Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Baby Sling or Wrap


 OR

I'm in the market for a baby sling or wrap.  I've read a lot of different things on baby slings, but don't know too much about wraps and I can't decide what one to buy.  I also remember a lot of things from last year about newborns suffocating in baby slings and it kind of makes me nervous to take the plunge.  So, I'm asking you smart moms about slings or wraps that you own!

What sling/wrap do you own?
Where did you get your sling/wrap from and, if you don't mind saying, how much did you pay for it?
Why did you choose the sling or wrap that you did?


Thanks for the advice!

Megan

Also, please take a look at the poll on the right side about the recipe blog!

6 comments:

Britta said...

I own a Maya Wrap and I loved it until my baby hit about 10 months, then she squirmed so much the rings didn't stay tight.

The slings that caused the suffocations are all off the market now, and you can make sure your baby is safe by keeping her high enough to be able to kiss the top of her head. Make sure you check her frequently (you don't put her on to ignore her anyway)...

I've seen moms use a lot of different styles. My suggestion is you find a friend with one of the slings and offer to carry her baby around for about 20 minutes. You can try on each of the slings and get an idea which one you'd feel most comfortable with before you actually buy them. And you might want to invest in a few different styles anyway, depending on your budget. Some styles are better for some situations than others!

Erin said...

I had a ring sling and a moby wrap. I liked them both for different reasons. The ring sling was great for a small baby and quick trips. It was also a lot easier to get on. It was really hard on my shoulder and back as she got older though. It was also a little hard to get her situated to the point where I felt that she was very secure - especially as she got wiggly. At that point I got the Moby. I loved the moby. The one and only thing I don't like about it is that it's a huge piece of fabric and in public places it can be hard to put on. I remedied this by just putting it on before I left the house, so it was ready to just slip the baby into it. Wraps are great for newborns up to toddlers. You can even do back carries. There are many different ways to wrap and carry them too. If I had to pick just one, I would pick the wrap. You could also check out mei-teis. Go to thebabywearer.com for more info about a lot of different styles. They also have a selling forum there, so you can buy used ones or sell yours. They can be pricey, but I would say they are worth it. You can also just make your own wrap buy getting yards of fabric and cutting it in half. This makes two, so you can split the cost with a friend! http://www.inhabitots.com/diy-wrap-baby-carriers/

Alyssa Harper said...

My mother-in-law made me a sling, (found a pattern at Joann's) and the only time I could stand using it was for short term bouts around the house. The problem with the sling is that all the baby's weight hangs on one shoulder (can we say BACK ACHE!?! especially when my baby got to the 20-pounder mark and on) and like Britta was saying, you can't control the baby's positioning inside the sling. Plus, whenever I had to bend over, the baby would hang forward, making whatever I had to do 10x more difficult. It was like bending over when pregnant, but worse, because the baby wouldn't stick to my stomach. :( If I had to do it again, I would go with a wrap...but I haven't researched it at all, so I couldn't recommend a brand. I just know that (from experience) I'm not a fan of slings.

Erin said...

oh, one bit of advice that works no matter what type of baby carrier you use is to spread, spread, spread. The more you spread your fabric over your shoulders, the more the weight is distributed and the less you will hurt. Also, make sure the baby is pretty high up instead of sagging, for your lower back.

Anonymous said...

I didn't want to spend a fortune on a baby wrap/sling/carrier. I didn't know if I'd even use it or like it etc. so I first bought a Sleepy Wrap for around $40. I love Amazon and so after reading a lot of the positive reviews there I made my purchase.

At first it didn't seem like it would be a big deal to work with so much fabric but after trying it a few times I wasn't really in love with it. Neither was my son who isn't much of a cuddler, it was a little too constricting for him. However I liked it because you can do all sorts of different ties with your baby which I liked, but with the manual that comes with it I believe it only shows 3.

So I continued to look on Amazon and the one I really like the most, which was cheaper than the Sleepy Wrap, was a Kelty Wallaby Infant Carrier. What I like about it SO MUCH more than my Sleepy Wrap is it's a breeze to put on. Just a few clips and you're set. Baby can face in when very young and out when they get older. It's made by a outdoor company so it's used by a lot of people for hiking. I wanted to use mine while I went on walks with my son.

It's very well padded and comfortable to wear. I had to wear my son (who is nearing the weight limit of 25 lbs.) for over an hour one day while my husband went up to the ICU in the hospital to visit his ill grandmother (babies are not allowed). We didn't have a stroller with us, only the carrier, and I strolled that hospital for more than an hour with my son. I've even put it on while sitting in the back seat of my SUV next to my child's car seat with the door closed (which was so easier than the Sleepy Wrap would have been). I'm surprised that it's not a more well known carrier but I thought I'd give it a go since it was less expensive and it was rated very high by the people that used it. I got mine off Amazon for around $30 and I really like it.

Baby Slings said...

I had Milk Chocolate ADJUSTABLE Stretch Cotton Baby Sling.I have 10 month baby. It is by far the best, most-used and my favorite I've ever made. Its very easy take 30 pound weight baby.Its very suitable for my baby.I got the correct size. I have a feeling this will come in handy this summer.I will advice you at least once u try it........