Customer Reviews

New Native Baby Carrier: Khaki Medium (chest size 34-37")

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I received my original New Native sling as a baby shower gift back in 1997. I wore it nearly every day for 15 months and then again with babies #2 and #3. Now we are expecting our fourth baby and the fabric is a bit faded and worn (we have the purple one), so I thought it time to buy a second sling. The original is still good as far as the stitching goes and we'll still use it, but I'm a bit tired of the purple color after nine years! :)

Pros: This sling is the smallest as far as packing it with you. It's a simple double band of fabric that can be folded up in your bag or purse easily. Men don't mind wearing it (at least my husband didn't), it comes in basic solid colors and doesn't scream "baby!" when you're out and about. Many people couldn't tell I was wearing the baby when she was little. It's a good place for the baby to nap and to cover you up a bit when you nurse, once you figure that out. It's more versatile than other types of baby carriers in that you can use it from newborn to toddler (I've even used it with two-year-olds for short periods when they are tired of walking and the stroller isn't an option). You can carry the baby on your front or back (with experience, this is doable, but mostly for older babies), on your hip (once your baby can sit strongly). It's also easy to throw in the wash when the baby's diaper inevitably leaks or spits up all over it. (No complicated latches, webbing or snaps to clean.)

Cons: If you get the wrong size, the baby will hang too low and your back will hurt. My original is the Large size (based on chest measurements from the manufacturer) but I'm going to order a Medium this time. My husband still likes the Large, but he has a longer torso than I. Newborns may need some support in the New Native sling, otherwise you may feel they are swimming in the fabric. I always use a tightly rolled-up receiving blanket and place it in the sling first, then lay the baby's head and back on top of it. This pushes the baby up enough toward the opening so that you don't feel like she's lost in there. Usually I only do this for the first few weeks. After a while, your baby will be big enough to peek out on her own and wave at people.

The trickiest thing with the New Native carrier is learning to sling the baby on your back, which enables you to do things like cooking and unloading the dryer while your baby sleeps. You have to put the baby in on your front first then shimmy the fabric around with the baby in it. If you can master this, the sling is ideal for the fussy baby or for all-day babywearing.

Highly recommended! Good value for your money.

I am very happy with this sling. I am a new mother and I was searching for something that would be comfortable for my baby, comfortable for myself and easy to throw into a diaper bag. This was the answer for me. I tried another sling that my baby was comfortable in for a few minutes before she slid and got lost in the fabric (that item was also bulkier).
- I did call the New Native Company to help me determine the correct size for me (that is very important).
- And when I first got this product I was a bit frustrated, I thought it wouldn't work. After several trials and errors (and a bit of crying from the baby) we got it to work. Now she calms down almost as soon as I get her into the sling. She loves to be held and my arms were getting very tired. Now I can move around hands free.
- I use a receiving blanket folded up behind her head to give her support and help her from getting lost in the fabric.
You might find this sling frustrating at first but stick with it because it really works.

When my baby was a newborn, I felt I didn't have enough control to safely carry her in this sling. It just seemed uncomfortable for her head - it's not like the picture of the (very THIN!?) woman with newborn - they must have proped the baby's head up to take that picture. I felt like she was getting lost in the folds. HOWEVER, now she's 6 months and I can wear her on my hip. The New Native sling is awesome - it's simple, the material is very nice and soft, I can take it on and off easily and most important - she is totally comfy, secure and entertained, watching my every move!

When my daughter was tiny, she enjoyed being in this sling... on the one or two occasions I managed to endure the discomfort of wearing it for more than two minutes. The cotton fabric doesn't offer much support for the baby's weight and I found it became uncomfortable very quickly. It also didn't feel as secure as some of the padded, over-the-shoulder style slings. I actually was afraid not to keep an arm on my baby at all times, which defeats the purpose.

I'm sure most new parents and parents-to-be have read or heard about the CPSC warnings regarding positional asphyxiation of babies in slings. This is precisely the type of sling they are warning about. This sling has a deep pouch that is not adjustable making it very difficult to correctly position a newborn or small baby. The picture of the woman in orange holding the baby in this sling is showing an incorrect position!!!! This baby could suffocate in this curled position with his head to his chest. The baby is also so low on the mother it would not be comfortable for her shoulders or back. A baby should always be able to be placed upright, tummy-to-tummy in a sling and should always be well above the wearer's bellybutton close enough to be kissed! I love wearing my baby, but always do so safely and would never purchase a sling like this. If you want to wear your baby in a sling, buy a good ring sling (like a Maya or Ellaroo) and makes sure to search for online resources on how to correctly position your child. Good ring slings have a shoulder that can be spread for the mother's comfort and have no elastic or gatherings on the rails that would make it hard to adjust the depth of the pouch (though they may have lightly padded rails for baby's comfort). Please buy a good, safe sling for your baby and take the time to learn to use it. These cheaper slings look inviting and some look easy to use, but they are dangerous, difficult to use, and uncomfortable!

Is not as great as I thought. I got it so I could nurse descreetly but it never worked. Do use it occasionally used it for carrying him around and it is very easy to pack and use in a pinch.

I just got my sling in the mail today, and I tried it out while I was cleaning a house for three hours, and my 9-month-old LOVED it. I have a baby wrap that I've been using since he was born, which is nice, but it's kind of a process. We started out in the hip position and he kind of sat back in the sling and looked at me and around and played with a measuring cup. Then when he was hungry, I just had to slide him over, and I nursed him like five times while I was working, just supporting his head a little. When he got sleepy, I put him in the cradle position and he dropped off to sleep after a little bit. I was shocked, because he doesn't drop off to sleep anywhere anymore now that he's older. I was even more surprised, because he never liked being held in a cradle position even when he was a newborn, always wanted to be up bobbing his head around. I look forward to trying out other ways to carry him in it. The best thing is that there are no buckles or straps or anything to mess with. You just slip it over your shoulder, so it's very quick and easy. Plus I've heard the adjustable slings aren't very safe. I started out with the baby wrap because I wanted something that couldn't ever break, and now I've got this that has no breakable parts either. It's pretty comfortable too. I wore him for almost three hours, and my back feels fine.

This sling was only useful for a couple months because there is no adjustable strap. There are so many slings out there that are more functional and that you can use from newborn to toddler

My son who is now 22lbs and 9 months has lived in this sling. I didn't plan on using it this long, but he loves it. With our daugther we loved the Bjorn, but our son cries everytime we put him in it. He feels very secure in this sling. It does take awhile to figure out how to place on your shoulder for comfort, and how to arrange the baby in different positions. But once you have the hang of it, it is a very comfortable sling. I have worn our very heavy baby at Disney, without any problems. At nine months I put him on my hip, and he likes the security of being close. As a newborn it was so easy to use, I often wore it to restaurants, he would sleep, and my hands were free to enjoy dinner. It fits so easy in the diaperbag, and washes well. I will now be sad to see him outgrow the sling, we have enjoyed it so much.

This sling is fantastic! I started using it when my daughter was about 10lbs. Her previous sling was padded by the edges started to smush her head. The New Native website has a lot of videos to show you how to put the sling on - at first it does feel strange. I also needed a blanket underneath my daughter. They are in a curved position in the sling. To prevent their face from being covered - you need to fold it at the shoulder. If your back hurts with it - you are probably wearing the wrong size. It makes such a difference to try it on with baby because if it's too low it will be extremely uncomfortable. My daughter is now 9 months old and I am going to start trying the new ways to carry her. This is a must buy!