I'm researching baby slings for my 18 month old and would like to know if anyone has any feedback or experience. I was looking at a Moby wrap. I'm estimating at the time we go (she's only 9 months now) she should be apx. 22-24 lbs. She will spend the majority of the time in her stroller, but I know she will want to be carried in line and trying to manage her and my other 2 daughters....I'm thinking a sling might come in handy. Especially if I want to keep my balance!

I have a Maya that a friend made for me from their pattern. It works really well with older children. My 2 year old can still sit in it comfortably.

Hmmmm, I never thought of a pattern. I'm not very gifted in the sewing department,but maybe because it seems like one long piece of material, it wouldn't be so hard.? Does your back hurt? When she was about 4 months old we went to a local theme park and I ended up carrying her, without the benefit of a sling, and the next day I almost could move my back was so knotted up. I've tried the baby carriers with all the straps and buckles, but find them more irritating and uncomfortable than anything. Especially between the shoulder blades. It always seemed I was trying to keep my shoulders completely back to compensate for the weight and to make sure the straps did not slip.

Do you have that patern or know where I can find it? With #3 coming soon, my plan is to have one on the harness/tether, one in the stroller, and one in a sling (for our play date visits when it's just me and the kids). Wow! Those should be exciting days! I was really hoping to try out different wraps and slings and carriers, but the only baby show that comes around any more won't be until May, and that might be too late!

Liz :cool:

Ergo, ALL the way. I could do the Moby when DS was 18 months, but many people have outgrown the Moby-love by that time. I finally got the Ergo when DS was 2, or just coming up on 2, and he and I love it. Well, we don't really use it anymore, he's almost 3, but if I did carry him in it (back carry), I'm sure we'd still love it. :)

Oh, also, I've made the pouch sling from this site: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/#carrier

I'm not really a sew-er, and it took me at least twice as long as estimated, AND it was really just for a costume and I made it out of slippery fake satin so it's not good for REAL use...but it's solid, it looks nice, and it held him just fine. Except for the slippery part. :)

She's got various patterns for personal use, and they seem to be good.


Wanted to also say that the mei tai sort of carrier was also terrific at that age. In fact, it was the mei tai that got us through San Diego Zoo and Disneyland on our first trip down there, when DS was around 18 months. I had a lightweight mei tai with a meshy fabric as the body panel, and it was nice and cool. But the straps were unpadded, and I ended up with "hickey" from the straps on the front of my armpits, where the straps hit me the tightest. That wasn't uncomfortable at the time, but it wasn't all that pretty. :) If you get/do a mei tai, get the padded straps.

Last time we went, our daughter was 18 months old. I bought a sling (a more generic-type, not sure of the exact brand) off of another parent selling it on craigslist for $10. It had the padding around the edges which made it more comfortable for her legs. It really came in handy---and I don't recall my back hurting any more than it would have if I'd been carrying her without it. Plus, my arms weren't sore. It wasn't the prettiest, not the colors I would have chosen if I'd paid full price, but hey, 10 bucks was worth it!

Just a note: Watch for the metal rings, if you're going in the heat, they may heat and burn your or baby's skin. Opt for sturdy plastic if you can. Also, a lighter color is better (obviously). I searched ebay and craigslist and got lucky; I'm really glad we had it! I loaned mine to my friend when she went a few months later as well. They are very convenient!

Slings are great, but I wouldn't go with a Moby. I had one when my daughter was an infant---it was wonderful. BUT, the fabric on a Moby isn't as giving as some of the woven wraps so carrying a toddler isn't very comfortable. I have also used a Mei Tai (pronounced "May Tie") and it works well for a child up to about 30 lbs.

About eight years ago, I bought a hip sling, called a Sara's Ride (coincidentally, that is my older daughter's name). She was a year old, and about 18 pounds when she was adopted. It was easy and comfortable to have her ride on my hip. The sling had a little fabric seat, and you adjust the straps according to your height. I could carry her around while shopping or doing housework. Once, at a store, someone came up to me to see what I was wearing, because, from a distance you could not see the straps, which happened to be a similar color to what I was wearing that day, so it looked like she was magically suspended, and not attached to me by anything, and I wasn't holding her. I don't know if they are still being sold, but it was a nice option with a toddler, who can sit upright, and doesn't need as much support as with a full fabric sling.

I did Disney with my 9 month old in an Ergo. He basically refused to sit in the stroller. I "packed" him around with me (front carry) all day long. It was very comfortable. He even took his morning nap in there, so we didn't have to stop until the afternoon nap!

I used a Maya Wrap Pouch when Max was that age. The main advantage is that it is just one piece of fabric much smaller than the sling so it folds down to almost nothing and fits easily in your diaper bag (think folded receiving blanket or smaller). It is not adjustable, you can wear it with baby on your hip, on your back, or in front. Depending on how big your kiddo is, they can face you with their legs hanging out of the pouch, or facing out with their legs tucked in. Max really liked riding on my back when he was bigger, I usually used it that way or on my hip - a basic baby hold but with a lot more support and the ability to actually use your hands, imagine that!

Wow! Great advice, I have some time, so I am going to experiment a bit first. Starting with maybe trying to make my own Maya sling. Go cheap then work my way up if things don't work. The Ergo is sooooo expensive and since I probably won't get a ton of use out of it, difficult to justify the expenditure. I am bringing a tandem stroller, but I have 3 children. I know at some point my 6 year old will want to ride in it to rest as well as the 4 year old. And then again in lines, trying to hold the baby might be okay for the first bit, but when you are talking a week, several hours a day. I don't want to be in traction after the first 2 days! Thanks to everyone, I really appreciate the tips!:)

It might be just me, but I can't imagine a hip-sling for park-in' it. :)

I have no idea if these will be useful to you, but I did actually enjoy the Moby for far longer than many. I just tied it tight to begin with, and occasionally bounced while re-tightening it (bouncing to get Boy up more when he started to slide down, LOL).

Here we are just before 18 months, with the Moby. I never did get into having him face out while carrying him on my FRONT, and he always LOVED interacting with people behind me (and they did too, I think, b/c they could make silly faces without my knowing about it, LOL).

Moby (http://images1.snapfish.com/349566888%7Ffp345%3Enu%3D3236%3E%3B32%3E75%3A%3EWS NRCG%3D3233587%3A42369nu0mrj)

Here we are the month before, in line for Jungle Cruise, with the mesh-bodied mei tai (http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5ce39b3127cce9482fc6fbadf00000026108CZMmjFq1bC) .


And last August, back-carrying with the Ergo (http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b7dc04b3127cce820fcd744d7200000025118CZMmjFq1bC) .


The other option, which I even considered though I am a die-hard fabric-baby-carrier person, is the Sherpani Rumba backpack carrier (I saw it at REI). It's more of a backpack sort of thing, keeps the kiddo off of your sweaty back, which could be a consideration for when you're going and if you are used to the heat in So. CA. Of course, it was even more expensive than the Ergo (one reason why I didn't get it)... :)

Shoot! I guess I never thought of it that way. Good point. The mei tai looks interesting. What are you thoughts on that? Over the course of a week, which would be better? the Mei Tai or the Moby? Matterhorn Mama mentioned the material wasn't very giving. Would it leave red marks where her legs come out?

Over the week...a padded-strap mei tai would be better IMO. I actually love the Moby fabric; one of the main problems people mention for an older kid is that it stretches too much. Wrap lovers will get a...OMG I can't believe I can't remember the name...that extremely expensive wrap from Germany...augh....anyway, that wraps fabric is woven, I think, while the Moby is knit, so the Moby "gives" and you have to bounce and re-tie/shore up the kiddo every so often.

The mei tai was great, especially b/c it was mesh (though the mesh had "give" in it too, which meant I had to re-tie/shore up every so often), and therefore much cooler for both of us. But what I wouldn't give to have the straps padded. :) Alas, it was a WAHM who made the mei tai, and her website has since disappeared, so I can't have her make me a new one (if I were to have another kiddo and need one again).

But it does require some tying skills, some practice ahead of time. :) And it involves being around people who won't mind when you get lazy and just keep the waist strap done, and wrap the rest of the thing around your waist instead of taking it all the way off, if your babe wants to get in and out often. teehee

But hey, it's only tying, which isn't that hard, usually. I got the Ergo b/c I was TIRED of tying straps, but...realized that there are straps and buckles and things to pull and such on the Ergo, so it wasn't AS convenient a change as I thought it would be.

Oh, and you can do a back carry with the mei tai too.

With mei tais, there are some "hybrid" sorts with nice WIDE straps, so wide they almost look like a well-tied Moby. I find those intriguing, because they would keep me from getting marks on the front of my shoulders.

Hope I'm helping rather than confusing. :D

Here's the pattern for the maya.

http://www.mayawrap.com/n_sewsling.php

I just slung Lukie on my hip and my back never hurt. The tummy carriers killed my back but this one was great.

I would definitely suggest a trial run first. I tried a baby sling with my daughter once -- her feet turned purple almost immediately because her weight pressed against the leg holes was cutting off circulation to her feet. Good thing she was barefoot or we wouldn't have noticed as quickly.

I found someone selling "mei tai" like pouches for 1/3 of the cost. They looked very well made....guess I'll find out in a few days. I figured even if it doesn't work out, then at least I'm only at $26, instead of nearly $80. I really only need it when she is feeling needy and wants to be carried and when we are standing in line and the occassion where both her older sisters are just too tired to walk. I've read posts where some feel that children over the age of 5 are perfectly able to walk and don't need strollers....but I even wish I had a Mommy sized stoller by the end of the day!!!:D I know my girls are going to want chauffeur treatment.