Sling question (a materialistic thing)

[GinaRae]

I am looking for a ring sling and an MDC mama is offering to sell me one but says it's "girly looking" and thought I might not like that if I have a boy.

I'd never thought about this before. DO I care? I don't think so because the sling will be on me and it isn't about the baby, right? Or is it a faux pas to wear a girl sling with a boy?

I think she's making me overthink this one!!

[renaissanceed]

It's really a personal choice - I mostly think it's about you and what you are wearing rather than about the baby and their gender. My wraps/slings/MTs are a wide variety of colours from brown and blues to olive with flowers, to pinks and reds, but I think that I'd feel comfortable using all of them with a boy.

I would probably ask for pix before making a decision - it might not be to your taste, regardless of colours/patterns.

[CaraNicole]

i think that as long as momma loves it... IT'S A WINNER!

[ChiaraRose]

I don't know. I know a mom who wears a girly sling with her boy and she is kind of annoyed that everybody assumes he is a girl. If that bothers you I wouldn't do it. just my .02

[Ackray]

People ARE pretty stupid. I was wearing a blue shirt one day when I was PG with one of my older kids and some lady asked me if I was having a boy since I was wearing blue.:

I'd be annoyed if everyone around me asked dumb questions like that and I'd assume that people would think your baby boy was a girl if you had him in a girly sling.

You could get it now and resell it if you have a boy.

[Momma Aimee]

I carry a girly diaper bag

I have a green sling, but my new MT is girly --

I am a GIRL and I am the one carrying it..... IMO that is the geneder in question, not the question of the boy. some i know disagree.

This of this -- DH has a "manly" carrier -- he wil carry a girl in it too. He is not going to carry a pick carrier cuz of a girl....

i do not think the gender of the baby matters.

not tehre are things -- diaper bags and carriers -- that are really pink or girly that niether of my sisters -- neither being a girly-girl or into pink and hearts and so on -- would touch .....personal style NOT gender of the child

A

[crystalalene]

I'd just ask for a pic. If you like it, then who cares, right?

[scheelimama]

Okay, I'd probably be okay with flowers as long as the sling was in boy colors. I've really overthought this too. Because I have a sling in mind that I just adore, but it's very girly. I love this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/Akala-Aloha-Hawa...QQcmdZViewItem
But I wouldn't wear it with a boy. But there is a maroon hibiscus one on that sellers page that I would wear with a boy.

[De-lovely]

I think the ONLY thing that matters is what YOU like.....

[FillingMyQuiver]

Originally Posted by De-lovely

I think the ONLY thing that matters is what YOU like.....

:
I tend to prefer gender neutral things, leaning towards the blue side a lot. But that's MY preference, and it just so happened that my first was a boy, so it worked out. I'm not a girly-girl, so I'm not attracted to "girly" things. DS AND DD were worn in a denimish-blue Maya, a navy blue fleece Hotsling, a turquoise silk Oopa, and a black Kozy. No matter what they're in, people always think they're the opposite gender anyway:

For me, I also buy gender neutral so that DH feels comfy wearing it (he doesn't babywear enough to justify his OWN carrier ) The only carrier he wouldn't have liked wearing was my turquoise Oopa.

So, I say buy what you like and the heck w/ everyone else. They're going to be brainless anyway, even when your little girl is wearing head-to-toe pink, ruffles, and ribbons, they're still going to say "What a beautiful baby boy: "

[kathteach]

I have a sling with pink, blue, and green stripes. When I got it in the mail, the pink really predominated. No one ever thought DS was a girl, they were too busy oohing and ahhing over such a great contraption and how they wished they had one.
I think you should get the colors that make YOU feel good so you can feel great whenever you put it on and you will be more likely to wear it. And I don't think your question is materialistic at all. You deserve to be aesthetically pleased.

[GinaRae]

Perhaps because I am tired of the rules, tired of always having gender neutral or boy, boy, boy, I think I am going to get a really feminine sling, whether this babe is a boy or a girl. Thanks for all the viewpoints! It helped me see my own. It just doesn't bother me what people think (though it's annoying) and as someone mentioned, they almost always call the baby by the wrong gender. I mean, lady, do the big, red firetrucks and the blue hat mean nothing to you? Boy!

Jenn -- Did you like your Oopa? I've been drooling over those for two years. I am thinking about getting an Oopa for when the babe is old enough to sit up.

Aimee -- There's a girly diaper bag I want. Though they do also have it in one of my fave shades of blue, I may get the pinky one because I love it. Whether I have a boy or girl, I will choose the one I like.

[FillingMyQuiver]

Originally Posted by GinaRae

Jenn -- Did you like your Oopa? I've been drooling over those for two years. I am thinking about getting an Oopa for when the babe is old enough to sit up.

It was lovely, but kinda cost ineffective for us: So I sold it on the TP a few months ago. Honestly, it was this beautiful silk one that I had gotten in a coop 2yrs ago here on MDC and in the 2yrs I owned it, I think I wore it all of 5 times. I was SOOO afraid of messing up something that was so $$$ and so beautiful, I just couldn't really appreciate properly. Plus, we've been going through some rough financial times and I couldn't justify having this expensive sling sitting around when neither of my tots want to be worn anymore:

I'm more of a laid back sling girl. I think if one of the Oopa chambray or pique slings had been available, I probably would have enjoyed it more.

[Valerieg]

IMO, I have to wear the sling, so I should like it. But ITA that people believe that the color represents the baby. Today I was wearing a blue swimsuit and the woman said that I was having a boy. I wore the same swimsuit when PG with DD! When I told her that she still swore I was having a boy. Hmmmph!

I tend to lean towards gender neutral just because that's more my style. I'm just not the girly type. But I'd say get what you like. People mistakenly guess at sex all the time! People still said, 'oh he's so cute' even when DD was dressed entirely in pink!

[Undercover Hippie]

I had never thought about this. I have two slings right now, a purple batik one with flowers and butterflies, and a white one with red, pink, and orange flowers. I wonder if I have a boy, will I feel the urge to make a few in more "neutral" fabrics? Hmm...

I think I don't really care about the gender of the baby as long as I like it. If I make more it will just be because a new baby (whatever the gender) is a good excuse to make more! When I made them I picked fabrics that I loved. I guess the second one, I did make after I knew I was having a girl. But the first one I made when I just had a boy. And I guess I also don't care about my DH's ego or preferences at all--I have lots of pics of him carrying DD in the floral print sling and I never thought about making him a more manly one!

[LittleLlama]

I debated about this for a while too. Eventually I decided that it would bug the heck out of me for people to think Titus was a girl. He's an absolutely georgous child with long eyelashes, so no amount of "tackle football" shirts and blue and short hair would get people past a pink floral print wrapped around his bum.


When I wsa a newborn, my mom had me in this adorable dress, ruffles and puffed sleeves (so says Mom) and a man comes up and says somehting about her "beautiful son". My mom corrects him and he goes "Oh, the BLUE DRESS threw me off." : So really, no matter what you'll get some oddballs!

[Momma Aimee]

i know i pick carriers and diaper bags based on me -- not the child. Theo doesn't have a boy diaper bag with foot balls and stuff -- i have seen them -- he is not carrying it

I did pick a green plaid, gender non-specific -- sling for our first carrier...more cuse i thought it would go with a lot... and i am not one to fashion match my purse and shoes so not my carrier either. ALso under the midguided idea DH might wear him. I was too uneducated to realize DH and I could never wear the same size sling and DH can't wear him in it -- did try a few times.

I jsut got a MT -- and it is black and the print is on black, women baby wearing. a lot dearker that i expcted and while i love the MT I do not tlike that. it is hot and i do not like balck and so on related to babies. i wish i had asked for a differnt collor for the straps and the non-print aears.

I am going to make my own moby -- and i plan to use like a purple. Sis is having a girl, and i am making us both one -- so i alomst wish i knew so i could make us pink if i am having one too -- a mauve or someing .... but i am going to use a purple (if i can find one) or something.....

AImee

[monocyte]

Guess I never thought about that way...I get it if I like it, no matter whose riding in it. My ergo is that red-ish color that almost looks pink, and DH kind of made a noise about it since he used it as well, but I convinced him it was Nantucket red and that shut him up. But, no compaints about the boy in it.

But, all of my other slings are blueish or redish - all for me, not the baby in it.

I guess it really doesnt matter to me (and some of my dipes are more girly, but I still put ds in them - might not take him to the docs or for photos/somewhere else that he might have to show it).

[GinaRae]

Originally Posted by FillingMyQuiver

It was lovely, but kinda cost ineffective for us: So I sold it on the TP a few months ago. Honestly, it was this beautiful silk one that I had gotten in a coop 2yrs ago here on MDC and in the 2yrs I owned it, I think I wore it all of 5 times. I was SOOO afraid of messing up something that was so $$$ and so beautiful, I just couldn't really appreciate properly. Plus, we've been going through some rough financial times and I couldn't justify having this expensive sling sitting around when neither of my tots want to be worn anymore:

I'm more of a laid back sling girl. I think if one of the Oopa chambray or pique slings had been available, I probably would have enjoyed it more.

Oh I hear you. Silk.. well as much as I would love some of them, it wouldn't be appropriate for me. I never have decided which one. Still, I get to drool!

[Momma Aimee]

i know

I see sooooooooooooooooooo many cool wraps, carriers and so on.... i can look at teh web sites for hours............buttttttttttttt they are basicaaly jsut a few (sling, ajustable, pouch, wrap, MT/aisan carrier)..................so i don't feel i can justify a lot of them................