[coopnwhitsmommy]

My sister is expecting baby number two in July. When the new baby arrives her dd will be 16months old. I want to give her a baby carrier to make her life a little easier. Give me suggestions Mammas (no ring slings though she doesn't like them)

 

[AmandaBL]

For the 16 month old, I'd say an ABC/Mai Tai - it's sturdy & versatile. If you're asking for the newborn, you'll get a lot of pouch recomendations as they seem to be really popular. I'm not a pouch girl myself. Wraps are really secure, which is nice for a newborn, but they're tricky at first & can be intimidating... I'm sure you'll get lots of pointers! Good Luck!

 

[pdxcdingmomma]

It's hard to pick just one carrier :LOL, but here are a couple of suggestions:

Pouches are really user-friendly and great for all ages, so that would be a nice choice. But, you need to have it sized just right, so if you're trying to give it as a gift and/or she's currently pregnant, that can be difficult.

Wraps are fabulous for all ages, but have a high learning curve. Some people don't want to mess with all the fabric and figuring them out.

ABCs/mei tais are versatile for newborns and toddlers and many find them easier to figure out than wraps. But they're not as easy to nurse discreetly in and some don't like them as well for little babies.

Sorry, that probably didn't help much, did it?

 

[suz515]

I second the pps suggestion of a wrap. They are gorgeous and the most versatile carriers out there. She can easily use it for her dd and her newest without problem.

I would recommend a woven wrap like the Ellaroo over a stretchy wrap like the Moby. With the wovens she can easily do a rucksack or back carry for the 16 month old... or do a front carry for the little one.

 

[Quindin]

I hope I am not going to be flamed here but I have a different opinion about wraps...

With a wrap you run the risk that she might give up baby wearing altogether - wraps are not for everyone because there is a good learning curve with them.

Even I, who had strongly made up my mind to use wraps alone, and wanted soooo much to love my Storch, eventually decided to sell it... I found that dealing with the huge amount of fabric + the time it took me to untie and tie was not worth the beauty and comfort of the wrap once it was on...

Having said that, I do love my stretchy wrap for my little baby and I kept my Gypsy Mama gauze wrap for when I might feel like wearing something that pretty. I might even give Storchs another try later on...

However, since I began using MeiTais I can't look back.They are soooooo easy to use and so comfortable. While I need to struggle to get my baby on my back with a wrap, I can do that in less than a minute with my Freehand.

My sister just had her second baby and she loved the idea of a MeiTai. I showed her my wrap and all, but she felt they were too overwhelming. People are really impressed with the beauty and how smart the wraps I were looked, but when I asked if they wanted to try them, they said it was just too complicated for them... I did get two of my friends to buy MeiTais though

 

[Patrice#1]

How about pouches? They are super easy to use, and very quick to put on!

 

[emsstacey]

I second a pouch.

Stacey

 

[crystallynn]

You can always get an adjustable pouch if you are worried about size. I personally would ask her to pick out the fabric color because a sling is such a personal choice.

 

[karisma]

You could do a Hotslings gift certificate. That way she'll get the right size AND pick out the pattern that she wants.

http://hotslings.com/

 

[reilly's momma]

Well, since she doesn't like ring slings, a pouch might be the best idea (drawback is it's not likely to fit anyone else who might be carrying the babe). A mei-tai is a really good idea, but I'm not sure if that would work well with a newborn (would be great for the toddler, though).

 

[SaraMama]

I think an adjustable pouch is the way to go. She'd be able to wear both babes with it since it can be tightened for the newborn, then loosened for the toddler.

My favorite pouch is the Pea in a Pod Pouch from Mom and Me Creations and she even has a few in stock right now (which is VERY rare). Here is the link to her instock store: www.hyenacart.com/momandmecreations It is sooo comfortable and EASY to wear. I couldn't live without mine.

That said, I also like my wrap a lot, but like the PP said, the learning curve can be intimidating, especially for someone new to babywearing.

HTH!

 

[Momma2LiamandTara]

Mei Tai! Much more support for a bigger child. I'd get her a Kozy.