Anyone have any sling opinions or know of a web site that compares them? I
have a baby bjorn that I liked and used as well, but for everyday carrying
around the house and ease of entry, I definitely want another sling. Also,
do they come in different sizes? I'm average size and build and tend to
get
a sore back no matter how I carry anything, though the sling was much more
comfortable than any of the backpacks or snugglies I tried.

If you have several different kinds of carriers available and know how to
use them properly, it's easier to avoid a sore back than if you rely on only
one sling or carrier for all uses. But carriers that involve two shoulders
are *usually* better for your back than carriers that only do one shoulder,
with the notable exception of baby-bjorn style front packs--which work
great for lighter babies, but can be very painful for babies heavier than 20
pounds.

www.thebabywearer.com is an excellent place to start, lots of reviews, etc.
but can be overwhelming.

Things to consider:

Pouches: Simple, to the point, easy to learn, easy to use, easy to wear when
baby isn't in it, but not especially versatile and fit can be an issue.
Adjustable pouches can ease the fit issue. My favorites: For cold weather,
the Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch, and for hot weather, the Maya
Wrap adjustable pouch. Simple, unadjustable pouches are also popular--one
that is very well loved right now is the Hotsling pouch, but I haven't tried
this one yet. My understanding is that Hotslings use better sizing than New
Native, so you're more likely to get one that works well for you the first
time. There is *nothing* better in my book for that stage where the 10 month
old wants up one second and down the next... you just leave the pouch on all
the time and pop baby in and out all day long. Excellent for errands and
times when you're in and out of the car a lot but don't want to deal with a
big seat.

Ring slings: You're probably familiar with padded ring slings. Personally,
I've little use for them. I greatly prefer unpadded ring slings because
they're more versatile and I feel, far more comfortable in the long run.
Padded slings make me feel upholstered. My "baby" in these (literally--I
designed it) is the MamaBaby, sold by Maya Wrap and distributors. This is a
two-sling system--you can use one sling for most carries or add a second
sling for comfort and stability if you are getting tired or need to be
totally hands free/bending over, etc. It's a simple, stretchy fabric that
gives in all the right places but doesn't sag much or require the fussy
adjustment of many woven slings. There are *many* brands and many different
kinds of shoulders for unpadded ring slings--I strongly recommend looking at
reviews on the babywearer to get a feel for what people like about the
different kinds. Ring slings are my favorite for breastfeeding ease, and
unpadded ring slings are tops for privacy/modesty. They have most of the
advantages of pouches (easy to wear without baby, "popable", and quick in
and out) with few of the disadvantages (fit is easier to get right, you can
tighten the top and bottom rails separately to avoid pressure points, etc.)
They are a little bulkier and involve more fabric.

Wraparounds: These are the simplest to make and you probably have stuff on
hand that you could use now (a bedsheet, for example) to make a wrap.
Appropriate fabric can be had for as little as $1 per yard, but "store
bought" wraps can range from $30 to $150, depending on fabric. Wraps combine
the best comfort and the most versatility, but are not the easiest of slings
to learn. www.mamatoto.org is THE resource for learning to really do wraps
right, and they can be a wonderful option. Wraps made out of slightly
stretchy fabric or t-shirt knit are extremely comfy for newborns and for
many people will allow you to wrap once, and take baby in and out repeatedly
without rewrapping. Woven wraps are supreme for support and allow some
amazing high back carries for even tiny babies. This is traditional
babywearing at its best. People are usually hestitant to get into the whole
wrap "thing", but once they do they tend to fall in love with the comfort.
Not as simple as a ring sling or pouch for in and out, but people can and do
wear their babies for hours without back pain in wraps. Nursing can be done
in a wrap, but ease varies from mom to mom and baby to baby.

ABC's (Asian Baby Carriers): These are the "ancestors" of most conventional
mainstream front and back packs, but honestly, I've yet to find a
"structured" front or back pack that was more comfortable or easier to use
than a good ABC. My favorite right now is the Kozy Carrier
(www.kozycarrier.com) which combines a really nice sense of style with great
construction and top notch comfort. For carrying heavy children or babies of
any age facing in, front or back, ABC's cannot be topped, in my opinion.
They're fast to get on, easy to learn, incredibly comfortable. They're *not*
the "best" for nursing, but they're far easier to nurse in than the Baby
Bjorn for most people. Ease of nursing will depend partly on mother's size
and shape and partly on baby's age and agility in this carrier. They are
harder to wear "without baby" than an unpadded ring sling or pouch, but are
very compact, can be "belted" out of the way around the waist when not in
use, and are so fast to put on that the issue of lack of "popability" (the
ease of which you can pop a baby in and out) is less of a problem than I
initially thought it might be.

Jenrose