ok, The sling cupboard April part 1

[misdee]

no idea if anyone wants to join me

am just getting into sling with dd4.

have a napsackbaby mei tai, which i use for dd3 as well.

ring sling

and peanut shell.

all have different uses, and work well for us.

hello,
I would like to join in as a newbie sling person...
Currently have a close, DS is getting a bit big for it at 3.5 months.
I have just ordered a Manduca, as someone at local sling meet had one and I really liked it (pricey though). I like the newborn insert as well, in comparison to the look of the Ergo newborn insert at least, whcih looks crap.
I also want to try a wrap sling, may try and borrow one from someone local for a bit, or hire one to see if they are for me.

DH is also a massive fan of the Close carrier (and does not find DS too heavy yet in it). I think he may become a sling fan too.

You did make me laugh about signatures on other sites, as I was literally just talking to DH about this! I was telling him that slings are quite "hippy", and that I was tempted to go on one of these sites and put in my signature
One DS 3.5 months, born by highly medicalised C-Section, Formula Fed, In his own cot from birth, weaned on McDonalds puree at 8 weeks.

Ah piximon, anytime You are very lovely for someone I met from the internet . How old is ds? You will struggle to carry him on your front for any length of time I would imagine- ds has been in my back all day and it honestly couldn't be more comfortable for me. I have accepted I think that now he is almost 10 months old he is just too big to go on my front- I can't see round hm for a start, and I do get aches whereas I don't when he's on my back. I'd love to meet up whenever you're about and help you - I don't know if you saw me put ds in the Ergo but it's really not hard. I did hear a whisper that someone was planning to do a slingmeet type thing at St Sidwells community centre, but I'll ask the guy there and get more details.

Miamla I did knwo that, I make all my bags with seamless bottoms [ooer] but it seems like a lot of fabric when you read the pattern for a newbie. Just bought some Cadbury purple courdroy and gold taffeta lining for my new onbag though..., £15 worth of fabric and you get loads leftover for 'matching' stuff...I made a matching pouch last time!

piximon I was always really nervous of putting DD1 into back carries until I found a neat trick, basically you tie the MT round your waist and move it onto your hip, sit them on your hip, lift it over their back and put the straps under their arms. Then you just hold the straps over your shoulder and shuffle it round onto your back. Lift one strap over to other shoulder and jump a bit to settle them. As they have the straps under their arms they can't fall out while you are doing this so it makes it much easier. I still (after 3 years) can't tie a MT the 'proper' way onto my back!

claireybee have a look at the link I posted about the Lexi twist or google it, as it crosses the straps twice behind their bum it stops slippage quite well.

Thanks for the Tibetan tie links JBKTEB, will definitely have a play around with that. I prefer the idea of a wrap-cross-carry to the rucksack type ones where the fabric just scoops under the bottom (my DS does wriggle and flex a bit!), but I haven't really tried them properly.

puddock, have you tried Jordan's back carry? It is a sort of cross between rucksack straps for you and BWCC for DC, feels veyr secure.

so... I've just confused the life out of myself looking at the 1000s of different slings etc there are on the market

and have concluded that I like the look of the hugabub (because I like the way the head is supported in the chest-to-chest photo) and the tricotti (because it sounds v easy to pop on with no ties etc).

any suggestions as to the best places to find these 2nd hand? ebay?

(Chairmum - still considering the kari-me too so will bear your kind offer in mind thanks)

anyone got any tips on using a MT on a bloke? my dp is 6 foot 3, if i tie it round where i think his waist is, baby is quite low and not very secure. do i try and tie the bootom straps higher up on his chest?

babyphat, higher on his chest is fine. babies love it if the can see ahead as well as to the side.

look at tibetan high back carries

DS is in a front carry while I eat my breakfast and go online - was just looking at the Jordan's back carry instructions and failed to notice he'd popped his arm into the bowl and was fishing the banana slices out.
Anyway... thanks for that JB, it looks like it might be just what I'm looking for. I also tried a ruck with lexi which seemed to hold better than the standard one in badly translated Didymos booklet (you know the one, "You would like to carry your baby into life").
Wellies, try the UK Babywearing Swap Yahoo site as well as ebay. Despite the name a lot of slings there are for sale as well as for swapping. I got my Didy from a v friendly poster on there for about 60% of what it would have been new.
I did try a Tricotti briefly, but personally found the loops too slack and wanted to be able to tighten by tying. Stretchy wraps like a Kari-Me or Moby really aren't that daunting, by the time you've done your favourite tie half a dozen times it'll be second nature. But that might just be me with the Tricotti.

Always at back carries, I could only just about manage the ergo and felt like I was going to drop ds2.

I'm not carrying either of the dt's (6 months) at all because it's hurting me quite a lot - I had/have spd and slings seem to put a lot of pressure on my coccyx after 15 mins. Physio couldn't suggest what might make things less painful - any ideas or experience here?

I have an ergo (which I hate, it's horrible to wear), eden MT in velveteen, hug a bub, ring sling still BNIP , pouch and dp has a BB.

I was going to list my hug a bub on here Wellies, if you're interested. Bought it here, sage green.

Hi

My stash consists of:
Babyhawk mei tai
Ergo
Beco butterfly 1
APLX
Toddler patapum
Hotsling
Home made version of hotsling
The ubiquitous Baby Bjorn

We had a framed carrier but it has gone to the charity shop because it took up too much space in the car, but it was actually quite comfortable. I'd like to try a woven wrap next but I can't quite bring myself to go to a sling meet. If I have another DC I will definitely get a stretchy wrap.

accessorizequeen ooo yes very interested, how much were you thinking???

puddock - interesting point about the tricotti. It had bugged me a bit that I could very easily get the size wrong and end up with one that was too big/small and have to start again. Also thanks for the info on the yahoo site - off to check it out now.

I'm not sure Wellies, bought it for £25 I think and not used it much. Why don't you see what they're going for on yahooswap? If you give me your email I'll send you a photo. I would say it's in good used cond, was obviously fairly well used by the previous owner.

oh how i love slings, dd is poorly and just needs to sleep it off, but v unsettled. have got her snoozing in sling while i MN. it is a godsend

just waiting to be accepted on the yahoo site so will check out the prices later on

brill, photo would be handy if convenient: mh-g at h ot m a il dot co dot uk or if it's a pain to sort out then a description of any wera and tear (if at all) would probably be ok

my babyhawk onbu arrived and its a big hit. could do with the straps being a few inches longer, but seeing as i am aiming to lose weight it wont be an issue for too long.

i really want to go to a big slingmeet, but tried to register on the SM site and still no activation of my account. theres one next month in watford i think.

i want to try a wrap, but am confused by the lengths etc and dont want to lose much if i dont get on with it iyswim.

misdee - we have a 4'6" wrap and that fits me (20/22 although there isn't much to spare with a cross carry) and DH (5'11", 34" waist) without too much excess.

I got DS in a much tighter back carry with the toddlerhawk today and that was pretty comfy, although I failed to get my onbag on over him on my own.

Oh and my toddlerhawk has XL straps, so even I can do a lexi twist although there is plenty to spare with rucksack shoulders

i cant get rusksack shoulders to stay on me. they keep slipping. why?

I couldn't get my mei tai to stay on properly either. I think it may have been for a number of reasons. I think the one I ordered may have just been too wide for me. I do have slightly sloping shoulders anyway- can never get a bag to stay on my shoulder. Failing that, it could just be that I am a bit a lot fat . Never had a problem getting the ergo to stay put though, and I never have to use the chest strap, for which I am sooooo grateful, as with my huge wangers it would just look ridiculous

i can't get on with rucksack straps either, i think people sometimes use a scarf as a chest strap, which i can see would help but don't fancy the look of.

and the crossed straps on the front are not super flattering either, i use my wrap for back carries if out and about.

I'm fat with 42F boobs (down from 44H just after DS!) so you can imagine how the crossed straps look on me. I don't (at the moment although I can see that changing) do back carries for long periods but so far if the straps are tight enough they stay on.

JackBauer that actually sounds doable. I'm gonna risk try it after a shot of rum tomorrow .

Littlelamb I sent you an email from a different account this morning. I didn't see you getting him on your back as had taken dd1 to the loo. Knew you were in a hurry to go, so didn't ask you to show me.

Pixi, I got the email. Am just hugely disorganised. Will reply now (I just had a peek on your profile and I can't believe it! I loved Carbonel, I was so excited when I found a copy in the Oxfam bookshop last month. Have re-read it twice already )