Babywearing Thread!

pwurple

I really don't like the word babywearing, much prefer plain old fashioned 'sling'. I think it makes the baby sound like a fashion accessory rather than a person!

Anyway, peeve aside, we have two shop ones, and a handmade one. The first is a baby bjorn, which is a godsend because it is very masculine! It was gotten for us by my brother. My husband uses it mainly, each of my brothers and my dad have also carried my children in it. They only use it baby facing in, rather than baby-facing out, so only uo to about 4/5 months. The guys love the attention they get from people I think, baby loves it, and bonds with them too.

I also have an ergo and a wrap sling that my aunt made. I like them all tbh. Massive fan of slings here.

Suucee

krankykitty wrote: »

Tummy to tummy good.. Would it help to start on the hip and then scoot it around and retighten?

Might try that again tomorrow. I did kind of have him nearer my hip (by accident) then when I moved him over the rings were right down nearly on him. been practicing with teddys and a doll but they are too light

krankykitty

I always put the rings nearly behind my shoulder when I start, then when I pull down they're generally where they should be. Lift up his bum if you want to get slack on the sling to adjust it.

cyning

To put on ring sling I put it as Krankykitty said almost behind my shoulder and tighten it a bit so I know baby won't fall out then I hold the rings and tighten it that way so the rings aren't too low, it's nice and right and tight! At this stage I still have baba legs in she much prefers it that way: but she likes being swaddled too. It's getting to the stage where her legs are going to have to go out too.

Suucee

Luke is 2 months. He is 12lbs very long and starting to grow out of 3-6mnth clothes. Im only 5ft 2. So legs out i think. Plus ive teeny shoulders. Im hoping its going to work. I cant seem to get it right even with a doll.
When i tried one a sling meet it was grand. Maybe because it was broken in a bit more. Plus BW consultant was there too i suppose.
Ugh please let it work. Would be so handy for quick around the house and popping in to shops instead of buggy . Plus id have hands free for toddler. Beco soleil is great but not that quick as hes still in the insert.

How long did it take ye to get the knack of your ring slings. I assume its prob easier once baba is a bit older and stronger (i wont say bigger).

wmpdd3

I started with a Tomy Freestyle when my little one had colic, it was so crap, she was comfy, i was in agony! A friend saw me and gave me a Moby, it was heaven, used it till she was 5 month.

Then moved to an Ergo, hated the insert so used to cinch and roll the waistband, used that until she was about 2. She never gets tired and she was so proud to sit bedside her brother in the double buggy.

I used the Ergo until baby no 2 was about 12 months instead of the buggy, It was heaven.

One day there was a massive festival in the city I live in and he was in it from 9:30 am till 7pm that night, he was 5.5 months old and he was so easy to mind and feed in it.

I sold the Ergo too early when he started leaning over in it. I regretted it so bought a Palm and Pond for my small 13 month old, I used it lots but knew it was too small for him, so bought toddler Tula for him a few weeks later.

I used the Tula for him nearly every day, sometimes I just have it under my coat just in case. He starts out going everywhere holding my hand and ends up in the Tula on the way home.

My little guy is non verbal but he started putting his hand over my mouth when I spoke and he answers me in his babble speak now when I stop speaking!

Bosley1421

Suucee, I avoided ringslings til I was able to do rucks and kangaroos with a wrap as I wasn't confident with just the one layer of material in a ringsling and making a deep seat.

I was wrapping about 7 months when I tried my first one and then about a week of use to get the hang of it. It was actually silly to be so nervous as I find them so much easier than wraps now!

A well broken in ringsling is easier to tighten and get a good seat in than a brand new one too, so the more you wear it the nicer it feels on.

krankykitty

Good point.. Give the RS a beating Running it through the rings, braiding and sitting/sleeping on it will all help.

January

Maybe I'm stupid but I'm finding it hard to thread my neobulle rs properly. Although baby is not giving me a minute today either keeps crying everytine I put him down

krankykitty

Is it stiff to go through January? Or is it the fabric getting twisted?

January

Bit of both krankykitty!

krankykitty

Prob needs a bit of breaking in. For the twisting, I hold the rings on my shoulders and then pass the fabric across my back and hold up in the air with my other arm. Then sort of gather up the fabric top to bottom concertina like by pulling and holding with my fingers before pulling through the rings - then spreading it out where it meets the rings to male sure its not twisted. Probably not explaining well

Suucee

krankykitty wrote: »

Prob needs a bit of breaking in. For the twisting, I hold the rings on my shoulders and then pass the fabric across my back and hold up in the air with my other arm. Then sort of gather up the fabric top to bottom concertina like by pulling and holding with my fingers before pulling through the rings - then spreading it out where it meets the rings to male sure its not twisted. Probably not explaining well

im having the same problem january. May try this again but have done it loads. Got him in it alot better today but still doesnt seem great. Ended up with the rings too high up now. Ugh its only day 2. Were getting there.

January

Day 1 for me!

Any tips kranykitty? Seat is too deep according to Babywearing page and I know rings need to be nearer shoulder and fabric more spread out... are rings threaded ok??

Suucee

How old is your lil lady. I nearly broke my neck trying to put my toddler in. Wont be practicing with her again. I got Luke in and he seemed happy, But need to make a deeper seat and bring the rings down. Ended up with them way to high today was the opposite yesterday.

January

Suucee wrote: »

How old is your lil lady. I nearly broke my neck trying to put my toddler in. Wont be practicing with her again. I got Luke in and he seemed happy, But need to make a deeper seat and bring the rings down. Ended up with them way to high today was the opposite yesterday.

She'll be 3 in October but she's v. Light!! My seat is too deep and rings too low, we seem to have the opposite problems to each other!!

krankykitty

January, how far is the fabric up between you and the little one? (So cute by the way!) Is it up between her legs to the belly button about?
It looks OK (from what I can see) through the rings, the main thing is that it's straight so you know you're tightening the rail you think. when tightening it, I normally do the side that tightens the top rail first, then the middle piece and then the bottom (which would be the opposite side of the ring). Helps to pull the slack from the top rail across from your back first, before pulling it through the rings.

Suucee

Haha yea. My god, good woman getting her in at all. My toddler only turned 2 in april and I was strangled trying to get her in yesterday. Lucky OH was home for lunch that he could help get her out. It was such a disaster.

Suucee

Was popping in to pennys earlier and decided to try ring sling again. L crys any time we try so was a big risk. On advice from fb babywearing page i moved him slightly off centre.
And it worked he was happy in it looking around. Was so much easier with toddler and not needing to push buggy. I could probably needed it a little tighter though as head started to rest on my shoulder a bit. Also rings seemed a bit off shoulder nearly on my boob but hey he didnt cry.
Loads of funny looks and the only person to comment was an african lady saying how happy he looked and im the only irish person she has ever seen BW. Its so uncommon here but seems to be a bit more interest lately so might see more soon.

Roesy

I was using a babybjorn for a couple of months when my little girl was diagnosed with silent reflux. It was a godsend and both of us enjoyed it. Never thought we'd get into it that much and bought the bjorn on a whim. I only put the research in a couple of months into using the carrier regularly. Had a loan of a ring sling when she was really little but I wasn't confident wearing it. I recently had a loan of a Beco Gemini and liked it but found it a little fiddly. I got an Ergo 360 from my husband yesterday as an early birthday present. Am delighted as I was looking at them months ago but they weren't/aren't available here and had to give the Beco back to my friend and didn't want to go back to using the Bjorn regularly.

I've found myself being lured by the look of some of those gorgeous slings that people have been linking in this thread though but don't know is it just a whim. I was also looking at the JPMBB site before getting the ergo as lots of people seem to recommend them but don't know that my wriggly, not so little 7 month old would take to a wrap at this stage. Anyone have any experience with these ones.

http://boutique.jeportemonbebe.com/en/the-little-baby-wrap-without-a-knot-18

loubian

Suucee wrote: »

Was popping in to pennys earlier and decided to try ring sling again. L crys any time we try so was a big risk. On advice from fb babywearing page i moved him slightly off centre.
And it worked he was happy in it looking around. Was so much easier with toddler and not needing to push buggy. I could probably needed it a little tighter though as head started to rest on my shoulder a bit. Also rings seemed a bit off shoulder nearly on my boob but hey he didnt cry.
Loads of funny looks and the only person to comment was an african lady saying how happy he looked and im the only irish person she has ever seen BW. Its so uncommon here but seems to be a bit more interest lately so might see more soon.

I wore bubs into town today coz I had a meeting in a building with no lift on the second floor, and no babysitter! I got a lot of weird looks too, a few ladies smiled, but a lot of people looked at me out of the corner of their eyes! I held my head high though n it was SO much easier than having to guide a buggy through town! My ring was a bit off too but it was practice n bubs was comfy so it was all good!

Suucee

Yea what is it with peoples looks. Nearly make you feel bad or weird or something. I seen a group of people chatting (about 4) and they all turned and looked at me at the same time and quickly looked away. I could feel my face burning. I actually went through an aisle so I wouldn't have to pass them.

But hey my toddler was happy as she had mammys full attention. Baba was happy (well he must have been) and I was happy. I admit getting buggy our would probably have been quicker than farting about with the sling in the carpark but no need to worry about trying to keep an eye on toddler and trying to squeeze down tight aisles and I could go on for ever about how much handier it was but im sure ye all know.

We are off on our holidays on thurs and only bringing the single buggy. The double has only been used once in the past week .

January

I wore Luke to the school on Monday morning and one of the dads was chatting away to me and suddenly he pipes up 'Oh! Didn't even notice the little fella there, very Africanesque'

dori_dormer

what on earth did he think was on your chest??? ( or back)?

effibear

I have a jpmbb which I finally getting to grips with (though I still have to follow the youtube videos!) but it's quite heavy. How many layers should they be wearing in this weather when being carried?

Chattastrophe!

effibear wrote: »

I have a jpmbb which I finally getting to grips with (though I still have to follow the youtube videos!) but it's quite heavy. How many layers should they be wearing in this weather when being carried?

I'd definitely be leaning towards underdressing rather than overdressing - taking into consideration your own body heat.

If I have him in his sling around the house, he's in a babygro with no vest underneath. Outside the house, a light set of clothes, but defintely no jackets etc, no layering.

January

I asked this very question on the babywearing page on FB, they said that in this type of weather a vest and babygro is more than enough and even in winter they only put a cardi over the babygro if babywearing.

Chattastrophe!

OK I don't even put a cardi on him in the buggy half the time, never mind in the sling. Whoops.

effibear

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

I'd definitely be leaning towards underdressing rather than overdressing - taking into consideration your own body heat.

If I have him in his sling around the house, he's in a babygro with no vest underneath. Outside the house, a light set of clothes, but defintely no jackets etc, no layering.

Thanks. I have been going with the light clothes/babygrows but was a bit worried that I was under doing it for the outside. I'm constantly warm since I had him, so finding it hard to judge actual temperatures!!

Sweet_pea

effibear wrote: »

Thanks. I have been going with the light clothes/babygrows but was a bit worried that I was under doing it for the outside. I'm constantly warm since I had him, so finding it hard to judge actual temperatures!!

I've always run ridiculously hot and it looks like the boy is taking after me. I had in a long sleeve baby vest today and just had a pair of leg warmers that I was putting on and taking off as needed. Was using a linen blend RS.