Child Carriers or Slings?

Hey A., I just bought the Moby wrap, and although my daughter hasn't been born yet (I have a 7 year old and 2 year old son,am due next month with a girl), I can already tell you I'm much happier with the wrap than with the baby carriers I've used in the past. It's much more versatile, plus I'm excited about the claim that you can breast feed hands free. Also, I found a brand new Moby D wrap on eBay for half the price. Good Luck! N.

I love my moby wrap. I got it from a friend as a hand me down. I don't know what I would do without it. Took me a bit to get used to it, but it was wonderful for my daughter in early infancy, and still now that she's 7 months old.

I have a Moby that I borrowed from a friend, and I absolutely love it! The website has great instructions/videos on how to use it. And they really aren't too expensive either.

Also, the Moby is really versatile. You can wear it several different ways, unlike the bjorn. I had the bjorn with my daughter and I like the Moby much better :-)

I would suggest a mei tai or an ergo for getting the longest ability for usage. Also there is a store in Ann Arbor called the little seedling, http://www.treecitydiapers.com/store/. That will let you try out a bunch of different carriers.

I have the Ergobaby and LOVE it! We bought it at Buy Buy Baby, and they will let you try them on there. My 5 week old son just started going in it last week. I had a c-section, so I had to wait to use it because it does put the wait on your hips and pelvis area. It fits both me and my husband and is fairly quick to adjust between both of us. A friend gave me a sling, and he hates that but he doesn't like to be held in that position either. Congratulations and good luck!

I used a ring sling when I had my second child. Talk about hands free operation!! He was snuggled in right where he wanted to be and I could attend to my 3 year old with 2 hands instead of juggling a baby and preschooler lol
I also loved it because you know how EVERYONE wants to touch your baby when you go out, in the ring sling they have to invade your personal space as well and people don't usually go that far (unless they've already got space issues lol). Some people didn't even realize I had a baby in there until I showed them, he was tucked in so well haha just thought I was making a fashion statement (I chose a dark purple solid fabric)
I got mine off of eBay from a wahm. I got to pick from several fabrics and she made it for my shirt size.
I've kept it even though my son is 4 and use it when I babysit for friends or family:) best of luck!

Don't know firsthand experience, but have heard wonderful things about adjustable pouches - I am in a similar boat (expecting baby boy #3 ANY day! due tomorrow, but we'll see....) - and we wanted a hands free option too, with 2 other small children. We bought an adjustable fleece pouch from Kangaroo Korner. Again, haven't tried it firsthand, but have heard from many different sources that they're wonderful! They have all kinds of info on their website, plus many different options on babywearing.

www.kangarookorner.com

Good luck!

I used a pouch sling when my daughter was a newborn. I really liked it and it was cute :) Eventually I ordered an Ergo and kicked myself for not getting it earlier. It is wonderful! I can still put my almost 30 lb 2.5 yr old in it and its no problem to carry her around. (we used it a couple mos ago at the airport). LOVE the Ergo!!!

The Ergo is wonderful! It is designed like a mountaineering backpack in that the weight all sits on your hips, so there is no strain at all on your back/neck/shoulders. It is so comfortable. It is very well padded for you and the baby.

You can wear the baby in front, on the side, or on the back, and there is a special insert you can purchase for wearing infants.

It is also very easy to put on/take off.

It is a little costly compared to others but very worth it. If you are like me, it would actually cost less to buy it to begin with, because I bought a sling and didn't use it, and then the Bjorn and didn't use it either (they hurt my back too much and were too awkward). What a waste of money that was.

If you don't get the Ergo, I would highly suggest you steer clear of the Bjorn. It is very awkward and uncomfortable compared to everything else.

I have to recommend the Ergo baby carrier! You will love it! I had a bit of a collection starting with the baby bjorn (which is nice for a few months... but then is just a lot of strain on the back and i never had any luck getting a sleeping baby out without waking her) I also really like the sling style, but after a few months I found my back straining a bit as baby got bigger--it also may take a few times for your baby to find the comfort in that carry) I also had a Maya wrap good which I did like for the new born age although it seemed to be a tad cumbersome to put on... BUT by far the Ergo is superior in comfort, ease, and comfort for your baby--for several years. It was the only carrier that consistently put my baby to sleep for the first year. She loved it. You can wear them in the front with an insert for the newborn, then at 4 months, you can use the front carrier or on the back. Even there is a hip style you can carry your baby in. I sound like I work for this company... rest assured I do not work for Ergo but I have yet to find someone who did not love their ergo. You can look online.
anyways, good luck. A great baby carrier for number two is essential!

I have been/am a carrier and sling addict. I wrote a review of all of the ones I had at that time on my blog.

http://samanthakawakami.blogspot.com/2008/07/baby-slingca...

Since I wrote this blog, I have one more to add. The Ergobaby. This one is my absolute favorite. If you're only going to buy one, I recommend this one. For infants, you need an insert. I've never tried this because I bought the Ergobaby when my youngest was 10 months. But my sister used the Ergobaby with her infant and loved it.

Key points of the Ergobaby carrier:
1. The weight is all on your hips, so you don't feel it! You do not get the aching shoulders and headache that you get carrying a heavier baby/child in other carriers and slings. (The first time we used it hiking for a whole day is the first time that I carried our daughter for the entire day without wanting to give her to my husband after an hour or two.)
2. You can use it as a front, back and hip carrier. I've never tried it as a hip carrier. But being able to use it as a front and back carrier is fantastic. It gives you a lot of flexibility.
3. It's a bit tricky to get your child on your back until you get used to it, but it's very secure.
4. In the "pouch" where the child sits the fabric between their legs is wider (especially compared to a Baby Bjorn carrier). There are two advantages to this. One, it is better for the baby's hip positioning. Two, it means when they're just a bit bigger their legs are out to the sides more and not positioned right above your legs, making it difficult to go up steps because their legs are on top of yours.

I still use the Ergobaby with my 21 month old. She loves it.

I do still have two slings (a Maya Wrap and a Zolowear) that I plan to use with my upcoming baby. (And I sometimes use these to snuggle my daughter too.) I like the slings with smaller infants because I think they are easier for nursing in public. You can slip the baby over in the sling and nurse them and no one can tell. (I've done this in a business meeting before!)

I also have to say that I am debating picking up another Baby Bjorn carrier at a consignment shop because I do like this one for smaller infants. I like the fact that they're very securely against you. And I also think that it's a quite a bit easier than the Ergobaby with insert. The only thing is that by the time your baby is 6 months, you definitely will not want to use this carrier with them!

Another thing to consider is that each baby likes to be held differently. My first one liked to be horizontal in the sling, but my second one hated being horizontal and wanted to be vertical. Slings do provide a bit more flexibility this way. And if you're debating between a ring sling and a hotsling, I would go with a ring sling. Hotslings don't have nearly the flexibility. In a ring sling you can adjust how the baby sits in the sling by tightening the whole sling, or just the top rail or bottom rail. I gave a Maya Wrap to my sister-in-law and she loved it, and lended it to her sister to use.

There are so many choices out there. Good luck with finding one that fits for you.

Hi A.,

Congrats on your up and coming. I loved both the Hotsling and Moby wrap when my daughter was a newborn-8 months. The sling was much more convenient when I didn't feel like wrapping myself like a mummy, we went through all 3 positions (cradle, front and hip). The downside to the Hotsling is you have to have the right size, it's not adjustable, though other slings are.

The moby wrap was very versatile, but beware it did shrink a lot in length when I washed it even though I followed the directions to a T.

I now use the Ergo Carrier with her on my back, she and I both love it. She's 20# and I can carry her a long time without feeling sore. It's the only way I can vacuum, grocery shop, walk the dog, etc. We even used it at the zoo. My husband is even agreeable to the Ergo, which is nice. I did try it when she was a newborn with the infant insert but she seemed really uncomfortable. If you do get an Ergo, I suggest the lighter color fabrics, ours is black and it tends to get a little warm in the summer.

Good luck to you!!!

C.

I bought a sling and my son hated it. So I recommend finding a place that you can try them out after baby comes. They can be pretty pricey, and while it's def. worth the investment, you want one that baby will like to be in!

Blessings!

I love my ring sling...but I really like the idea of most of the baby carriers. If you don't mind spending a bit of money I highly recommend the Ergo. I have borrowed one of my friends a couple of times and it was Real Nice! You can use it with the insert from newborn to 40lbs (I think). They also have a belt extender is you need it. Good Luck!
Blessings, K.

I don't recommend the Bjorns the way they are constructed causes the baby to be suspended by his/her crotch...not comfortable.

The Moby has a learning curve to it. For first time sling users I recommend a Ring Sling or a pouch for the newborn phase. The Ring Sling can grow with your child and is pretty versatile. The pouches are pretty much obsolete by 3-4months IME. Though many Moms who have petite babies can get away with it for longer. For babies who can hold their heads up I'd go for a soft structured carrier like an Ergo or Beco. They are a bit pricey but can take you all the way to 30-40lbs comfortably.

Hi A., I own a business and we sell baby hawk carriers, among others- I love these carriers because they worked well for my infant all the way through my 4 year old, the fabric is sturdy so they seem to hold the little one firmly but comfortably, the straps are long as well so adjustable to any mommy

Definitely check out thebabywearer.com! You can meet up with moms who have an extensive stash and try out some. Bring a doll. :)

i had a ring sling with my older kids and loved it but a friend of mine got me a sleepiewrap for the new baby on the way and i think i am going to love it more good luck