Babywearing

[thelucc]

It's international babywearing week! I love babywearing, its the best. when I had my first daughter I only saw one really good wrap that I thought I liked and I've been using the Moby for all 3 so far. But, now that I've seen how pretty and simple some of the other ones are, I might try one.

Anyone have experience with the Mei Tei? I think it looks good.

What's your favorite baby carrier?

I wrote a blog post on my personal site about my experience with babywearing. Nothing for sale, no gain for me, just a few pics of us babywearing and why I love it.

http://everythinggoeswithpink.blogspot.com/2011/10/babywearing-101.html

[Keria]

No experience yet. So far we have a beco and love it. DH really likes it and wanted me to get a second one for him but I want something different. I wanted some kind of stretchy wrap but I have read everywhere that they are not very hot weather friendly and we live in the tropic. So we are still looking.

[Right of Passage]

I love my moby for the early days, as well as a simple ring sling. Last time I was putting an 8 week old in a high rucksack tie with my woven wrap (neobulle), this time I'm excited to use that as well as the beco. I enjoyed the mei tai for baby wearing too, and early back carries, but It's not my first choice in carriers, just my personal preference.

[parsley]

We used wraps daily until DD was 1.  DH used a Moby wrap but I found it too hot and too stretchy so I bought a woven wrap (or two... :). 

We had a Mei Tei but never really used it--  for closeness we preferred the wraps and then when we switched to a back carry we preferred the snugness of the Ergo.   We sort of went from a Moby to the Ergo (around 11 months and then a Boba when she turned 3). 

But DD was light so the woven wraps worked for a long time. 

This time I'm planning to also get a Maya ring sling as I like the idea of popping the baby in and out when I go to pick DD up from school or on errands.  That was my problem with the wraps... they were not for quick popping in and out. 

I've also been coveting a Beco.  Though I can't remember the differences (without doing a ton of research again) on the differences between the Gemini and the Butterfly.  Anyone able to enlighten me?

[hildare]

dh and i both used the moby, heavily when dd was little.. then we used an ergo (and still do sometimes..)  i wish i could buy another carrier, but i fear the wrath of dh if i spent another hundred bucks on something we already sort of have.  i've looked at the homemade mai tai tutorials, though, and i do have some stretch cotton, so if i ever get any time to sew, i could maybe make one...

[Adaline'sMama]

I love the Moby for newborn and small baby carries, but after about 20lbs I find that it stretches too easily and I have to rewrap it several times throughout the time Im wearing it. We have a Boba for carrying DD, and it is awesome (pretty similar to the ergo). I have a Baby Bjorn that I really dislike but DH loves. I find that it really doesnt work with ladies who dont have a flat stomach. I feel super fat when I wear it.

I also have a sling, made of light canvas (?) that is great for a hip carry. It is like sevenslings, but is quality material instead. Its basically a tube that you put over your shoulders and the baby sits on your hip, hands free.

[erniebobernie]

Like most here, we have a Moby for wearing wee ones. We loved the transition from pregnancy to Moby baby wearing! Then we used BabyHawk Mei Tai for ds when he was heavier up until he was about age 4. I like the sling for quick trips in and out of a store. Can't remember the brand we had now. But, really liked it when I didn't want to fuss with tying. I LOVED the mei tai for back carrying during walks, zoo trips, museum trips or times when I needed him contained to some degree;-p Baby wearing is wonderul and easy to nurse when they get hungry while being able to continue on a walk or chore or whatnot. Also during the cold and flu season I would snuggle him in the moby/sling while out in public so no one would be tempted to touch him (and share their germs) when he was little.

Loaned them to my sister for her little one almost two years ago and they are still in great shape. Another round of babywearing coming up!

[stephr_k]

I've never wore in a Moby or wrap but will try with one on the way for sure.  I love slings and ring slings for newborns. 

Then Mei Tai's, Ergo, and Beco Butterfly for 4months-3yrs.  My DS is 2 1/2 (little bean is only 27lbs) and I still wear him in the Ergo and Beco.  I miss wearing my Mei Tai's but I make them and they only hold up to 25lbs. 

[ozzyemm]

I haven't tried the wrap. DH used slings exclusively until Michael was like 6 months old.  I fell in love with a mama-made MT when Michael was like a month old.  I was never comfortable with a sling, maybe because of my size or my boobs?  Not sure.  We LOVELOVELOVE our babyhawk, which we bought when Michael was 6 months old.  Now, we had to fold the bottom up so Michael would fit for the first 3-6 months (can't remember) and he was a chunk: 20 pounds at 6 months.  But, we were able to wear him till he outgrew us at 4 and half.  At that time, I could only carry him on my back, because his legs kept hitting mine :lol

[bluedaisy]

I tried a ring sling when DD was little but I never got the hang of it - I always felt like she was about to fall out and she was never happy in there for very long.  And she was a HUGE baby so I didn't like all the weight on one shoulder.

I got an ellaroo mei tei when she could hold her head up and I LOVED it - I had her in there all the time and I think it's great for heavier babies in the way it distributes the weight.

I'm thinking of getting a wrap for the newborn stage for this one, or maybe an ergo or boba if I can find a reasonable secondhand one.

[zakdat]

I have a ring sling a friend made, a Maya ring sling and a Baby KTan.  I love the Maya ring sling the best - once I got used to it, I found that I could quickly get babe in and out, and it took up minimal room in the diaper bag.  The KTan was my second favorite - super easy to use, and I love how it spread babe's weight across both shoulders and throughout back.  I've been able to get several of my friends, who thought I was nuts for carrying my baby when I had a perfectly good stroller, to use the KTan and now they are complete baby wearing converts.

[atomicrocket]

I'm debating whether I should get a ring sling or a stretchy wrap for the newborn stage.  The ring sling seems so much easier, but a wrap seems like it would be more comfortable.  I'd buy both if they weren't so expensive! 

[lsandbaby]

I can't decide which one(S?) to get!!! This is v. helpful although I'm still not sure! Thanks girls

[Right of Passage]

If you want a stretchy wrap for your newborn, go to your local fabric/craft store and buy some cheap jersey/t-shirt fabric and buy 5 yards. Google tieing directions. Tada! You got yourself a wrap for approx $10 or less.

[atomicrocket]

Originally Posted by Right of Passage 

If you want a stretchy wrap for your newborn, go to your local fabric/craft store and buy some cheap jersey/t-shirt fabric and buy 5 yards. Google tieing directions. Tada! You got yourself a wrap for approx $10 or less.

This is a good idea.  I'm not a crafty person, but that doesn't sound like it requires any actual skill, because it it just a piece of fabric.  I really don't understand why the brand name ones are so expensive.  They have some wrap style carriers at a local store here but they are over $80. 

[Right of Passage]

I bought a MobyD with my first and paid $60, for a silk panel >.< should have saved the money. And there is no skill necessary, except the google skill :P

[cleo564]

I went a little crazy with baby carriers with DS:

- started with a Snugli that my grandmother made me (using the same pattern she used to make one for my mother to carry me in!)

- tried out and liked a ring sling (so I bought a 2nd one to keep in the car)

- tried out a mei tai when DS got a little heavier - loved it and bought a 2nd one with XL straps for even more support

- bought a Beco Butterly and LOVED it (that was the easiest way to wear DS on my back when out and about)

- replaced the Beco with an Oh Snap when DS got bigger (and LOVED the Oh Snap!)

- got interested in wraps and then got addicted to them (to the point where I now have 7 wraps of varying length and thickness). Unfortunately, I didn't discover wraps until DS was almost a year old, so I'm sooo excited to wrap a newborn!!!

[kim.mpls]

I can tell you plenty about what didn't work well for me in my search with DD.  

Ergo, too bulky and hot for summer baby.  Liked the pocket idea

Beco butterfly, couldn't get the buckles to stop digging into me.  Sold it ASAP.

Ring sling, didn't like the asymmetry-- neither did my back, hips or chiropractor (but my sister adored hers and insisted I keep one around).

Now for what I do like and still have:

Action Baby Carrier for trip to Disney with 6 mo. old.  Very comfy all day at that age. Though she outgrew it about 14 months old unless I kept the "hood" support up.

Bought a Connecta off FSOT that I LOVE!!!!!!  added the waist support belt for padding and wore it past 24 mos.  Loved it so much in fact, that I bought a solarveil directly from Connecta for summer.

Just bought a Bamberoo SCC Toddler SV for my 3 year old.  Very comfy, though she suddenly decided to walk a lot more.

Have a MT from Ellaroo that I've worn very little.  I kept getting the straps dirty on the ground, but it was a rummage sale find at $5! I really should pass it forward.

Have a really early MT from DreamCarrier that is infant size which I adore.  Wore it everywhere for the first 6 months.  So comfy and supportive.  Will probably keep this forever unless someone I dearly love needs it.  

A little easy to go crazy on babywearing, but so much easier on my body when I had a "don't set me down" baby.  I cooked and cleaned with her on my front or back most of the first 4 months, and we never used a stroller until she was almost a year old.  She was a kiddo who didn't sleep in the carseat, so every Target run was with a carrier.  

Good luck in your search!  

[curiouscanadian]

I knew about babywearing before DS was born but didn't really get into it until he got older. This time around I'm really looking forward to wrapping a newborn and figure learning to nurse in a carrier will be a must, just so I can keep up with DS.

I started out with a home-made stretchy wrap made from jersey, just like a pp suggested. I found DS outgrew it quickly though and stopped using it before he hit 20lbs

From there I moved on to ring slings. Made my first one, have since bought two others (I keep one in the car at all times for quick errands) and gave away my first. If you're looking for an economical ring slings, I highly recommend Sleeping Baby Productions. You can get a great basic sling there for as little as $32 right now. (I got a Tencel one from her and love it.)

Then DS got heavier and I moved on to a BabyHawk MeiTai for double-shoulder support. I'd try an Ergo periodically, thinking I should like it, but it never worked for us. Even at 37lbs I still wear DS in the MT when needed (like last week when he was sick). 

That said, I tried the Ergo again when I started providing dayhome care to a huge 18mo. and I love it for him. The boys just have totally different body types... I still hate the Ergo for my son, and vice versa, the MeiTai does not work for the 18mo.

Somewhere between those two I also bought a solerveil Connecta which unfortunately hasn't seen a lot of use. I'll keep it for this coming summer to try with the baby, but if it still isn't getting used I'll probably sell it.

This time around I've brought a Wrapsody Bali stretch. It's actually a Hybrid wrap, in that it's stretchy in one direction only, so cuddly for newborns but still useable up to 35lbs, and good for back carries (public service reminder: NEVER do back carries with a stretchy wrap!!!). So it should keep us awhile.

But...I also splurged on a locally made woven wrap. It's a bit crunchy at the moment, but I have time to soften it up a bit before I'll really be using it.

One other big purchase this time around has been a Kindercoat. Very pricey, but I figured I'd need a new winter jacket this year anyway (what with being humungo pregnant in Jan/Feb in this part of the world lol) and I got some $ for my birthday in October that paid for a good chunk of it. I just really don't want to be stuck indoors with a newborn and a 3.5yo any more than I have to be!

A little easy to go crazy on babywearing

Yes. Yes, it is.

[mamanoish]

I'm a fan of ring slings here. I have a Maya wrap from DS2 and I also purchased a WAHM made hawaiian print ring sling for this babe. I may get one more. I love having variety. I had a front carrier for DS2, but I always found myself reaching for ring slings.