All things babywearing

kaylaakosua

A post of all things babywearing.
 
I'm a huge babywearer, and close to being certified (whatever that means ). I know there are many of us out there and figured we could have a go to place for FTM, STM and above, questions, brands, sales, and AWing babywearing etc. 


eta: I can't spell. 

kaylaakosua

I guess I will start.  I still have a decent stash because I am a pack rat but I did end up giving away my most prized ringsling to a friend last year because I didn't think I was going to have another baby. Now begins the search for that again because I must have it. I also got Dave obsessed with an Oscha ringsling and I am trying to get him away from Sakura Blooms. I used a K'Tan for the newborn stage because I didn't know about wovens at the time. I am fantasizing about newborn wrapping  .

missyrosek

Anyone have suggestions for a plus-size mom? Are certain types better for curvy girls than others?

lilpoots

@missyrosek plus size parents can wear any style of wrap or carrier. Some brands just fit better. What are you interested in? 

missyrosek

@lilpoots I was hoping to get a wrap one and a more-structured one (I'd been eyeing a Tula)

lilpoots

I have several carriers and wraps to work with for this little one. We were on a tight budget with ds, so my stash was more recently built. I have at least one of these: ringsling, soft structured carrier, onbu, reverse onbu, wraptai, stretchy wrap, woven wrap, handwoven wrap. If you havr any questions, let me know.

One of the things I've oddly never tried is a water sling/water wrap. I couldn't make up my mind if it was worth it or which baby would prefer.

Rhubarb7216

This is a naive (and not meant to sound judgmental) question, but why does one need so many different types of carriers/wraps? I was planning to get one soft carrier/wrap/sling and one more structured carrier. What are the different purposes that all the different kinds serve?

Sugargirl1019

Piggybacking off @Rhubarb7216, is it overkill to have more than one or two? Do you have a favorite and only use one? I was thinking about getting a Moby, K'tan and a Lillebaby. Idk what dh will be into, prob the Lillebaby. But I did worry it would be useless having a Moby and a K'tan?

Sugargirl1019

PSA: If anyone wants a K'tan, nickisdiapers.com has them for 20% off while supplies last. I love love love nickis diapers, they give you free stuff

kaylaakosua

Slings are universal regardless of size. I know a lot of plus size Moms that love Tula for soft structured carriers and wovens they recommend getting a size 7.
@lilpoots  the only one I haven't used is the Onbu I would love to try it. I think with this baby I am going to perfect my Kanga carry given it's my heritage and all lol. I'm unsure if I want a watersling aswell. 

kaylaakosua

Rhubarb7216 said:

This is a naive (and not meant to sound judgmental) question, but why does one need so many different types of carriers/wraps? I was planning to get one soft carrier/wrap/sling and one more structured carrier. What are the different purposes that all the different kinds serve?

Different situations, lengths of babywearing, needs, ages, locations etc.
Soft carriers are great for long wearing and are super quick to put on and require very little learning curve. Slings are great for quick up and downs as well as newborns in general. Think grocery shopping, in and out of stores and cooking dinner at home. Wraps give you the option to customize any carry you want from newborn to toddler. Back carry, front, hip etc. They do require a lot of learning and practice for all the carries for all the ages. They also come in different sizes that take a while to figure out what is best for you.  I suggest a sling and soft structured as they have the quickest learning curve and serve the longest purpose. It is scary getting into all the other stuff and can often deter people from wearing. I first fell in love with the K'Tan and Moby as those are excellent for newborns but stretchy wraps tend to have a short life span (15-20lbs) 

JNR6510

We got a Baby Bjorn. A coworker sold me hers for $10. I plan to babywear for the first 5-6 months and after that we will have the BOB stroller. I may get an Ergo as well for DH. I have heard great reviews about that brand. 

jessieR358

I have an ergo 360 and several solly baby wraps. I love the solly wraps when they're little and then switch to the ergo later on. I wasn't a fan of the kt'an 

coastalmomma2

Plus size STM mom here. With DS we used a Moby wrap until he was about four months old, and then it became too stretched out. At first it was a little bit of a pain to learn how to wear, but I loved how close and cozy it was. We also used a sling that we got as a hand me down, a Maya wrap I believe. It was great while he was smaller for quick trips or around the house, but I never quite got comfortable with it. I often felt like it bit too much into my shoulder. We had an Ergo too, another hand me down that we used from about six months to almost two years. I front carried when he was younger and then only back carried after about a year. I didn't have any problems with sizing, and I am typically a size 14-16. I know that you can purchase extensions for Ergos but I never did.
I've been trying to decide how to approach baby wearing this time. I really would like to treat myself to a new Ergo, but we'll see how finances look. 
Happy baby wearing! It was one of the best things I felt we did for DS.

lilpoots

Rhubarb7216 said:

This is a naive (and not meant to sound judgmental) question, but why does one need so many different types of carriers/wraps? I was planning to get one soft carrier/wrap/sling and one more structured carrier. What are the different purposes that all the different kinds serve?

Sugargirl1019 said:

Piggybacking off @Rhubarb7216, is it overkill to have more than one or two? Do you have a favorite and only use one? I was thinking about getting a Moby, K'tan and a Lillebaby. Idk what dh will be into, prob the Lillebaby. But I did worry it would be useless having a Moby and a K'tan?

One doesn't necessarily need several. I have them, because I enjoy babywearing so much and like mentioned above, sometimes I need a different wrap for a different situation. I started with a stretchywrap and a k'tan, because I had a preemie. The k'tan never worked for my baby and the stretchywrap was hot in the summer. Some carriers offer better support for you, but are for older babies. Some babies are picky and grow tired of a specific carrier. Long story short, it was a learning process and alot of trial and error.

@Sugargirl1019 all of those carriers are different and if you don't like them, you can sell them. I absolutely have favorites and have sold off most of what I didn't care for. Sometimes I traded up. I love a SSC for long wearing and big kids, my onbu for older back carries and woven wraps for any time I'm going some where I want to actually look put together. 

Breath_Easy92

I got a free one in this "new mom" gift pack that's called Hot Sling. It's really cute but, has anyone heard of it? Is it safe?

kaylaakosua

Breath_Easy92 said:

I got a free one in this "new mom" gift pack that's called Hot Sling. It's really cute but, has anyone heard of it? Is it safe?

Hot slings are generally really iffy. They are considered a pouch sling and as a few people love them, they can be fairly dangerous to safely position baby. For longevity I would look into getting a ringsling. They can be found for very little $$, offer more comfort, safety and will last much longer.

JNR6510 said:

We got a Baby Bjorn. A coworker sold me hers for $10. I plan to babywear for the first 5-6 months and after that we will have the BOB stroller. I may get an Ergo as well for DH. I have heard great reviews about that brand. 

My only advice with the baby bjorn is to make sure it is the new one with the proper wide bottom to support the M position. The older ones are very narrow and are known as crotch danglers. Though fine for newborns ( very tiny - maybe 1 month ) they can be very uncomfortable for you and deter you from wearing. Ergos have become extremely popular and can often be found on consignment, local buy and sell boards and even a friend might be looking to sell theirs. 

lilpoots

I love the babywearing on a budget Facebook bst group. It can make a carrier affordable.

EmilyE13

FTM and I'm planning to babywear as much as possible. I definitely want an Ergo, but I'll admit that the learning curve for the other wraps looks pretty intimidating. I need to Google some tutorials and probably practice on the cats before this kiddo arrives. 

lilpoots

@CoastalMomma my first ring sling was a maya wrap too and while I could wear my baby in it, it was always uncomfortable on my shoulder. A gathered shoulder ringsling works best for me, because my shoulders are narrow and rounded.

BigBadWolf12

The plan: stretchy wrap for first bit and soft carrier (got a Tula on sale) after. I'm considering a ring sling.....but we don't have a car and will use the stroller everywhere, so I think I'll start simple and maybe do sling/woven wrap if I find I'm "missing something".

kaylaakosua

AW: Guys I came across this in my DropBox . I cannot wait. 

Rhubarb7216

I'm trying to decide which ring sling I would like the best. I thought I was going to be getting a hand me down Sakura Bloom (silk) from my friend, but it looks like she may not be done using it with her toddler by the time my baby is born, and she found out her sister is pregnant so may offer it to her instead. So, I've been looking at the beco, sakura, and lillebaby slings. Any preferences for those? Any other ring slings I should consider?

LynnBrown4

When pregnant with my first, I planned on babywearing for a long time. I had visions of her in the carrier even as a toddler! I had an Onya Outback and it was great! Kiddo was really comfortable in it. It would probably work quite far into the plus-size range: my 5'10, 210-lb husband (who has a wide frame on top, with broad shoulders and barrel-chested) was able to wear it with tons of room to spare. It was very adjustable. The problem was though that my daughter was (and remains) an incredibly active kid, and by the time she was walking (10 months), she refused to go in it at all. Ditto for the stroller. So I guess what I'm saying is, I wish I'd held off spending a lot of money on carriers and strollers until I knew what my kid would be like, temperament-wise. 

TLooney17

I used a Moby and a Mei Tai for my first, and for my second I used a K' tan and an Ergo. I really would like a ring sling this time around (recommendations appreciated) and I think I want a Lillebaby to replace my Ergo (even though I liked it). I am ready to part with my Moby and Mei Tai and need a suggestions for a good bst site to sell...

lilpoots

@TLooney17 there are so many amazing ring slings out there. I have a tekhni that I love, because it it's squish worthy and toddler strong. I bought a brand new oscha orion, but it needs breaking in. Their wool blends are supposed to be amazingly soft for a baby. I will bet @kaylaakosua has some suggestions. 

Souptin

Hi friends,
 I have a Moby that I used A LOT early on- it helps SO much with my colicky/ reflux baby. it was a bit a curve to get the hang of it but there are a few super short youtube videos that I just kept handy to use.
I have an Ergo that I will use again this time. It got a good work out last time and I liked it well enough. If I could have a do-over I would have gone for a Tula over an Ergo but its not enough of a difference for  me to go through the hassle of selling mine and buying a new carrier. My Husband  used the ergo as well and found it pretty comfortable.  I was given a " Hot sling" and tried it a bunch of different time and never once felt comfortable using it so it sat on a shelf. 

lilpoots

@Souptin

MyNamesTaken

I had a mei tai and a structured carrier with buckles (can't remember the brand) with DS but we started when he was about 4 months old. I will be looking for something more suitable for a newborn this time as well. Some days it was the only thing that kept me sane!

Souptin

@lilpoots

kaylaakosua

Ringlsing have so many options.  First find one that is visually pleasing to you.  It will encourage you to want to use it more. 
Second there are two main types of shoulders pleated and gathered.  If you can try them both out, of you cant try them go for gathered.  In terms of brands I prefer wrap conversions Girasol, oscha, Easy care. But I find most beginners prefer sakura bloom and maya.  I have learned that Tula makes ringslings now and that's what I will be getting.  Also don't forget the material blend as well!

tiki8286

I have had a few. With my first born I was not well versed (or knew anyone who did baby wearing!) so I bought a cheapie soft structure carrier from TJ Maxx - I don't remember the brand but it was a common one for other baby products. I hated it as did my son. I then invested in an Ergo and was not a fan- It dug into my shoulders and just didn't feel like the weight was distributed well. I stopped wearing him by the time he was 1.

 When DD came along I knew I wanted to try again so I got the Moby wrap for use from newborn till about 6 months. My daughter was then interested in the world so I got a Sakura Bloom ring sling in Linen and it was amazing. Easy to figure out, convenient especially for quick trips where I didn't want to drag the infant carrier or stroller. I can't wait to use it again. We used it till she was about a year old. We then decided to get a Tula standard sized carrier - again, love at first use!!! This carrier felt so comfortable for long periods of use - I used it at Disneyland many times and didn't bother bringing her a stroller. When she was 18 months old, we went on a family trip to Europe for two weeks and took one stroller and the Tula for our two kids. We pushed our son in the stroller all through Italy and I front or back carried my daughter the entire time - SO comfortable. 

CSL522

This was last week at 23 weeks!

Rebozo in size 2

Poppins carry in a size 6

We love babywearing! Like most, I started with a stretchy wrap (Boba) and also got a Boba 4G SSC. Then I purchased a woven wrap (littlefrog are budget friendly, which is what I wanted since I didn't know how much I would be using it.) Then I got a ring sling, which I still wear my almost 2 year old in. Regarding buying multiple, they really do serve different purposes. I have a size 6 woven and a size 2. The shorty wrap will get me quick carries while the longer will allow more passes and good for bigger babies. I recently got a Lillebaby SSC for the new little one but I've worn my DS and it is very comfortable!

kaylaakosua

Here are some examples for different carriers, sizing and age. These are the most common to come across ones. I cannot find out stretchy wrap pictures. These are old instagram photos I'm sorry just wanted to show some options.

Also @CSL522 I'm jealous of your rezbo and poppins. I never got comfy with those carries no matter how hard I tried.  

Wrap conversion  

 Girasol Marley - half buckle waist with wrap straps - toddler size   He was 3 years old

Babt K'Tan without the sash

 7 months maybe? this is the half mesh one which I loved 

Boba 3g - Similar to the ergo, beco etc. 

He was 6 months old 

Woven Size 4 - Girasol Marley

Ringslings

He was 2, just to show he could still fit, he was way off to the side - Girasol Marley

Nursing - Girasol Marley 


Oscha - though not a gathered shoulder I still loved this one. 

Sugargirl1019

I've been eyeing the Sakura Bloom ring slings now

Rhubarb7216

@Sugargirl1019 if you join the Sakura Bloom facebook group, they periodically give away free slings. They just had one on Tuesday, unfortunately I didn't win, but I'll keep trying!

Sugargirl1019

Rhubarb7216 said:

@Sugargirl1019 if you join the Sakura Bloom facebook group, they periodically give away free slings. They just had one on Tuesday, unfortunately I didn't win, but I'll keep trying!

O.o how about the 450 dollar cashmere sling???? Haha. Sweet. I want to join.

Rhubarb7216

Sugargirl1019 said:

O.o how about the 450 dollar cashmere sling???? Haha. Sweet. I want to join.

Ha I wish! They gave away a linen one earlier this week. It's called Sakura Bloom, unthreaded.

lilpoots

this is a woven wrap I borrowed from bwi lending library. Not the best wrapping job.

my lenny lamb onbu, before I learned how to use it well.

maya ringsling on top and tekhni ringsling on bottom.

lilpoots

moby wrap

ergo 360. This thing retains a lot of body heat. Worked well on my 6'2 hubby and barely fit 5'2 me.

Catbirdbaby pikkolo ssc. This is really neat for teeny tiny babies and can be modified to support a toddler. Awesome for baby wearing post c-section and fits really short parents.

I have others, but don't have photos

lilpoots

@kaylaakosua the wrap conversion and boba 3g both look comfy and supportive