Hey all! Hope its ok that I start this series early on...I know in July we had a couple of single subject posts about cars and strollers and maybe the early addition of a product spotlight thread will make it easier for people to search the information. At the bottom is June and July's past threads in a spreadsheet, and I'll make one for August as well, so we will always be able to search for this information somewhere other than TB. There is a schedule of dates to expect the product spotlights as well.
This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... baby carriers! Ring slings, wraps, you name it.
Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.
For S+TMs:
- Favorite [baby carrier]:
- Link/picture:
- Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
- What you like about it:
- What you don't like about it, if anything:
- Is there a [baby carrier] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
- Additional thoughts on [baby carriers]:
For FTMs:
- [Carrier(s)] you're interested in:
- Link/picture:
- Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
- Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:
ETA: Our link to past threads is here, created based on July BMB:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UyhRAJyRFD8vsNwLsXd7vCCC-9pYjzH3p5HvngpnaOI/edit?usp=sharing This is July's schedule for reference, and past links here. Created based on June 2018 spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nhSR3UAwJx8UitC9b2hRx57c4hHkK6BU679FjqXMeHQ/edit?usp=sharing THis is June's if you want to look at past threads for reference:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1gjNtxy2Kd2JceTYYR5wkwVcpTbU-khgazhjcZnfI1y4/edit?usp=sharingmessage me if you want me to add categories!
Re: Product Spotlight Week of 12/4: Baby Carriers!
I'm a STM with an almost 2yo son. We live in the city, so we either walk or take public transit most places we go. For the first year, I took him to daycare every day in a chest carrier and couldn't have lived without it. So much easier than a stroller. We didn't start using it until he was about a month old and strong enough to hold his head up. I had him face towards me until he was maybe 4 months old? (oh man, it's surprising how much you forget!). Then, I switched him to face outwards, because he loved looking at people on the bus, and seeing our neighborhood. It was great interaction, because I talked to him about everything we were seeing on our walks to/from daycare and around the neighborhood.
number 1: it’s totally personal. What fits and works for one mama will be different for another. Me, I don’t do wrapping but others adore it. Also ergo was a terrible fit for me. It hurt my back. It’s not great generally for petite or short waisted women. But some ppl find it great!!
i love woven ring slings for brand new babies. Which one is just your preference. Something not too stiff! It’s great for a newborn, and soooo easy for in and out, it’s great if you have big kids too and are in and out for school, errands etc. once they get big it’s not the best imo, but carriers have great resale.
alfter they outgrow that the Tula (regular then toddler) is my favvvvv
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
id consider a Tula though. Ergo doesn’t have a good range of fits (so if your h is big or tall it may not fit him... and for me I’m short waisted and it was impossible to get a correct fit (straps don’t shorten enough). Tula are much more $, but they hold value and will fit baby way longer too.
Just my 2 cents as a former ergo mama turned Tula mom! Plus the prints are cute
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
I did try the Baby Bjorn (an original one) with DD1 but hated it. The Ergo is where it's at for me.
I didn't even think about the August heat and babywearing. Maybe will look into an alternative!
Me 39 - DH 41
Married 8/26/07
TTGP #1 Jan '15 -
BFP 9/11/15 - DS born 5/31/16
TTGP #2 July '17 -
CP July '17
Blighted Ovum MC Dec '17
CP June '18
BFP 1/30/19 - EDD 10/13/19
For S+TMs:
HX
DSD: 17
DS: 4(Nov'14)
MMC:8/17
MMC: 1/18
BFP: 2/7/19 EDD:10/16/19
Tickers
Me 39 - DH 41
Married 8/26/07
TTGP #1 Jan '15 -
BFP 9/11/15 - DS born 5/31/16
TTGP #2 July '17 -
CP July '17
Blighted Ovum MC Dec '17
CP June '18
BFP 1/30/19 - EDD 10/13/19
I also adore my woven ring sling for quick ups. It can get uncomfortable after a while when they get bigger, but it's nice for a quick Target trip or a short walk with the dog.
I bought a Solly when I was pregnant last time and I'm looking forward to using that when this baby is tiny. Stretchy wraps aren't fantastically supportive when they get bigger, but they're cozy for squishes.
I really want to get better with my woven wraps too. I'm a bit of a hoarder with babywearing stuff, so I have several wraps I've used like twice. I just need this little one so I can finally practice more
About me:
Married 6.26.11
BFP 12.23.13, EDD 9.2.14 - baby girl, born too soon at 22w6d due to a placental abruption on 5.5.14
BFP 8.4.14, EDD 4.15.15 - rainbow son, born at 30w4d due to a placental abruption on 2.8.15, healthy 3 y/o now!
BFP 2.28.17, EDD 11.8.17 - baby girl, miscarried at 11 weeks on 4.21.17
BFP 11.28.17, EDD 8.8.18, delivering in July - another rainbow baby boy!
I'm absolutely team Tula and like @elsieisamoocow I'm totally looking forward to trying a FTG this time around. I do still have 2 Tula's from DS2 and my friend is sending me her infant insert so I'll use those too but I mean, you can't have enough Tula's I'm somewhat of a babywearing collector so I like to have multiples. Also, I keep one in the car at all times, one at home, and then one in my mom's car so we are never without. I know that sounds silly but I am so scatterbrained so knowing there's one in each car is helpful for me because it's one less thing I have to worry about.
As I've also said before, in the very beginning I love woven ring slings. I find the wovens have a tighter fit for me and that was important. I had a maya wrap RS I ordered on Amazon and I felt like it was always slipping in the rings whereas the one I got from Tula that was a woven RS seemed to stay in place. Once you get the rings and rails adjusted correctly it's super easy to slide on and off. The only thing is it's hard to share the carrier with anyone else because you adjust it to your size so if your H or anyone else wants to wear baby you'll have to readjust for them and then again for yourself. However, in the very beginning I'm usually a baby hog so I don't share much anyways.
I had a moby wrap and NEVER figured it out, it was just so much fabric. I also tried other woven wraps with DS2 and never got the hang of it. It was so much fabric and so many steps to try and get it right and I didn't have the patience to try and get the hang of it. I know some who swear by it but it just wasn't for me.
August 18 Siggy Challenge: April Showers
I babywore a lot with DS but I definitely am preparing to babywear way more this time since I'll be chasing a 3.5 year old around when s/he is born. I'm really looking forward to it, though, I think it's one reason I have such a close bond with DS
About me:
Married 6.26.11
BFP 12.23.13, EDD 9.2.14 - baby girl, born too soon at 22w6d due to a placental abruption on 5.5.14
BFP 8.4.14, EDD 4.15.15 - rainbow son, born at 30w4d due to a placental abruption on 2.8.15, healthy 3 y/o now!
BFP 2.28.17, EDD 11.8.17 - baby girl, miscarried at 11 weeks on 4.21.17
BFP 11.28.17, EDD 8.8.18, delivering in July - another rainbow baby boy!
August 18 Siggy Challenge: April Showers
August 18 Siggy Challenge: April Showers
DH:45
DSD: 20
DSS: 18
Team green baby due: Aug 6th, 2018
Married 5/30/15
TTC #1 June 2015
BFP #1 9/28/15, EDD 6/10/16. DS born 5/23/16!
TTC #2 May 2017
BFP #2 m/c 11/18/17 5w5d
BFP #3 12/17/17 EDD 8/25/18. It's a boy!
11/18/16 missed m/c 9w1
08/03/17 no hb 8w
Married 5/30/15
TTC #1 June 2015
BFP #1 9/28/15, EDD 6/10/16. DS born 5/23/16!
TTC #2 May 2017
BFP #2 m/c 11/18/17 5w5d
BFP #3 12/17/17 EDD 8/25/18. It's a boy!
It holds the baby like the wraps do but without the miles of fabric. When we would take baby out and about I would put the K'Tan on before we left then when we got wherever I could pop him out of the car seat and right into the carrier.
Me: 37 Him: 38
Married 11.07.2015
IvorySoapGirl - Forest Hills, NY
Me: 40 DH: 40
Married May 2012
DD born Sep 2013
MC Feb 2017 11w2d
CP May 2017 5w
MC Oct 2017 6w
BFP Dec 2017 EDD 8/15/18
About me:
Married 6.26.11
BFP 12.23.13, EDD 9.2.14 - baby girl, born too soon at 22w6d due to a placental abruption on 5.5.14
BFP 8.4.14, EDD 4.15.15 - rainbow son, born at 30w4d due to a placental abruption on 2.8.15, healthy 3 y/o now!
BFP 2.28.17, EDD 11.8.17 - baby girl, miscarried at 11 weeks on 4.21.17
BFP 11.28.17, EDD 8.8.18, delivering in July - another rainbow baby boy!
DH:45
DSD: 20
DSS: 18
Team green baby due: Aug 6th, 2018
August 18 Siggy Challenge: April Showers
DH:45
DSD: 20
DSS: 18
Team green baby due: Aug 6th, 2018
A wrap is just a very large piece of fabric that can be tied in multiple ways around your for many different carries. When I say very large piece of fabric I'm talking like longer than you can imagine. I'm pretty sure I had one once that was 9 feet long. I find them very overwhelming and I've never found a wrap that felt comfortable for me. I know a lot of people swear by them and there's a definite learning curve but it was too much work for me.
August 18 Siggy Challenge: April Showers
Here's an example of a wrap. The way she has it wrapped is one of the most common I've seen but I could just never get a tight fit and it was so much fabric I was always hot. Again, I know some people swear by wrapping but it just wasn't for me.
August 18 Siggy Challenge: April Showers
DH:45
DSD: 20
DSS: 18
Team green baby due: Aug 6th, 2018