Toddler Sling/carrier for Travel

Hi J.! I was never thought I was a sling/ hammock person but when I had my second child, I decided to get one since my son was still a toddler. I just started using one and I absolutely love it. It is the Hip Hammock by Playtex (ling below). It is very comfortable and my daughter loves it. She is just under the 15 lb. begin limit but she holds herslef up very well so she is very comfortable in it. Hope this helps!!

http://www.playtexbaby.com/hiphammock/

I just bought a hip sling from the breastfeeding/gift store in Baylor Hospital. It is very comfortable and the ladies who work in the store are knowledgeable about using it. The slings come in different sizes and they were able to help me decide which size is best for us. The store is called Simply Mom's, and it's in Hoblitzelle Tower on Gaston Avenue. I think I paid about $45 for it, but that's a guess. They come in great prints and colors, too.

I met a lady at VBS this year that had on a sling that had her 18month old in it. It was very nice and he looked so comfortable. I asked her where she got it because I was interested and getting one. She told me that she makes them herself and would be happy to make one for me to.

Her name is Marta Schneider and her number is ###-###-####. She puts pockets that hang from the bottom too so you can carry light stuff too.

I would at least check her out. It was much better looking and seemed to be better quality than the store bought ones and you get to choose your own material so you decide what it looks like.

A

Hello J.,

I have a 6 month old and I have used a Maya Wrap for her. It's very comfortable and you can use it MANY different ways and it does not have all of those straps like the snugglie that I used for my first daughter(I always felt like she was going to fall out of the snugglie). I went to www.mayawrap.com and printed off the directions to make it myself(it's the maya sling). It cost me about $7 to make the whole thing! You can buy the rings at a fabric store or Lowes. When I first started to use it, I was a little confused so I went to the website and they have video on how to wear it properly. When it gets dirty, I just throw it in the washer. I hope this helps!! God Bless You!

I have really loved my Kozy Carrier. It's a mei tei type, compact, and very, very comfortable. It's not fabulous for hip carries, but I prefer to have them on my back anyway because it gives me more freedom of movement.

Are you familiar with The Sling Station? They are local, and it would be a great place for you to go and try out various carriers to see what you liked.

I used an awesome sling from www.hotslings.com
Another mom in my neighborhood started this company because she wanted something simple that allowed her to be close to her baby while still getting stuff done. Her designs are usually once piece of cloth, no straps, buckles etc. Very comfortable and easy to put on once you get the hang of it. It obviously takes up very little space and looks very stylish.

I don't know how big your toddler is but when my daughter was 12 months old when we took her to Europe for a few weeks and I had the Playtex Hip Carrier and I LOVED IT! We used it more than a stroller. She was running already at that time (very early walker), so she would not like to sit still in the stroller. This way I had her close and happy on the plane and in the city!
This carrier has a high weight limit. It is intended especially for older children. Check it out, it really worth the money. You can buy it for less than half the price on Ebay these days.
Hope it helps
Lilla

Oh I envy you going to San Diego! I love the area, especiallly Coronado.
Anyway, I had a sling once but only used it when my twins were teeny. I bought a Sutemi Gear last May (2005) and used it for a trip to Chicago. It was nice to have. I also tried to use it while doing chores but difficult with two little ones.

If you would like to take a look at it, try it out before considering it you can try mine. Google: Sutemi Gear if you would like to take a peek at it.

Good luck with your decision.

I used a sling similar to the Maya Wraps with my son and it worked very well. I've also seen the Playtex Hip Hammock, which is supposed to be comfortable and it is on Target.com.

I have a 'Hip Hammock' from Playtex that I just love. I carried my son from about 15 months to over 2 years old. He's 3 now and weighs 35 lbs which is the max weight. I've been very happy with it and wish I'd found it earlier. I've been using it just now and again, mostly when it rained and I had to pick my daughter up at school (we are walkers). Since it hasn't rained in forever, I've not really used it in months. I had tried a sling but didn't feel comfortable with it. I really liked this method of carrying him. It was less stress on my back than actually holding him on my hip.

Have you ever heard of the ERGO carrier? It is kind of pricey, but worth it, as it works great, looks great, and goes up to 40 lbs. Here is their site:

http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/

Hi J.,
I have an Ultimate Baby Wrap that's great and is easy on the back and shoulders. the only thing I found to be difficult the first few times was getting it on but after 3-4times of putting on it, it was sinch to throw on...***secret is to put it on tight...I used the Bjorn and it cut into my shoulders and after 15mins my back was hurting...so I my opinion the Ultimate Baby Wrap(bought on ebay)is the way to go..
Goodluck,

Sumitra

I have traveled a lot with my now 2 year old daughter...when she was small, I used a sling from chickabeez.com and now I love to use a Mei Tai to carry her. She can be carried on the front or on your back. The great thing is that it will fit anyone...there's no buckles or metal rings to get in the way. They also come in so many colors and fabrics. My last one came from cobaltcarriers.com Good luck and have fun on your trip!

We took our daughter to San Diego when she was a baby and a super light-weight umbrella stroller was the perfect thing. We have the MacLaren Volo. It folds closed quickly and with one hand (and foot!). It has an attached carry strap so once it's folded you just sling it over your shoulder. It goes on and off public transportation easily. It was also nice to have the "stuff" basket when we were at the zoo or taking a stroll, shopping, whatever.

J.,

The absolute best buy I have made amongst all the "baby stuff" has been my Snugli backpack. It's not a hip carrier or sling (I had previously bought a Bjorn carrier and two other sling type carriers which I never used). The backpack is great! I use it for everything from hiking to shopping to traveling. I just traveled to California with plane change by myself with my 9 month old daughter and this backpack. I love it because it has a little kickstand so you can set it down on the ground with the child still sitting in it. It also has a little compartment in the back which can hold some diapers, wipes, a few small toys and food. It has a nice hip belt which also has a little pocket you could put a wallet, keys or a little cell phone in. It also fits nicely into the overhead compartment on the plane. It leaves your hands free and my daughter loves to sit up where she can see everything going on. The backpack is comfortable (or at least as comfortable as it can be when you are lugging extra weight around!) and both my husband and I can use it.

I got mine at Babies R Us for $60-80. There is a Snugli brand that is more expensive, but from reviews I read, not really worth the extra money. If you are interested you can look it up on the Babies R Us website and read some other reviews of it, but like I said, for me it was money very well spent. Oh yeah, I also use it around the house when I am vacuuming and sometimes my daughter falls asleep in it while I'm getting housework done!

P.S. We were living in the San Diego area until about 2yrs ago, but are hoping to be going back soon. Have fun on your trip, I absolutely love it there!

J.

Hi J.,

When my daughter was smaller, I used the Baby Bjorn and that was great. I got the one with the lower back support and it worked well. As she started to get bigger and heavier I bought one of the hip slings you find at WalMart or Target. She never really warmed up to it though. Hope this helps.

Depending on your son's weight, I had the best luck with the Baby Bjorn carrier. It's a front carrier and your son can face toward you or out. My son loved it so much I wore it all the time grocery shopping, light house cleaning, walkingthe mall. As he got heaviere we switched toa true bacpack, the Kelty Kids backpack. I liked that one because of it's automatic stand, I could put my son in the pack while it sat on the ground or a table then slip it onto my shoulders and buckle up. We used that a lot for trips to Disneyland and the zoo. They were both better than strollers and very comfortable.

Good Luck!

The only carrier I have used is the Playtex Hip Carrier. It's for older/bigger babies, faces outward only, is very simple to use and adjust, and worked great for my tall girl. Don't remember what age we stopped using it, but I do know it was well worth the price (in the $30-$40 range).

I have had them all -- a framed backpack carrier, baby bjorn, slings, you name it. I just recently went to Colorado with my 2 year old and we went hiking... and i used just a light weight hip carrier. If you go to e-bay's site, search for this item number: Item number: 250013506182 it's only on there for 14 more hours... but I bought one exactly like this off e-bay and I LOVED it... I only needed one hand to hold him, it was soft and comfortable, I could have carried him around all day. The best feature was that it folded up into itself and fits in my diaper bag so I only had to bring it out when I needed it. Slings are just hot (for me) and for him... and the way they had to be strapped all over you I just felt like I was walking around looking weird... like some banshee in a bed comforter. This is light weight yet sturdy and washable... I loved it!