. I have a sari I haven't used very often as it feels far heavier than the jersey on my shoulders.

girlsallaround, I didn't use a pushchair after I discovered wraps and only use it now if she is going out with someone else and I'm meeting them somewhere. I've seen a nice one in Babies 'R' Us I'm going to get, but I think it won't get a lot of use and mainly it's because it's a travel system, with a car base and will leave me with a nice new pushchair for when I need one.

sorry disenchanted google tricot slen not bbslen to find the UK vendors.

I'd agree with you there Tink-I find the stretchy one more comfortable, even for back carries (you just need to make sure you tie it tight enough so they can't wriggle out of it!)

Ahh thanks

showed DH the youtube video and even he said 'awwwww'

Im really excited now about the baby ariving! I want to put her in a sling! lol

I promise I was not on ebay looking for this but I think you may be interested in what I found here, disenchanted.

I was looking for nappy wraps.

ooooooooooh

Thankyou caribee!

claireybee I think that may be why I prefer to have the tail ends out as you can get a lot tighter tie. I've shown it like that to people and they've been amazed at the difference. I met up with one lady whose baby was sitting just above her pubic bone. I helped her retie it and he was a lot higher, felt lighter to her, she felt safer and more comfortable.

Hiya tinks,

is the offer for the wrap still on?

I would happily buy one of the ones you have spare?

Yeah, no problem. Did you get my email?