Baby Bjorn and Babies' bow legs

I used a different type of sling for each of my last three children. And I thought each was wonderful at the time. I hadn’t used a sling with my first child but carried her almost everywhere in my arms – now that was tiring (and in hindsight really stupid!)

I’ve used the traditional Chinese sling with the long ties, a front pack similar to the baby bjorn and an over-the-shoulder sling like the mayawrap. Of the three I actually found the front pack the hardest to get my sleeping baby down in.

I always assumed this was because the baby had to go from the vertical to the horizontal and have the pressure from on his front to on his back. I always carried him with his face towards me – almost everyone did in those days – he’s 16 years old now!

Whereas with the traditional sling I could lie down with it on so the baby was nearly lying flat before I slowly untied it and with the over-the-shoulder type sling I could swing the baby over the bed and escape out of it without the baby being any the wiser.

I really can’t see how having the baby next to you in any type of sling can be a problem – after all skin-to-skin contact is being recommended for all babies now, not just premature ones. And if you have problems because the baby is sick or not breastfeeding well they recommend it 24 hours a day.

The air-flow issue with SIDS is not that the baby is next to someone but that the bedding should not be covering the baby’s face. But the bigger issue is that the baby have his arms free so that if his face is covered he can alert you by struggling and waving his arms. Tight swaddling is also linked with pneumonia in newborn babies.

I think a baby carrier of some sort, whatever type you find suits you best, is an essential for Hong Kong living. Not only are there hundreds of steps everywhere but pushchairs put the baby at the car exhaust height.

Best wishes,
Barb
 
I'm waiting to receive my new sling ordered through NappyPooh, it's from Karma Baby Slings, seems that these slings can put up with weight of a toddler. The hip carry and tummy to tummy seems comfortable and suitable for heavier babies. NappyPooh's website is having some tech difficulties right now, so if you're interested, check out http://mykarmababy.com/
 
I'm not sure how anyone can have seen a baby in the cradle position without head support as the bay's head as the back of the head is wrapped in the sling. I agree that using the sling takes some effort and requires learning a new skill. However having mastered this skill I am able to lift my sleeping baby from the cot into the sling and he's still asleep and I can also place my sleeping little man into the cot from the sling and guess what he stays asleep; never been able to do that with the baby bjorn, not with all those fiddly clasps and having to lift the front section up slightly to get the clasps undone. As for needing to be around when my baby is going to sleep you are darn right I want to be there. It's a lovely peaceful time for both of us and there is nothing more beautiful than watching those little eyes open and close as he goes off to sleep. I have been there as all three of my babies fall off to sleep and I wouldn't change it for the world; and before you ask the older two can now do it on their own without any problems. As for it being a situation meriting 'Ha ha', you're right I'm very happy to continue watching them drift off to sleep.
The point raised about the Chinese style of carrier I feel is based on a misconception. The problem with the Baby Bjorn is not so much the style of carrier but the amount of fabric supporting the base of the spine. In the Chinese style of carrier the whole of the baby's bottom is supported and therefore the baby's weight is being held over a larger area than in the Baby Bjorn and that is the issue. The baby's weight focussed over a small area equates to extra pressure on the spine.
I know there are people who are fans of the Baby Bjorn in the same way there are fans of the Maya wrap etc. This is great, but I do feel that if you are choosing a baby carrier then an awareness of any issues attached to them is important. As I have said I have now carried two children in a Mayawrap sling and have not come across the issue of air flow or unsupported heads in a new born. I have also used a Baby Bjorn and found it difficult to get the baby in and out especially when they are asleep. I actually challenge anyone to get their baby into their baby bjorn faster than I can get my son into my sling. I can also nurse in my Mayawrap and to be honest never managed it in my Baby Bjorn.
Good luck with making decisions over which sling to use.

Jools
 
Jools,
Do you prefer the maya wrap for newborns, or have you tried the pouch-types? I am trying to figure out which sling to get - since I have never used one, I am leaning towards a pouch type because I heard it is the easiest type to use.
 
I think which one you prefer depends on which one you buy first. I have many friends who have used a mayawrap sling or similar from newborns to toddlers (some even to children as old as three years) and others who used the mayawrap pouch. Each one thinks that whatever they bought first and got used to first is the best!

The advantages of the sling rather than the pouch are that you can use it longer as it works well with older babies. I used mine on a trip to Japan when my daughter was three and a half years old because she wasn?t well and wanted to be carried all the time. Some babies tend to arch back if they don?t want to be carried and with the older baby the sling holds them in better than the pouch.

Also you can use the end of the sling to cover you over as you breastfeed which you can?t do in the pouch. See the second picture at
http://www.natural-wisdom.com/slingpositions.htm

Can you tell that I was one who bought the sling first?

Best wishes,
Barb
 
Another thing to consider is your back. I have problems with my back so I found ring slings really uncomfortable, I bought the moby wrap because it goes over both shoulders. This one is stretch, but there are also several brands that are woven. this site is really good for explaining all the different types of slings, wraps, ect.
http://store.peppermint.com/guide.html
 
I agree with Barbwong. I bought a sling first, then a pouch and I prefer the sling. There is more to learn with the sling but I find it more versatile and I like the way I can adjust it.
When they're older you can also use the sling to secure your child into a chair in a restaurant when they don't have a high chair which sounds a minor point, but you'd be surprised how often I have used it this way in Hong Kong.
Happy baby wearing,

Jools
 
Thanks for the suggestions/advice. :)

I am worried about learning how to correctly use the slings - they seem really difficult to learn?

Which sling would you recommend for a beginner who has no one near her who has ever used a baby carrier?
 
I can?t understand why everyone is saying using a sling is hard to learn. I just put my baby in it and away we went ? nothing could have been easier.

I was given an instructional video but I never watched it! That?s just the type of person I am ? I never follow instructions until everything else hasn?t worked.

After I?d been using the sling for about 18 months a friend of mine asked if she could watch my video before she bought one for herself to help her decide which type to buy. So we watched it together. I realized that I really should have watched the video when I first got it as it had lots of little tips which made the sling even more comfortable.

I don?t think a sling is difficult to use ? if you want to see how to use it why not visit one of the LLL leaders in Hong Kong or attend a meeting as they sell the mayawrap sling and willbe able to put you in touch with someone with experience of how to use it.

Best wishes,
Barb
 
Dear jaetee,
When I say you have to learn the skill of using a sling, it is not a difficult skill to learn. Believe me if I can do it anyone can. I taught myself how to use the sling using the DVD, that comes with it, and practise. I practised with a teddybear a few times just to get the hang of adjusting the sling, then in went the baby and I have never looked back.
Yes it takes 'some' practise, but it's so worth it, and as Barbwong has pointed out LLL sell these slings and they will be more than willing to help you.

Jools
 
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