anyone used a baby sling??

emma_b_4 · 7 October 2007 at 9:03PM

hi, im a mummy to a two week old and thinking of getting a baby sling i like the look of these type ones http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PADDED-COMFY-CELEB-BABY-SLING-design-4-BREASTFEEDING_W0QQitemZ330171031242QQihZ014QQcategoryZ137725QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

has anyone used them?
i have seen them on the bringing up baby on tv and they look comfy but main reason for me is the hands free carrying and discreet breastfeeding

any views/experiences welcome as dont want to waste ££ if they no good??

Alleycat · 7 October 2007 at 9:29PM

I would recommend this type of carrier wholeheartedly. I had one bought for me by my mum and dad from Australia (I didn't know what it was at first!) and it was such a lifesaver. We had already bought one of those god awful mothercare jobbies which support the baby by the crotch (really bad for baby) and have about six million buckles etc and ended up selling it on Ebay after using it only a couple of times. The sling on the other hand has been used so much.

Dd was a very fractious baby and always decided to cry and want feeding as soon as I sat down to eat. The amount of meals I had with her in the sling definitely made having it worth it. I also used it loads when I was trying to get things done about the house. When she was a bit older and had some head control I used to carry her around on my hip. Well worth it!

shirlgirl2004 · 7 October 2007 at 9:47PM

Any sling is fab but IMO there are better slings which will last longer and therefore be better value. Try having a look at www.slingmeet.co.uk . You may find that there is a group local to you so you could try before you buy. I personally didn't find either pouch or ring slings comfortable. I prefer a wrap or Mei Tai. Like everything there are good and bad so it pays to get help from people that are using them if you can. Also I would be careful about buying from Ebay because lots of slings are made by Work At Home Mums and not all are safe for your precious bundle.

Good luck in your search and enjoy

Bun · 7 October 2007 at 9:52PM

My friend has recommended www.freedomslings.co.uk and I believe their prices start around £12.

starbump · 7 October 2007 at 10:00PM

I have one of these ring sling types (by a different eBay seller - http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Freedom-Slings). To be honest, it's not as easy as it looks to get the hang of and I have had thoughts about getting a more conventional sling. On the other hand, because it is a one-hand easy to slip off style, you can walk around with baby till she falls asleep and then sit down with her or lie her down and slip off the sling without waking her. I found bf'ing in the sling a tad complicated but hands-free carrying works well, so I would definitely recommend on that score.

Btw, if you want exactly the same sling as on that tv programme, the website is here: http://www.closebabycarrier.com/

benood · 7 October 2007 at 10:13PM

My OH swears by this type of sling - she reckons that it works from newborn to 3, easy to carry around, breastfeed using it, best used for popping out of the car when you'd otherwise just carry them etc etc.

We found that the wilkinet sling was good once they're old enough for it, but putting them in is more of an exercise.

Js_Other_Half · 7 October 2007 at 11:03PM

Have a look at the www.babywearer.com forums for more info on all sorts of slings. I use an american hip panda for general quick in and out of the shop etc, and am drooling over a couple of other slings...

http://www.bigmamaslings.co.uk/zen-cart/ is a british site with lots of help and advice.

(This is one of the slings I am debating about... http://www.connectababycarrier.com/catalog.php )

Justie · 8 October 2007 at 9:15AM

we have various slings and I love them - we have a ring sling which is good but I don't like the canvas fabric on the one we've got - if you're going to get a ring sling then get a long one as they look better and are more versatile. I've used the ring sling most of this weekend at a posh hotel where we had an event so that baby (7 weeks) could sleep through dinner and it worked really well. It was impossible to use a buggy as there was no lift and our room was on the second floor so without a sling we'd have struggled.
One advantage of the ring slings is that anyone can wear them as the size can be altered (another reason to get a long one) so it's a good value option.

We also have fleece ones like the Murrons pouch on the freedom slings site - the disadvantages of these are that you need the right size (so OH and I both have one) and the fleece gets very hot - great for winter and outdoors but not so good for carrying round the house. I find this much more comfy than the canvas ring sling though.

We also have a baby bjorn type - there are various opinions about how safe these are for babies but they are very easy to use and imo have their place. Again though they're good in that the size can be altered so one will fit both you and anyone else who looks after your child.

I warn you though slings are addictive I'm on the lookout for more

If you do have a sling meet nearby then that's the best bet or see if there's a local baby cafe or other places mums meet and ask anyone you see with a sling or carrier about them.

IMO our LO is a calm and happy baby as he's carried a lot of the time. I have back problems but haven't found any downsides to slings as a good sling spreads the weight of the baby so it much more comfortable than just carrying baby.

Shona_3 · 8 October 2007 at 10:40AM

Love, love, love slings.... I have an elaroo ring sling which I used constantly for my 1st, she would not be put down for a phase and just yelled, but in the sling she was an angel. They do take a bit of getting used too so have a practice and try a few positions. DD wouldn't lie down in ours, she had to be upright with plenty of head support. I couldn't breast feed in mine but otherwise it was great.
[SIZE=-1]www.littlepossums.co.uk
This site was great for reviewing all the different types, lots of photos and instructions on how to do the different carrying positions.
[/SIZE]

Grumpysally · 8 October 2007 at 2:01PM

I used these slings for all 3 of my babies, ( DS17, DD1.15, DD2. 4.) http://www.wilkinet.co.uk/WhyChoose.asp?gclid=CPvtyL6s_44CFQwwlAodHGkDvw
They are very comfortable and you can have your newborn snuggled right into you. In fact I cant bear to part with the sling I used for DD2.

troglodyte · 8 October 2007 at 4:24PM

Being a hardened moneysaver I used a folded sheet as a sling. It worked fine, baby was very happy in it (she looked exactly like the snoozing baby in the second 'freedomslings' picture) and when we were out and about people even used to remark that I had bought a sling and how nice and comfy it looked and I'd have to point out that it was actually just a sheet! I took her out in it, did the housework with it, and I could slide it around to my side when I did the washing up so I could get closer to the sink. Then when she got too big I just unfolded it and had a spare sheet again. Also very easy to try out and see if you like the idea. Just ask if you want me to send a photo!

anyone used a baby sling??

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