I wore my 7 mo daughter this afternoon in my ring sling and she almost fell out 2x in less than an hr of our walk. I have had help before at the store where I bought it, but now I think I need something that fits evenly on both shoulders. Not a big fan of the Bjorn. Is the Ergo the best thing or is there something more economical or other options? I have no clue about the pros and cons of my options. TIA
Re: Not having success with ring sling...what are my options?
An SSC, like Ergo, is a great 2 shouldered option. There are many, many brands out there. You mention economical- probably the Action Baby Carrier is the least expensive SSC on the market. There are also SSCs that cost upwards of $200. I see you are in the St. Louis area (me too, but on the IL side in Alton). There is a fairly active babywearing group in STL. You should join the FB group- St. Louis Babywearing. They are mostly wrappers, but manyof us are knowledgable about other carriers too.
For ring sling help: what hold are you doing where she is able to almost fall out?
She's facing me with legs dangling down. Thanks for the info.
Sounds like you are not getting enough of a seat under her bottom and the bottom rail is too loose.
After my LO reached 8 months or so, I wasn't loving my ring sling either. We switched to a SSC. Ergo is good, but you might like a mei tai. Have you looked at Boba carriers?
I was going to say this. Her legs should not be dangling down nor should she be able to fall out. I think if you get a really good seat, as in her knees are higher than her bottom, you'll find the RS much more comfy for both of you. I loved RS, especially for the up & down older infant/toddler stage. That being said, wraps, SSCs, mei tais, etc. are probably better for walks.
I love my ring sling, so I'd encourage you to give it another shot. I've used it since DD was about 2 months old, and she's now 14 months and about 23 lbs. Like PP have said, it sounds like you don't have enough of a pocket. It can be tricky to figure out, but your daughters knees should be higher than her bum. Think of how you (probably) carry her in your arms if you're holding her on your hip. The RS should mimic this. She should be positioned as if she is sitting on something, not dangling. If you post a picture I'm sure some of the ladies here can help you out.
But to answer your question...I also have a Babyhawk Mei Tai and a Beco Butterfly. My RS is still my favorite, but my Mei Tai is my second favorite because it folds up so easily. I've been using it since she was 4 days old, and now we both really like back carries with it. The Beco (similar to the Ergo) is the one I keep in the car for quick grocery trips...it's bulky and while comfortable, I just don't love it as much as my other carriers.