For some utterly bizarre reason, I’ve always found there’s a sort of mystery surrounding baby wearing – like it’s some sort of special club you join and once you’re a member it’s forbidden to push your baby around in the buggy. (Is that just me?!) But as far as I’m concerned there’s a time and a place for both methods of baby transportation, and we’ve shared our reviews of a few types of travel systems, so today I thought we could discuss slings and carriers.
Why Carry Your Baby?
In most cultures across the world, it’s totally normal to carry your baby close to your chest and I’m sure most of you are aware of the benefits of babywearing so I’m not going to waffle on about those. For us, it was lovely for Matt to be able to carry Elle and have that bonding time with her snuggled into his chest. And as she got older she would squeal in excitement when we got the carrier out of the cupboard, which was really sweet. We also have a dog who needs a lot of exercise and a carrier meant that we could easily walk for miles across all sorts of terrain without having to worry about pushing or lifting the buggy. Plus in those moments where she just wouldn’t sleep for love nor money, putting her in the carrier was a sure fire way to get her to drift off.
Had I done a little more research before Elle was born, I would have bought something softer and more stretchy for wearing her around the house and next time around I’ll definitely invest in one, I can imagine it makes looking after two much easier.
Types of Carrier & Sling
Like with travel systems, the choice is endless and I think it’s definitely about finding something that suits you and your lifestyle. If you’re thinking about buying a sling or carrier I’d recommend searching on Facebook for sling and carrier groups in your area as they often have ‘sling library days’ where you meet up, try on different types of carrier and sling and ask the experts any questions you may have.
Here’s my brief outline of what’s available to you…
Stretchy Wrap – these are the most commonly recommended wraps for newborns as they are made from soft, stretchy fabric and cocoon your baby snuggly to your chest. (Some allow for different styles of carrying i.e. back and hip too as baby gets older). The Close Caboo or Boba Wrap are great options. This is the style of wrap I WISH I’d bought for Elle (probably even before the pram if I’m honest). She wasn’t a baby who needed to be held all the time, but this certainly would have helped me get on with things during those clingy days.
Woven Wrap – essentially a giant piece of really strong fabric that you learn to tie in different ways, these are really versatile and come in all sorts of gorgeous fabrics and colours, but it does take some practice getting the hold right, especially when you start playing around with different positions. But like anything, practice makes perfect and several of my NCT friends LOVE wrapping their bubs in big woven wraps, it’s like a giant blanket. Try Woven Wings for UK design and manufacture, ethical sourcing of materials AND gorgeous patterns.
Ring Sling – this is a sling which is made from a single piece of fabric which threads through two rings to form a loop. The sling is worn over one shoulder like a sash and can be tightened by pulling the fabric through the rings which then lock it into place. Some ring slings have padding in the shoulder which can make it more comfortable to wear, but can also make it bulkier and less easy to adjust. It’s also possible to convert a woven wrap into a ring sling. This type of sling is suitable from newborn to toddler and is a very versatile option, but personally I couldn’t wear the one shoulder style for very long before my back would start to hurt, so that’s something to consider. Try Didymos Wraps for a great selection.
Mei Tai – this is a square/rectangle shaped piece of fabric with straps on all four corners. The “traditional” mei tai has a history that stretches back hundreds of years. The carrier has its roots in Asia, where mothers often carried their babies in simple fabric carriers that tied onto their bodies. With a mei tai carrier, your baby can be worn on your front or your back, from the earliest newborn days through to toddlerhood and beyond. Try Palm & Pond for gorgeous designs. (I’m very tempted by this nautical number).
Soft Structured Carrier – this is a broad term for the carriers with buckles or fastenings that you use to strap the baby on to you. There’s usually no wrapping involved and these are the carriers which are most commonly sold on the high street. The most popular are probably the Baby Bjorn and the Ergo Baby. But we’d also recommend Tula – lots of my mummy friends rave about these.
The Team Experiences
We had the Baby Bjorn WE and I wouldn’t recommend it. Although it’s suitable from newborn I always felt like it wasn’t snug enough for Elle when she was tiny and actually it doesn’t hold her in a particularly comfortable position – whether on the back or the front. Laura loved her Ergobaby 360 and still uses it for little Bertie, who is very much an active toddler now.
Lottie – We didn’t have a baby carrier with Molly and it was the one thing we wished we had bought. So when I was expecting Alice we set out to find one. We figured we might need it with a toddler and a newborn. After lots of searching and reading up we settled on the Baby Bjorn Active. Edd decided it had enough support and he liked the design. I quite fancied the white version but we ended up with black as it seemed more practical. I actually got it from Gumtree and it was immaculate. Worth a look as most people only use them for a few months and then sell them on. Anyway, back to the carrier. It was great. When Alice was first born Molly was only 19 months so rather than buy a double buggy I would carry Alice in the carrier and Molly would hop in the buggy. Made life a lot easier. It was really comfy and I could carry Alice for long distances including ridiculous cliff walks on our Devon holiday. We used it until she was around 8 months old as then she was a bit big and I found it too heavy. I also used it around the house quite a lot as Alice hated being put down. If you have a clingy baby it’s a great option. I definitely liked the sturdiness of it compared to some other carriers we looked at. Plus it was easy to pop in the wash which it often needed!!
We’d love to hear your experience of baby wearing and if you have any recommendations or reviews you can share with us 🙂
Image by Little Beanies
I don’t know if its just me but I’ve always found the term baby wearing really odd! However I’ve friends who say it literally saved their lives when their littles were tiny and didn’t want to be put down.
This is quite a timely post for me as I am due in a few days, and although we were given one the ring slings, which I like, my husband is not a fan (too hippy was one comment!) so we are looking for another sling. My sister used a sling library when my niece was little to go and try different types of slings to see which worked best which I think is a brilliant idea. The website seems under construction when I googled but they are on Facebook (search for UK Sling Libraries Network).
Ahhh I think maybe that’s the thing that irks me Sophie, the term ‘baby wearing’ 😉 best of luck for the imminent arrival of your little one and thank you for the Facebook search term! x
Sling fan here!! One of the top three items I recommend to my preggo friends. Stretchy wrap/sling, tommee tippee perfect prep machine and a newborn soother/dummy (just in case!) our little girl wasn’t thrilled about being put down and it was a lifesaver round the house in those early days and actually enabled me to eat and do basic stuff around the house. I have encountered both views that a. It’s great for baby to build strong bond etc (especially so as I wasn’t lucky enough to be able to breastfeed) but also b. That it might ‘spoil’ my baby. I am a strong believer that you cannot spoil your newborn and she was carried in it VERY often in those early days. She is now a lovely independent 4 month old who still loves her sling (we’ve moved onto a ring sling now as she’s too nosey for an inward facing stretchy wrap) but is also coming around to the idea of the pushchair too and is starting to love napping there. So all
in all I think they are the best things EVER. X
Oh and I forgot. I only spent a tenner and it was brilliant! Then watched a YouTube video on how to wrap…
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/BABY-SLING-STRETCHY-WRAP-CARRIER-BIRTH-3-YEARS-BREASTFEEDING-/111720623729
Totally agree that you can’t spoil a newborn. So glad your little one has loved her slings Ami 🙂
I would highly recommend the ergo baby carrier, With a new born insert so tiny babies are snug. It also positions the babies hips so that it doesn’t cause damage and is comfortable and destined to also put less strain on the wearer. i also wish I had bought a fabric sling for around the house, my son would not nap unless being held or in the pram, so it would have really helped me to be able to get stuff done or just be hands free on the sofa!!
I bought two kinds! Yes I was that frantic first time mum buying all sorts of stuff. But I’m actually really glad I did. I had a simple soft grey material wrap which I used lots when my little girl was brand new, usually on those days when she was a bit fussier. She was so snug and always fell asleep which meant I had hands free to drink a cup of tea!
She’s now 3 months and we use the baby bjorn (also a gumtree find for us) a lot more as she’s heavier and I find it supports my back more. Both good investments for us!
I had a close caboo which was a life saver in the early days. It was a magic sleep charm for a nap-dodging newborn. I then got a Connecta Solar which was perfect for warmer weather, holidays and a growing baby.
The one that’s stayed with us from the start though is our Ergo 360. It’s so well designed and I’m confident it’s safe for Fern’s body geometry. Comfortable to wear, easy to put on and facing all directions is possible which is brilliant as when she was tiny she liked to snuggle facing in whereas now she loves facing out to the world. One of our all-time best baby buys.
We’re now considering a structured back carrier like the littlelife Cross Country. Any recommendationsfor carriers of this ilk would be gratefully received!
We’ve got a LittleLife Ranger and an Adventurer and I would fully rate and recommend both though *shallow face* the Adventurer looks nicer, more streamlined and less bulky. The kids have no preference though and they’re both super comfy/all bells and whistles etc
Thanks ladies, I’d completely forgotten about more sturdy backpack type carriers for toddlers! Hopefully we’ll get some more recommendations too x
I had the baby Bjorne active carrier too and loved it. I used it from very early on and it was a life saver when I was on my own with a very little baby and a very active dog. Having the sling meant the dog still got her regular walks in her regular places which I am convinced helped her settle in with the baby and we’ve had no issues at all. I also bought the cover so I didn’t have to worry too much about layering up the baby to go out. I found it to be quite supportive on my back and didn’t aggravate any old issues I have there, it was comfy on and always resulted in a good long snooze in the fresh air. I bought mine second hand and it’s still in great condition so well worth the investment in my opinion. We’re now done with it as the baby isn’t so little any more so it’s up on gumtree waiting for a new little person to carry around.
Baby carrying has saved us well. My son only liked to sleep being held. In the beginning we had the close caboo before moving onto the ergo baby 360 which he loves. It’s great at supporting your back and now he’s older he can face forward and look around. Best purchase ever!
Love my ergobaby 360! Little one decided she hated the pram at 10 weeks and the carrier is the only way she will travel! She hates not being held so a life saver when I need to get things done! Makes getting around so easy, we went round London for the day with no trouble at all. It’s a little tricky to get on yourself at first, but you quickly get the hang of it. The newborn insert made her really snug and she happily naps in it. I did a lot of research and wanted a carrier that would properly support her hips until 6 months. The cover you can pull over their head once they fall asleep to stop head lolling and protect them from the sun is so useful as well. We went for the navy colour with whale print. I also wish I’d got a stretchy wrap for her newborn days and will definitely invest if we have another.
Another sling fan here – I think I wore Flo for hours every day until she was about 4 months as she wouldn’t go in the pram. Luckily she does now but I kind of miss the closeness that a soft sling gave us – we had the close caboo & would 100% recommend it. We now have an ergobaby for using on cross-country walks and I do like it but nothing quite compares to those tiny baby snuggles ☺️
I didn’t really consider baby wearing whilst pregnant (I’m ashamed to admit I thought it was a bit hippy and silly but I think totally differently now, as with most of my ‘opinions’ before I actually had a child!) but once my little girl arrived she hated being in the pram and just liked to be held a lot, and I loved holding her, so it wasn’t long before I was looking for a carrier! I blindly went to mothercare and bought a baby bjorn, assuming that was the best. Turned out it was mega uncomfortable and I returned it sharpish! I then went to my local Sling Library on the advice of a friend and that was sooo helpful! You can try lots of different slings / carriers and rent them for a few quid. I rented a Connecta and loved it so bought my own and we happily used that none stop! My daughter became more accepting of the pram / pushchair as she got older but I often still used the carrier anyway as I found it more convenient and enjoyed holding her close ☺️
I’m expecting baby number 2 now and I’m definitely going to try out a stretchy wrap for wearing baby round the house so I can still hold my new baby lots whilst having free hands for my toddler! Really liking the look of the Solly wrap and I’ve been recommended a Close Caboo too as a soft carrier x
Another Ergo lover here, it’s brilliant! But I must admit I never got on with the infant insert, she just never felt secure so maybe we were doing it wrong!
I can’t believe nobody has mentioned Solly baby wraps- I used an American friend’s and it is genius, perfect stretch and strength and the ends taper so you never end up dragging huge swathes of fabric through puddles in Lidl car park (yep, that’s me). They ship to the UK so I’m 100% buying one next time.
Re : the Baby wearing tribe thing, I think it’s like when you drive a convertible, and you have a secret smile with others who are driving one – you know how easy and fun it is having baby on you! I hope so anyway, goodness knows there’s enough material based tribalism in the mama world (but never any on RMF, Hurrah!)
That’s a nice way to describe it Lucy 🙂 and you’re totally right, it is lovely carrying your little one x
I love our slings and wouldn’t be without them. We used the caboo to begin with and it was great to have hands free making lunch while Crawford slept and to have something that was soft enough to sit on the sofa with him in it.
We then got a connecta as my husband could never tie the caboo securely enough and wanted something with clips and 15 months on we’re still using it regularly. It has a little flat for a head support or rain/sun cover. So much easier getting out of 3rd floor flat for trip to the shop or going on the train. We also had a baby that hated his pram for about 2-3 months so the sling was a lifesaver then.
Hooray! My smashed phone has been fixed AND it’s baby carrier day on my favourite interwebs home!
Sollybaby wraps are so lush, totally worth the customs charge that I didn’t tell my husband about ? Mobys also a great option for newborn-4ish months, certainly longer if you’ve got dinky babies but mine are all elephants.
Ring slings have always been my go to, one in the car/buggy/my handbag and bam, fussy baby instantly soothed. Plus I could (can still but rarely do because HEAVY) wear both L and O in two ring slings, one on each shoulder.
Definitely with you on the anti-pram vibe, I think it’s so daft. Since Effie was born we’ve always had an umbrella stroller for the toddler and generally carried the babies – I do have a morbid fear of double buggies but I’m weird.
Maoibh you are my hero! The image of you carrying two bubs and pushing the toddler is just lush.
I know, as I said in the post there’s a time and place for the buggy! Namely when you want somewhere to stash your shopping so you don’t have to carry it 😉
Hello! Can I ask how much the customs charge was please? Did you just order one? X
I love baby wearing, so does my little boy. We went for the stretchy wrap, (liberty wraps), which is so secure and comfortable for the baby and the wearer.
Now he’s 9 months and 20 lbs I’m looking for something lighter and probably more like the bjorn but i’m worried about his hips.
I thought their hips, legs and feet should form a ‘w’ to properly support the hips and their development.
The KISS guidelines are also great.
I have an incredibly clingy daughter – even now she’s 16 months – who hates being pushed in a pram. Slings have been a godsend for getting out and about when she’s grumpy or tired. I’m not a member of the anti pram club though and still do (try to) use the buggy when she lets me lol!
We started out with a Moby stretchy when she was a tiny toot and moved on to a Connecta at about 4/5 months. I love the Connecta – it’s compact to carry around, comfortable to wear with smaller and bigger babies, suitable for front and back carrying and comes in some lovely designs including Liberty print fabrics.
I would love to be able to do woven wraps as they come in beautiful designs and can be tied all sorts of ways, but I found the Moby to be a bit of a faff to get on, so I’m pretty sure I’d fail on a woven. For those considering a stretchy, it’s worth shopping around for the right one. We received the Moby as a gift and it was fine, but I’m fairly petite and found there was a LOT of excess fabric when I had it on. It hung down past my knees and was annoying. If I was buying another stretchy I think I’d shop around for one with a bit less fabric – I always did like the look of the Close Caboo Fern mentions.
Also, Next has maternity jackets with a panel insert that zips in to accommodate your bump and which can also be used for baby wearing after you’ve given birth, in case anyone is interested… http://www.next.co.uk/g878032s2#426337
Thanks for the jacket tip 🙂 I reckon lots of people will find that useful x
We used a kari me for both of ours alongside a pram and plan to again with our next one (due in 6 weeks eek!) I love it but my husband isn’t a fan…it’s a wrap and not the most masculine design!
I really like the Tula ring sling as it comes in plenty of lovely patterns, think I prefer it for when they get a bit bigger. We moved on to a bush baby backpack style carrier for country walks which my husband loved, but that was post 6-8 months!
One thing I struggled with was how to wear the slings/wraps in bad weather…over a coat was uncomfortable and under meant leaving the coat open which in wind and rain wasn’t the best!
Have a look at Tracey’s jacket tip above Amy, and also try http://www.lovetobenatural.co.uk/babywearing-accessories/babywearing-coats-and-covers.html?limit=all x
I started out with a Je Porte Mon Bebe wrap and I just couldn’t get on with the faff of tying the endless lengths of material around me which just got me hot and flustered and really dictated what I could or couldn’t wear! I was only comfortable in a vest or t-shirt with this over the to and that just didn’t feel practical to me. The new mum hormone sweats just made this harder!
We’ve since bought an Ergo Baby 360 – started using it when Orla was just on the cusp of being 4mths old and did so without the newborn insert that you need to buy in addition for very small littles. She was a little small for it and as a result didn’t like it, but we persevered and I just can’t rate this carrier highly enough. Sooooo versatile with the number of ways to carry and incredibly comfy. The shell, fleece winter cover is also fab and snuggly for cold wet days.
We switch between this and the pram depending on what we’re doing and love having the flexibility of all options. So Ergobaby 360, well worth the investment and will last a long time!
Love this post! I didn’t know much about “baby wearing” (and agree it’s an odd term – it makes it sound like some sort of political/social movement!) but really love how easy it makes life.
I bought a cheap stretchy wrap off Amazon which has been good but I then bought a K’Tan wrap (from Mothercare online) which is awesome – it’s the same idea as a stretchy wrap but without the extra material as you buy it based on your size. It’s absolutely brill for those that are getting used to carriers and slings.
I’ve been doing a bit more research and am trying to decide between buying a Connecta or a Tula for when Keanu is a bit older. The Connecta generally seems more popular but would love to hear from anyone who has used both!
I’m also bought an Ama wrap for my husband and he loves it – he went into town with K in it on the weekend and said so many people stopped him to ask where he got it and coo at baby – cute!
Hmm I’ve bought too many slings/wraps, must stop! Great post, Fern 🙂
Ahhh thanks for your comment Kate, sounds like you guys have got the carriers sorted 😉
If you can find a sling library near you, I’d definitely try to attend as you should be able to try both the Tula and the Connecta in person.
I think it seems to be an addiction…once you start buying slings you just can’t stop! x
I think the Connecta v Tula is purely based on whether you prefer a padded waist band or not. Worth a try to see which you like.
I love my connecta (not used so much now P wants to run everywhere!) and will be taking it on holiday with us later this month. It folds so small into my bag, I don’t feel like I’m lumbered with it if she wants to walk.
M&S are now stocking them too apparently!
Definitely look up the TICKS guidelines
http://babyslingsafety.co.uk/ticks.pdf
Its not just for babies safety but your comfort too. A incorrectly worn sling or carrier will be bad for you back.
The Close Caboo was an amazing buy for us when my daughter was newborn. She would sleep for hours in there, snuggled against my chest. Now we use a Baby Bjorn We Carrier, which she loves…I can totally relate to the part about your daughter getting excited whenever you got the carrier out!
Last time around I had a woven wrap for when Juliet was tiny and then as she got older I bought a Rose and Rebellion soft structured sling second hand on eBay.
We still have the R&R sling, but because Tess is a spring baby, I didn’t want to wear all the material involved in a woven wrap so bought a baby k’tan – same principle but basically ready tied. I do prefer a woven wrap style because they’re so versatile in how you can wear your baby, including a cradle hold for the newborn days.
One time we have found the slings absolutely invaluable is when going on holiday – it makes the trek from disembarking the plane to finding your buggy at arrivals MUCH easier if you got your hands free!
Good travelling tip Sara – I think a sling would make airport travelling SO much easier! x
We have both a material sling and an Ergobaby 360. Both are brilliant. I tend to wear the material sling round the house and if I’m going out the Ergobaby.
I do really like the material sling though as it is just so snug for Seth and as others have said gets him off to sleep.
Thank you everyone for all of the reviews and recommendations 🙂 this is going to be a super helpful post for anyone searching for a carrier!
It seems like the Ergobaby and the Close Caboo are the most popular choices x
I can’t keep up! Can we organise some kind of tally chart to record the most popular ones as an easy reference guide?! Haha.
Hmm, I could ask Becky to design a super snazzy graphic with pros and cons 😉
I love wearing my twins. I’m fairly determined that just because I’ve got twins things shouldn’t have to be any different. I started off with a Je porte mon bebe stretchy wrap so I could wear both of them on the front although I never felt really comfortable wearing them both out like that so I also had a ring sling which my husband preferred at first as he felt like wrapping was a bit like origami, until he got the hang of it and then he preferred using the stretchy (as he’s much bigger than me, there was also no material draping around to try to tie up).
Once the girls were big enough I then got a Twingo which has been the most brilliant purchase ever and I’d much rather use that than the pushchair (I’m not in the anti pushchair brigade, I just find it easier and quicker). It can be used as a single carrier so my husband and I can both carry them or I can put it together and use it to carry both. It can also be used for an older child and a younger one so if you’ve got a toddler and a baby it’s perfect – not just for twins!
I use it everywhere, it was great to carry them in the airport when we went on holiday and when I’ve got a game (I play roller derby, so have lots of bags to carry) I put the girls in the twingo and use the pushchair for all the bags!
ah I sound like I work for them, I don’t I just really love it!
HAHA Sarah, it’s always lovely to have a genuine review of something, especially when you clearly love the product, so it’s fine 🙂
And just googled roller derby – how on earth did you get into that?! Looks like so much fun though! x
I moved house so was looking for something to do to meet new people and found roller derby. It’s so much fun and pretty addictive. Most people’s other halves either become ‘derby widows’ or start playing or refereeing!
I have used the ergo carrier and the Je Porte Mon Bebe Basic wrap with mine. I was a bit nervous of the wrap but once I checked out a few You Tube tutorials I got the hang of it. I definitely recommend this type of wrap for newborns. As they get older and can sit up I find the Ergo great as it is easy to put on and off (although my husband struggles with the back strap).
Just a note of advice and people can do their own research on it but the Baby Bjorn and similar carriers are not recommended as the best ergonomically for infants. The “seat” on the carrier should be wide so that they appear to be sitting and not hanging down (important for the hips). It is also suggested that while some babies love looking out they should be able to tuck in to their parent / guardian as they may become over stimulated. They can do this in a back carrier or hip carrier while also being able to look out.
Definitely recommend doing a bit of research before buying
I really enjoyed carrying Orla in a sling … we had a mamas and papas one (like a baby bjorn but cheaper!) when she was born, which was ok, but got more and more uncomfortable the heavier she got – we used it to go for walks, and also on a weekend visit to London – super easy on the tube and for walking round Hyde Park Winter Wonderland!! I also used it a lot for supermarket shopping – I’m quite short and could never lift her car seat up onto those trolleys!! If we had another one I would definitely get a stretchy wrap to use around the house and for short trips – my husband (like many!) thought they were a bit ‘hippy’ and preferred something with clips and buckles that was easier to get right!!
Since Orla was about 9 months we’ve hardly used it, but a couple of times we’ve been away we rented a Tula, which I would highly recommend, and wish I could afford to buy, but can’t justify it now that I’m back at work full time and it wouldn’t get used enough. I second the idea of airports above – especially if for budget flights where the plane is in the middle of the runway (you know what I mean!) – much easier to carry your hand luggage and the baby down the plane steps if you know they’re safe and secure in a carrier!!
We hired ours from http://www.itsaslingthing.co.uk/ which was a brilliant site, very reasonable (I think about £10 for two weeks plus postage) and they post it out to you and you post it back at the end – perfect if you don’t have a sling library nearby. They were also really helpful in helping me decide which one to try.
Thank you for the website tip Amy – that looks really helpful! x
My husband was more interested in babywearing than I was, so before our little boy was born we bought an Ergo wrap and my husband loved it. I used it for baby wearing ballet but soon found it was too stretchy for my chunky baby! After trying a few slings at my local sling library I opted for a Sleepy Nico- its a soft structured carrier and gave me lots of support whilst also being really soft. My little boy would always fall asleep in it so I knew he was comfy. What also appealed to me was being able to customise my own sling by choosing the fabric!
16months on and we’re still using the sling- we’ve done 2 European trips away and left the pushchair at home knowing he’ll quite happily sleep in the sling. I always thought that once he’d outgrown his baby carrier we’d give up on the babywearing however I’m now seriously thinking about getting the toddler version- they’re great for holidays and those days when he refuses to go in the pushchair but then decides his legs are too tired are just around the corner!
I LOVE using both my baby carriers – it’s still the only guaranteed way to get my 5 month old to nap if she’s really resisiting sleep. As others have said I just love being able to do stuff with both my hands around the house and out and about. We paid for a one-to-one consultation with the lady who runs our local sling library when Matilda was 4 weeks old which was great. She came to our house with three massive bags of different types of carriers and talked us through the different options, my husband and I tried on loads of different types and practised getting the fit right with a weighted doll to decide what we liked before trying them with Matilda to make sure she was happy with them too. We hired a je Porte mon Bebe basic stretchy wrap and a manduca structured carrier and loved them both so have bought our own. We tend to use the stretchy wrap around the house and I use it when I’m out and about in town when I don’t want to have the bulk of the buggy and the manduca for going out on long walks. I still find it comfortable to use the stretchy wrap for the moment but when she gets too big the manduca should last her well into toddlerhood. Although someone above was asking for most popular brands I genuinely think different carriers suit different people so really recommend using a sling library to try before you buy and get a one-to-one consultation if you can!
Love the ergo 360, in fact that is my little girl in the photograph, she’s 18 months old there and we are still getting plenty of use out it. Great for off road walks but still love our Bugaboo and Smartrike for shopping trips, longer walks etc . Great blog xxx
Ergos are great for one baby but with my twins the twingo has been a lifesaver! Best carrier ever! When you’ve got 2 toddlers who refuse to use the pram a tandem carrier is a must.
I currently have a Moby aria which I love but I tried a lot of dling s to find one that worked with my back and my son not being fussed in slings at the start.
I would suggest going to a sling Library before buying. They will help you choosing a sling that is correct for you and help you with putting it on correctly. You can they try a sling for a couple of weeks very cheaply. If you like it you can buy and if not then try another. You will only have lost about £5