Advice please oh gurus! 4 month old stretching wrap - what do I do?

[LittleWaveyLines]

I currently have a stretchy wrap that I LUURVE.

DD was not always so keen, but she hated the pram more, and is now happy with it - partly as I've got better at tying it and putting her in it!

Only problem now is that as we walk the sling gradually stretches so she gets lower and lower.... so what do I do? Get a non-stretchy one? Different sort? What?

I love having her cuddled so close, being able to feed her on the go, and walk on rough ground without worrying about wheels, so what do I need?

TIA

tie it tighter?
if you like wraps you could try a woven, I love my storchenwiege, if you buy second hand it will be nice and soft and broken in already (wish someone had told me that!!)

If I tie it tighter I can't get her in without awkwardly bending her legs....

What length woven would I need?

depends how big you are and how you want to tie it!

I think my storch is 5.2 metres which is the longest they do. I am approx 5'8 and a size 14 and I can do everything I need to do with it! you might well get away with the 4.6 metre though depending on how you like to tie it

I'm 5'6 and currently size 16, but normally 12-14.... OK so 5.2 metres. So tell me why storches are so expensive - are they worth it?

I think they're comparable with most woven slings to be honest, you won't get one an awful lot cheaper.
I know they've all gone up in price over recent years because of the price of cotton (example, my moby cost me £25 4 years ago, they're now around £40!!)

In general, I believe the cheaper the wrap the thinner the fabric will be and thus potentially less supportive. The Storch/didymos/ellaroo/girasol are all nice thick fabric (storch and didymos thickest) but have a slight diagonal stretch to them to allow you to wrap comfortably and have a tiny bit of give.

As I say though, if you can pick one up second hand you're on to a good thing. They're quite stiff and hard to tie when you get one new and they can take a lot of washing and wearing before they're soft enough to get a really good wrap with IME. So you can save yourself a bit of cash AND get a nice ready to use sling

Have you started carrying her with legs out yet or are you still trying to tuck them in? DS used to try and stand up in the sling and it would stretch it loads and be uncomfortable.

I agree it sounds as though it needs to be tighter. You want it skintight but comfortable, without leaving extra room for the baby. Don't worry about bending her legs weirdly, unless it's actually hurting her.

You could also try a mei tai, they're good for different ages and ease of getting on, although as she's so young a woven wrap probably would be fine. If you do get a woven, it's definitely worth going to a sling meet and getting someone to show you back carries - if you practice regularly with her before she's 6 months, by the time she is getting too heavy to go on your front she'll be used to going on your back and won't wriggle and scream when you're doing it.

I'm embarrassed to say she never liked the legs in so I've carried her legs out from probably too young - in my defence though I didn't know better as the instructions I got with my sling implied legs out from birth / 8lb....

Tried it tied a LOT tighter today and was ok - couldn't feed in it though!

Thanks for the help - might ask for a storch for christmas.

Aah, yeah I think if you want to feed on the go you need to loosen to feed and tighten it up again afterwards. I never managed to feed in the sling without it feeling massively too loose.

Legs out is fine! DS never liked it either. As long as she's been comfy.

mine all had legs out from newborn too because they hated legs in and kept trying to stretch out.

I think 4.7m will be long enough - it's easier not to have too much fabric when you're starting out.

Check out second hand slings on ebay, german ebay and www.naturalmamas.co.uk . Ellevill have a great offer on one of their wraps at the moment www.ellevill.com/ds_product_info.php?products_id=143&language=en it works out at just under £45 brand new including shipping from Norway for a size 6 (4.7m).

op will be used to plenty of fabric though if she is using something like a moby which is 6m

Yes used to lots of fabric! Currently watching ebay for a storch, ellaroo, or similar... or it might just have to be on my christmas list!

Thanks for the advice

Rediscovered my didymos with ds3 (5 weeks old) used a lighter one with ds2 as he was born in May so was a bit hot for the didymos over the summer. Absolutely loving it. Use it all the time, and so much better than the lighter one.

OP I'm having a similar problem with my Moby. DD is 5 months, around 16lbs and likes to lean backwards stretching out of the sling to have a nose at what's going on behind her. I find it uncomfortable when she does this and have to pull her back in all the time. I'm thinking about either getting a woven wrap, or possibly a mei tai but I suspect I'll find a woven better for my back. Something to put on my xmas list I think!

LWL (waves from high needs thread). I also started with a moby which I loved but my DS although not heavy started to lean out of it so I bought a hoppediz from Natural Mamas. Their for sale or trade (FSOT) boards are great but dangerous I've now bought a wrap a SSC and nappies from there. I now use my wrap for long walks and my new (to me but pre-loved) Rose and Rebellion SSC for quick trips and in and out of the car.

German eBay is good too!

How heavy is she? Althoug stretchies are advertised as up to 35l it is more that is the weight limit of teh fabric not that it is comfortable. A woven wrap is definately an option.. YOu can get them quite reasonably priced preloved ones on www.naturalmamas.co.uk or what about a bara barn www.precious-bundle.co.uk/default/baby-carrier-wraps-slings-types-1/moby-wrap-around-baby-sling-carrier/bara-barn-sling-woven-wrap-aubergine.html

Alternatively have you considered a soft structured carrier or a mei tai? I regularly carry my son (27lb and 22months) in a mei tai and woven wrap.