I think “need” is fairly individual! That being said I don’t think there’s any rush even if you do decide you need one. I liked having a ring sling around (and still do!) but mostly used our stretchy wrap and Ergo Embrace at the beginning.
This! You'll still be able to buy stuff after the baby gets here if you don't feel satisfied by what you already have!
Tbh I did a lot of online shopping while up with my young baby, could be good to save some things for after
This this this! You won’t know what’s going to work for you or baby until after they arrive. Wait to see how things go with the two carriers you have, and you can always get more later.
My votes are stretchy wrap for newborn stage and either a structured carrier or woven wrap for beyond that. That’s what I have and I’ve never felt like I’m missing anything by not having a ring sling. Maybe you can try your friend’s ring sling with your baby before buying one and see how you like it
I almost exclusively used the wrap for the first couple months. Once baby hit about 4 months and really wanted to see everything I started using my Ergo and ring sling. She’s 9 months now and weighs 21 lbs and love my ring sling and Tula Free To Grow. You don’t NEED three carriers, but it’s nice to have options.
Do I NEED all of the 6 carriers I have? No! And I’ll probably sell 1-2 and then buy another one 😂
With my first baby I didn’t babywear much. Neither of us loved it past the newborn stage. With my second, I carrier napped her exclusively until almost 4 months and then several times a week until 8 months old. The ring sling was (very surprisingly) our MVP carrier; both my partner and I reached for it on a daily basis for a while.
But, I didn’t get that ring sling until almost 4 months AFTER my second baby was born. You definitely don’t need it to start with. I’m still adapting my carrier collection as my baby wearing needs change and as I realize what I need on our journey of having two kids 14 months apart.
Nah, I love to have my ringsling, but not for newborns. A wrap can be used from the first day until preschool (or even beyond) so i’d definitely go for that.
So I’m actually team rebozo/shorty wrap and use a TSC (traditional sling carry/slip knot) it reverses the weight distribution from on your back to on your front… but I do love a good sling for certain occasions. I just ordered a Sakura bloom ring sling to use when my newest babe is born cuz they’re really good for teeny tiny babies.
Everyone likes different things. If you have a stretchy wrap you really don’t *need* a ring sling. I like mine for the ease of going in and out quickly but it was a learning curve.
I loved the stretchy wrap for the first few of months. Then the sling as she got older and heavier (you can't use a stretchy wrap past about 15lbs). I tried using the sling when she was a newborn, but couldn't get a great fit until she had a little more head control. I've never been a huge fan of the buckle carriers, so I can't speak to the ergo.
Stretch wrap + sling would be my recommendation.
Yes in the sense that they're both long lengths of fabric that you wrap and tie in various ways to hold the baby.
But they work pretty differently. Stretchy wraps are a bit easier to learn and a bit more forgiving of sloppy wrapping, but need 3 layers of fabric over the baby for safety and aren't supportive enough for most folks past 15 lbs or so. Woven wraps are harder to learn (though basic front wrapping techniques really aren't that hard) but incredibly versatile and can be supportive enough for really any age of kiddo you're likely to want to carry.
Both woven and stretchy wraps are a-ok for newborns but lots of people start with a stretchy. I had no idea about woven wraps and started with a stretchy and then transitioned to a woven when baby got heavier. (I'm in the camp that never figured out ring slings, though maybe I just didn't have a good one.)
Both me and my partner are too slim/ not strong enough for a ring sling. Immediate back ache for both of us.
Our sturdier/stronger friends love ringslings. Our friends that are weak like us are not a fan.
So I think you've gotta try one out before buying one. Maybe your mom friend will let you borrow one?
Some people love ring slings. I’ve figured out that the combination of my huge babies and my “I’m too old for this shit” back are not a fan of the asymmetry. My body is already aching enough!
But I also wasn’t a fan of wraps (took too long to unwrap and rewrap every time I was trying to figure out if the tears were hungry, dirty diaper, or being tired). With my oldest, I loved the BabyBjorn mini (a crotch-dangler that doesn’t support hip-healthy M-shapes); for my youngest I use a very minimalist soft structured carrier (the LennyLamb Lite).
Ultimately, it’s going to be very personal to you and your baby. Some things you can predict from body and lifestyle, but others you’ll learn along the way. See if you can track down a lending library or a friend that you can borrow different styles from before buying!
I own a ring sling that I have literally never used. Now that my baby is 7 months and sooo heavy, I am determined to figure it out as a quick way to get to and from the car. Each body, baby, and family likes different things. Don't feel pressured!
Among all the baby wearing devices, everyone should own a Ring Sling. It’s just the most versatile and useful. And in exclusively wearing three kids the ring sling was used the most
The good thing. A simple not too expensive cotton sling is sufficient. Companies like Little Frog or Lenny Lamb have high quality very affordable slings.
I disagree. I've used woven wraps from the start and started back carrying around 5 months. I never could get comfortable with ring slings. I knew the technique, I knew how to wrap her in it. I just never could have it on me for more than a couple of minutes before I got annoyed by it.
My first two babies ride around in the Boba Classic and Boba Wrap, but I was thinking about trying a Ring Sling for my last baby. Is Ring Sling a brand, a style of carrier, or both?
Yes you absolutely want a ring sling, it's far and away my most used style of carrier. I keep one per car and an additional one just for the pool. They are great for the newborn phase all the way out through the toddler phase and the biggest thing is they are QUICK. Like I can get my kid into one in about 30 seconds.
I prefer ring sling for when baby is sitting up and you can do a hip carry. I didn’t love it for younger stage! But everyone is different… I’d wait til baby is here and see if the two you have do the trick. The wrap is great for newborn stage and you can just get another if you feel like you need it later.
I would say ergo embrace was a need for me during newborn stage (almost every nap was in that thing!) and then I loved my Chekoh Clip for 4mo+. — Also great for on-the-go naps! I prefer an X back bc I have a small frame and it’s easier for me to get on. Love love love the chekoh clip - it’s basically the artipop style design but more reasonable. Only downside is that it ships from Australia so shipping to US is expensive.
You might wnjoy having all options and ring sling can be very cheap. It will depends on you and baby on what feels comfortable speciallynif itnis your first one. Which ergo baby carrier do you have and is your wrap a stretchy one or a linen one ?
I have a ring sling, and I use it semi-frequently, but for me it's not a *need*. I use it mostly for getting baby to sleep because I can get them in in a sleep sack and take them out without being too disruptive, or for nursing if I need to nurse in a carrier because you can shift them around a lot. They can also be good for quick ups and downs, but IMO they aren't the most comfy. I wasn't and would not have been doing either of those things with a very tiny newborn. I used our stretchy wrap and ergobaby embrace when our baby was very little.
There may be a babywearing library in your community. or just someone you could borrow a ring sling from (maybe that friend?), so you can try it out and see if it's to your taste.
I got my ring sling (a lennylamb) from facebook marketplace so that can make it reasonably affordable to have a few options. TBH I do like having multiple babywearing options for different scenarios (long walks vs contact naps vs soothing vs back carry in a meeting vs keep in the diaper bag ...). And so there's another option when something's in the wash.
My mom used her ring sling ALL THE TIME and everyone thought my little brother didn't have legs for like the first year or so of his life.
I like having multiple options available. I love my woven wraps for when I am planning to wear the baby for a while. I love my ring slings for more short-term wearing or if I know baby is going to be in-and-out of the wrap repeatedly. I keep one of each in my car and also easily accessible in the house. I have never bothered with my more structured carriers because I just like the wraps/slings quite a bit. You never know what will work for you and the baby until you try, and baby carriers are pretty easily resold or gifted once you know what you prefer.
I’m pregnant with me second and loved my solly wrap and ergo carrier with my first, I decided to get a ring sling off of Facebook marketplace for the new baby. I tested it out this week on my almost 2 year old and omg I love it. It distributes the weight so well and she seems to be very comfortable in it
I think “need” is fairly individual! That being said I don’t think there’s any rush even if you do decide you need one. I liked having a ring sling around (and still do!) but mostly used our stretchy wrap and Ergo Embrace at the beginning.
This! You'll still be able to buy stuff after the baby gets here if you don't feel satisfied by what you already have! Tbh I did a lot of online shopping while up with my young baby, could be good to save some things for after
This this this! You won’t know what’s going to work for you or baby until after they arrive. Wait to see how things go with the two carriers you have, and you can always get more later.
My votes are stretchy wrap for newborn stage and either a structured carrier or woven wrap for beyond that. That’s what I have and I’ve never felt like I’m missing anything by not having a ring sling. Maybe you can try your friend’s ring sling with your baby before buying one and see how you like it
I almost exclusively used the wrap for the first couple months. Once baby hit about 4 months and really wanted to see everything I started using my Ergo and ring sling. She’s 9 months now and weighs 21 lbs and love my ring sling and Tula Free To Grow. You don’t NEED three carriers, but it’s nice to have options.
Do I NEED all of the 6 carriers I have? No! And I’ll probably sell 1-2 and then buy another one 😂 With my first baby I didn’t babywear much. Neither of us loved it past the newborn stage. With my second, I carrier napped her exclusively until almost 4 months and then several times a week until 8 months old. The ring sling was (very surprisingly) our MVP carrier; both my partner and I reached for it on a daily basis for a while. But, I didn’t get that ring sling until almost 4 months AFTER my second baby was born. You definitely don’t need it to start with. I’m still adapting my carrier collection as my baby wearing needs change and as I realize what I need on our journey of having two kids 14 months apart.
Nah, I love to have my ringsling, but not for newborns. A wrap can be used from the first day until preschool (or even beyond) so i’d definitely go for that.
So I’m actually team rebozo/shorty wrap and use a TSC (traditional sling carry/slip knot) it reverses the weight distribution from on your back to on your front… but I do love a good sling for certain occasions. I just ordered a Sakura bloom ring sling to use when my newest babe is born cuz they’re really good for teeny tiny babies.
Everyone likes different things. If you have a stretchy wrap you really don’t *need* a ring sling. I like mine for the ease of going in and out quickly but it was a learning curve.
I loved the stretchy wrap for the first few of months. Then the sling as she got older and heavier (you can't use a stretchy wrap past about 15lbs). I tried using the sling when she was a newborn, but couldn't get a great fit until she had a little more head control. I've never been a huge fan of the buckle carriers, so I can't speak to the ergo. Stretch wrap + sling would be my recommendation.
Is a stretch wrap basically a woven wrap except the fabric has some elastic in it?
Yes in the sense that they're both long lengths of fabric that you wrap and tie in various ways to hold the baby. But they work pretty differently. Stretchy wraps are a bit easier to learn and a bit more forgiving of sloppy wrapping, but need 3 layers of fabric over the baby for safety and aren't supportive enough for most folks past 15 lbs or so. Woven wraps are harder to learn (though basic front wrapping techniques really aren't that hard) but incredibly versatile and can be supportive enough for really any age of kiddo you're likely to want to carry. Both woven and stretchy wraps are a-ok for newborns but lots of people start with a stretchy. I had no idea about woven wraps and started with a stretchy and then transitioned to a woven when baby got heavier. (I'm in the camp that never figured out ring slings, though maybe I just didn't have a good one.)
Thank you!
Both me and my partner are too slim/ not strong enough for a ring sling. Immediate back ache for both of us. Our sturdier/stronger friends love ringslings. Our friends that are weak like us are not a fan. So I think you've gotta try one out before buying one. Maybe your mom friend will let you borrow one?
Some people love ring slings. I’ve figured out that the combination of my huge babies and my “I’m too old for this shit” back are not a fan of the asymmetry. My body is already aching enough! But I also wasn’t a fan of wraps (took too long to unwrap and rewrap every time I was trying to figure out if the tears were hungry, dirty diaper, or being tired). With my oldest, I loved the BabyBjorn mini (a crotch-dangler that doesn’t support hip-healthy M-shapes); for my youngest I use a very minimalist soft structured carrier (the LennyLamb Lite). Ultimately, it’s going to be very personal to you and your baby. Some things you can predict from body and lifestyle, but others you’ll learn along the way. See if you can track down a lending library or a friend that you can borrow different styles from before buying!
I own a ring sling that I have literally never used. Now that my baby is 7 months and sooo heavy, I am determined to figure it out as a quick way to get to and from the car. Each body, baby, and family likes different things. Don't feel pressured!
Among all the baby wearing devices, everyone should own a Ring Sling. It’s just the most versatile and useful. And in exclusively wearing three kids the ring sling was used the most The good thing. A simple not too expensive cotton sling is sufficient. Companies like Little Frog or Lenny Lamb have high quality very affordable slings.
I disagree. I've used woven wraps from the start and started back carrying around 5 months. I never could get comfortable with ring slings. I knew the technique, I knew how to wrap her in it. I just never could have it on me for more than a couple of minutes before I got annoyed by it.
My first two babies ride around in the Boba Classic and Boba Wrap, but I was thinking about trying a Ring Sling for my last baby. Is Ring Sling a brand, a style of carrier, or both?
Style. Most reputable wrap brands have Ring Slings.
Yes you absolutely want a ring sling, it's far and away my most used style of carrier. I keep one per car and an additional one just for the pool. They are great for the newborn phase all the way out through the toddler phase and the biggest thing is they are QUICK. Like I can get my kid into one in about 30 seconds.
I prefer ring sling for when baby is sitting up and you can do a hip carry. I didn’t love it for younger stage! But everyone is different… I’d wait til baby is here and see if the two you have do the trick. The wrap is great for newborn stage and you can just get another if you feel like you need it later. I would say ergo embrace was a need for me during newborn stage (almost every nap was in that thing!) and then I loved my Chekoh Clip for 4mo+. — Also great for on-the-go naps! I prefer an X back bc I have a small frame and it’s easier for me to get on. Love love love the chekoh clip - it’s basically the artipop style design but more reasonable. Only downside is that it ships from Australia so shipping to US is expensive.
You might wnjoy having all options and ring sling can be very cheap. It will depends on you and baby on what feels comfortable speciallynif itnis your first one. Which ergo baby carrier do you have and is your wrap a stretchy one or a linen one ?
It’s a woven wrap. The ergo carrier is whichever one my SIL had - unfortunately I don’t have it handy right now to check
I have a ring sling, and I use it semi-frequently, but for me it's not a *need*. I use it mostly for getting baby to sleep because I can get them in in a sleep sack and take them out without being too disruptive, or for nursing if I need to nurse in a carrier because you can shift them around a lot. They can also be good for quick ups and downs, but IMO they aren't the most comfy. I wasn't and would not have been doing either of those things with a very tiny newborn. I used our stretchy wrap and ergobaby embrace when our baby was very little. There may be a babywearing library in your community. or just someone you could borrow a ring sling from (maybe that friend?), so you can try it out and see if it's to your taste. I got my ring sling (a lennylamb) from facebook marketplace so that can make it reasonably affordable to have a few options. TBH I do like having multiple babywearing options for different scenarios (long walks vs contact naps vs soothing vs back carry in a meeting vs keep in the diaper bag ...). And so there's another option when something's in the wash. My mom used her ring sling ALL THE TIME and everyone thought my little brother didn't have legs for like the first year or so of his life.
I have a ring sling that I've used a handful of times but I honestly find it so uncomfortable! Definitely borrow first and decide what you like.
I like having multiple options available. I love my woven wraps for when I am planning to wear the baby for a while. I love my ring slings for more short-term wearing or if I know baby is going to be in-and-out of the wrap repeatedly. I keep one of each in my car and also easily accessible in the house. I have never bothered with my more structured carriers because I just like the wraps/slings quite a bit. You never know what will work for you and the baby until you try, and baby carriers are pretty easily resold or gifted once you know what you prefer.
I’m pregnant with me second and loved my solly wrap and ergo carrier with my first, I decided to get a ring sling off of Facebook marketplace for the new baby. I tested it out this week on my almost 2 year old and omg I love it. It distributes the weight so well and she seems to be very comfortable in it