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Slings and backpacks

Find baby sling and baby carrier advice here.

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Original poster

Carrier help please

19 replies

Maclairey · 03/01/2013 08:46

We are expecting our first child in March and I am currently looking into carriers. I would like to buy one before he is born but apart from knowing that I want something easy to use, comfy for baby and me and something that both myself and DH can use easily without the need for the others help, I am not really sure where to start. I have been looking at the Baby Bjorn Miracle carrier, the Manduca and the Ergo as these seem to be the ones that are mentioned a lot. I want something that can be used from birth and preferably up to as long as he wants to use it for. We dont have a lot of money so we would only be looking to buy one but I would rather pay more for something excellent rather than buy something cheap and average and probably have to replace it.

I have looked into Sling Meets and there is nothing near me at the moment so I am going to have to buy solely off of other peoples experience. I have friends who have used the Baby Bjorn who say its fabulous, but online reviews seem very negative.

The purpose of the carrier will be to use it at home (when doing housework etc) plus for short trips/walks. Am I right in thinking that I would need a wrap sling to use for breastfeeding and that none of the carriers I have mentioned would have that facility?

I would really appreciate some advice from those with experience of any of the above carriers (or any that I havent mentioned) so that I can try and make a decision soon. There are some good sales on at the moment and I would like, if possible, to buy one before all the good deals end.

Many thanks in advance xx

OP posts:

TeaandHobnobs · 03/01/2013 15:20

I believe it is possible to breastfeed in a Manduca or an Ergo - you just have to loosen the straps to lower the baby slightly to be in line. Not something I have ever successfully managed though! Although I have seen others doing it.

BabyBjorns seem to be a love them or hate them product - I've not used one myself (and I have friends who are perfectly happy with theirs) but the concerns I've heard are the baby not being seated well (in a babybjorn they dangle from the hips, instead of sitting with their legs in an M shape, supported from knee to knee, as they would be in a soft carrier), and also that because they are not held into your chest, their weight tends to pull away from you and place a lot of strain on your shoulders. Therefore I'd say a Manduca or an Ergo would be a better choice.

If you can't get to / there isn't a local sling meet or sling library, there is plenty of online advice / video tutorials about how to use different slings. I started with a stretchy wrap (especially good as DS was prem), but have moved on to a MeiTai and a ring sling, and hope to get a soft structured carrier (like the Manduca or Ergo) at some point when I have some money.

I've heard lots of positive reviews of the Manduca. With the Ergo, if you are buying online, beware that there are a lot of fakes on sale, so be careful. Another good SSC is the Boba3G.

Hope that was helpful! I know this won't be anywhere near you, but as a source of information and advice, this is my local sling library: www.southlondonslings.com

needsadviceplease · 03/01/2013 16:43

Love the manduca. Been using it from 4m (started with moby, so can't comment on newborn use, but it looks less faffy than ergo insert) and bf in it since 4.5m. Great carrier.

peanutMD · 03/01/2013 20:01

I'm due March too :)

After a lot of research I have gone for a woven wrap, VictoriaSlingLady Smith-Firm, which was £15 on my local FB selling page but it is only £25 BN.

It looked so difficult to use when the lady first unravelled 5m of fabric but I've been practicing and it seems to be getting easier, although this may change with a wriggly baby :o

I was given a Tomy carrier for DS in 2006 and it got used once for 10 minutes as DS looked so uncomfortable and I certainly was.

CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease · 03/01/2013 20:08

I'd certainly avoid the baby Bjorn. They sort of seen ok until you try a proper sling or the baby gets bigger!

We used a wrap for the first few months and then an ergo for the next few years and love it! Heard fab things about manduca too. Wasn't that keen on ergo insert -much prefered wrap when small.

CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease · 03/01/2013 20:08

I'd certainly avoid the baby Bjorn. They sort of seen ok until you try a proper sling or the baby gets bigger!

We used a wrap for the first few months and then an ergo for the next few years and love it! Heard fab things about manduca too. Wasn't that keen on ergo insert -much prefered wrap when small.

fraktion · 03/01/2013 20:12

I've BFed in our ergo.

Personally I like stretchy wraps for newborns and you can buy them cheap or borrow because they're only useful for about 6 months. Then you can move onto the ergo or Manducca easily.

CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease · 03/01/2013 20:16

I bf in ergo too (not newborn though but easily fed nb in sure biz wrap!). I put a muslin or bib on top and carry on walking!

Wrigglebum · 03/01/2013 22:04

I love my Manduca but I find it hard to bf in. I also have a connecta which I have found really easy to bf in. They are great, pack up small and really easy to use. Cheaper than baby bjorn and higher resale value.

CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease · 04/01/2013 03:28

Arg. Sure biz? Meant stretchy!

Nicknamegrief · 04/01/2013 03:38

I would recommended a moby wrap as a good sling/ carrier to begin with. It's around £40, very easy to use and I used mine solely for 6 months (no pram or buggy) until I treated myself to a more expensive wrap. I still used my moby wrap until my children were around 18months old though, so could have got away with just that. I never bought a buggy or pram until I took up running (and then only used that for that).

You can bf with a moby as well as carry your child on your back.

Original poster

Maclairey · 04/01/2013 08:32

Wow thank you all so much for your advice, you have been most helpful.

I am definitely keen on purchasing a Manduca but I was thinking of possibly getting a Close carrier for the first few months, as I have been told these are like a stretchy wrap but without the wrapping! I have to admit that I am a bit scared by the likes of the Moby because it involves learning to tie it yourself and being responsible for tying it tightly enough to support baby. I would prefer if possible to use something a bit easier than just a piece of stretchy lycra.

Do you think that would be a good idea? Is it possible to bf in a Close carrier? They seem to have fairly good reviews for smaller babies.

Thanks again xx

OP posts:

fraktion · 04/01/2013 08:48

Close carriers seem to be love em or hate em. I'm in the latter category in afraid. It's spending is definitely recommend trying beforehand if you can.

A standard stretchy wrap shouldn't be used for back carriers as the elasticity means babies can catapult themselves out. The new Moby instructions no longer show back carries after lots of incidents. The only brand that can be used is the semi-stretchy gypsymama wrap but even then I much prefer the rock solid hold of a woven.

Try going on somewhere like Naturalmamas (be warned, it's pink and quite hunny in places) to see whether there's a member near you who could do an informal sling meet. There's no substitute for RL experience.

Wrigglebum · 04/01/2013 22:37

Not sure when abouts in March you're due, but I had an end of April baby and found that as the weather warmed up my Close carrier became rather too hot! I changed to a Victoria Sling Lady stretchy, which was cooler to wear. I was worried about the wrapping at first but it's really easy, just watch Victoria's YouTube tutorials!

I found it easy I ended up graduating onto a woven wrap, it's great.

lagoonhaze · 04/01/2013 22:43

Breastfeeding is a skill and so is babywearing doing both at same time is also a skill.

Close and manduca.

Also i bet there is a sling meet near you just need to ask on natural mamas. Our local ones only recently become formal but i was organising meets up a long time before that!

DoItToJulia · 04/01/2013 22:45

Just bought my close carrier ( or caboo) and love it. Newborn ds is quite happy in it and I reckon I could bf in it too!

Himalaya · 06/01/2013 01:40

One carrier that seems to be a bit out of fashion at the momment (and therefore you can pick them up quite cheap) is the Wilkinet - which is a wrap design but without the swathes of fabric and tying skills needed. They are very comfy.

I also like the ring sling (which you can also pick up cheap).

byhec · 06/01/2013 01:43

I've got a beco butterfly, it's great!

TheFunPolice · 14/01/2013 08:20

I have a caboo (close) and both DH and I have loved using it. DD falls asleep every time in it. I haven't bf in it as I use it on dog walks, she has a good look around, falls asleep and I feed her back at home/car. I also wear her around the house/garden, mainly to do baking. Again she nods off after about 10 mins so have never fed her in one. I had a peanut shell and kari me, neither of which I could get to grips with them. I also loved my mei tai when she was very newborn.

MrsHoarder · 14/01/2013 08:36

I got an ergo when DS was about 3 months (we had been given a baby bjorn style handmedown). Love it, easy to put on, kind on the back and nice and snuggly. Never bf in it, worry about DS slipping down and don't like feeding on the move. Once I'm sat down I just unclip the top, keep it around my waist and feed DS like I would do at home.

Now at 8 months and 98th centile I use it to take him to nursery, which involves 2 trains and stairs, carting his stuff for the day plus my laptop bag. This is perfectly doable, and DS is under my (unfastened) coat to be out of the worst of the weather.

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