I have one piece of advice for you and that is don’t buy until you’ve actually tried some.
Too often I’m asked to make a carrier more comfortable for someone who is never going to get a good fit-I can often improve it but a different carrier would work far better for them than the one they purchased when pregnant.
I understand the need to get everything ready for baby. You got to go to the shop and while choosing a cot, a car seat etc etc you see the carriers and think that might be useful-yes if it’s the right one for you, it could be a game changer but if it’s not comfortable or you find it tricky to put on then it won’t get used at all.
There are a few big companies who spend quite a bit on advertising (which puts the price of the carrier up immediately!) If you’ve done some research they will be the names you’ve heard. A friend recently got one of these second hand, she was very pleased and said it was comfortable. I was pretty sure it wasn’t right for her! Some months later I saw her and offered a few different carriers for her to try on (for fun!), immediately she found the one which was the opposite of what she had, far better.
If you are looking at stretchy wraps (a great option for newborns) do get yourself a 2 way
stretchy, one way ones are harder to get right. Do bring it along to sling library to learn how to use it safely, we’d love to help you. They are easier than they look and once you’ve had a few goes you’ll be able to do it easily. The real bonus of these is you can put it on first thing and it’s there whenever you need it. If you haven’t got one yet why not hire to see how you get on with it first?
If someone wants to buy you a carrier ask them to wait until you know which one is best for you. If people pass one on to you, great, if it’s not a good fit it doesn’t matter.
So how do you find the right one? There are so many out there, it can be very confusing. This is what sling libraries are for. Do come along when you are pregnant and try a few, this will give you some idea of how easy they are for you to use- what one person finds easy another struggles with. It won’t be much of a test of comfort-your bump will get in the way. Once baby has arrive come and try again and hire-this will allow you to truly road test the carrier-you, baby, your partner and any other family members/friends who may be involved in your baby’s care. Once you’ve used it a number of times you might find it too fiddly, uncomfortable somewhere or just perfect! If it’s not working for you in some way (you’ll now be able to pin point the good and the not so good about it) then the library can suggest alternatives to try-you’ll get there in the end! We often get regulars at the sessions. We also go through safety with you (TICKS) and can answer questions.
Needs do change with time so do come back to the
library for more help whenever you need it. We do have bigger carriers for bigger kids when you need one.
If you are buying yourself it’s worth looking at the preloved market once you know what you want. If you are looking for an Ergo always ask to see the original receipt and check it’s come from a registered seller. There are many fake Ergos out there which may not be safe.
In conclusion until you try a carrier alongside other different ones it’s very hard to tell if it’s the best one for you and you definitely deserve the best.
Tessa Brocklehurst NCT North Beds sling hire (every Thursday 10.30-12 at St John’s Church Hall MK42 0DL)
Tracy Machin NCT Mid Beds sling library (first Wednesday each month 1-2.30 at Flitwick village hall)
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