Best babywearing RS?

[CowgirlSoldier]

I am newly pregnant and want to wear my baby when he/she is born. I believe in the closeness between mommy and baby. What I want to know is what is your favorite type of sling? Pro's and Cons of certain types of slings? Give me the information you wish you new as a new baby wearing mom. 

I am not really interested in the slings that look like backpacks/ergo (i'm not sure the terminology) they just don't look comfy for baby. I am all about what's best for baby. 

Thanks for helping me...

signed,

a baby wearing hopeful.

[peaches_04]

Have you thought of a wrap?

[comptonkids]

I loved my pouch sling for itty bitty stage
Loved my wraps for longer wearing
Love my babyette ringsling for quick in an out

[comptonkids]

Eta: ergo and boba are actually REALLY comfy
Any sling as long as their knees are higher than their butt is good
It's the baby Bjorne and other crotch danglers you want to avoid like the plague

[Eliots_momma]

I like my maya for the newborn and little baby stage. I still use it to nurse in but it is now a bit uncomfy for me for long pds. I have an ergo and it is great for long stretches, baby usually falls asleep in it :)

[Gingerella]

I liked the Moby when he was a little squish and you can get those really cheap on the swap..like 25$. The Ergo (or other SSC) is easy to use and comfortable. The ring sling is quick to take on and off but is not comfortable for extended periods. I am really digging the wraps lately. So many options to tie, hip carry, back carry, front carry..very versatile but I will say the learning curve is much steeper than a SSC. I am not loving my Mei Tai but it could be because it's just a WAHM made. 

[VintageWife]

My kids never liked ringslings. We have a wrap and a boba.

[Mommy2justone]

I depends on the baby. I think the Ergo is AMAZING! And most babies LOVE it. But I love my ring sling or wrap. You can make your own fairly cheap. 

[LaughterHugs]

Why carrying a baby facing out (bjorn/snugli/infantino/jeep) is not such a good idea

http://www.bobafamily.com/blog/2011/10/11/nine-reasons-not-to-carry-your-baby-facing-out/

 

All the variety of good slings fall into 3 major categories

One shoulder carriers.

**Recommended site **http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5883368**
This includes pouches or ring slings.

Pros:

• easy in easy out,
  
• gives you upright and horizontal positions,
  
• very comfy hip carry.
  
• good for nursing.
  
• fold up to almost nothing.
  
• Ring Sling is adjustable and  can be shared by parents. 

Cons:

• spread the weight over one shoulder, that will get sore if worn for a long time.
  
• Longer learning curve.
  
• Back carry is possible but not the most comfortable in the long run.
  
• Pouch is not adjustable, if sizing is not correct the pouch will become uncomfortable or impossible to wear.
  

 

Simple pieces of cloth

**Recommended site**http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyette **
This includes rebozos, short wraps and full-length wraps - the most versatile of the whole bunch. They can be stretchy (knit) or non-stretchy (woven).

Pros:

• super dee duper versatile - millions of wearing positions.
• spread weight over both shoulders in most positions.
  
• Woven wrap will last you from newborn to toddler to child stage.
• Knit wraps are very forgiving and will feel comfy even with less than perfect wrapping.

Cons:

• Longer learning curve.
• Some wraps may feel too warm in hot climate

   

Asian inspired

**Recommended site http://paxbaby.com/zen/structured-carriers-c-11.html**
Mei-tais, onbuhimos, podageis, ERGO, Boba, Beco, ABC, BHOS.

Pros:

• spread weight over both shoulders
• easy learning curve
• wide selection of pretty panels
• easy back carry
• adjustable and most will fit both parents
  

Cons:

• hip carry is possible in some but not the most comfortable
• no horizontal carry
• not to comfy to breastfeed an infant in, but older babies do fine.
  

 

SO, what is right for you? I don't know. They are like shoes, you can't have just one pair.  The wrap would be your walking shoe - comfy for longer periods.  Asian inspired carriers are great for back carrying. I'd say it's a fancier walking shoe :) One shoulder carriers would be your flip flop that gives you fast in and out, but you wouldn't wear it to .. Disney, for example.

Hope that helps :)

***Special Thanks to Tanya Taylor at www.wearingbabies.com***

[LaughterHugs]

 

here's me nursing in one-shouldered  carriers (ring slings or pouches), soft-structured carriers (mei tais, ergo, anything that goes over two shoulders with straps etc), and wraps (stretchy-moby/sleepywrap/ultimatebabywrap, woven wraps- gira/hopp/storch/bebina/didy/ellevil/natibaby, etc)

ring sling nursing is great for newborn to toddlerhood, plus for the one who want to be more discreet, or are less adept at NIP, the tail is an easy coverup esp for babies who pop on and off or dislike hooter hiders etc, b/c you can cover just your breast, like in my first picture
the problems with ring sling nursing is repositioning to cradle nursing hold can be difficult and one shoulder is always stuck with the weight of the baby

3 month old

8 months old

past a year in a didy dragons

 

30 minutes old

 

past a year, osnaburg shorty 

past a year old

babyette past a year old

7 months old

4 months old

2 weeks old

mei tai and other soft structured carriers (Boba, ERGO, Beco, BabyHawk) are good because the spread the weight more evenly, and can be used for back carrying also, but on a flip side they expose you more while breastfeeding and really don't work as well if baby cannot sit up on their own due to physical development and leg spread (aka under 6 months ish) :)

 

8 months old

8 months old

5 months old

9 months old

6 months old

5 months old

over a year old (on the rocket ride line at disneyland)

over a year old (infantino Mei Tai)

over a year old, ergo at disneyland grand hotel lobby

over a year old (in the boba on our 2 mile hike)

over a year old in the boba2g at LA Arboretum

ergos

over a year old, in the toddlerhawk at disneyland

wraps, which are any type of long piece of fabric, are great b/c they are super versitile and if you get a woven (not stretchy) it'll last from birth to whenever you stop wearing :) however a stretchy (moby/sleepywrap/ultimate babywrap etc) wrap will only be unsaggy/unpainful for birth through 18-20lbs....whereas a woven (gira/didy/hopp/storch/babyette/bebina etc) will be useful as long as you desire to babywear
nursing in a cradle hold secures the baby better then any other carrier, but MY babies would only let me do it for about a week, then (as you can see in the latter half of the pictures) i had to start nursing in a slightly loosened and retied hug hold or FWCC.

also the wraps of all types take longer to master, but are SO worth it :)

stretchy should only be used in a front carry, but woven can be used for a back and side carry also :)

1 month old stretchy wrap (moby)

1 week old woven bebina

2 days old woven gauze babythebaby

3 months old woven gauze

5 months old woven bebina

5 months old woven bebina

11 months old woven babyette sunayana (at downtown disneyland, lol)

over a year old neobulle julie

over a year old, bebina aquarius

feel free to PM me for anymore help :D

[Precious333]

I have a maya ring sling and a mei tai. The sling is easy to bring around places and can fit from birth to toddler. However, on long trips (like gong to the zoo or something) I use the mei tai and switch from wearing him on my back to my front. The sling can hurt my shoulder if I use it for the entire day and am carrying a heavy child, the mei tai (or ergos type carriers) distribute the weight better.