Any suggestions for slings to carry around my newborn? He likes to be cuddled up close to me, hard to do anything using just one hand. Suggestions and websites greatly appreciated.
I bought my slings from www.slinglings.com. When I bought mine it was buy 2 get one free. They ended up being around $30 each. They have regular ones and ones with padding. I was very happy with both kinds. Another site you can try is www.etsy.com. It is a website for all things hand/homemade.
I bought a mama's milk sling and don't really recommend it. It looks nice but it has no elasticity so can be difficult to get baby in and out. And I didn't find it to be easy to adjust. I loved the idea of a sling, just not this one.
Slings are the way to go! I had 2 "carriers" with my first, and used neither. I finally got a sling with my second daughter, and I'm loving it! It's the only way I can get groceries with both girls.
I picked up mine from Target in a solid color. The brand is Hotslings, and they do have a website: http://www.hotslings.com.
There is another website with fantastic slings (a bit more pricey) at http://www.slinglings.com -- they are absolutely beautiful.
Hope that helps! Happy sling shopping.
Obviously, you've received plenty of responses, but I just wanted to echo my love for the Moby and the Ergo. I have both and LOVE LOVE LOVE them. I bought the Moby when my daughter was just days old and wore her around the house, even breastfeeding in it while doing household chores. I highly recommend the Moby - it is incredibly comfortable for both mother and baby. I really appreciated it for the fact that I could snuggle my baby against my chest and cover her up from prying strangers when going out when she was young. She'd sleep for hours in it. She's now 14 months old and we still use it. Because it's a little bit complicated, I recommend getting someone to show you how to use it. There is a video on the moby wrap website, but it's much easier if you get someone experienced to show you how. But once you've learned how to use it, it's really quite easy.
I also love my Ergo, but I use it more for quick trips/errands as it is more convenient and simple to take on/off while out than the Moby. (When I go out with my Moby, I generally just put it on at home in advance). It is also very comfortable, distributing the weight properly, and my daughter loves it too.
Good luck!
My sister used a moby wrap. Visit www.mobywrap.com It's essentially 20 feet of fabric with instructions. Pretty cool with lots of different wearable options.
I use the Moby Wrap with great success and my baby loves it. It gives him a great sense of closeness and I can even breastfeed him in it completely hands free. It's super convenient.
Oh you need Karen at handsfreebaby.com!!! She's wonderful and she has tons of slings! I have two favorite for newborns. One is the Moby Wrap. The other is a sling. both are fabulous. Check out Karen's website!
http://www.slingrings.com/babywearing.php
http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/sling.html
http://www.mayawrap.com/u_maya_wrap_101.php
If you don't sew, contact me, I make them! If you do, they are super easy. There are other links on the first site under make your own sling, but the second link is the style I prefer! Good luck and again, feel free to contact me ____@____.com
I love my Zolo sling! I don't know how anybody raises a baby without a sling. I had one with my first baby and used it so much that I wore it out and it finally ripped apart. (Not while a baby was in it. It happened very slowly.) I had to replace it with my second baby and I couldn't remember where I'd gotten it, so went on-line and googled "baby slings" and several sites for Zolo slings came up. I got a cotton one this time, but it's a little stiff. I can't remember what kind of material I had last time, but it was softer and a little easier to use. But both work fine.
The one thing I recommend is not to get a padded sling. I think those are very limiting. I've never tried one, but the people I know who have end up barely using it. I think those are only good for very little babies. The unpadded slings are very versatile and can be expanded to grow with your baby. I carry my six-month-old around in it everywhere facing forward and I carried her older brother in one until he was almost 18 months! The sling is by far the most important and best purchase I ever made.
Hi C.,
I didn't use slings, but I had a Moby Wrap that I used when my daughter was a newborn and I really liked it. My only complaint about the moby wrap is how big it is - lots and lots of fabric! But once you get the hang of tying it and manuevering the baby into it, it is very easy to use.
I recently bought a Baby Hawk carrier to use with her (now 17 months) when we travel, and I really like that as well. I think it would have been great when she was little also. (www.babyhawk.com)
I believe both of these items have organic versions as well.
Good luck wading through the options!
K.
You goy lots of great responses, and I agree with the woman who posts to visit the MD_VA_DC yahoo group. I am sure you can find a meeting local to you to try some carriers on. Everyone has a differnt opinion of what works best. I just had someone here today who came over with a Hotlsing and hated it for her 2 week old. She was so upset because she did her research online and thought that was the one! She tried on a Moby and LOVED it - so try on if you can!!
I am K. noted by Traci and Angie below - if you want to come to Dealware you can try on many of the ones others suggested (Moby, Hotsling, Ergo, Babyhawk and more!).
some tihngs to consider: Are you looking to nurse in it, does oyur baby like to be vertical or horizontal, will otehrs be wearing the same carrier (husband, caregiver), how often do you expect to carry and to what age, are there any limiting factors (bad back, plus size, ect..). These types of things will give a better idea of a suggestion for YOU.
Whatever you do, wearing your baby is AWESOME!!! My biggest suggetion is to be sure you get a carrier that holds your baby in the proper position (knees above butt, legs not dangling) for pelvis, hip and spine support.
K.
K.
You've gotten some great suggestions so far! I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents. Maya Wrap and Moby Wrap are fabulous!!!!!!!!
Love, love, love my babyhawk (babyhawk.com)! I used it with my 18 month old throughout my second pregnancy with no problem. I used it with my second from the day she was born. You can tuck them up really snug on your front and then carry them on your back for ages. Definitely great if your little one needs to be held as mine did! Good luck.
Over the Shoulder Baby Holder. You can find them at babyslings.com. They are about $40 come in a wide variety of prints and you can use them for children up to about 30lbs. I carrried one of mine in a sling until she was 3yr. They are a great investment. Much more convenient than a stroller when your out.
Check this one out - good site, too - http://www.mobywrap.com/
You might also be interested in this information about attachment parenting - http://www.attachmentparenting.com/
and possibly, infant massage - www.infantmassageusa.org.
I am certified in infant massage and happy to answer any questions you might have. There are classes in communities nationwide, or you can work one-on-one with an individual. It's another great way to promote closeness and bonding. A good resource (you can get from the library) is Vimala McClure's Infant Massage Handbook.
D. Rice
Editor, Piedmont Family Magazine
www.piedmontfamilymagazine.com
I actually had one of the more structured baby carriers with my youngest and he loved sleeping in it while I did housework. I used the Jeep one from Babies R Us (don't think they carry it online). Here's a link to the child carriers page on the Babies R Us website if you want, they carry a lot of different kinds including slings:
http://www.toysrus.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=2256186
maya sling - original style, no padding.
Hi, C. - You might want to contact Bayla, the Baltimore expert on "babywearing". www.softandcozybaby.com. Enjoy! N.
the moby is fantastic- i have a sling and a carrier also and they are great, but the moby is the best... I just walked around for two miles with my family wearing it with my four month old and it is so comfortable.
We really liked or infantino sling also and it felt very secure for the baby to be in. I have a hard time with front carriers and newborns but I think it is because I like to have them more craddled. the moby and sling offer this, however the moby offers versitile ways to wear it. you can sling them, face them forward, face them out, put them on your hip, carrier them on your back also.
L.
My husband an I both swear by our ErgoBaby. I have a bad back, but this is so comfortable! You can get the infant insert for newborns. Best wishes!
Everyone has given you great advice!! Choosing a first carrier can be really overwhelming and there's really no way to tell what's going to work for you. My personal favorite with a newborn is a stretchy wrap (like the moby or sleepy wrap) or a ring sling.
Thebabywearer.com is an awesome resource for both learning what's available and learning how to use it, and I also wanted to let you know that there is a babywearing group for the area where you can try out different carriers, and even borrow them before you buy anything.
The yahoo group link is here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Babywearing_in_DC-MD-VA/
and if you have any questions about the group feel free to message me- I'm a group leader and I'd be happy to meet up with you separately so you can try carriers if you can't make a meeting :)
R.
I think I have tried every baby carrier around -- I love them! If I were to only own 2 things, I would own an adjustable sling (brand is a personal choice based on how you want it to look, what type of fabric you want, how much you want to spend) and the Ergo. I didn't have my Ergo when my daughter was tiny (although I heard the infant insert works well). I got it when she was 10 months old, and I still use it now (she's almost 3). I did love the Ultimate Baby Wrap (like the Moby, I think), but it looks funnier and is a lot of fabric -- the sling is something you can put on while you hold your baby. Enjoy the exploration -- it is wonderful to have both hands free while snuggling your baby!
I had two Maya wraps and loved them both. One ring sling and one regular. I used them for different things and both my boys loved them from infancy until almost 3y/o. Check out their website because they have videos on using them and everything (www.mayawrap.com). I've also heard good things about the ergo carrier but did not use it myself until they were older - and loved it as a backpack carrier. They could get up and take a ride and then run around and it was so easy to transition. Good luck with your search and congrats on the baby!
I have a ring sling, a sleepywrap (similar to a moby), plus a bjorn. I think the bjorn was the least comfortable for me, but it is good for quick trips and pretty easy to get baby in and out. The most comfortable is the sleepy wrap (http://www.sleepywrap.com) and like the moby it takes a little practice to get it on, but it's easy after that and also easy to get baby in and out of. The ring sling is in the middle..it is pretty comfortable for me, but I felt like it was hard for me to get my son comfortable in it...I think it's better when they are older and can hold their heads up and you can carry them on your hip hands-free. There is a lot of info on http://www.thebabywearer.com. If you know people who have different carriers, you may want to try some out before you buy to see what works best for you and your son. Good luck!
I have a Moby wrap that my 6 week old LOVES. I got it at the Fair Oaks hospital Breastfeeding Center - they can show you how to use it and are really friendly there. There is also a website, www.mobywrap.com. Hope this helps!
I have a Peanut Shell for my almost 3 month old. She LOVES it. Falls asleep and literally will sleep for hours in it while we are out and about. I took my 2.5 year and the baby to the park today and the baby slept a little over two hours in the sling. I love it.
I used the "Hotsling" & it was Great! Comes in all kinds of fun colors to!
You can find them online www.hotsling.com, my daughter is small for her age ( just turned 3 ) & she liked it so much she still asks to be carried in it! Shes to big now but up until almost 2.5 I really could still use it~
I bought a couple different ones when my daughter was little. I really liked my Peanut Shell. You can purchase them off of the website. http://www.thepeanutshell.com/
good luck!
there are many slings out there, you could look at babyslings.com to compare styles & prices. I bought a hug-a-bub http://www.hugabub.com/ and I loved it. My SIL coveted it when I was using it so I gave it to her when she had her son and she loves it still. Once you get used to tying a sling, they are super easy to wear and easy to wear your baby. There are different ways to carry them as they grow. good luck
My two favorite comments that I got when I wore a Maya wrap was: "How does your baby breathe in there?" and "I could never learn how to tie all that." So, get a Maya wrap and know that your baby will be so happy to be snuggled near you and you will love nursing so discretely. And know that you are smart enough to learn to tie it and put a teddy bear in a couple of times before you try with your baby. You'll be awesome.
Check out www.handsfreebaby.com A friend of mine is the owner/mom herself. We used two of the slings that she sells and it was great. She is very helpful so you can reach out to her. Her name is Karen. Let her know A. referred you. I loved the sling we used and truly enjoyed this style of attachment parenting. Best of luck.
I started out with the NoJo sling which I picked up at the local Babies R Us.
http://www.epinions.com/review/kifm-B-BEquip-Carriers-Sli...
I also loved my Hugabub. It was better for my back, although it can be tricky to get on. There are also similar ones available in many stores now, compared to 5-6 years ago.
http://www.hugabub.com/
Here is another good site for comparison
http://www.theslingstation.com/index.html
I have a Maya Wrap, called a Ring Sling- I love it sooo much and my baby Miles loves it too. You can use it with many different cuddly newborn baby positions, and you can even nurse. When your baby gets older, you can flip him around in it to face forward like a baby kangaroo. It is so quick and easy to put on and I use mine every day. Highly highly recommended!
www.mayawrap.com
I really liked the new native baby carrier as an infant sling but transitioned to the baby bjorn also. I loved both and my boys slept in either one. I just had really big babies (9.3 lbs and 11 lbs) so I felt they would be more comfortable with their legs free. They liked both the sling and the bjorn, though! Good luck.
www.newnativeinc.com
www.babybjorn.com
Moby wrap was wonderful for me. It is easy to clean and use. You can use it for newborns up to toddler age.
I have a 2 1/12 year old, and a 16 month old and I'm expecting #3. I really love the ERGO baby carrier. It can be used for infant or toddler. I also have a kangaroo pouch and ring sling. (maya sling) All slings take time to get comfortable wearing, but with time they are great. I have one of the fleece pouches on the website below. It is VERY comfortable and my husband could use that too. But I don't know if you want to get the fleece one for summer. There is also a group called, Baby Wearers, they can show you how to use different slings and you can try different ones on before you buy them. You can check them out. I know they are around here. Good Luck!
T. :)
