Better than some, not the best

After the obligatory Bjorn carrier, this was my first purchase on the baby-wearing crusade. My birthing and parenting instructor mentioned how great this sling was about 100 times during the course of our four night class. The New Native website had a video of Cindy Crawford using it so of course I had to get it. I mean, if Cindy Crawford uses it, it must be totally awesome, right?

Well, it is a good sling, but possibly not as great as the hype. I used it when my daughter was too small for the Bjorn and it was great for moving about the house, folding laundry and such. You can position your baby in several different ways so the sling definitely has versatility working in it's favor. For carrying a small infant, it's very comfortable and once you figure out how to place them properly, it's easy enough to get them in and out. Figuring out how to get them in the first time is a challenge and in my case, required two people, but once I got the hang of it I didn't need help from my husband. Once she got big enough for the Bjorn carrier, it seemed like she much preferred being carried upright and facing outward so I put away the New Native. Since I only used it for about 2 months, I feel like the price tag is a little steep (around $40 new). If I could do it again, this would be something I'd really consider buying on e-bay for half the price.

It's supposed to work even for toddlers, but I've tried it for my 18 month old and it definitely does not work for her. Even when she was 12 months, I pulled it out and tried using it as more of a hip-carrier (the instructions are on their website) and she didn't seem comfortable.

All in all, I'd say this sling was better than the Bjorn while I used it, but sort of low on the list as far as long-term use goes. I'm sure a lot of it's success depends on your individual child, mine happens to be curious and independent and likes to see what's going on around her and have a little restriction on her movement as possible. She might not be the best candidate for baby-wearing. I'm definitely planning on using this with my next child, especially in the beginning, so I wouldn't say it's a total bust. Some parents I've talked with absolutely swear up and down that this is the best.sling.ever. Not my experience, but it is without question, useful.