Too late for ring sling?

@authorandystraka Definitely not too late. Some would argue a sling is best for a year from now when they’re early walking and want to be up and down or you want something to keep in your bag or the car for when they suddenly want you to carry them.
 
@authorandystraka We carry our baby a lot and barely use the stroller. For us, with at least one but often multiple walks a day, happy baby was worth the price. My husband likes the happy baby OG and I use the onbuhimo, and I also use a second hand wild bird ringsling I got for $10 on fb marketplace.

Different uses for different carriers. Ring slings are great for quick ups and downs. I’ll bring one when I’m going to a friend’s house and know my kid will want to be carried at the beginning (separation anxiety is strong right now at 9 months!) and also use it at home if I need him up so I can get some things done quickly. Downside of ring slings is it is a bit restrictive on one arm. It also gets tiring on the shoulder after a long time, I wouldn’t use a ring sling for a hike. happy baby is just so easy, lightweight, fits in the diaper bag, it’s worth it for us. My husband likes the OG and it’s supportive for long carries like a hike. At this point bb is sometimes heavy for me to carry in front and in the way so I like him on my back in the onbuhimo most of the time. He loves it too!

My suggestion for you is to join the little zen one try before you buy program! You only pay for shipping and the Facebook community is so lovely and friendly. They now have happy baby as well so you can try that and a ring sling and decide what’s best for you!
 
@authorandystraka I carry my 23lb 7 month old in my ring sling just fine! There is a small business here in Ontario, Canada called Heritage Baby Designs (black, babywearing mama owned) that sells single layer linen slings that are size inclusive. They are SO breathable it is lovely! She is having a drop some fantastic summer colours soon!

Eta: I use a more structured carrier for walks/hikes, but around town, in/out of the car, naps and when she doesn't want to be put down, it can't be beat! It is a great alternative to holding her on my hip the whole time, what an arm saver!
 
@authorandystraka I don’t have big baby rec’s because mine is little but I just bought a Nalakai single linen from Amazon and it is fantastic for the heat! I literally just got home from using it at an outdoor event in 90 degree heat and it kept us both as cool as babywearing can be imo.
 
@authorandystraka I never figured out the ring sling and the asymmetrical weight distribution isn't appealing to me, but some people like them for toddlers!

But also, check out Integra for another apron style carrier, or a meh dai or half buckle for another potentially lightweight option. Lenny Lamb and didymos make popular carriers in these categories.
 
@authorandystraka If you MUST buy on Amazon - go with like hip baby (stripes can help you learn to adjust), wildbird (linen needs significant breaking in compared to cotton), or kyte baby.

But you will get a better experience most likely with a used sling (cotton or linen) especially if it was used a lot and therefore already broken in - many people ship in the BST groups, you are looking at $40-$50 shipped generally speaking.

You can also look at local (cheapest) or online lending libraries to sort of try before you buy. Little zen one runs a free for shipping lending program but the waitlists are pretty long for most items but could be worth trying.
 
@musore Thanks so much for your comment! I've been considering the kyte baby. I'd love to get a second hand one but I don't have an FB account which is super inconvenient for this situation lol! I've been thinking about spurgling on a Hope & Plum sling but seems unwise since I've never tried one!
 
@authorandystraka If US try:

Mercari (not sure if they are in/ship to Canada just keep in mind all the fees that get added to the list price) - you would very likely be able to resell a hope & plum on here for basically list price.

Poshmark - haven’t used this yet myself but I know so people have mentioned they found some carriers there
 
@authorandystraka No personal experience but I think they are safety tested and very similar to Kyte baby. Not my favorite sling but perfectly serviceable as a starter sling after breaking it in - Amazon is just really horrible right now for cheap/not safety tested/downright dangerous crap in the babywearing space - honestly not sure how they are getting away with it since it’s illegal to sell slings that don’t have the third party safety testing in the US but Amazon probably just doesn’t care 🤷‍♀️
 
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