Buggies, strollers, prams and pushchairs can cost a LOT. It is said by some that the buggy is the most expensive single item you will buy for your baby. The average cost of a buggy in 2012 was a staggering £264! The average cost of a sling or baby carrier that will see you through the ages of newborn to two years old? £65. Using a sling and ditching the expensive buggy potentially saves £200!
Of course, it’s not unreasonable to want to carry your child sometimes and other days use the buggy, it’s absolutely fine to do a bit of both! Doing it that way means you don’t have to buy the latest and greatest travel system that costs the earth, but buy a more reasonable one that you can use half the time and a lovely sling to use the other times. Or use a sling until 6 months and then buy a buggy without the newborn option, you’ll be amazed at how much that will save!
real life examples
Who?
Daisy, UK
Mum to C aged 2.5 years and S aged 6 months.
When did you start using slings & why?
We didn’t come across slings until I was pregnant with S and I thought I won’t need one I’ll use a double buggy and my stretchy, little did I know S would be a big baby and we didn’t feel comfy with the stretchy then I realised how handy round it would be the house. We started when S was 3 months once it had arrived we use it to get up in the morning, we use it to do the school run, we use it when cooking, we use it to go to the park and much more.
How has using a sling generally benefitted you and your child/ren?
It gave me hands free to play with C while not feeling I had abandoned my baby in the buggy to push C on the swing or help her brush her teeth. Using the sling has become a daily thing it helps me with everything and it’s not just S who goes in it some days S is in the buggy while were out C is walking and gets tired without having my arms ache carrying her she goes up in the sling and we carry on.
Can you tell us one specific occasion in which using a sling had a positive impact in your daily life?
For someone with my disability I found I could bond with my children more and do stuff round the house without getting flustered.
What one piece of wisdom would you pass onto other parents on a budget who may be considering using slings?
With a sling you can stick to a budget and it’s the same price you would pay for a cheapish second hand buggy.