I've asked before and most seemed to recommend the moby wrap, but it seems like SO.MUCH.STINKIN.FABRIC and a little more hippy-ish. I prefer the look of the maya ring sling - it looks a little easier to work and a little more trendy (fabric choices are better). Anyone have this one and love it?
Re: Slings
Once you learn how to wrap it, it's not difficult....just really time-comsuming...on and off. I can't even tell you how much we both hated it.
I'd be willing to just give it to you so you can see for yourself, and if you like it, just keep it. But it would probably have to be at a GTG, because, to be honest.....I'm a huge procrastinator/lazy person at getting to the post office (i work and live near 2 that are ridiculously close - and I still take weeks to mail things).
The Maya Wrap - it's a ring sling and worked best when Sydney was smaller (6 months and younger) - once she became aware of herself and got big enough to really move around, she hated it - especially when she wanted to face outward - it would probably work as a hip carrier now but we've never tried it - oh, this was the easiest to nurse in
The Moby - i actually have the Moby D and LOVE it - the Moby D has a supportive panel that the regular Moby doesn't have - for a while, Sydney would only sleep in a chest to chest carry in the Moby - i wish i would have had it earlier for when Sydney was small - you can hold the baby in a skin-to-skin carry which is great when you're trying to increase your milk production - it's also good for a forward facing carry - there was a learning curve on getting in and out of it, but once i got it down it didn't take me longer than a few minutes
Mei Tai - i have a Mei Tai carrier made by a WAHM that i bought from Kelly - i love it too (i love all of my carriers
The Hip Hugger - LOVE this for now - i can basically carry Sydney on my hip without holding her - it's great because now that she walks, i never know whether she'll want to walk, be in the stroller or want me to hold her - she's 22 pounds now and is HEAVY so with the Hip Hugger, i can just pop her on my hip and keep moving - plus i can still use both hands
as far as them being hot - i didn't find any one kind to be any hotter than the other - to me, you're always going to be hot when you have a baby glued to you - even when i'm nursing Sydney, i feel like i'm going to explode - especially since her head sweats when she nurses! my Mei Tai is a little hotter than the rest but that's because it's minkee on one side!
we have a maya wrap and i do love it! i do think we're in the market for a mei tai style carrier as well though.
peppermint used to have a babywearing class 2x a week and they'd demo all the different kinds of carriers and let you try things out with your LO. my LO is crazy long, and they were able to show me some mods to get her in there comfortably. since they're closing (grr..), i don't know if they're still doing the class. it might be worth a call though? even w/o the class, the sales staff will give you a 1-on-1 demo of things.
I have an Ergo (love it), Ellaroo mei hip carrier (it has buckles, now that he is big enough for it it is great), I have a deniem ring sling (i don't understand how to use it), I also have a home made mei tei (I love it)