Sling for large 7 mo, 11kg. Please recommend

[choccybox]

Hi all

I'm looking for a sling for my LO. Weighs 11kg so need something pretty supportive, I have a front carrier baby bjorn style but he is too heavy as limit is 9kg.

I don't want a back carrier as think he is too young for that.

Would ring sling work? It's for short journeys to local shop, swimming and arounf the house when he doesn't want to go down.

Thanks

i would go for a mei tai myself.
i never really got on with ring slings as they put too much weight on one side of my body.
LOVED my babyhawk and toddlerhawk tho!

You can back carry from 6 months, in theory! I got on great with a Mei Tai, which can be used on your front and then when you are ready on your back. Or you could use a SCC Soft structured carrier, which is a mei tai with buckles. Lots of info can be found on www.slingguide.co.uk and a dedicated forum at www.naturalmamas.co.uk

I have a Mei Tei and a Beko - which is the same thing but with rucksack-type straps. MT gives a better fit but I only use it indoors as I don't want the long straps trailing through muck while I tie it - particularly on crap weather days. You can use both from baby through to age 2-3.

I used an Ergo. It can go on front, hip or back and carry up to 40lb. It's very easy to fasten/unfasten (just like a rucksack) and very comfortable.

I put both of mine on my back as soon as I could (about 5 months, I think) as I could do more with my hands free and it's a better way to carry weight.

My ds is about the same weight as your ds (although mine is the other end of the size spectrum as he's 2) and I struggle to carry him on my front but find the back very easy.

Another vote for the ergot, I use mine all the time for ds 19 months. It even has a hood for breastfeeding !

Thanks for your suggestions. Had a look at mei tai and it looks nice, think only issue is that it is quite limiting of what he will be able to see. He loved being forward facing in old sling. But guess as it's only short journeys it doesn't matter.

I've looked on ebay and may get one off there but I'll have a look at the ergo first.

Many thanks

Oh like the look of ergo too, but it is quite expensive.

Do you think this is a better investment? or for occasional use is the mei tai good?

Choices, choices

I have a ring sling that I use daily with my 12 month old (not sure how much he weighs) - perfect for nipping to the shops, walking the 10 minutes to nursery etc. He can sleep in it too on my front but to be honest after about half an hour it does make my shoulder ache.

For anything longer than a short trip I use a Beco Butterfly - you can have it on your front, but I mostly have it on my back now he is a bit heavier. He can sleep on my back too. It's great because you can put the baby in it first and then put it on your back (or go from your front to back) so not as fiddly as a lot of back carriers.

God, sounds horrendous, why not get a buggy?

Sling is easier/more convenient.

If I could afford it, I'd be investing in an Ergo without a doubt. They do sell 2nd hand for a similar price to new, so not a bad investment.

never got on with the ergo myself. had one but sold it on ebay.

if you can get to a sling meet or something and try some out that might help you decide which would be best for you?

mine all got slung on my back from quite early on (ds3 when he was newborn) so that i could get on with cooking etc!

Sorry if this is too late OP but I've just received my Baby Bjorn Comfort this morning and thought I'd recommend to you. My DS is 28 weeks and almost 20lbs, and just about grown out of his standard Baby Bjorn. It also killed my shoulders to carry him in it for more than half an hour. I had an Ergo Sport, which was comfier to carry DS but I found it hard to get him in it and I didn't like the way there's no built-in head support so if DS falls asleep I have to fart about pulling the head support out of it's pouch and clipping it on, which sometimes wakes him up.
Anyhoo, my new Baby Bjorn Comfort is the bees knees. It works like an Ergo in that it has a big padded hip belt which takes all the weight, but the pouch where you put DC is rigid so you can post them in easily. You can carry them until about 2 y.o facing inwards and until 25lb facing outwards, which you can't do with the Ergo and which DS loves. Just been for a 2 hour trek around East London and I honestly didn't feel a thing in my back or shoulders.
Got mine brand new on EBay for £90 so same price as Ergo. Not cheap but blimmin' worth it!

Just a warning that there are a fair few fake ergos floating about on ebay. If the price seems too good to be true - it probably is.

Mei tais vary hugely in quality and construction....it is worth buying a respected brand.

For a high back carry where my little one can see over my shoulders easily to look around, I like a woven wrap best. However, there is more of a learning curve than with carriers like the ergo.

I can't speak highly enough of mu vaude baby light backpack. I actually used it for my rather large boy from four months with great success. I have a border collie who needs lots of exercise and the sling I had wasn't sufficient.
It was expensive (£140) but we are still using it daily 11 months on. I have used it to go to the zoo, shopping, you name it. He can look about and loves it.

i have a mai tai i use for my 23lb 9mth old and its great, £20 off ebay new :)

also have a vaude back carrier that my dp uses.

and a moby wrap is also good.

ring slings good for short periods of time but not long as the weight isnt distributed evenly.

i have an ergo but have never got on with it.

my vaude was £100 but we got it when ds1 was a baby, he is now 12! and have used it for all 5 children so def got our monies worth!

Patapum toddler! I've used it with ds from 5 mo as he's also huge.