Clumsy & looking for a sling/carrier

[vvviola]

Ok, so this could be a totally daft question, but here goes anyway...

I'm pregnant on No 2 at the moment, and hoping to use a sling/carrier this time. I did try a bit on DD, but I didn't like the Baby Bjorn that we had and neither did DD. DH was also a bit nervous of me using it anywhere other than the house. The reason? I'm incurably clumsy. I walk into things, trip over thin air etc. I have improved over the past few years, mainly I think because of exercising more so having better balance.

I particularly want the sling/carrier (I think I'd prefer something with buckles rather than something that ties) for walking DD to pre-school, and for some flights with lots of changes that we'll have coming up when baby is about 5 months old.

So, is DH right - is it just asking for trouble to have a baby in a sling when you are clumsy (I have horrible visions of tripping over and landing on the baby :( ) Or should I just go ahead and buy a carrier (and if so, any suggestions?)

Well, I can recommend the Kari-Me sling, although it is a tie on one rather than one with buckles.
The baby is kept very close to your body, so it doesn't upset your centre of gravity quite as much as when it is in something like a baby bjorn. It's almost as if they are just tucked into your clothes!

If I were you, I would wait until the baby is here and then have a go with a few different types. Either try on some that friends have, or see if your local Sure Start hires them out, so you can try before you buy and see what feels comfortable for you.

Thanks! That makes sense about the centre of gravity.

Unfortunately I'm in Belgium - and don't have many friends with slings/carriers here, other than the baby bjorn type. But I'll have a search around the shops here where I've seen a few carriers and see if I can have a try there.

The Kari-Me looks lovely. I'd have to practice a lot with the tying I suspect!

It's not so bad once you get the hang of it. The thing I liked about it was you could tie it on at home, drive wherever you needed to go, and it was all set for the baby to just pop in!