Baby Wearing - Sling vs Pouch

You might try a hotsling...no rings in them, and they come in a ton of patterns and cloth types!
http://www.babysnazz.com/index.php?main_page=index&cP... is the link to the hotslings website

There is a lot of talk about different kinds of carriers on this list. Have you looked at previous posts?

We have a Moby wrap, Ergo carrier, and Hotsling pouch. We (parents and baby) like the Ergo the best. The Moby is pretty versatile. The pouch is simple to use. I wish I would have tried a ring sling, too.

The Sling Station has a lot of different styles to choose from and advice for helping you pick the best one for you. I think it's good to have couple of different styles.
http://www.theslingstation.com/

Check out the didimos at www.didimos.com
I had this with my son and it was wonderful. He loved it and it was very comfortable on me. They are on the more expensive side, but well worth it. The tying methods take some practice, but again, well worth it.

In the first few months I loved the Ultimate Baby Wrap - but it's one of those things you'll just want to leave on at home and pop the baby in and out of b/c it's a lot of fabric to keep wrapping and unwrapping - even though it's easy.
My favorite and lasts from newborn until...well I use it sometimes with my 2 yr old still - is the Kangaroo Korner pouch. I LOVE the fleece one - which I plan to use with my new baby due in Jan too. It's great for keeping little ones warm so you don't have to bundle them in big bulky clothes. You can wear the baby in several different positions, it's adjustable, easy to carry/store, and can act as an extra blanket/burp cloth when you're out. It's washable and doesn't shrink. I also like the one made out of UV protection material called Solarviel. You can wear it swimming (or even showering), it's very lightweight, and dries really quickly. Whenever I wear one of these pouches people approach me about where to get it. You can only get it on their website, but they're very good about sizing and exchanging. This will be my 3rd child that I'll be using the same 2 pouches.
www.kangarookorner.com

I have the New Native Baby Carrier, it's a ring-free sling. It's pretty great, puts him right to sleep. Now that he's a little bigger, it's not so comfortable for me (too heavy), but he still likes it. For long treks I use the Ergo, but to get him to nap (if he's being resistant) I use the sling. Their website is: www.newnativebaby.com.

Good luck and big congratulations!

My friend swears by the pouches found at http://www.kangarookorner.com/

i loved my sling from psny, great style,quality and comfort but most important safe!!! you need to be careful out there with some slings that have been recalled i remember the infantino one on the list. to look at the psny slings you can go to their SOHO boutique or at www.pslingnewyork.com

I love my Maya Wrap! I actually found the ring to be so much easier! Especially now that he's older, and on my hip. I find it very comfy (get the one with the padded shoulder though), and so much easier to get on and off than the other wraps. No knots, and simple to adjust. I also use it to keep him seated in the cart at the grocery store!

Best of luck with the new baby!

I love the Moby Wrap, I use it several times a day.

Good luck.

Hi S., I have 4 slings that I tried, and these are the only two that worked

http://www.mykarmababy.com/catalog.php?item=25&all=ye...
that's my favorite because of the fabric and weight, and i love th japananese writing on it - looks very dressed up
and
http://www.mykarmababy.com/catalog.php?item=1&catid=1... - the fabric is heavier because there are 2 fabrics , and it doesn't give as much, but DD doesn't seem to mind.

DD - now 5.5 months old, loves the sling now, and can sleep in it for hours, but I couldn't get her used to it until she was about a month old. After that, she lived in it while she was awake. Now I only put her in if she's fussy (teething) or for shopping. I put her in the sling at the mall yesterday and pushed the bags in the stroller. She sleeps better in the sling than the stroller. Good luck!

I have used a few different slings, pouches and wraps and what I have discovered is that not all babies like all carriers. I have a Didymos which is my favorite, the tying is a snap once you practice a few times. The pros : very comfortable, soft next to you and baby, It will put any baby to sleep even if they fight it at first. My 3 year old who hadn't been in the carrier for almost a year at that point, was not feeling well one day and nothing I did seemed to help so I put my Didymos on and within 5 minutes he was sleeping like a baby. It is possible to walk for hours (we like to hike) and not feel it. Cons: It is long so it will drag on the ground if you need to tie it outside and can get hot in the warmer weather. I also have a Hotsling which gets a lot of use since it is easy to put on and take off. This is terrific for short periods of time especially if you need something you can put on in a snap. I have a Mai Tai which I love for the hotter weather. If you are looking for a good resource check out www.peppermint.com they sell many brands and are also very helpful.

I actually wore a ring sling with my newborn last year until about 4-5 months then went to a mei tai because it became strenous on my shoulder. The mei tai evenly distrubts pressure and its easy adjust! check out
thebabywearer.com and u will gain a plethora of knowledge good luck!!!!

you have got to go and do your research on thebabywearer.com there is so much info, reviews, pics, ect you can buy a used carrier off there to try before committing to what you like best.

also, imo-
ringslings are nice since they adjust and are easy to breastfeed in. i personally dont like having to adjust the ring though. they are a one shoulder carry.
pouches are good for quick ins and outs like the post office but i wouldnt use it for long periods. they must be sized correctly which can be difficult. they are a one shoulder carry.
wraps are so supportive and versatile. they can be expensive, and very intimidating considering their size. they are very snuggly for a newborn.
mei tais take a little learning but are nowhere near as intimidating as they seem. they are very supportive with 2 shoulders to carry. are very pretty and unique. little one has to ride with legs in during the beginning or you could cinche the bottom to allow the legs out.
soft structured carriers have all the ideas ofa mei tai but are nice since they have buckles and the straps will never get dirty. have a structured waist so they distribute the weight to your hips, not shoulders. they can hold very heavy babies.

i would highly suggest 2 shoulder carriers for long term use, you will have much more support, and truly be hands free. in a perfect world, i would get a moby for those early infant days. then a mei tai for 15lbs+ at home for daily use. then a soft structured carrier for outside of the home daily use. and maybe a pouch to throw in my diaper bag for whenever i may need it or the post office. remember, if you want true babywearing success, you may have to try more than one. everyone has different bodies with different needs so it takes time to see what works. good luck

I wasn't a bjorn fan either, so I chose the Baby K'tan. www.babyktan.com
No rings, just really nice cotton t-shirt fabric. It is one of those that can be transformed into multiple holders, so it takes a little practice to figure it out.

The Moby Wrap!!!! It is so great. My son never liked to lay down in a pouch or sling, but in the moby he could be upright. There are tons of possitions and because it wraps all around you, you don't get a sore shoulder or start to feel like you back is out of whack the way you do with the one sholdered pouches and slings. I know it isn't as cute as the pouches, but I am telling you...it is a life save. I am prego with my second now and planning on using it right from the start so I can play with my 2 yard old while the new baby sleeps, breastfeeds, etc...

I love my ergobaby carrier! www.ergobabycarrier.com

Here is a great publication put out by Mothering magazine (a wonderful resource for all sorts of things)all about babywearing. Good luck and have fun!

http://www.mothering.com/shop/index.php?target=products&a...

Hi S.,
I love carrying my little girl! I used the Moby Wrap since she was 2 weeks old. She and I loved it! She always hated the cradle position but loved the front tummy hold and she still loves it. It holds her so close and snug that she always falls asleep. I have used it during light hiking and it's so easy on my back and shoulders. Now I am using the Maya sling wrap too, same type of carry but it's easier to quickly get her in and out of for trips to the store etc. It does cut into my neck area a bit and isn't as comfy as the Moby but I really like it too. I am now looking into the Ergo carrier. I just love having options to carry her around. My husband has the Bjorn and it's okay for him but the Ergo can hold a much heavier child so I think it's a better choice. Good luck!

You can try the Moby wrap- they are really comfortable and versatile and especially good for infants.

I know you said without rings, but I loved the Maya Wrap ring sling. My first was 2 yrs when I had my second and I could not have survived without my maya wrap- my baby was in it all the time and I was very mobile and able to clean the house, do laundry, etc. not to mention go to parks and shopping. If you have it on properly (not twisted or too high on your shoulder) and you wear shoes with some support (I love Danskos) you should be very comfortable....