Sling or Carrier or Both?

[Lung]

Hi,
I'm looking for some help regarding slings and carriers as I'm rather lost. Our 1st baby is due in 5 weeks, and my mother-in-law has bought us a Manduca sling as a present. We haven't even tried any slings yet, so we've no idea if it's any good. The sling doesn't appear to allow you to carry the baby on the back which sounds like a huge downside to me, but as I have no experience I could very well be wrong. Assuming it's ok, will we still need a carrier as well? Amazon have an Ergo Original on sale today, so should we get one of those too as they seem to get very good reviews? We're quite outdoors-y and would like to go walking with the baby if that matters.
Many thanks.

You can use a Manduca on your back, and its a very similar design to the Ergo. Its best to have a baby on your front till at least 6 months and they can hold their head up for extended periods.

You shouldn't need a carrier, though slings are quite a personal choice, and you may find something else suits you better as time goes on. If theres a sling library close to you then you can try a variety for free

Ah, I don't think I was clear. The Manduca we're being given is a sling, not a carrier.

This one to be precise: www.manduca.de/en.your-manduca-sling.html

Ah, yes, those are only suitable for littlies, but lovely and snuggly.

So you would need something else as they get older and heavier - personally, I didn't get on with an Ergo, but loved Meitais

The Manduca sling will be great while baby is tiny. You will need to move on to a carrier by about six months but don't buy anything now. Wait, try a few options from your sling library once baby is here, and decide then. Ergos are popular but they aren't everyone's cup of tea.