What Is the Best Baby Sling?

Hi H.. We adopted our then 10 month old daughter from China over a year ago, and because of wanting to foster bonding/attachment with her we used a baby sling that was recommended by another adoptive mom that had travelled the year before to pick up her little girl. It worked great! The surprising part is that it was homemade. It is very easy to make, and if you can do basic sewing on a sewing machine you shouldn't have much trouble. Here's directions on how to make that were sent to me: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/FrankenKozy.htm

The really fun part about this sling is that you can choose your own fabric! And it's very economical. My sister-in-law made mine for about $15!!!! Lots cheaper than what you can purchase. There are also many other styles on the link right above that at: http://www.thebabywearer.com/lists/Sewing.htm

Hope this helps, and congratulations on your 4th baby. How exciging!

1 mom found this helpful

After much research on the subject I decided to buy the maya lightly padded wrap recently for my 2 month old. It takes some getting used to getting it on and adjusted. We are still working on that. I think once I master that, it will be great. The times I have used it around the house with him, he fell asleep in it right away and really seemed to enjoy it. I have also heard good things about the over the shoulder baby holder but haven't used this one myself. Hope that helps!

I can't say enough good things about my Mei Tai carrier. I have one made by another mom, and I made a couple by following some instructions on the web.

I carried my son in front against my chest when he was a newborn, and I have carried my kids up to age 4 on my back. The tying of the straps can seem intimidating at first, but it's not bad at all. And I love how secure it feels.

Here are a couple sites that sell them so you can see what they look like. I have not purchased from any of these, so I cannot vouch for their service or quality.

http://kozycarrier.homestead.com/instructions.html
http://www.meitaibaby.com/index.html
http://www.babyhawk.com/

You can also google "how to make a mei tai baby carrier" and get lots of instructions if you or someone you know knows how to sew.

Is the snugli a carrier or a sling? The carriers that hang them on their crotch really aren't good for their hips anyhow. If you are looking for a basic sling, either a pouch sling like the Hotsling or Wallababy (made by a SAHM here in Indy) are great. Wallababy also has ring slings that are easy to use and adjust. If you want a more comfortable carrier, I'd get an Ergo, I love mine. Other versions are the MaiTai and the BabyHawk. PM me if you want more info like where to get them.

I really liked my hotsling! They are mostly available online (hotsling.com, I think?) You can call their helpline and they will help you pick the correct size!

For little babies my favorite is the Moby Wrap. It sits on both shoulders and on the hips so it is very supportive. They are about $40 at www.mobywrap.com. If price is an issue make your own using 5-6 yards of a stretchable cotton (that curls up when cut, instead of fraying) that is 20 inches wide (got that? 5-6 yards by 20inches). Look on the web on how to tie it.

For babies 4 months and older my absolute favorite is the Ergo baby carrier. Check out www.ergobabycarrier.com. I can hike with my family for hours with the baby in my ergo. It is so comfortable to both mom and baby. You can carry the baby 3 ways: front, side and back. It's worth the investment!

Other websites to look at www.peppermint.com, www.wearyourbaby.com.

Good luck!

I love mine, it's made by After Birth Baby Gear, and she sells them from her home. Her name is Heather and her number is ###-###-####. I think she has a website as well.

I have a Snugli and found that I only liked it if I was going to be on my feet for a while, such as taking a 20-30 minute walk or going to the grocery store.

What I used most was the NoJo Original Baby Sling. It goes over one shoulder and is padded to be more comfortable for both mom and baby. I used it for several hours a day during the first several months of my daughter's life, then less often until she was around a year old.

Good luck!

I like the Sleepy Wrap. Baby seems to love it. It feels very secure. Not so expensive. It is a lot of material, though. Great colors. My baby loves to sleep in it. Search "Sleepy Wrap."

This is a late response, but I have both a sling and a Mei Tai. I love the Mei Tai best hands down. It balances the weight on both shoulders and is very adjustable. I was able to roll the bottom up and make it shorter for my newborn and now I am starting to be able to unroll it to adjust her height. I can snuggle my daughter facing me or even carry her facing out so she can see everything. I have yet to tackle carrying her on the back but I think I will be able to do that as she gets older. The tying is scary at first and my husband had to help, but now it is very easy and quick. I actually think it is quicker and easier than any of the buckle carriers. I went to www.meitaibaby.com to learn about the carries.

Good Luck!
A.

P.S. My friend makes slings and her website is www.lanepieslings.com. They are very good too.

I have used many slings, I also have 4 kids. My all time favorite is the sling ezee, it can be ordered on line at www.parentingconcepts.com or www.slingezee.com

good luck, M.

I like my kangaroo pouch it is easy to get baby in and out and so cozy and warm especially here in the midwest. I could just put a hat on baby and off we coudl go and he was plenty warm. www.KangarooKorner.com

Good Luck with your decision

i have used al kinds of slings and love wraps or pouches the best for little ones. Here are a couple of websites to go to

www.thebabywearer.com
www.attachedtobaby.com
www.slinglings.com
www.hotslings.com
www.sweet-pickles.com

Also if you are in the Indianapolis area, I would be happy to help you out and let you try a couple before you would buy them. Just shoot me an e-mail through here.

Good luck mama

A.

i make slings. The ones I enjoyed the most were the ones that
have rings on the shoulder that adjust and you wear your baby against your body as if you are cradling them when they are young and they sit up facing you as they support themselves.
I could meet you and let you try this type to see if you like them and if so I could make one for you out of material you choose.

Hi H.,
Just had baby number three just over three months ago and finally got a sling. I got the Maya sling and I LOVE IT. I can't imagine how I did without it before. My son loves it and when he was a newborn would sleep in it forever. It was especially helpful when we travelled (keeping germs away from him in the airport). It's super easy to use and he loves to be in it. Hope this helps and good luck.

I love the Peanut Shell sling. Baby can even nurse while in the sling. I love mine. And you can use it up until 36 months. I still use mine and my son is 20 months old.

check out Baby O Designs (google it), she makes wonderful slings, and there affordable too, everyone that buys them, loves them, thanks.

I love using a wrap. I have 2 of them. I have a Moby as well as a home-made one (very simple to make, no sewing involved). I really love them both.

I also have a sling but can't remember what it's called at the moment. I like it ok, but the wrap is very comfy to wear. The only downside to one is taking it off when you are out. A lot of fabric to deal with. Otherwise, it's been an answer to prayer when traveling with young ones. :)

Hope you find what you're looking for.

God bless,
A.

I could not live without my hotsling! Good Luck!

I didn't use slings, but I used other carriers. I have a Hug-A-Bub and a fake Moby style wrap (basically a long piece of stretchy fabric) and they are both great. You can find more info. on this style of wrap at http://www.mobywrap.com/ and http://www.hugabub.com/. They were wonderful for my baby who was colicky and always wanted/needed to be held, and great for my back because the weight is distrubuted evenly. Don't be intimidated by how the wrapping looks complicated--once you do it a few times, it will become second nature. These are great.

I also really like my Ergo Baby carrier--great for hikes, and can be switched to wearing the baby on your back when he/she gets older. They are pricey but you can find them on eBay...more info at http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/.

Good luck and happy babywearing!