We have happily
Baby Bjorn-ed since G (and later there was the
backpack carrier for when their little arms got in the way), but my one growing dislike for the Bjorn is when used with an infant who doesn't have any or minimal head control. Chest-to-chest, it seems almost as if the poor thing is smothering. So with Z's coming I decided to try something new.
I'm not sure why I never considered a sling before. Maybe not knowing how they're supposed to be used they just looked uncomfortable to me. Specifically, it looks like all the weight is carried on the neck and shoulder, which I know would give me a headache. In any case, it was earlier this year when we were still in Alaska that I started looking into getting an inexpensive sling to try. Incidentally, if you've ever priced some of the "famous" slings (see
Maya Wrap or
New Native), you'd wonder how a swath of fabric could cost so much. It crossed my mind for a brief moment to find
a pattern and make my own, but I'm rather tired of cursing my sewing machine and ripping out all those messed up stitches. My time is better spent paying someone – yay, Etsy! – to make one for me. :) So the one I ordered originally was this beautiful periwinkle color with a little stick figure village scene pattern on it (below), but after a couple tries with Z, I determined it might be too small. (Mind you, I was eight months pregnant when I made the measurement so I might have been a little off.) The replacement is the one G is modeling above. I'm rather pleased with myself for not getting something more neutral, e.g. black with a white floral pattern, in the hopes that Drew might actually sling Z.
References:
The Baby Wearer is supposed to be *the* place to get information about "wearing" your kid, but it's an awful lot of information to wade through. Helpful if you're still trying to decide on which kind of sling to get though. I rather like the little video clips at
Zolowear for learning how to get Z in and out of the thing.
I'm not sure why I never considered a sling before. Maybe not knowing how they're supposed to be used they just looked uncomfortable to me. Specifically, it looks like all the weight is carried on the neck and shoulder, which I know would give me a headache. In any case, it was earlier this year when we were still in Alaska that I started looking into getting an inexpensive sling to try. Incidentally, if you've ever priced some of the "famous" slings (see Maya Wrap or New Native), you'd wonder how a swath of fabric could cost so much. It crossed my mind for a brief moment to find a pattern and make my own, but I'm rather tired of cursing my sewing machine and ripping out all those messed up stitches. My time is better spent paying someone – yay, Etsy! – to make one for me. :) So the one I ordered originally was this beautiful periwinkle color with a little stick figure village scene pattern on it (below), but after a couple tries with Z, I determined it might be too small. (Mind you, I was eight months pregnant when I made the measurement so I might have been a little off.) The replacement is the one G is modeling above. I'm rather pleased with myself for not getting something more neutral, e.g. black with a white floral pattern, in the hopes that Drew might actually sling Z.
References: The Baby Wearer is supposed to be *the* place to get information about "wearing" your kid, but it's an awful lot of information to wade through. Helpful if you're still trying to decide on which kind of sling to get though. I rather like the little video clips at Zolowear for learning how to get Z in and out of the thing.
