Is there a baby carrier designed for breastfeeding whilst out and about?

mumof1and1ontheway

I know you can buy a sling.. but I tried that with DS1 and hated it.. as if felt like I was wearing a curtain and felt very very unsecure to me.

I have a normal front carrier but my 2 week old hates it and I have to take him out to feed him.

Does anyone know if anywhere sells one where you can feed them whilst they are in the carrier? As he feeds constantly atm so would be ace for going out, and also for carrying him whilst I get DS1 ready in a morning as he starts nursery soon

Thanks in advance.

MadDogWoman_2

Mum1

Have a look at the site, lots of information there, I'd didn't use a sling personally, but I've heard good things about them.

I'm sure someone will be along soon with some more advice.

Chakani

I had a ring sling that I fed successfully in. They do take a bit of practise to get right, but once you get it right, they do feel very secure. It's worth seeing if there is a Slingmeet near you - they are not anti-buggy or anything, and I found them very welcoming. There are usually people there with a wide range of experiences, and someone should be able to show you how to use your existing sling, or suggest a different one, maybe even lend one for you to try.

pinkclouds

I have two kids and have never managed to feed either baby in my "normal" Baby Bjorn. Although I have successfully fed them a bottle of expressed milk (while walking around, etc) and had them fall asleep in it. My other sling is a ring sling and I have successfully breastfed both of them wearing it, walking around, etc.

Re the curtain comment - some cloth slings come in different sizes, albeit just small to medium and medium to large. Or if you got one made for you, then the size could be customised (although the disadvantage would be that it might not fit other people and might not "grow" with the child, to the same extent). I have an "official" fleece cover for my Baby Bjorn, which is snug and warm but I still can't nurse wearing it and tbh it is so large that it does feel a bit curtain-like.

freda

Can't recommend my kari me enough. It is a stretchy wrap sling that a lot of people think is hard to put on but its not, its SO easy once you've practiced a couple of times with a teddy Really really comfy, so much more comfy than baby bjorn type slings.

You can hold them lying down (and feeding discretely). You can also hold them upright with their head tucked in all cosy when they are tiny (a physio mentioned that she didn't usually recommend slings at all but was most impressed with the kari me as it held them in a perfect upright position) . Then as they get bigger they can face out to see the world, sit on your hip, also on your back. We still use ours for our two who are 2 and 3!!

pigpen

I have a wrap sling which I fasten REALLY tightly and can feed perfectly well in, as I just adapt the wrap.. though it is too ig for my tiny newborn but was fabulous for my last daughter once she got to about 4-5 months.. I always felt like baby would drop out of a ring sling or it would slide undone and fall off. I have a wilkinet which I can feed in but it is a faff.. and you have to fully support baby as the straps are just loosened so baby can be moved over.

maisiescamp

I bought a cheap baby carrier from argos, I think it was about £14.99 and I succesfully fed my baby in it when out in public.

Fiolondon

In theory the Baby Bjorn front carrier allows BF - but in practice this is by slipping the shoulder strap down your arm and slumping the baby over to one side. Great carrier but I never got it to work with BF.

I had a long strip of stretchy cotton type (Hug-a-bub - would suggestjust buying a length of cotton lycra about 500-600mm wide and saving a lot of money to get the same thing) and I did manage to feed in this once or twice. It works by having the babies legs sit either side of a cross of fabric wrapped around your body. I think I lifted one leg over inside the carrier so the baby was side lying and bingo! But it wasn't quick or subtle to get into position.

Lastly I was lent a Closer fabric sling with the fabric cross and rings at the hips. This was quite good and was similar to the one above, but in theory you have to undo the rings and re-thread the straps depending on which side you want to feed. I thought that was a bit much.

All in all, if I was out and about it was easier to cover up with a pashmina and hold him in my arms (or rest them on a table in front if I was tired). But if you have to move about, one of the fabric slings with minimal flaps and fastenings might be the way to go.