Customer Reviews

Crown Crafts The Original NoJo BabySling by Dr. Sears in Black Chambray

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

There are 3 problems with this sling:
1) It comes in one size that is only good for people who need a large size sling.
2) The rings are grooved, which makes it hard or impossible to adjust it once you are wearing it.
3) It isn't wide enough to be as safe as possible. We have to hold onto our baby when he's in this sling.

Dh and I only use this sling when the other 4 are in the wash. Dr. Sears really screwed this one up.

Vastly superior slings can be found at your local La Leche League group or through these web sites:

KangarooKorner.com (carries shower slings also)
mayawrap.com
babysling.com

I have used this sling since my son came home from Korea at 4 1/2 months, and now, at age 2, I STILL use it (although now only as a hip carrier). It is extremely versatile and comfortable. What I like most is that there are so many different positions for the baby, and that the baby can stay with me while he sleeps. I am looking forward to using it for our second child.

As an adoptive mom, I loved how baby wearing with the Nojo sling facilitated our bonding. I missed out on the first 4 1/2 months of my son's life, so baby wearing was a priority. The sling made it easy, and I attribute some of our early bonding to the Nojo sling.

It is EXTREMELY durable, and very comfortable for the baby. After a little practice, I find it much easier to use than carriers such as the Baby Bjorn, with all its straps and buckles. (Which we also have.) With the Nojo sling, the baby goes in with one arm, and stays put. It's also very easy to reposition the baby while he is still in it.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT. I couldn't live without it. It's my favorite carrier.

One of my labor nurses came to see me after my first baby was born & had her 6 month old in a sling...I stopped on the way home from the hospital and bought one. It was the absolute best investment aside from a carseat that I have made on a baby product. We were stationed overseas soon after & I traveled back & forth several times,and my sling made airline travel so much easier...no strollers or big bulky seats to lug around airports,and when they were toddlers they couldn't escape! I liked the privacy it gave me to nurse in public and keep my baby hidden from well-meaning admirers who liked to touch. I found that it was easy to use (back then it didn't come with a how-to video), could be thrown in the washing machine, and had other uses in a pinch, as a changing pad, a blanket, even to help strap a wiggly toddler into a highchair.
I liked the freedom it gave me when my second child was born 18 months after the first, I could still pick up my toddler while walking through a parking lot, etc if I needed to while wearing the baby, something I couldn't have done while lugging around a carseat.
I'm 5'3" and had no back or shoulder pain using this product, even through toddlerhood...as a matter of fact I recently used it (sparingly) while traveling with my 38 pound 5 year old. Needless to say, after 11&1/2 years, 3 kids and 2 slings (I finally had to part w/the first one when baby #3 was 2 years old) I HIGHLY recommend this to all parents!!

I already own the Snugli front and back carrier. It works fine, but it's a little complicated getting a squirmy infant into the Snugli. So my husband and I bought the Nojo Baby Sling. It is fabulous. It's so easy to use. You just put it over your body and slide the baby in. There are no buckles, fasteners, or doo-dads. It's still very secure. When my son gets into the Baby Sling, he goes right to sleep, because it reminds him of how he was in my womb. He curls up and feels safe and secure because Mommy is holding him. To him, I am carrying him around and he likes that. To me, I am carrying him, but I am still able to have my hands free to take care of chores around the house, going for a walk, or shopping at the market. One of the best features about this sling is that I can breastfeed while I am carrying my son in it. Unlike the Snugli, which does not make it easy for me to breastfeed while I carry him. So, I can discreetly breastfeed him while in public without having to stop what I am doing.
It has been a great purchase for me. My husband likes using it, too! We highly recommend this product.

I gave this sling 4 stars because, even though it is not the best sling available, it is a very good way to get started with baby wearing. It is also one of the only brands of slings available in stores, at least in my area, but it is relatively cheap at $29 (compared to $30 and up for some other brands) and you can return it easily if it doesn't work for you. Advantages: The sling allows you to carry your baby in a zillion positions. You can, with practice, breastfeed very discreetly with the sling. (I marched in a parade while breastfeeding my four-week-old in this sling!) The padded rails are great for a novice slinger with a newborn because you can arrange the fabric & rails to give the baby's head a lot of support. Drawbacks: The sling is difficult to adjust to a very small-framed person because of the amount of fabric and the padded rails. The padding also makes the sling bulky. The fabric is not very attractive (if you look at your sling as an accessory). The sling might be too warm for people in hot climates.

A note on slinging:
Even though this might not be the BEST sling out there, slings in general are a fabulous way to enjoy life with baby. Wearing your baby throughout part or all of the day will allow you to do housework, go on walks, enjoy outings, etc., while interacting and bonding with your child. Sling babies are more organized, calmer, and cry less than infants who are put in cribs or plastic buckets (carriers) all the time. They spend more time in the quiet alert state and absorb all of the amazing sights and sounds of Mom or Dad's world. If you have never used a sling before, this one's relatively low cost makes it worth trying. If you're a practiced babywearer, I would consider another brand that is tailored more for your particular size & shape. You can also check out http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sling.html for a lot of good reviews and resources for slinging.

If you live in a hot climate or are going to get one of these for summer, don't! This sling was much too padded and hot for me and my baby. Everytime I put my daughter in this, we would both be sweating within minutes and it worried me because she would be breathing very fast. Try a lightly padded sling or one with no padding, you'll both be way more comfortable.

First, I was very surprised to see that there are people who do not like this item. I am 5'4" and weigh 130lbs and have no trouble at all so I do not think size is a problem. My husband is 6'1" and he had a little trouble until I taught him how to use it. The minute he comes home from work and picks him up he pops him right in this and he now even uses it to put our son to sleep. This sling defenitly saves your arms from that "pulling out of the socket" feeling. It is a little tricky to figure out: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WATCH THE VIDEO. I do not recommend it for a newborn (the cradle hold was not comfortable for me). Since my son was four months old we have used this constantly. He loves to be in it and is very comfortable. It is secure if you use it properly. If you are using it properly then you should not have to feel like you need to hold onto your baby. I bought this becuase my front carriers (yes even everyone's favorite trendy,expensive one) were hurting my back and shoulders because they do not distribute the weight. I do think the sling is more for babies who are at least four months old and the best part is you can use it when they are toddlers, so it should be around for a long time. I guess what i am trying to say is this is not for itty bitty babies. It may be that the baby needs to be bigger not the adult. I cannot stress enough that you really have to be patient and it takes a few times to get the hang of it. I seriously watched the video and read the book about 10 times each before I finally got it and now I have no trouble at all. Oh, and its machine washable which is always important. This is definitly a must have.

I would give up just about every other piece of baby gear I have to keep this sling. I absolutely love it. I have been carrying my son in the sling since he was 4 days old, and we have moved from the cradle carry to the kangaroo to the hip carry. My son is 8 months old now and we use this almost daily, still. He'll even nap in it sometimes (he used to all the time). I have used other slings since, but this is still my favorite, and most comfortable. The padding is very comfortable, I can carry my son in several different ways, I can hook toys to the rings for him to chew on. I have worn him in the sling for hours at a time and have been comfortable (I'm 5'8" and my son is now 21 lbs.) Slings can be difficult to use at first, and I didn't find the video that comes with this sling to be very helpful. There are websites with illustrations for wearing slings, or talk to people you know who can show you how to use it. I also have found that often babies don't seem to like riding in slings if you start later. Many friends have mine have first tried a sling at 4-5 months or later, and their babies didn't like it. So I would recommend using it from as early as possible. I have a very, very curious and active 8 month old baby (who doesn't particularly like to be confined in strollers, car seats, high chairs, bouncers, swings, etc.) and he's quite happy in the sling.

My baby was a little colicky. We tried the sling as a last resort to get her to stop crying and it worked. Within minutes she was no longer crying and soon she was asleep. I now carry her in the sling everywhere I go and she loves it. I am 5'8 and not built like a man, and it works great for me. It took me a while to put it on the right way, but it wasn't hard. I love my sling and recommend it to every new mother, especially mothers of colicky babies.

My 2 week old loves this sling! She is only 6.5 lbs. and fits snuggly in this sling. I was afraid she would be too little or be lost in all the fabric, but she is happy as can be. She falls asleep or just snuggles in contently. I love that I can have her so close, and still have my hands free for my active 3 years old!

***UPDATE***
My baby girl has loved being carried in this sling since she was 2 weeks old (7 lbs.) and now she is 8mo old (17lbs.) and she still loves it!!! When she was small, I was able to nurse her very discreetly in public while she was tummy-to-tummy. Now since she sits up very well, she loves the hip carry! This product has been a must have, couldn't live without it since I also have a 3 year old son, who needs Momma's attention and "hands on" as much as our daughter does! I would give it 10 Stars if I could! We also LOVE the Ultimate Baby Wrap, but that one takes more practice to use. I hope you will love "wearing" your baby as much as I do!

***UPDATE***
My sweet girl is 14 months old (20lbs.)and STILL LOVES being in the sling! When we grocery shop or are running errands, it is so handy and comfortable! She actually giggles when I ask if she wants Mommy to put her in the sling. Happy babywearing!