New baby coming - which do you love/hate?

[Michigan Mama]

I have #2 coming in Aug and I'm starting to think about what kind of sling/wrap, etc I want to use. I still use a rebozo or pouch sling with ds sometimes (2+ yrs) but he likes his freedom now. I tried a wrap early on (homemade), but never truly got past the learning curve.

So, what brand/style do you love?

Which do you HATE?


Why's are always helpful. tia!

[peainthepod]

I think I'm in the minority here but I can't stand my ring sling(s). I bought a beautiful Maya Wrap, and a friend gave me a second Maya Wrap, and I can't get the hang of them for the life of me. None of the carries work and my four-month-old seems to hate being in them no matter what I do.

Much prefer my Hotsling and Moby so far...

[LittleLlama]

While I was prego, I adored having a Beco for #1. I could adjust the strap to fit above or below my enormous belly depending on how the baby was resting or what I was wearing.

Once #2 arrived I loooooooved the Moby. It's so supportive, all spread out over both shoulders and all over your back and you can get babe adjusted nicely without much pressure on them or have to take them our or really even move them much to nurse. It's like holding them in a snuggly t-shirt!

I did like the ring sling for quick trips or when I had to stand in a dirty parking lot and didn't want to let the wrap touch the ground.

I didn't use the Beco for #2 until she was about 4 months and was ok with her head up on her own, the infant insert was just too much of a hastle.

[MittensKittens]

Originally Posted by peainthepod

I think I'm in the minority here but I can't stand my ring sling(s). I bought a beautiful Maya Wrap, and a friend gave me a second Maya Wrap, and I can't get the hang of them for the life of me. None of the carries work and my four-month-old seems to hate being in them no matter what I do.

Much prefer my Hotsling and Moby so far...

No, I don't go for ring slings either! I pretty much stick to the podaegi, but I like MTs too.

[limabean]

When DD was tiny, I LOVED my homemade Moby-style wrap. Now that she's bigger, I love the ring sling. I hated the Hotsling, but I think it was too small of a size, so I'm not sure how I would have felt about it if it were fitted properly (although that very fact -- that it's not adjustable -- is annoying to me, especially for a newly post-partum mom whose body will change!).

[Abismommy]

I hate my ring sling
I looove my MT!! DD has been worn in one since the day she was born.

[Michigan Mama]

Thanks, Mamas! Keep them coming!

[AlbertaJes]

I love my fleece pouch, a gauze wrap, and my Ergo.

[Chloe'sMama]

Love, love, love, love my Ergo. I have only used it since DD was 3 months, but it does have an infant insert. I would also have a moby for new born.....

I have slings and hammock type carriers as well as a bjorn and a few others and the ones I can't live without would be the Ergo and the moby.

[katmann]

What are you going to be doing? I made/bought an array of carriers and none of them is satisfactory. I can wear ds in the moby on my front, but I can't get anything done because he's in the way. He fusses for a bit once he's in, making the back carry a bit of a danger. He likes to push of my body, and he can almost get out of it if I'm not holding him and patting him.

The baby bjorn really hurts my back and dh's back when ds is in the back or front. In my case, I work with my hands, in the dirt, and I need a good back carrier. I made a mei tai that doesn't support ds's head, and he's too young to hold his own head up yet. I just bought some fabric for a sling, and some gauze for a cooler-style wrap (temp cooler). I'm sure the ergo or the beco are worth a try for back carries, but we're tapped out in terms of carrier funds. If you can get through your day with a baby in front of you, the moby is okay.

[septbabymama]

I love all my carriers -- well except for the Bjorn and hotsling. I love my ring sling, mei tai, i-phyeonhae and moby. But I didn't love them all from the beginning...some like the mei tai I grew to love as DD got older, but I hardly used when she was a newborn. The ring sling is very useful and the easiest to get the baby in and out, but you can't wear for a long time so it's great for quick trips. By far the most useful is the i-phyeonhae because it has a seat inside so back carries are very easy so it's the one I use to get work done and DD falls asleep in it very easily...it's been a life saver!

[Michigan Mama]

Those are good points, Katmann - you reminded me that it will be different with this one. The only thing I could do well with #1 with the wrap was a front carry, but with a busy 2 year old, that might be tough...

I'd like to get more comfy with a back carry...at what age can you do a back carry? Once they have head control? It always freaked me out with #1 trying to get him on there...

I do like to garden, but in August, we'll be nearing the end of our growing season...because of my home business, need to be able to be at the computer. Other than that, normal mom stuff - laundry, cooking, etc.

If I can perfect the back carry, I wonder if I might even be able to take the baby to work for short periods - I'm a physical therapist, but I work in a fairly relaxed setting. If baby were on my back, I could still work with my patients...

[LittleLlama]

You *can* do back carries as a newborn, but just be confident. I know a sturdy wrap with a tibetian carry is good for newborns.

[To-Fu]

If I could just have two carriers for the entire babywearing life of my child, they would be a Moby for the early months, and then a Beco for everything after. I would have used the Moby longer, but it started sagging around 3 months due to my son's weight.

[soccermama]

I enjoyed my Mei Tai and Hip Hammock - both had comfortable shoulder padding and just felt comfortable over all - moreso my Mei Tai than the hammock as DS got older and bigger.

[baturay]

I'm into my third baby now using slings and here's what I love and hate.

I love ring slings or short wraps for rebozo, as they come in handy for nursing and for quick carries.

I love woven wraps and stretchy wraps because of the carries you can do and I find it easy to position baby in these than anything else.

I also really like mei tais for front and back carries too, but prefer wraps to these.

I hate pouches. I like the concept, hate that they are not adjustable (well not like a ring slings is ajustable). I hate soft structured carriers with newborn. I can get a much comfier carry with a newborn in just about anything else!

Having said that...it's really all about personal preference. I happen to love/hate these, but my friend who is into her second worn baby now, love soft structured carriers even with newborns. So...

You can do a back carry with a newborn. Practice, practice, practice...safely! Using a doll or stuffed animal at first and when praciticing with your baby, have someone spot you and wrap over a sofa or bed. Every wrapper started out a newbie and became comfortable and confident only with practice. It's very doable though.

Here I am with my newborn on my back. Comes in very handy with three kids under 4 yrs old!

[NelsonJBird]

LOVE my ergo...it is amazing!
Had a Maya Sling, but DS cried in it when he was little, so I gave it to a friend, wish I had it to try again.

[EKSmith]

I loved my stretchy sleepy wrap when ds was tiny - he's pretty small even now at 11 months - we actually used it for about 9.5 months just around the house (though couldn't for long periods as it would start getting loose). I recently invested in a woven wrap and an Ergo - I absolutely love both. The Ergo is nice and quick - I can have baby on my back in seconds, and I don't have to worry about my pretty fabric dragging in the mud when we're out and about. I do love my wrap though, and use it when we're going to be wearing for a long time (going for a walk, to the park, etc.)

I was given a ring sling, and we just couldn't get the hang of it...I often wonder if now that ds is bigger, it might be good for hip carries, but I haven't given much effort.

Hope this helps!

[Michigan Mama]

Baturay - you're a rock star. You and baby look great in that wrap!!!

"I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can...."