am I right in thinking that slings end up costing more than buggies in the end?

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I gave up on em last time but didn't have great ones and was hoping to use a sling a bit more with DC2

thing is, seems that the people who get along very well with slings but several of them, they don't seem to have last very long with a new style required every few months?

how much does it ACTUALLY cost to be a proper baby wearer who uses slings all the time? how many different slings do you REALLY from birth to toddler?

I had a stretchy wrap sling that I got from a friend for free (was £17 new I believe) which I used from 6weeks to 6mo (would have used from younger if i'd had it) then a more stuctured carrier which was £30 until just over a year. DD is 16mo and we are considering getting a bigger more expensive carrier for her now but looking on ebay etc and still undecided. We do have a pram as well but I loved having a sling when she was little and i'll definitely use one with DC2. Worth bearing in mind that there is a good market for selling them on to recoup some/all of the cost.

I only ever used two :) One other one which got used occasionally, bought it for a christening as it was a dressy one.

Stretchy wrap, home made, £15 for two (one for the wash, but totally unnecessary, ended up giving to a friend who never returned it)
Toddler Patapum, £45, used for front and then back carries once baby grew out of wrap sling.
Ring sling, £30, made of silk for Christening/weddings, used occasionally round house but never really got into.

So total = £90 (£60 essential)

I spent £220 on the first pushchair we bought and then £70 on an umbrella fold, and £40 on a different umbrella fold after I split up with XP and he took the first one for access visits.

IME they end up costing more because people get addicted to them and "need" to have more. You don't actually need more than two. You can get away with one if you use a woven wrap from birth, but they're for hardcore babywearers!

I'd recommend a stretchy wrap for babies and a structured carrier of some kind for 9 months + if you want to keep costs and complications down. A one shoulder one is handy for the pick up/put down constantly stage, and they're pretty cheap, if you want an extra one.

It is just like cloth nappies really. Some people get hooked and love all the lovely fabrics etc out there and end up with loads of nappies. Some just use them as something to soak up wee and shit.

With slings there are loads of different brands and with wraps in particular there are som ebeautiful fabrics and weaves around that cost a fortune. Some people like to have a big stash, others use one for a while then trade it in for something else. With teh highly prized ones they sell for the same as you paid so people can quite easily trade their slings in on a regular basis and never lose and money.

But plenty of us just have a couple of slings they use all the time. I have mostly kept the same slings all the time. Started with a woven wrap. When dd was born I got a cheap pouch too. Then I bought my one extravagance off a friend which was a lovely didymos wrap. I used that a lot, it was fabulous. I sold it back to her recently to fund buying a BabyHawk as ds2 wriggles and leg straightens so much he constantly pops his seat in a wrap and I can't be arsed to do the more faffy carries to stop that, I prefer just being able to shove him up in 30 seconds.

So I now have a MT, a pouch and a wrap.

Mind you they do cost more than my pushchair all together as my pushchair cost £20 second hand .

thanks for all the info, the ergo newborn insert being hot shouldn't be too much of a problem as it'll be a winter baby

cloth nappies are v expensive even if you aren't into them, I stopped using them when DS totally changed shape so would have needed a whole new set! plus its a ball ache to constantly replenish - kinda undos the whole point of cloth vs disposables! so if slings are going to be like that count me out!

but sounds like I can get some that will do a good job without becoming redundant every few weeks/months?

I absolutely HATE the flappy fabric ones that hang half way down yer leg and look like something that had a few colours run in the wash so I doubt I'll get "addicted" as I think most slings absolutely ming

Sounds like a connecta would stand you in good stead. Use fro newborn, no flappy bits :)

I don't understand this constantly replenishing nappies lark. Flat terry squares, change the fold as the child changes shape. Still doing well on child number 3. Saved me a fortune!