Slings for bear grapplers and laydees

[hub2dee]

Contemplating slingerdom for dd to be...

I'd like one which is easily adjustable between dw and I so we can both carry as needed.

A few preliminary questions from the childless and innocent:

1. Is it simplest to buy a newborn sling and a separate one for when they're older ? Realistically, is newborn in sling on man silly as newborn needs feeding so often ? (so we should only aim to fit dw in hope of easy bf.)

(Not following 100% attachment parenting full-time sling-wearing tree hugging lark, but can see the bonding and practical benefits)...

(Tree huggers / attachment parenting proponents please read all my threads with a large pinch of salty humour).

2. One piece or two ? I've read it can be tricky getting baba in and out of a one piece (unless they're tiny)...

3. Any sling shops / sling reps in London (or near) who have a wide selection for sale / demo / trying on ?

And lastly, is the Bill Amberg Papoose , available regularly on ebay, totally fantastic or a pile of pants ? Has anyone actually used one ? Looks divine but challenging to my vegetarianism !

Am currently leaning towards Kelty Kangaroo (that's not me in the photo BTW )

(I have read the sling reviews on MN)

PS - Might get Mountain Buggy Terrain, possibly with Carrycot (almost 1/2 price in the States)... would a sling be another piece of unnecessary baby rubbish (or perhaps that would be the carrycot ????)

Thank you for any feedback.

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You don't half type badly, Cod, but you're v. funny.

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What about slings do you think renders them either unusable or useless, Coddy ?

Hehe, yes, Cod is right actually. My dh was one and only wore the sling once and was puffing ant panting when we retuned from a walk around the block .

State your terms, fishy one - number of hours in continuous 'wearing' / number of hours averaged per week / number of separate 'sorties' ?

LOL

Can't wait for the reckoning by the Codfather...

Do you reckon it's only men who want them, then ?

I thought the whole attachment parenting brigade thought slings were faberooney ?

Don't, don't, don't get a Wilkinet. Trust me; you'd find herding cats easier than using a Wilkinet. Baby in front, with your other hand grab the left tie, with the third hand grab the right tie, with your fourth hand make a loop, borrow someone else's hand to pass the other end through the loop, yet another hand to wrap it round and tie it - and all the time the baby is howling its head off and falling all over the floor. You have to practice on a teddy bear, and even that's almost impossible.

Cod I disagree.
My dh is a 6'2" well built Kiwi who like to wander about in his tool belt of a weekend. He loved taking dd about in the Baby Bjorn - and seriously did get alot of women striking up conversations with him - so don't think he looked at all like a flower.
I've never felt left out in the bosom department and I used it lots too

Shit. Hope they're not just for fit f**kers then.

I would hope the better engineered ones distribute weight like a backpack...

Oh, Bagpuss, you and Cod are dashing all my plans.

This can get interesting, cod and h2d! You are discussing other reasons why I made my own. I promised DH that I can make one out of camoflauge (sp?) as that would be more his style.

PMSL at WigWam herding cats octopus styley...

Cod... maybe your man's not a 6'2" tool-toting Kiwi...

Ermmm... neither am I...

....but I know that he will prefer to get an expensive he-man looking thing.

I've painted a very rosy picture of us two there haven't I? Bless him, he'd love to tote his tools more often than he does now....

Oh, also a friend's dh bought a Tomy one and found he couldn't do it up around his middle.

I also read on mn somewhere that the outdoorsey type (kelty?) slings are not that comfy for baby.

Why not think about a huggababy or similar - remember it will be summer when your dd arrives so you may want something that keeps you both cool.

Didn't mean to dash your plans, sorry .

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LOL Cod!

Another vote for the baby bjorn here. Dh liked it a lot. Very easy to put on and off.

The problem with them IMO is that if you're off shopping you still need to carry all your clobber in your changing bag and you have to carry all your shopping bags rather than hang them on the pushchair or store them underneath. So not great for town, but good for walks in the country. Used it in the supermarket when ds was tiny because you have to have great muscles to lift the car-seat high enough to fit into the trolleys.

Like someone else commented, I've seen a lot of friends use them for the second child if the first is still in a pushcair.

Nope he's neither of those either - tree chopper and nct avoider

* Ring sling, perfect for hands free carrying. * * The baby pouch has been purchased & recommended by National Childbirth Trust members * * Keep your baby close & comforted in a natural position * * Simple adjustment to fit most users- size 12-18, no charge to make smaller or larger * * Use from birth till about 2 years/35lbs *

All the same carry positions as other ring sling / pouch carriers * Breastfeed* discreetly & easily * Perfect transition from the womb * * Double stitched at stress points, very strong & safe * * Weight is distributed evenly across the back & Shoulder for comfort * * Lightweight, compact and ideal for all seasons * * Over 600 Baby Pouch sales on eBay with 100% positive feedback & sold in many countries, proven track record for quality & reliability *

you'd think I was on commission!

I can spend a worrying amount of time lying on my tummy looking at my diddy tadpoles and my Great Crsted Newt, but don't think I'm an earth hugger.

Starting NCT classes in 6 weeks. Don't tell me that's a waste of time 'n all ?

That must have used a lot of s. Are you^ the baby pouch lady maker ?

Hmmm... Coddy sounds scary, but would love to relieve her of a fiver. Note to self: Must wear baby in third month just to win wager.

no - just tryin' to help!

GDG found NCT classes very helpful - took what she wanted from it and has friends from her classes 4 years down the line.

/thread hijack

Hub, you're in demand here

We use the Hug-a-bub which fits both DH (6'4") and me -- DH actually carried DS in it more than I did the first few weeks (partly because I'd had a c-section and it was easier that way) and it's still him who tends to carry DS if we're all going somewhere. You can breastfeed in the Hug-a-bub but I've never tried, and agree with pp that if you have the option carrying infant away from the tempting smell of milk makes for a more placid experience.

I do like the Hug-a-bub but it is a bit of a faff to put on (although gets easier with practice) -- you tie it round yourself before inserting child and then actually inserting child is easy.

We have used the sling much much much more than the pram/buggy in fact there have been times I've wondered if we should have bothered with the buggy (it has been useful when other people wanted to take DS for a walk, though, and also I suspect as he gets heavier the buggy may be a more attractive option). The sling is easier on public transport my buggy-toting NCT contemporaries all have stories of being refused entry to buses even with buggies folded, whereas a sling has no problems.

We are considering getting a BabyBjorn or similar as well for ease of putting on and also for taking "proper" walks in the summer -- but that Kelty Kangaroo looks very interesting.

All the one-shoulder slings I've tried do my back in very quickly, and I hate to think of what my chiropractor would say if she saw me in one

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