Recommend your sling

tkhrabs313

Which slings do you ladies recommend?  Also, at what point did you start toting LO around in one (just around the house)?

Thanks!

sail123

I had the moby but never used it because I couldn't get either of the boys into a safe position until they were too heavy. If you use a sling, don't start until your LO is at least 40 weeks (I'd wait until LO is at least a month, adjusted). 

We used the baby bjorn and had better luck with that but it is definitely a different experience that the sling type carriers.

You may want to post this on the attachment parenting board, those ladies have lots of experience with baby wearing and can probably recommend a good sling for a preemie.  

kck329

I used a moby when DD first came home from the hospital. It took a little practice but she fit safely in it at that point (she was just over 6 lbs, 37 weeks at discharge). It is also great for skin to skin time.

Now I use a Hava ring sling and the Ergo the most. The ring sling is great for shorter trips, easy to get her in and out of. You can also BF in it but I've never mastered that one, probably because my DD hates it if her head is covered while eating. My DH uses the Ergo around the house and when we go places. We both use it for walks. 

All three are great for keeping your baby close to you and protected from germs. Another popular one on this board is the Babyhawk which is approved for preemies even in the NICU. I might have tried that if I knew about it before I bought all the others.

SushiNoMore

My son is 10 months old, and I still wear him sometimes.  We have an Ergo, a Vatanai wrap, and a Babyhawk Mei Tai.  The Vatanai is like a Moby but not stretchy, so it still works for heavier babies.  That one was my favorite when he was small.  I wore him a LOT, and it was great.  Mobys can be hot, and they aren't great for heavy babies.

Then, I got the Babyhawk, and I use that one the most now.  I use it for back carries now that he's older and wants to look around rather than face in all the time.

We've never really used the Ergo much.  Once you get the hang of the others, all the buckles and snaps on the Ergo are kind of a pain in comparison.

If you're just going to get one, I'd recommend a woven wrap like the Vatanai.  They're versatile and small enough that you can take them anywhere.  They fit in the diaper bag and can be used as a nursing cover, which is nice.

The attachment parenting board is a great resource.  There's also a site:  becoming mamas.com that was started by one of the women on the AP board.  It has great resources for product reviews and tutorials on how to use various carriers.

Good luck!

haziedaze

My ringslings are lifesavers!! I started using them when Henry was about 36.5 wks corrected and about 6lbs. Maybe it was a little early, but I would have gone bonkers without them! I have a Maya with a padded shoulder which is nice for longer walks, but I really love my Sakura Bloom linen. I love how thin it is and find the shoulder stays put better since it isn't padded. My shoulder gets sore if I use it continuously for a couple of hours. I keep Henry in an upright tummy to tummy position, high so I can kiss his head, and chin off chest. I feel like he is pretty safe that way. Enjoy!

SWR&MSM

I loved the moby.  My girl is a little nugget and she would just snuggle in and sleep in those early months, and I felt like she was really secure.  It is definitely hot though and I stopped wearing it in the summer, at which point she was finally big enough for the bjorn.  I also really like the bjorn, but she would never sleep in it when she was little.  I use it at the grocery store and for walks in the neighborhood.