I have recently been asking about baby gear - so, first off, wanted to say thanks for all the great advice. This time I am looking at either going with a sling carrier or a baby carrier. Which would you use. I like the idea of the slings, but I just remember reading all these recalls about them. What do you think?
thanks!!
I have an Ergo. It is AWESOME. I can even carry my 38lbs toddler in it and she feels light as a feather. They are a bit pricey, but you can use them for a long time. It is a carrier, and honestly, I wish I'd gotten it before trying (buying) any other carriers.
I had both. I got the sling first because like you I liked the idea of it, but when I placed my son in it I could barely see him. There is so much fabric! plus he seemed to be very scrunced up (and he was only21in long) it didnt look comfy at all. So I bought a baby carrier instead. It was cheap (under $20) and it worked great. my son loved it and fell asleep in it everytime I carried him around in it.
What you should do is try both out and choose the one that is most comfortable for you. I tried several and ended up liking the Baby Bjorn the best, but that was just my preference. I know many people that love the slings.
Neither one of my kids liked the sling they got really warm. My daughter is still a radiator when she sleep.
The Infantino brand baby slings were recalled a little while ago - so I would be careful that if you choose a sling, it's not one that could have the same problems.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10177.html
Personally, I like the baby carrier better. It takes a little getting used to because it just feels a little odd at first :)
I loved my sling. I saw a recall about them, but it had mostly to do with not fastening them in right. I also liked using a wrap, which if you want the most use out of is great for newborns +. Good Luck!
I love using wraps. They are by far my favorite and most versitile carrier. I have then in several different styles. With longer ones I can do a front carry that I can easily nurse in or a back carry for when I need to get thing done. With shorter ones I can tie them in a one shoulder carry so that it is easy to get the baby in and out. I can also do simple back carriers in the shorter wraps as well. I would suggest looking into a woven wrap instead of a stretchy one like the Moby. It has a much higher weight range and will be more secure. They make them in linen blends for use in the summer so that you don't get to warm. If you are interested in learning a lot more about all the different carriers our there I would suggest visiting www.thebabywearer.com.
I purchased a HotSling first and was concerned about suffocating my baby when she was a newborn... so upon a recommendation I got a Moby Wrap and LOVED IT! I still use the Hotsling with my 22 month old to help hold her on my hip when she's sleepy and we're out and about. I haven't used the moby for a while but keep it around in case I decide to.
My baby was a fall baby so the Moby wrap was great to use with no heating problem.
From my understanding slings are just slings, they are ok, if you use them right for newborns, but you get more variety of positions that you can wear your baby with a carrier. That being said, most carriers are only for children old enough to support their own head. A nice wrap will serve both a newborn and a small child, in any variety of positions. I personally will get a wrap and a carrier (olives and applesauce are great carriers, check them out online) but with 3 much older kiddos I plan on wearing my baby a LOT.
STAY AWAY from slings for sure!!!! there was a report not that long ago about a baby dieing in the sling...their lil necks arent supported enough and the babies neck broke..why take the chance? i would be to paranoid to even consider it.I have used the carrier for my 3kids and they were fine in it and i havent heard anything scarey about them ;) hope everything helps..good luck :)
I was also very gunho about the baby sling but never took the weather into account. My daughter was a summer baby and those slings are very thick so everytime I put her in it she started sweating like crazy and would freak out because she HATED to be hot. By the time the weather cooled off she was too big for the sling. Other than the temperature thing I LOVED the sling and when I did buy the baby carrier that strapped her to the front of me she hated it. Sometimes it depends on your baby's preferance. Try them both out and keep the one they like best.
