best sling for quick on/off, single-handed positioning

[LadyBee]

I'm going on a longhaul flight to NZ soon with my nearly 20lb six month old DS and no DP (eek!)
I want to take a sling onboard with me, in case I have to check the buggy in and don't get it back until baggage collection. Trouble is, I'll be by myself, with carryon bags and boy and don't want something that is:

• heavy and bulky (like my bushbaby)
• kind of a pain to get on (like my wilkinet and hugabub)

I've got a brightspark fleece pouch which might fit the bill, but I never feel like he's particularly secure it it so tend to keep one hand on him and with bags to carry too, would prefer to have a definite hands-free set up once he's in.

Any other suggestions?

Baby bjorn - just clips like a rucksack, no fancy knots or hippy wraps - it just works and you feel safe and secure. I tried others and this worked best for me!

Agree with Loopymumsy, mei tai is your best bet. It's really transportable and comfortable and you'll be able to be handsfree. I wouldn't use a BabyBjorn personally as they're not very supportive on your back and at 20lbs the weight would quickly become uncomfortable. Plus they're quite bulky. I still use my mei tai for back carries with my 14 month old and it's still really comfy.

I would definitely recommend a Mei Tai, something like a babyhawk. They're really easy to pop baby in and out of, and are comfy for reasonably long times. I use mine day to day for my 22+lb 9 month DS and find it very convenient. Its also great because DS can see well enough out the top (pops his arms over the straps) but its still supportive enough on his head that he can fall asleep in it.

Do you have a babyhawk ChairmumMiaow? I'd love one of those. I only have a diy one made by someone else and it's just not as good.

ok, am going to have a look at Mei Tais. I've got a couple of friends with BabyBjorn's and they do complain of backache. Is mei tai a generic shape or a specific brand?

Mei tai is the generic shape, there's tons of different brands. Happy shopping

ergo. less traily than mei tais which have long straps like your wilkie.

Hi, I fly frequently by myself with dd (now 11 months) and we use a mei tai which has been a god send. I still wear her in a front carry so that if she falls asleep before we board I can just losen the mei tai and slip her seat belt on without actually having to disturb her, whereas when she was younger and I used a wrap I would have to lift her out, wake her up and all hell would break lose! I found it beweildering how many makes there were to choose from but went for a napsack, partly because of the nice wide shoulder straps, and partly because I found one second hand on ebay . Try here if you haven't already done so, and best of luck with the journey.

CharChar -Yep, I have a babyhawk which I love, and will be selling them soon along with some other slings (waiting for delivery of my order and am slowly getting my online shop set up!)

I'll also be doing sling rental when I'm set up, which IMO would be perfect for something like this if you didn't need a sling normally. I expect other people do the same too.

By the way - I also have a patapum which is ok, but way less comfortable for me as I'm 'plus sized'! Other people that wear DS say that that one was ok, but the babyhawk is way easier with no buckles and clips

baby bjorn active, more support than original, dead easy to put on and off

I like the idea of a mei tai with clips. Is there any reason why ties would be better? That's a great site LostGirl

LadyBee - I have found ties are easier and more comfortable. There's no buckle to dig in, there's no adjusting the length of the straps between people. With the patapum there's a chest strap that is really hard to do up when you wear your baby on the front too.

That's just my experience though, and I know some people love them. Its why I'm going to hire slings because sometimes you love the look and sounds of something - and its great the first few times but then you discover things you don't like - maybe it doesn't get easier to put on, or digs in after a while.

I've personally got 6 slings, and I use or have regularly used (one particularly isn't comfortable now DS is older but was wonderful for the first 6 months) all of them except the patapum. They've all got different strengths and weaknesses and I admittedly have a bit of a sling addiction. However, if I had to chose one sling, birth to toddler, it would be my BabyHawk!

I used a ring sling to travel with my DD1 when she was 23 months old. I find them virtually hands free, and I manage to put a rucksack on over the top if need be!

When will people stop calling Baby Bjorn carriers slings? They just aren't!!! Once you've used a real sling you'd never go back to a BB again! Nasty for everyones back, yuck!

oooh, that's great - I think I'll hire one of each type and try them before I get on the plane.

ChairmumMiaow I think sling hire is a great service, you're absolutely right about individual preference. I like my tie-on wraps and slings for long carries but need to know I'll be somewhere with a good place to put DS down while I'm tying, whereas the click together ones I can usually do one-handed and are better for "emergency" or short jaunts, eg. if I'm nipping out to the local shop I'd rather just click on the bushbaby and go rather than tie on the hugabub.

you'll find that the stiffer the padding the bulkier the carrier when it's folded - ime buckle carriers are usually more structured therefore bulky. my mei tais fold down quite a bit smaller than my ergo.

since ds is 6mo i assume you'll be carrying him on the front.

generally a tie-on mei tai is easier to use on the front than a buckle soft carrier as it's easier just to throw straps over your shoulder (then over the bum/under the leg to tie at back which is my preferred way of tying) than to fasten buckles which often fall in awkward places when used on the front. also you can cross the straps over the back which is most supportive imo, while some buckle carriers allow you to cross the straps i've never found this anywhere near as comfy as a mei tai (i.e. imo buckle carriers are specialised back carriers which can - at a push - be used on the front, while mei tais are more multi-purpose, though with a heavier baby i find structured carriers more comfortable on the back).

some buckle carriers have straps which can be crossed on the back, others rely on you fastening the "chest strap" in the centre of your back which can be tricky alone - the best way to use this style is to loosen the shoulder straps right off, fasten the chest strap and slip over your head before you put baby in. then you have the carrier pouch in front of you that you lower baby into and tighten the shoulder straps to secure. then you take off in the reverse fashion, loosening shoulder straps, lifting baby out, slipping chest strap over head. if that makes any sense!

i think my ideal carrier might have the stiff waist/hip padding and buckle, but mei tai style tie shoulder straps. (btw long-strap mei tais aren't as much faff as a wilki cos you don't have to find somewhere to lie baby to tie them into the carrier)