A what? (Wilkinet Sling)

Member Name: seoj

Product:	Wilkinet Sling
Date:	31/01/03 (290 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Comfy to wear, Baby can be carried in different positions, Can be washed in machine

Disadvantages: Time consuming to get on and off, Made me overheat with all those straps, needs instructions

I was lucky enough to have a friend who offered me the use of her "Wilkinet" while I was pregnant with my first child. It sounded quite a strange contraption, but I was delighted to discover it was a baby carrier. I felt this would be one of the vital item of baby equipment, living on the 8th floor of a block of flats with a lift that was not always reliable. Also I could never imagine how mothers managed a buggy and a baby on and off buses - and the thought of manouvering shopping bags in addition to this all seemed impossible!

My experience was not completely as expected. Yes it did allow much freedom of carrying babe around, plus shopping bags - I felt a lot less trapped than with a buggy. Plus I didn't have to rely on the nice bus driver to hold the baby while i got everything else on board! It was also wonderful for my son once old enough as he could face forward - which he really enjoyed.

The down side for me was the straps. Admittedly it may have helped if I had sent for the instructions as it said on the label - or if helpful friend was able to remember how to wear it (which unfortunately she couldn't fully!). But I was determined to work it out for myself. I did manage to get 2 carrying positions worked out - and was able to take it on and off with baby fitted on my self. I do wish I had worked out how to carry him on my back. But those straps did make it very time consuming - and fiddley. It was fine for walks outside in the countryside, or on the beach where buggy wheels can prohibit where you go.

It was far from fine going shopping in town. Once wrapped up against the elements I found I had to remove the baby and Wilkinet each time I entered a shop as I over heated, as did my son. I then had to remove items of clothing and put it all back on again. I then had to do the reverse before going outside to the next shop. Then repeat the process once in the next shop. If you are like me and visit many
shops in one afternoon you can imagine how many times I repeated this process. Sometimes I just decided to cut the whole trip short and go home early.

I am now pregnant with baby number 2 and am desperately trying to find a carrier that will allow me to get it on and off easily and will also allow me to breastfeed with it on. The Wilkinet unfortunately does not allow either of these things. Luckily I didn't have to pay anything out to find this out.

Summary: