best ring sling and baby k'tan? « Back to Group Discussions

[LadyCatherine185]

Anyone have a rec on the best ring slings? I already have an ergo for when baby is a little older (mine never seemed to like it until around 3-4 months old when they can wrap their legs around me more easily), but I would love to get a  ring sling and I was also thinking of getting a baby k'tan or some other sort of simple wrap for the newborn/early months.

edited to add: I'm pretty small, and make big babies (they come out at 9 lbs and are 20+ lbs by 5 months) so I would like something that will hold a sturdy baby

Edited by LadyCatherine185 - 11/25/12 at 3:26pm

[EmilyZ25]

cant suggest a ring sling, sorry, but i do love my k'tan. its a great stretchy wrap option - much easier to use than a traditional wraps (like moby or boba) but gives you the same end result and positions.

[HouseofPeace]

HUGE Maya wrap fan over here.  I've worn out one, and about to wear out another and actually repaired the first one w/ a light cotton gauze.  I love that it's my back carry, front carry, nurse and walk sling, and i also use it as my cover-up in public for nursing.  in fact, i usually am nursing a mostly sleeping baby (or totally sleeping baby) while shopping, walking, at church, in people's houses, and people want to *see* the baby.....  and i try to nicely discourage them.  unless they want an eyeful.  but it's great for traveling b/c my kids don't like to have their head's covered by blankets, but they get used to nursing strapped close in the sling and they don't try and expose themselves.  also, they sleep EVERYWHERE, so new baby naptime is never an issue, they just nurse off wherever and whenever.  Hubby also loves the Maya wrap (I need a M, but was given a L, so it fits hubby better anyways) and has given sermons w/ baby head on his hip, shopping, walking, you name it, he'll carry that baby anywhere in the maya!

i have a mai-tai, a maya, and a long woven wrap.  i would like an ergo for the bigger babies, but it's never happened.  i use the mai-tai and maya for back-carries when baby is about 6-12 months old.  and the long woven wrap when baby is bigger.  but for nursing convenience, nothing beats the maya.

[LadyCatherine185]

the Maya looks like a great ring sling! I have had a few people suggest sleeping baby productions to me and they look really similar, but the Maya says it has padded shoulders? It is more pricey (the SBP is only $50) but I like the idea of padding on the shoulder!

I have tried the Moby and I am really not a wrap person.. which is why I love the idea of the K'tan because there is nothing to wrap/tie but you get the same feel. I am really just looking for a couple carriers for the newborn/little baby phase, as I LOVE my ergo for bigger babies. I like simple and easy, to me a wrap is neither..lol.

[Teles]

Has anyone tried the infant insert for the ergo? I just bought an ergo carrier (I also have a Moby and a ring sling) and I'm thinking about getting the insert so I can start using it right away.

[LadyCatherine185]

I actually had one (still do somewhere..) but never actually tried it.. it seemed small, like my babes wouldn't have fit into it

[Brambleberry]

I liked my Ergo infant insert alright.  It was a bit of a pain to deal with two separate pieces, and it's hot in the summer - luckily DD grew out of it just as it started to get hot (her birthday is Jan 27th.)  We hated the ring sling because it put all the weight on one shoulder, and DD hated anything that confined her arms and legs (never liked to be swaddled even from day one), so the Ergo was our main carrier.  

This time, since we need more options for the twins, I'm making a k'tan and we're looking for a second SSC for when they're bigger and we can do one on front and one on back.  You can carry twins together in the k'tan until they're about 10 lbs.  I've registered for a Beco Gemini since they can be adjusted to work for infants without a separate insert, but if no one gets it for us we'll probably go with whatever good carrier we can find used on ebay: Beco, Ergo, or Boba.  There are actually $15 Ergo knock-offs available on ebay direct-from-China, and I must say I'm tempted to give it a try.

[HouseofPeace]

i went to a friends house one time and she said "oh, i saw your exact maya wrap yesterday in a thrift store for $5"  i almost climbed up the walls b/c i would collect and hand out maya's for every new mama to try.  if it's not going to work (my friends with big babies had mixed reviews), then pass it on, but they are pricey.  and the extra padding did make it nicer (i had the old maya for my first w/ no padding in shoulder, and still loved and wore that thing till the fabric rotted)

all my maya's were gifts- one from my mother-in-law, and the other from a friend who loves carrying my babies in slings and wanted one that would fit her as well.  i haven't tried another ring sling that i like as much, but i like the big metal links a lot.  i also ask other mamas who are done having kids or put things in storage about their mayas!  i'm sure they're not totally the bomb, but i do love them that much.  they're so easy to carry, i always have one in a bag and one on me.  and useful.

i'm a swaddler, even though my kids always get one arm out, they all love to be swaddled, so the sling is nice b/c it comforts them.

[loveandgarbage]

We had a pouch sling for the first few months then switched to an Ergo. But after looking at the K'tans I think I might want one of those! Does anyone know how they are for sizing? I'll probably be an XS or an S but DS also wears the babies a lot... and it would be nice to share, but he's definitely at least an M if not an L. Oh well.

[LadyCatherine185]

from what I have read on the sizing for the K'Tans, they run a little big, so you will probably need an XS (and that is what I plan to order myself).

I've had several pouch slings and never liked them. I like the idea of the ring sling being adjustable. I want the sling for the ease of slipping them in and out when we are out places (so even if my shoulder is hurting, I don't plan on wearing him for long periods of time in the sling) or at church, etc. and the K'tan for when we are at home and I need to wear him for longer periods of time, or going for walks.... I loved the feel of the Moby once I got it on, but just can't deal with all that fabric and tying.. hoping the K'tan will be the way to go!

oh, and my first 2 hated to be swaddled! but who knows with this one ;)

[kellybeth]

i decided to surf craigslist for baby essentials the other day and found a maya wrap for $25. cream colored & medium, exactly what i wanted-and in perfect barely ever used condition. i scooped it up! so excited! i had a maya wrap on my registry but am so glad i found one for cheaper. 

[HouseofPeace]

Originally Posted by kellybeth 

i decided to surf craigslist for baby essentials the other day and found a maya wrap for $25. cream colored & medium, exactly what i wanted-and in perfect barely ever used condition. i scooped it up! so excited! i had a maya wrap on my registry but am so glad i found one for cheaper. 

whoooooot!!!

awesome!

[loveandgarbage]

Nice score! I check our local CL when I remember to but haven't found any deals yet. I live in a very crunchy area so I'm a bit surprised there aren't more wraps or even cloth diaper stashes on there.

[kellybeth]

i get to choose between 2 craigslist areas since i'm smack-dab in the middle of both. it's amazing how much stuff is on there!

[HouseofPeace]

Originally Posted by loveandgarbage 

Nice score! I check our local CL when I remember to but haven't found any deals yet. I live in a very crunchy area so I'm a bit surprised there aren't more wraps or even cloth diaper stashes on there.

i found after moving to a more crunchy area, it's harder to find the crunchy stuff.  i don't know why!  i got loads of free cloth/organic diapers, and could find lots of crunchy stuff when it wasn't stuff everyone wanted or passed on to their friends.  here, in crunchy land, i'm actually forced to look a lot longer and harder for good deals.  and i scandalize people b/c i give stuff away all the time and they would be more likely to sell it.  ???

[kellybeth]

Originally Posted by HouseofPeace 

i found after moving to a more crunchy area, it's harder to find the crunchy stuff.  i don't know why!  i got loads of free cloth/organic diapers, and could find lots of crunchy stuff when it wasn't stuff everyone wanted or passed on to their friends.  here, in crunchy land, i'm actually forced to look a lot longer and harder for good deals.  and i scandalize people b/c i give stuff away all the time and they would be more likely to sell it.  ???

i feel like boulder is pretty crunchy, but they also have way too much money and end up throwing so much stuff out. 

[HouseofPeace]

yes, i would consider boulder crunchy!

we used to live in Santa Fe, NM.  and that was a wonderfully crunchy place.  then we moved to Massachusetts.....

we're in the crunchy part of massachusetts now, but were considered 'hippies' where we were before.  and that was not a good thing to those who used the label!  that said, there are so many benefits to living in the crunchy areas- like farms, eco-conscious people, family friendly people (as well as less family-friendly communities, but they're less verbally negative about choosing a larger family than our previous area), midwife/doula/homebirth aware people, co-ops, locally owned businesses, better food supply, and lots of beautiful areas to walk that you can take kids and dogs!!!

in fact, my husband was saying he feels like he's not 'crunchy' enough out here!  his beard is not big enough, he uses traditional shampoo and conditioner (1x a week!), and we use a dryer.  to name a few things!  but we love this more laid back community for sure!  I miss the west though....

[kellybeth]

Originally Posted by HouseofPeace 

yes, i would consider boulder crunchy!

we used to live in Santa Fe, NM.  and that was a wonderfully crunchy place.  then we moved to Massachusetts.....

we're in the crunchy part of massachusetts now, but were considered 'hippies' where we were before.  and that was not a good thing to those who used the label!  that said, there are so many benefits to living in the crunchy areas- like farms, eco-conscious people, family friendly people (as well as less family-friendly communities, but they're less verbally negative about choosing a larger family than our previous area), midwife/doula/homebirth aware people, co-ops, locally owned businesses, better food supply, and lots of beautiful areas to walk that you can take kids and dogs!!!

in fact, my husband was saying he feels like he's not 'crunchy' enough out here!  his beard is not big enough, he uses traditional shampoo and conditioner (1x a week!), and we use a dryer.  to name a few things!  but we love this more laid back community for sure!  I miss the west though....

i love it out here. i lived in kentucky for a while and i was called a hippie--you sure do find good people to call friends when you're singled out for positive lifestyle choices. but for the record i do not like patchouli. 

I LOVE the co-ops, farmers markets and csa programs here. i volunteered at one of the many local organic farms and got free produce in return. that was awesome. i can't wait to wear my beautiful baby and dig in some dirt next spring.

one thing i could do without are the people pretending to meditate in the middle of the bike path. bike path=bike/walk/run/yogging (this new thing) , not sitting half lotus.

[HouseofPeace]

Originally Posted by kellybeth 

but for the record i do not like patchouli. 

LOL!!!  not at all!  stinks and makes me think somethings gone moldy!!!

[BaMo]

We have two k'tans - one for DH and one for me - because of our height weight differences we had to get 2. But, we do like them.