Infant Baby Slings - Columbia, SC

I haven't used the Wendy Bellissimo, but I have used a Maya sling that my mother-in-law made for me. It worked great and I totally love it. I actually like my Snugli front-n-back carrier even better, though. Mainly because I can wear her on my back. (It's also great for my thighs since you're not supposed to bend over, but bend at the knees!)

Hi, I'm 5ft 105 lbs and I use the Ergo baby carrier. I LOVE it! I had the baby bjorn for my first and hated it. I couldn't use it after she was 5mths as it killed my back. Both my daughters fit in the Ergo, they are 3 and 1. I breast fed easily and discreetly in it as well. I have found no negatives about it at all.

Try placing a folded cloth diaper or receiving blanket in the sling first, then place you baby on top. The material should take up some of the 'extra' room in the sling.

Hi C.,
I also had trouble using a sling when my baby was born - he seemed lost in NoJo sling I was trying to use. I switched to a Moby D wrap and LOVED it. The best help I received was from a group in Atlanta called Koala Mommas. Their website is http://www.koalamommas.com/
If you have the chance, try to go along to one of their meetings - the girls who go have used all types of baby carriers so someone will know how to help you with your sling and you can test out Mayas before you make one. You can also try sites like http://www.thebabywearer.com/ for online help.
Good luck!
V.

I'm not sure what the Wendy Bellisimo sling looks like, but I made myself a Maya sling and I LOVED it! I'm glad you found a pattern because they're ridiculously expensive if you buy them pre-made; 50-some dollars for a wad of cloth seems a little steep to me. They're just not that difficult to make to justify charging what they do.

The nice thing about the Maya is that it can adjust to all sizes (I'm 4'11" myself) and can be used in so many different ways. I mainly used mine as a sling and a hip carrier. The sides do tend to fold over the baby's face (and entire body) when used as a sling, but it's a very loose cover and the baby has plenty of air for breathing. My son loved how snuggly it was.

I will admit, first of all, that this subject interests me because I do own a children's store and have hesitated to carry any slings other than the Bjorn carriers because of my own fears about safety with these things. There are many different ones out there now and I will be watching responses on this question to see what the consensus may be about them all. That said, I am writing a response to warn mothers that just because a store carries something, that does not mean it is the best to use. Not every store has a conscientious buyer; some are geared more towards profits than safety and some buyers are simply ignorant of safety issues. That may or may not be the case with the store where you purchased this, but if this carrier is expensive and safe and desirable, see if the store will be willing to give you a partial refund and sell it again as a "used" sling, or put it on EBay and sell it at nearly new cost. If it is a good sling and simply does not work for you, you should be able to get most of your money back that way. If it were my store and I had sold it and the mother couldn't use it but did not have the original box, I would consider rebuying it from her at a reduced price or placing it on consignment basis there as a "re-sale". Not every store is willing to do this sort of thing, but if you shop at a local small store, most would work with you on this problem. Did they have other types of slings available there? Maybe they would swap it out.

Go to TBW www.thebabywearer.com I believe there is a baby wearing group in the columbia area that you could go to a meeting and get some wonderful hands on information. There are so many slings out there and a babywearing leader would help you out and first and foremost teach you babywearing safety!Personally at 5'1 I don't like padded slings at all they don't fit my body type right (think little old italian gramma. For newer babies I love my wraps I prefer woven wraps over stretchy wraps as you can use them longer and are a bit more versatile imo (Love my gypsy mama and my didymos) for quick trips or for just a few minutes ring slings and pouches (if fitting properly) are wonderful I always have at least a pouch in my car even though my youngest is currently 2 its still great to pop him in real quick to run into a store in the rain until I can put him in a cart. I also don't know what I would have done with my past 2 children with out my asian carriers ( i personally prefer the onbuhimo over the MT but I'm rare) I wore my 4you thruoughout my pregnancy with my 2yo very comfortably all the way to 42 weeks! I have some beautiful ring slings that I came to love with my 2yo and will say shoulder style makes all the difference!

So get out to a babywearing meeting/group/outing anything look feel touch and if possible try you may find that what you thought you liked and wanted wont work for you at all!

Oh and think of your belly button as the equator going around your body you want to keep the baby as much above the equator as possible to reduce any lower back strain.

I LOVED our Maya wrap. I was wishing for it yesterday when my niece came over! I'm only 5'3" and it was really great for me to have the adjustable wrap that fit so closely. It was easy to get on and off by myself.
As for the other one you have, if your baby is not "squashed" or having his arms or legs put in such a way that would cut off circulation I think you are fine. I think if you just make sure he's not crying or seeming uncomfortable it's all good.
Oddly my 4 year old has recently started moving her top mattress and sleeping on top of the box spring so she is kind of squished up between the wall and the mattress. It's so funny! Like she just wants to be all bundled up just like in a sling!

I bought that same sling and HATED it! I'm only 5'3'' and I felt like my son was hanging around my waist and I also felt like I still had to pretty much carry him. Babies r us let me return it without the receipt (I still had the box). In it's place I bought a Baby K'tan after tons of research. Take a look at their webpage. You can use it to carry the baby many different ways. I would not suggest buying it online though because once I tried it on at the store, I realized I needed a different size than what I thought. There's a store in Sandy Springs/Buckhead called ""It's a Baby" and they are the onlyvstore in GA that carries them. I also got a coupon from them today for 20% off anything through the end of August; if you mention it I'm sure they would honor it. They have a website too.

ebay!

my daughter is 3 1/2, so i'm outdated on the current slings on the market, but i will say that with her, i just had to try a few. i think every baby is shaped differently and gets snuggly differently, and while one sling may have super reviews from one mom, it may not from another.

most stores will be understanding and will let you try the sling out in the store. and if they won't, then that's not the store for you!

When they are so little, they do tend to swallow them up a little. Fold a recieving blanket up and put it under his head. Also, make sure his head on the side of the elevated part of the sling.If he still looks swallowed up, fold a bigger blanket and put it at the bottom, and then put him in. If he looks content and he can breathe well, chances are he is perfectly fine. Make sure the sling is pulled over your shoulder and down the top of your arm a little as well, this will spread it out some.Also, make sure you are wearing the sling correctly. I am not familiar with that brand, but slings can have more of an art to wearing them then you think. Wearing your baby has wonderful benefits and my son loved his sling until almost two! (oh, I don't know if yours' is, but a ring sling will adjust nicer to different body sizes than a pouch sling)

Recently...about a week or so ago, we had discussed this on a mom's group that I'm on and it seemed that most of the mom's recommended the following one (Ergo):

http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/

I used several baby slings myself. I started out with a store bought too, but I wanted a different color so I did make my own and it turns out to be sturdier too. The store bought one eventually fell apart. You can experiment with placement, etc. I am not familiar with the one you bought so I don't know if it is adjustable? I do know that your baby will feel very comfortable and secure snug against your body, but you don't want it too tight.

It's been along time, but I want to say I had a Dr. Sears sling? And yes, my baby always looked very scrunched in it. I was always checking to see if she could breathe! But she loved it and it calmed her at times when nothing else seemed to. I would use it while doing a few things around the house, kept one hand under the sling and had one free.

i happen to know that BBRU will take back inventory without the box if you aren't happy with it. I had 2 items to return, slightly used that broke within the first month, they took them back with no question. There's no need to hang onto an expensive item you aren't 100% happy with.
I don't know alot about slings, but think i may want one as well. We have the babybjorn and she loves it, falls asleep pretty quickly in it. My only complaint is we both (mom and baby) get so hot - she sweats - when she is sleeping against my chest. Otherwise i like the bjorn. It allows me to get stuff done around the house.
Good luck with the sling!

Would have to see it in action to give proper advice. Go to lactation consultants at the local hosp. for help maybe or even Babies R Us... I'm 5'2" but my baby was little too (well, at first). It's okay for them to be squished as in crammed in there -- they like "crammed in there" -- it's womb-like. But it's not okay to be squished as in smothered-and-unable-to-breathe. So long as "squished" means womb-like, you're in good shape. By the way, Little Mom with the Ten Pound Two Month Old, considering your petitness and his not-petitness, you may not be wearing him for enough to justify bothering to make another sling (although that can't be very complicated.)

Hi C.,

Baby slings are awesome, I used one with my first child until well past when she could walk when I need to carry her. I know you aren't in Atlanta, but here is the website for a babywearing group in North Atlanta. They should be able to answer all kinds of questions for you. And if you ever happen to be in Atlanta when they are having a meeting I highly reccomend you go. They will let yoiu try on all kinds of carriers and slings.

http://www.koalamommas.com/

I am only 5'2" and I used a Maya style wrap that I made with my first most of the time. Because I made it I was able to make it fit better to my body size, smaller rings, shorter tail, etc. I did have to have someone check me to make sure I was using it right, she helped me get it positioned andtight enough to hold my daughter safely and securely with her looking or being uncomfortable.

You might also try this website for info on slings, it is mom owned and they are also quite helpful.
http://www.mycomfykid.com/links.htm

Good luck and I hope you find one that works for you.

A.

Hi C.,

I also do not know anything about the Wendy Bellissimo sling, but I can give a recommendation for another type that I've really enjoyed. The Lucky Baby sling (www.lucky-baby.com) is a great one-piece sling. Mine was a gift, and I adore it. It's so easy to use, I love the fabrics, and because of the simple design it's really compact and easy to stuff in the diaper bag without the extra bulk. If you're concerned about sizing, theirs range from XS to XL (I'm 5'4" and use the small), and they do accept returns if something doesn't work for you. As far as I can tell, it's the best sling I've seen for the price. Maybe you can resell your WB sling. It's a well recognized baby brand. Perhaps you could get a little money for it at a consignment sale.

My son was 9lbs when he was born, lol and when I used a sling with him it was about the same situation. He didn't like it because his head was covered adn I felt like there was too much material being bunched around him that I was losing him. I now have a variety of carriers and my favorite for him at that was was a wrap. I bought a moby and loved it. Even now I'll use it occasionally (he's a little over 1 now). It takes a couple practices to get used to but it works great.

My DH used the Baby Bjorn with our daughter at that age and weight. He now uses and Ergo.

I used a non-structured length of cotton fabric and wrap her, kindof like a Moby. I also have a padded Ring Sling by NoJo that I use to hip carry at 24 lbs and 1.5 years. The NoJo is padded like your WB, I too would recommend a blanket under the shoulders and head to keep his airway open and a little more stable.

There are lots of how to guides here:
http://www.theslingstation.com/baby-carrier-instructions.... Also some good info from NINO:
http://www.mtdiablodoulacommunity.org/images/nino_handout...

Babywearing 101 from Mothering is also a good resource:
http://www.mothering.com/shop/index.php?target=categories...

I didn't use a sling per se with either child. The first was content in a hand-down Baby Bjorn carrier until nearly 15 months (he was light). With the second, I invested in an Ella Roo Hip Mei carrier and was delighted with it. I wish I'd had one the first time around. Take a look and see what Ella Roo has. Theirs was reversible, which was, for me, the clincher, because I'm left handed, and they're usually strung for right handed people.

I'd say learn how to use the padded one for now, then get and Ergo and later a Hip carrier.

Mothering magazine did a special on how to wear slings.
(Goggle for "Mothering How Wear sling") - the babies usually look scrunched, but comfortably snug.

More advice here http://www.kangarookorner.com
they have lots of advice about various slings, comparisons (front/back? padded/non-padded? discreet nursing? weight requirements? OK for pool use? etc) and they sell several. The maya sling is well-know for being one of the most versatile, but I never got the hang of it too well. (About $29). I got a fleece pocket sling (from kangaroo korner) - which was very easy to use, nice in cool months or inside (NOT outside in the summer!) But it didn't work as well when he was old enough to ride on my hip. (Maya's pretty good for that)

Later, I got an Ergo carrier. You can start using that one when they're old enough to hold up their head a little, carrying them on the front. (Always facing in, never out. But arguably, those outward-facing carriers like Bjorn can be a little over-stimulating for them.) When they're older, you can carry them on your back! It took some practice getting him on my back safely all by myself, but the beauty is that you can use it up to 35 pounds! And it's really comfortable - both my boys had many naps on my back that way.

I occasionally still use the Ergo, but now that my youngest wants to be picked up, put down, picked up, put down, picked up, put down, I find that a hip carrier is better for that. Infantino makes one, it's basically like a fanny pack with a big hard top to sit on, and an optional shoulder strap. Good for trips to the zoo and such.

And Zolowear has the MOST BEAUTIFUL baby slings EVER! Although it sounds like you already have that one covered.

That is pretty normal for a sling, they are "squished " in to make them feel secure, just remember he just spent 9 months curled up like a ball so the sling prob feels fine to him. I'm not sure what mesh you are talking about I cant find a good picture of the inside of the lining of that sling.Maybe rotating the inside a bit pulling opposite which ever side is covering his face. If he dosen't fuss when you put him in it then he's most likely fine. 2 month olds tend to tell you when they are uncomfortable.

I also recommend www.thebabywearer.com
There's a TON of different carriers out there. There's carriers that are more comfortable, that you can safely and comfortably(!!) wear your baby until 40lbs!
For any baby carrier, safety first! Baby's used to arms and legs squished up, that's womb like and comfy for LOs. But make sure breathing is OK. Remember there should always be two fingerwidths space between baby's chest and chin.
There's several great babywearing groups in your area, check them out :)
Good luck