The Lifft pouch sling was reviewed for us by Dawn Brown, mum to Zara, who is 7 months old.

What type/brand of carrier are you reviewing?

Lifft Sling

Is this your first sling?

I already have a structured baby carrier and a mei tai style baby carrier.

Do you use one regularly?

We regularly use slings for days out at the weekend or quick trips to the shops.

How comfortable did you find the sling?

This sling was comfortable for short periods of time (up to about 20 minutes) but after that I could start to feel the weight on my shoulder. I’d be happy using this sling for quick trips out but I think I would start to feel uncomfortable if I was using the sling for long periods of time.

How comfortable did your child seem in it?

Zara seemed very comfortable and happy in the sling.

How long were you able to use it for (single stretch)?

At most I have used this sling for half an hour although after about 20 minutes I did start to notice the weight on my shoulder.

Do you consider the sling to be good value for money?

This sling has a RRP of £50. Which in itself is not as expensive as some slings on the market. My only problem with the pricing of the Lifft is that you buy the sling in a size that fits you (ie I wore a size 1 – 8/10 sling) which means my husband wasn’t able to use it and in our household where we both like to carry Zara it would mean buying two of them.

How would you rate the sling for convenience?

The sling is very small when not in use and so could easily fit in your changing bag and it is quick and easy to put on, so great for convenience.

What did you like about the sling?

I liked the simplicity of the sling and the colours that are available.

It is very easy to put on and does feel secure despite my initial worries that Zara would slip through the bottom of it if she wriggled enough.

I also like the idea of being able to carry a newborn in a lying down position although unfortunately with Zara being 7 months old I wasn’t able to try this.

What didn’t you like?

I was a bit disappointed with the limited carry positions that are available for an older baby. At 7 months old and weighing 20lbs, the only position I could use for Zara was a hip carry.

I also found it a shame that my husband couldn’t use this sling as you buy the sling to fit you. When we go for days out, my husband and I like to share carrying Zara and with this sling that would not be possible unless we bought two of them.

Anything else?

I wish I had been able to try this sling with a newborn baby as I think the sling is probably better suited for that type of carry.

Overall marks out of 10?

I’d mark this sling 7 out of 10. I’ve marked it down because a) there is a limited range of carrying positions for my 7 month old, b) my husband couldn’t wear it and c) after about 20 minutes carrying a very wriggly 20lb baby I did start to feel it in my shoulder.

Related posts:

1. SnugBaby Review
2. SlingEasy Review
3. Connecta Review

The SnugBaby mei tai was reviewed for GYHB by Dawn Brown, and her seven month old daughter, Zara.

What type/brand of carrier are you reviewing?

SnugBaby

Is this your first sling?

Sort of, we already have the Tomy Freestyle structured baby carrier but this was our first sling type carrier

Do you use one regularly?

We use the sling most weekends when we have trips out and occasionally when nipping to the supermarket or the local shop

How comfortable did you find the sling?

I love this sling, it is so comfortable to wear and puts no strain on my back unlike the Tomy carrier did.

How comfortable did your child seem in it?

Zara loves being in this sling, particularly the back carry, she can see what’s going on and also pull mummy’s hair when she wants something.

How long were you able to use it for (single stretch)?

The most I’ve used it for so far is about an hour and I still felt fine after that (but we had to stop for lunch).

Do you consider the sling to be good value for money?

I consider this sling great value for money as both myself and my husband can use it and it is used all the time, I’ll also be able to use it for quite some time as Zara is only 7 months old.

How would you rate the sling for convenience?

The sling comes in a great little carry bag so can be carried around easily when not in use and it is very quick and simple to put on (with a little bit of practice) which is great when you are just nipping out to the shops.

What did you like about the sling?

I love the colour and how it looks stylish, I love that both myself and my husband can wear it, I love that there are 4 carrying positions (front outward facing, front parent facing, hip carry and back carry). I love that Zara enjoys being carried in it and I love that it doesn’t hurt my back.

What didn’t you like?

The only thing I don’t really like about this sling is that my husband enjoys using it so much – which means I don’t get to use it as often because he always insists on carrying the baby.

Anything else?

Initially it can be a bit overwhelming when looking at the carrying instructions and all the various ties, but with a bit of practice and perseverance it soon becomes very easy to use and well worth sticking with.

Overall marks out of 10?

This is by far the best sling I’ve come across todate and so I have to rate it 9/10 – I’d rate it a 10 but the trouble is I now want to buy one to match every single outfit (and there isn’t a green one currently available!)

Summary
Pros: Four carrying positions Suitable for either parent Comfortable Stylish	Cons: A little overwhelming at first Takes a little practise
Overall Score:

Related posts:

1. Lifft Review
2. Connecta Review
3. Woven Wrap Review

The Pouchlings ring sling was reviewed for GYHB by Amanda Ryan, along with her husband, Stuart. They have two children – 3 year old Maisie, and 1 year old Lucas.

First Impressions

I was a little worried when asked to review this sling as I’ve never found a ring sling I’ve enjoyed wearing. However the Pouchling gave me a pleasant surprise, in both the design and softness of the fabric.

Ease Of Use

The easy use instructions meant I felt very confident in using this with my son.
Its a simple unfussy design which would easily fit in a decent sized handbag to take on shopping trips with older children. My son is one so I used it in the hip position.

Value For Money

The Pouchlings ring slings are very pretty, and starting at just £28, are excellent value for money. The optional extras are fabulous, and even the most expensive Pouchlings sling is still very reasonably priced for such a beautiful and well made sling.

Overall

He loved being heigh up and seeing the same as mummy, and getting constant eye contact. As he’s a fidget, I did have to keep my arm round him as well for extra support and I think after a while his weight would become uncomfortable, but this is much easier than carrying without it and the little pocket for carrying toys is great.

Summary
Pros: Easy to use Stylish designs Handy pocket	Cons: Had to hold onto child Could get uncomfortable after prolonged period, or with heavier child
Overall Score:

Related posts:

1. SlingEasy Review
2. Moby Wrap Review
3. Scootababy Review

The Scootababy Hip Carrier was reviewed for GYHB by Amanda Ryan, along with her husband, Stuart. They have two children – 3 year old Maisie, and 1 year old Lucas.

First Impressions

This is a great sling if like me you end up having to grab one child constantly while chasing an older one, its a hip carrier that allows you to comfortably carry your child as you would naturally, but with extra support.

Ease Of Use

Although it came with plenty of information I was able to look at the picture, put it on and go. The strap for adjustment was easy to use, and could be done one handed. Our son loved being in this sling and both my husband and I found it very easy to use.

Value For Money

Although at £79.99 it is pretty expensive, I can imagine getting plenty of use from the Scootababy, which would make it worthwhile, and as with other well made carriers, the resale value should be taken into account when considering a purchase.

Overall
I’ve stayed away from hip carriers in the past, as I had joint problems, but this sling distributes weight evenly across your waist and shoulder & caused no aches at all.

The only negatives we had were that it was advertised as a hands free sling but with a very very active son you did feel the need to hold on sometimes, and as pointed out by my husband because of its position across your body you cannot access your trouser pockets.

Personally I loved this sling and think you’d be able to use it for several years.

Summary
Pros: Distributes weight very well, for a hip carrier Very comfortable Easy to use	Cons: Not totally hands free Only one carrying position
Overall Score:

Related posts:

1. Beco Review
2. Pouchlings Review
3. Lifft Review

The Beco soft structured carrier was reviewed for GYHB by Amanda Ryan, along with her husband, Stuart. They have two children – 3 year old Maisie, and 1 year old Lucas.

First Impressions

The Beco Baby Carrier is an uber stylish sling, loved by baby magazines & celebrities alike, it’s beautiful looking and the craftsmanship was faultless, leaving no doubt to its safety and strength. The information pack provided was comprehensive, and their site contains lots of information and video instructions too.

Ease of Use

Having said this, I just did not find it comfortable which ever way I adjusted the straps & clips, leaving an equally frustrated little boy, who seemed to find it quite restrictive & tight.

Value for Money

The Beco is suitable for a wide age and weight range, so from that point of view, it represents good value for money, and I believe they have good resale value too, so it could easily be sold on once finished with.

Overall

I think that because I’m a larger lady it just wasn’t suited to my body type, and I did find it easier in the back position. Beco carriers are certainly stunning in design, and many people love the comfort they offer, but personally having used many slings, I was left with the feeling that this was a over complicated solution to a mei tai sling, the extra features although nice seem to be at the loss of comfort to the carrier.

Summary
Pros: Gorgeous designs Very wide weight range	Cons: We found it more difficult to use than other types
Overall Score:

Related posts:

1. Scootababy Review
2. Pouchlings Review
3. Lifft Review

The SlingEasy ring sling was reviewed for GYHB by Amanda Ryan, along with her husband, Stuart. They have two children – 3 year old Maisie, and 8 month old Lucas.

First Impressions

The SlingEasy ring sling came with easy to read, comprehensive instructions and pictures, making wearing the sling for the first time a simple process, however I feel using it for the first time with a very active 8 month old made it a more difficult task.

Ease of Use

The sling was comfortable to wear, spreading out across my back and the large shoulder padding made carrying my weighty boy easy. It was quick to put him in and after trying him in different positions found one both comfortable for him and me; however having an active boy meant that I did feel I had to keep a hand on him at all times as he could lean quite far back, which made his position on my hip a little sore after a while.

Value for Money

Their site shows the various colours and designs the sling can come in which would make it a great unisex product. The fact that it can be adjusted using the rings to tighten or loosen an neccessary means that one size fits almost everyone. The pricing makes this a good value for money sling.

Overall

I think that this sling would be ideal for babies to nestle in, perfect for breastfeeding while out and about, as it had enough fabric for good coverage, and for quick trips out with older children. I think if the child had been in this sling from younger months they would be more settled in it on longer journeys, and in different positions.

Summary
Pros: Comprehensive instructions One size fits almost everyone	Cons: Can be awkward with wriggly babies
Overall Score:

Related posts:

1. Lifft Review
2. Pouchlings Review
3. Beco Review