Best Infant Sling for Short Moms

I love, love the Baby K'tan for tiny babies. It is like 2 pouch slings looped together, so you get the 2-shoulder weight distribution. It is made of soft jersey cotton, so it is really snuggly for the little ones.

The Ergo is awesome, and I definitely recommend it too, but I like the the K'tan best for new babies. But once baby is 4-6 months old and getting heavier, nothing beats the Ergo that I've tried since you get both shoulders and hip distribution of baby's weight. (I have tried pouch slings, ring slings, wraps, the K'tan and the Ergo.) I have not tried the infant insert for the Ergo though.

You can do any sling or wrap carry with the K'tan, which makes it really cool. It is very cozy, and easy once you get the hang of it. Here is the website:
http://www.babyktan.com/

It would be great, like another person responded, if you could try on a few different carriers, if you have a store near you that sells a few, that would be helpful.

Good luck and congrats on your new baby! :)

1 mom found this helpful

If you're ever in Santa Monica, you can get fitted at The Pump Station. http://www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/ They are very knowledgeable about wraps...

I liked The New Native when my baby was little...

http://www.newnativeinc.com/

I liked The Maya Wrap when she got a bit bigger...

http://www.mayawrap.com/

I didn't like the Moby Wrap -- too much fabric for me, but many people love it.

I would also add an Ergo to the mix if I had it to do again...

http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/

I'm 5'5", and my breasts only got big after my baby was born... so I'm not sure if my choices will be right for you. Definitely, try to get fitted if you have the opportunity.

I used the nojo sling and the maya wrap; I LOVED them both. The nojo has padding that serves as a sorta rail, which made me feel better as a novice. As they got older the maya worked better.

However, I've moved to another carrier because my back was bothering me with the asymmetrical weight distribution of slings, and this one is by far the best. It is the ERGO Baby carrier. It is for older-than-infant kids, BUT it does have an infant insert:

http://www.ergobabycarriers.com/babycarriers/category/acc...

Good luck!

Hey M.,
I am also 5' and ended up purchasing a Moby wrap because it is wrapped around your body, and thus is made to adjust easily to all body types. I have tried mine with various heavier items around the house and feel that it gives great support, as both your hips and shoulders carry the weight of the baby and not just the shoulders.
The only down side to it is that it a knit fabric and I imagine that it may get a little warm, but since it is winter, that shouldn't be as much of an issue until at least May in CA.

Dr. Sear's Balboa Baby! You can order on-line or some Target stores and boutiques carry them. Very simple, easy to use, easy to adjust, can wear the baby different ways. My friend who had an infantino ended up getting one of these on my advice when her son was about 8-9 months, and she loved it even then. I used mine up until my little guy was 1 - then he just wanted to be down to run around!

I love, love, love the Moby Wrap! It can be worn so many different ways that you can find a comfortable fit. I liked it better than any other carrier I tried.

Hi M.,

You should look into a Maya Wrap (I have the sling- I don't konw about their "Maya Tie"). Check out their webpage (mayawrap.com), I think they address sizing.

Congrats on your new baby!

Be blessed,

K.

You should look into the Moby wrap. You can only order it online but it is great and you can still use it as the baby grows.

Moby wraps are great - I loved ours but didn't use it much after 8 months. At that point I switched to and loved the Mei Tai. Something that is similar to a Mei Tai that a lot of moms seem to love is the Ergo carrier. Congratulations on your new little one!

There is one that works great. I am just under 5'2". I don't know the name. It has been a while, but it is not standard commercial one. None of those worked for me. Look at websites for breast feeding. I bought mine from a nursing consultant in San Diego. God Bless! J.

Ultimate Baby Wrap. Looks similar to the Moby Wrap.

I have a similar shape and love my ergo. It's a bit pricey but now I'm starting to use it to carry my one year old on my back. I have a black one though and in warm, sunny weather it gets too warm.

http://www.epinions.com/review/pr-Playtex_Hip_Hammock_Bab...
I woudl recommend playtex hip hammock! It is not exactly like a wrap, but it is so much different from baby bjorn type things too. I first tried to use peanut slings, and they were horribel to me. This hip hammock is for babies 15 lbs-35 lbs. It is so easy to get into and out of it-both babywise and mom/dad wise. Everything on it is adjustable so more than one people with totally different sizes can use it. Wraps is a good concept but it is just cumbersome to get into and out of htem especially imagine if you are by your car in a shopping mall for instance. I vote for the hip hammock

The Maya Wrap is GREAT- totally adjustable. Also I recommend you check out the www.thebabywearer.com for tons of advice and videos on how to use. Also, I'm not sure where you live, but this is a great resource too:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/koalaLA/

They have a listserv as well as occasional meetings where you can get in person help and try on lots of wrap styles before you decide. You can also come with your baby and have them show you how to use it to nurse, etc. There is a small fee ($15?) but totally worth it!

Hope this helps!

Your body sounds exactly like mine. I never found a "sling" style carrier that worked, breast usually got in the way. I did end up purchasing and LOVING the BabyHawk. It's a Mai Tai style... so backpackish like the Bjorn that can be worn on the front or back, but a lot more comfortable. When the baby is still a new born they can cuddle in it and it's very womb like. All of my freinds that like the sling type always borrow my Hawk for the first few months, b/c the babies LOVE it. Great back support and the straps are long enough... maybe too long some times, but it's easy to use.

The Maya wrap is great - also Mother's Haven in Encino has a ton of wraps that you can try on with no pressure to buy - good luck!
L.

I think the Moby wrap is great but if you're on a budget, you can actually make your own. Go to - www.wearyourbaby.com - it has lots of resources and it tells you different types of carriers and positions. Have fun :)

Hi M.,
Look into the Moby Wrap. If you stop by Milkalicious, a breast feeding boutique by you, they will happily show you how to wear it! I think you will really like it.

I'm not sure if they still have them, but the Pump Station in Santa Monica used to have a free sling clinic Monday and Wednesdays. You could see all the different types and try them out with your baby or a doll. It's great!

I had a sling that i never used, a bjorn that hurt my back, and a wrap that I LOVED. These were all hand-me-downs from friends, but I think the wrap may be called Moby Wrap. It is similar to this:

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/176-###-###-####-###...