Anybody thinking about newborn slings yet?

[hypatia]

I know it's a little early, but is anybody thinking of getting a new sling for your newborn?

I can't figure out how I am going to take care of a baby and a toddler unless I can nurse the baby in the sling while attending to the toddler, so I am determined to learn to nurse in the sling this time around. While I love my KKAFP, but I just never figured out nursing in it, so I'm in the market for something else.

What is the best sling for nursing a newborn in? Any suggestions? I looked around the babywearing boards, but there were so many slings it made me dizzy.

[liliesandliars]

Oh, I've been thinking about this too!

I thought either this sling (http://www.thebabyhammock.com/babybundler.htm) or this one (http://www.thebabyhammock.com/newnativecarrier.htm) would be good for a young baby.

[Viriditas]

Sorry! Just had to jump onto your thread for a minute to post this link to mamatoto (http://www.mamatoto.org/default.aspx?tabid=154)

This is a way to tie a wrap so you can nurse a newborn hands-free! I haven't used it (heck, I'm not even pg yet) but I saw it the other day and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. You can even bend over and touch your toes!

Don't know if it will help, but there you go!

Amy

[s_kristina]

I am thinking I will probably be making a flannel sling and I am not sure what else. I made my first sling when dd was about 13 months and have used them up until recently so we have a collection. Obviously with her age I haven't nursed a newborn in a sling yet, but I did nurse her in the sling when she was older. I just made a sling for my friend her ds was born in December and its the only way she can get anything done with her special needs dd. Here is a pic of dd last summer in one of her slings pink sling (http://kristinascorner.com/images/Rose_2A2.jpg).

[Awaken]

Yep, I've thought about it a lot. I didn't get the hang of the sling till ds was over 3 mos, and didn't get my maya wrap till he was over a year and now I'm kicking myself!! He is so high needs, too, that we really needed to have been using it earlier!

This time around my plan is to keep the little critter in the maya wrap from day one, because ds hasn't eased up on his neediness one bit! The baby is going to need to be content and have easy nursing access and I'm going to have to be hands-free in order to deal with ds #1. I like the maya b/c you can make it as tight or loose as you need to depending on the size of the baby, carry them snugly to you, or on your hip when they get older.

[FillingMyQuiver]

I have a small collection of slings and have been thinking about which ones I'm going to use w/ the new babe and what new ones I want to get to add to the collection. I do have on hand: :innocent
~ Maya Wrap ring sling
~ Oopa Baby silk ring sling
~ Kozy Carrier mei tei
~ Hotslings fleece pouch

I'd like to get a Hug-a-Bub wrap and maybe a stretchy pouch too. I'm in the same boat, need to keep up w/ DS, so the L'il Bean's going in a carrier :wink

[MamaFern]

i have a new native carrier that i found second hand. i loved it for my young baby, but it was too big for him when he was NB.. he fit well in it at about 4 mos, but he was tiny, so maybe this baby will be bigger and it will work well..
im thinking about a wrap around cotton sling.. i dunno what they are called but my SIL used one with her NB and it looked so nice and comfy

[Queen of Cups]

I made a pouch sling - here's the pattern (http://www.ida.net/users/stace/sling.html) - before DS was born and I used it all the time when he was a newborn. When he wanted to be sitting up looking out all the time it didn't work for awhile because he wasn't big enough for it to be used to hold him on my hip. But now he's big enough so we use it all the time again. (To sum up - it was perfect for 0-3 months and then from 9 months on.)

[emomama]

i have a padded pouch sling that i used with the boys and a mei tai style carrier i got from babyfairies.com for later on that i LOVE... i might try making a new pouch sling though as the other one i have is made out of some really nasty fabric... i always hated wearing it in public. :p

[mamatoady]

everyone around here swears by themaya wrap, I believe it to be the most versitile, adjustable andeasy to nurse in.

gl,
sarah

[BensMom]

I never got the hang of the Maya when DS was a newborn. He never did like laying sideways, preferred being upright, and was later diagnosed with reflux, so it made sense.

This time, I will use a Moby WRap (http://www.mobywrap.com/) and a fleece pouch early on. I love the pouches and am excited that we will have a winter baby who will not get too hot in a fleece pouch for the first few months.

I was never able to nurse hands free in a sling, but I imagine I will be learning quickly this time around. Necessity is the mother of invention. :LOL

[snugglebutter]

I'm hoping to find a pouch sling that works for us. For me, I know that the "tail" on the wraps would drive me crazy.

[liliesandliars]

The tails on the wraps are supposed to be used for breastfeeding, but I could definitely see how they would get annoying other times!

[hypatia]

Zack,

You have an Oopa (http://www.oopbaby.com)? Those look so pretty. How is it in person? Is it functioal? They seem to have a lot of fabric hanging down.

everyone around here swears by themaya wrap, I believe it to be the most versitile, adjustable andeasy to nurse in.

Yes, I have been wondering if just a plain old ring sling would be a good thing. All of these wraps seem really cool, but they seem like a hassle to me.

[FillingMyQuiver]

Zack,

You have an Oopa (http://www.oopbaby.com)? Those look so pretty. How is it in person? Is it functioal? They seem to have a lot of fabric hanging down.



Yes, I have been wondering if just a plain old ring sling would be a good thing. All of these wraps seem really cool, but they seem like a hassle to me.
Actually, I thought it was going to be a lot of fabric, but it's just as much as my medium Maya Wrap. I think they just look like a lot of fabric cuz most of the mamas in the pics are really emphasizing the fabric. I like my Oopa :D It's comfy and pretty. It's not my workhorse sling, though. I use it for my "fancy" times, like weddings, Sweet 16 parties I have to go to, y'know, when I dress up. I have the turquoise silk shantung one w/o any lining. It's made really well and I enjoy wearing it, makes me feel pretty while carrying DS :love

[kroonkles]

I bought a Maya wrap for ds when he was a newborn, but I am not the most coordinated person and had a really hard time putting it on properly while he was screaming away and needing to be held. I then bought a new native, which worked OK, but had some trouble with the sizing (bought M, S, then M again and ended up making the M a bit smaller...)
Not sure if I will try something new this time. I was disappointed that my Maya didn't work, it was so pretty...

[hypatia]

Zack, I love the turquoise Oopa. I am really tempted to splurge on a pretty sling, but I haven't worked up the guts yet.

[*Amy*]

I just looked at Sidecar slings, and they seem simple and cute. They are a pouch sling, so no rings, which seems easy. Maybe that would be a good one for DH?

[averymybaby]

I agree with a pp, I tried a New Native with Avery when she was teeny and it was way too big! They sell a little pillow to stick in there to bring them up out of the fabric, but even with that she was lost in there. :LOL I still have my KKAFP and am thinking about using it, but a little scared to do the pouch thing with a babe so small (have heard a horror story about SIDS in a pouch).

[hypatia]

What were the circumsances of the SIDS in the pouch incident? I shudder to think about it.

Last time, we used the KKAFP with DS from birth, and it was very nice except that it was so warm that it made me nervous to have his head tucked in the pouch. He would get overheated, so we would have to leave his head sticking out of the pouch.

This time, I hope to use the KKAFP starting when he has head control and can sit in the kangaroo carry position, looking out at the world. Until then, I think I will use a Moby and my KK padded sling, which don't get so warm and provide better head support.

[PM]

I'm undecided between a fleece pouch from Kangaroo Korner and a pouch from WiseWomanSling. And I know there was another pouch I saw somewhere that I liked even better than the WiseWoman, in terms of looks, but I can't remember where that was!

You all should read the reviews here on MDC. The New Native does not get good reviews.

Wraps sound too complicated for a tired mommy. Plus, I don't like the look of them very much.

I can't wait to be one of the only mamans in Paris with a sling. Everyone uses BabyBjorn (or that type).

[momoen1]

I recently ordered an adjustable hemp fleece pouch from www.momandmepouch.com. I also already have a Mayawrap and a Didymos. Can never have too many good slings. :)

Mona

[Belleweather]

I'm thinking Hotsling, or some other pouch kind of a sling. I'm trying to decide if I should buy one at first, or make one from a pattern I found on the internet and see how that goes. I'm a pretty accomplished seamstress and there are only three seams -- what do you think?

[hypatia]

ParisMaman, I have a friend in Paris who has a Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch, so you won't be the only one with a sling. Not that that's much consolation, I suppose.

Belleweather, I don't think it would be that hard to sew your own pouch. I would just do it.

[s_kristina]

Belleweather, I'd say make your own sling/pouch and see how you like it. They are pretty easy to make although you might want to do the french seam on a straight edge first if you have never made one before. I like making my own slings so that I can adjust them exactly how I want them. I have never really cared for pouches though because I like being able to adjust the sling as I go for nursing and sleeping and all the different things we go through during the day.

[cjbeach]

I have used a maya pouch and a homemade unpadded sling with DS and DS but my favorite was my fleece Kangaoo Korner pouch. Since FL weathe is too hot for the fleece I'll probably make another unpadded sling and purchase a New Native baby carrier with this baby.

[MamaFern]

i just bought a solarveil water wrap from someone on MDC. im hoping it will work in and out of water.. and also that it will work with my son while im pregnant throughout the summer. i really want a sling that i can comfortably carry him with but my shoulder and back gets sore fast. im hoping that this one will be good for a back carrier. it looks soft and lightweight and cool, so ill let you know how it feels when it gets here!

[cjbeach]

i just bought a solarveil water wrap from someone on MDC. im hoping it will work in and out of water.. and also that it will work with my son while im pregnant throughout the summer. i really want a sling that i can comfortably carry him with but my shoulder and back gets sore fast. im hoping that this one will be good for a back carrier. it looks soft and lightweight and cool, so ill let you know how it feels when it gets here!
I had one! You'll like it a lot. I re-sold mine on ebay so I no longer have it. It is very lightweight, great for warmer climates and wonderful, wonderful in the water. I usually stick to peapod or chest-to-chest holds and can vouch for the fact that the Solarveil was great in those positions. Congrats on your find!!!