Hello. I am a first time Hotslings purchaser and need some advice from the experts. :)

I am 5 feet 4 and 1/2 inches and weigh 130lbs. My baby girl, Isabella Sophia, is eleven months old and weighs 18 lbs. I purchased a size 2 sateen Hotsling.

My problem: Isabella is one of those babies who can't stand to be confined. She does not like her stroller or her car seat and begins to struggle in the Hotsling after about five minutes.

I know you all LOVE your Hotslings, but are they the best choice for an on the move baby? Do you have other suggestions? (she must face forward)

I love my Hotsling (the concept) as I am a no-fuss mom who likes the simplicity of a pouch. The only complaint I have is when I wear the hip position, I feel like I don't have free range to move my dominant arm (the sling pulls my shoulder in a bit). Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong?

Thank you so much for any advice you can give me.

Cheers!
Kelly Picone

I am assuming your DD is really diggin' the kangaroo carry, right? You can always pull the HS up past your shoulder (toward your neck) to give your arm more range of movement. That is the carry we used till DS was 10 months old!

Another thought is a sling and slings are adjustable for different carries and the shoulder styles that are out there are awesome and I find them less constricting. And I find I am able to have more movement in my shoulders and arms.

Also, I am sure your DD will be getting heavy sooner or later and still may want to face outward, you may want to try a 2 shoulder carry with a mei tai-- from the sounds of it-- a smaller body may be great BUT one with a larger body may be better for facing your child out.

HTH Good luck :)

Hi there! Is my DD my baby? And can I do the kangaroo carry with her? I thought is she is above six months I can only do the hip position.

What is a Mei Tai exactly? I looked at the photos and it looks very complicated. What would be the positives in terms of postions?

Is the Hotsling not so great for toddlers (heavier babies)?

Thanks!
K

Sorry your DD is your baby (dear daughter). The kangaroo carry can seen here http://www.hotslings.com/pages/WearingInstructions.php

I really think you can do any carry with your baby as long as you and her are comfortable.

 A mei tai is a rectangle piece of cloth that has 4 straps at the corners of the body and you tie the shorter ones around your waist and the longer ones go over your shoulder. Mei tais are very much like wraps in a variety of ways. But the big plus to having a MT is that there is very little learning curve involved--just tie the straps and off you go!

You can do many different carries with a mei tai-- front, hip, and a back carry-- as with any carrier there is always a period of adjustment as well as learning curve.

HTH

Also, I think Hotslings are fab for toddlers as well as younger babies-- that is all we use for easy popping in and out :)

Also, here is 2 great site for descriptions of carriers and instructions for use.

http://freehandbaby.com/instructions.php

http://www.kozycarrier.homestead.com/Index.html

HTH

My baby is younger, but I really love my mei tais. They are really easy to use, like cooper said just tie and go. I also like that they don't decrease your arm capabilites. I use mine a lot while cleaning. Another plus is the weight is spread across both shoulders.

A carrier with a ton of carry options is a wrap. In my opinion though they are trick to start with, and for me I needed someone to phsically show me how to tie them. (But I think there is wrap dvd's that could help a ton!)
That being said now that I have mastered a certian carry I use it ALL the time. I can wear a wrap for hours and my back is fine.

Just a thought~ If you are just starting to wear your daughter, it may take her a liitle while to get used to the fact. Don't worry though pretty soon she will be loving it!

Welcome to the wonderful world of babywearing... Careful its addictive!

Best of Luck!

---

JoLynda

Mama to Jayna 7.10.05

Thank you both for responding and for being so helpful. I tried the Hotsling again today and she actually fell alseep in the hip position. By the by, my sweet Bella NEVER falls asleep unless she is on my chest and being walked, so I am super impressed. I will give the Hotsling more time and I will look into Mei Tais. I like the idea that my husband could then carry her as well.

First question: There are so many styles/brands. How do you choose? Bella is eleven months old.

Has anyone ever tried the Ella Roo brand?

Thanks!
K

A safer alternative to front facing and hip carries are back carries. Since your dd is 11mo. she might do very well on your back. The Mei Tais are great for that. Angela carries some wonderful MTs. The Freehand is a great one as well as the Sachi.
Beth