slings, hip hammocks?? what to get??

[spu]

With 2 babies, I'm thinking of carrying one and getting a single stroller for once in an while. The Baby Bjorn is getting a bit achy in my shoulders now that the babies are just over 16 lbs. I'm thinking of getting a sling but have no idea what kind to get. Are they really comfortable for carrying babies in the 20+ pound range? Are they more comfy than the baby bjory or a back pack carrier? and are they easy to use (and safe?)

thanks for any advice!

susan

twin girls 7.20.02
charlotte & else

[uccomama]

At this point in the game, I would seriously look at the Ergo Baby Carrier. The Ergo is a rucksack style backcarrier. If you are planning on carrying one and pushing the other, two free hands is alway nice. Also, I find the Ergo very comfortable, I can carry a 27 lb'er in it for a couple of hours no problem. I think you would find the Ergo way more comfy than a Baby Bjorn and it carriers the baby in a much more anatomically correct way.

Here's more info on the Ergo: http://www.ergobabycarrier.com but their shipping is expensive at $10. There are several places that offer free shipping, here are two: http://www.peppermint.com or http://www.willowbean.com

Deborah

[4S Ranch]

I'm a huge fan of slings. I have 3 different kinds plus a Baby Bjorn. I've never really liked the Baby Bjorn because it hurts my back (even with an 8 lb. infant after 15 minutes). A sling generally doesn't hurt my back unless I use it ALL day which I have done lately because I have a jealous older sibling who won't leave her little sister alone. Beyond all the attachment/bonding benefits, a sling can:

- Calm a fussy child
- Ease the burden of holding a child
- Free up your hands
- Keep children from touching and grabbing things when you're in a situation where that's needed

Plus they're very easy to put on and remove once you've practiced a bit and they're very safe if you use them correctly.

I was using mine in the hip carry position with my 2 year old (at that time 25 lbs) before I had my baby (now 2 months old). When my daughter was 8 months or so, she liked the kangaroo position (legs crossed, facing out) in the sling, and she weighed about 15 lbs. then. I carry my infant mainly upright facing me with her legs sticking out the bottom of the sling. She loves it and instantly falls asleep when I put her in. Plus I can nurse her in it.

There's a good website www.kangarookorner.com that has a comparison chart for the various slings. I personally like the Over the Shoulder Baby Holder (OTSBH) best. I like the padding (mainly for the baby) and being able to pull the strap once to tighten it. Many friends of mine like the Maya wrap - I think it's best for children six months and older. I find myself constantly adjusting it, and I don't like the way the fabric cuts into the kids' legs leaving a red mark. I also really like my New Native Baby Carrier. It's a pouch with no rings, and I like the flannel one best because it's so soft. I haven't used this one with a toddler though I think you could do the hip carry just fine.

Kangaroo Korner makes their own version of the OTSBH that looks like the best of both worlds in a way. You can customize it and have the shoulder (for you) and the rails (for the baby) padded heavily, lightly or not at all. And the rings are such that you can tighten each side of the sling independently (you can do this with the Maya wrap). The OTSBH does seem to have some excess fabric that won't tighten all the way because of the padding so I think the Kangaroo Korner sling would be ideal in a way. They also have one that looks like their version of the New Native that's adjustable. That one looks good, too. They have lots of pictures on their website, too with different aged kids and various slings.

Having said all that, I also think there would be certain scenarios where a double stroller would be nice like trying on clothes, going to the bathroom, or long power walks.

Hope this helps.

BTW, I've seen quite a few slings on ebay lately.

Shelly

[mommyj]

If you decide to get a sling, you might want to try to find friends who have slings you can try on before deciding which one to buy. The feel of padded vs. non-padded slings is really different. I made the mistake of ordering an OTSBH, and I hate the padding. It's really bulky. I'm planning to return it, but I'll lose the costs of shipping. I don't have any friends who use slings, but if I did, I would have liked to have tried different kinds before buying.
I do have to say I really do like the feel of the non-padded slings.
Good luck!

[Susann]

I would also definetly go for a sling with a badded shoulder (the Original Baby Sling worked best for me). The reason why I say this is that the sling is fast and easy compared to all those with million buckles to buckle and unbuckle. It takes a little practice to use a sling but once you get used to it, and especially how to put your baby in,you'll love it.
Good luck
Susann

[JennyA]

I feel like I need a sling as my daughter gets way too heavy for me in the bjorn and a bakpack carrier isn't always the easiest thing to use! My question is...is there a sling that is BEST for the hip holding position? I imagine that this is how I would use it the most.

Thanks!
JennyA

[uccomama]

"I would also definetly go for a sling with a badded shoulder (the Original Baby Sling worked best for me)."

You must be one of the very rare people this sling fits! The No Jo (Original Baby Sling) is a one size fits all sling but rarely fits anyone under 180 lbs. There are other slings out there that are much more adjustable especially if you are under 180 lbs.

If would like a padded sling, the Over the Shoulder Baby Holder (OTSBH) is just as padded as the No Jo but comes in different sizes so you can adjust it to fit. Another really nice padded sling is the Rosado which is less padded than either No Jo or the OTSBH so is a good compromise between the comfort of padding and the bulkiness. If you want an unpadded sling, TaylorMade Treasures make a very well constructed one.

Deborah

[JennyA]

Deborah - Do you have links to any of these slings on the web? I have heard from a few people that the padding is sometimes too much and you can't get the baby close anough to you...is this true? I am 125 pounds...would I need to get something smaller than a one size fits all? ANy help would be appreciated :-)

JennyA

[Susann]

Deborah,
I was always wondering why I wasn't able to use the sling before my babies were 7 mos or older. It was too big! Thanks for that, I wish I knew it 5 yrs ago:-)

Susann

[sparkeze]

If you can find a size small OTSBH you shouldn't have a problem. Not everyone sells that size though, I realized. I ended up ordering mine from http://www.littlesmooches.com/

[uccomama]

Some sling links for you:

The Rosado sling: http://www.rosadosling.com

Peppermint.com: http://www.peppermint.com -- has many different kinds of slings and a great sling comparison chart.

Kangaroo Korner: http://www.kangarookorner -- sells her famous adjustable fleece pouch, both padded and unpadded ring slings and has tons of info.

TaylorMade Treasures for the best designed unpadded sling: http://www.taylormadetreasures.com

OTSBH: http://www.slingbaby.com/

For a truly breathtakingly beautiful sling at a beautiful price take a look at: http://www.zolorwear.com

I personally don't like a lot of padding, if the sling is too big it is makes it impossible to adjust. It is bulky and can get hot in the summer. The Rosado is a nice compromise for those that like padding. But many people prefer unpadded. The TaylorMade Treasures sling is beautifully designed. Many, many people love their Maya Wraps, but I think it has a design flaw in that the way it is sewn doesn't allow you to spread the fabric out over your back -- important to help bear the load -- unless the rings are positioned too low on your chest. The ideal ring position is in the corsage position and the shoulder pad should rest on the ball of your shoulder and not be right up against you neck. The other major thing to remember with slings is to wear your baby high, above your waist or it is going to strain your shoulders and back.

For the record, my personal favorite sling is the Didymos a wrap around type sling. It is pricey at between $115 to $150 (or so) and it does take more practice than a regular ring sling, but its is way more versatile. Here's a link to the Didymos: http://childrensneeds.com/didymos_baby_slings_.html . I own two Didymos slings one in Yellow Indio and one in the Nora print!

I also really, really love my Zolo Wear sling -- I have one in the green cherry blossom silk. The owner is an ex-costume designer and the design and construction of these slings are second to none. You don't have to get a silk one, she sells a cotton version for $75. I can easily still carry my 3 year old in this sling. I also think the silk slings will become family heirlooms. Think how neat it would be to be able to pass it on to your DD or DIL for their little one!

HTH

Deborah

[4S Ranch]

Wow! I never knew there were so many different kinds of slings. I thought I'd heard of most of them! I checked out all those websites and now I want another sling! I love those zolowear slings - they're incredibly beautiful! How do you wash your silk one? I generally have an objection to any baby item that has to be dry cleaned (both my girls have had reflux). She did say on the website it could be machine washed on delicate, but I wondered what impact it would have on that beautiful fabric. I like your idea about an heirloom sling! The cotton slings are wonderful, too.

Above you mentioned the Ergo carrier - how do you like that compared to slings?

I think it was you who suggested trying other people's slings before you buy one, and I think that's a great idea. I just wanted to add if you don't know people with slings, go to a La Leche League meeting (www.lalecheleague.org) or check to see if there's an attachment parenting group in your area (www.attachmentparenting.org). Most of those folks use slings.

Shelly

[egoldber]

Ah! Thanks so much for this! I always wondered why my Maya Wrap was so much less comfortable than the mesh sling I have from Taylor Made Treasures!

[uccomama]

I really like the Ergo which is why I recommended it to the OP for a toddler and for use when out with another toddler in the stroller. It is a very well designed and comfortable backcarrier which can be used as a front and side carrier too -- but it comes into its own for carrying babies on your back. This is a great tool if you need two hands and want them out of the way if you need to cook, garden or need to carry them for quite some while.

The Ergo positions the baby/child nice and high on your back and distributes the weight evenly between your waist and hips because of the wide padded waist belt. Some people have a problem with the shoulder straps cutting in under their arms, personally I never have and it could be they haven't got it adjusted right for them and it needs tweeking. The other issue people have is it takes some practice getting the baby in the carrier, and the first couple of times you use it I would recommend doing it either with another adult there to help you, or if that's not possible then in front of a mirror.

I would never have the Ergo as my only sling, but of course I am a hopeless sling addict! It's not a sling you would use for a quick in and out errand or if you have a baby/toddler who will only allow you to sling them for 10 minutes or so before they want out just because it is more involved. In that case a simple pouch or a ring sling is better. But if you need to carry your child for a couple of hours at a stretch its great.

Other soft backcarriers to look at are the Packababy (http://www.packababy.com) or the Baby Back-tie (http://www.babyback-tie.com). I own the Packababy and really, really like it!

Deborah

[uccomama]

>Ah! Thanks so much for this! I always wondered why my Maya
>Wrap was so much less comfortable than the mesh sling I have
>from Taylor Made Treasures!

You're welcome! I know so many people love their Maya Wrap, but I see it worn incorrectly so often because of this problem with it.

Deborah

[uccomama]

>Wow! I never knew there were so many different kinds of
>slings. I thought I'd heard of most of them! I checked out
>all those websites and now I want another sling! I love
>those zolowear slings - they're incredibly beautiful! How
>do you wash your silk one? I generally have an objection to
>any baby item that has to be dry cleaned (both my girls have
>had reflux). She did say on the website it could be machine
>washed on delicate, but I wondered what impact it would have
>on that beautiful fabric. I like your idea about an
>heirloom sling! The cotton slings are wonderful, too.
>
>

I actually haven't washed mine yet! But silk can be, as Darien says on her website, hand or machine washed on delicate. Silk is actually a very strong hardwearing fabric so I think it would hold up very well under a lot of use. I have so many slings and my child is now older so mine don't get used a great deal anymore. I am going to start teaching babywearing classes soon which is why I have such a vast collection of slings.

Deborah

[ginalc]

Hi Susan,

did you choose a carrier?

gina, mom to 3