Would this be suitable for a 2-year-old?

Hello,
been thinking of getting a sling for my 2-year old to make walks a bit easier, he keeps asking me to carry him so I have to take the buggy everywhere! I used to have a Babyhawk and he hated it, though I hadn't tried it since he was 18 months or so. Someone on here suggested a hip carry, just saw this on Ebay with a picture of a toddler in a hip carry. Does anyone know if something like this would suit a 2-year old, bearing in mind I'd want to keep using it until he's perhaps 3 or so? I really don't want to spend much. I found a Youtube video on how to do hip carries with a scarf but don't have anything suitable to use to do that, just nomal knitted scarfs which I would assume would stretch too much. Any help appreciated! Thanks x

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Premaxx-Baby-Sling-I-think-we-used-it-once-/111396132235?pt=UK_Baby_Carriers&hash=item19efba158b

[clothmama]

I started baby wearing when Louis was over 2 and we used a mei tai and it was perfect, I'd retry your Babyhawk as that should be good and maybe try some different holds. I think a hip carry would hurt your back if you were doing it alot.

TBH I don't think it would be any good at all for carrying an older child. As Tory said it wouldn't support your back at all. I used my woven wrap with M pretty much all the time. With the others I used a Mei Tai to carry them on my back. Definitely try the babyhawk again first before spending money on anything else.

Can you get to a sling meet? They'd be able to help with the hawk snd advise on anytjing new to try

Hip carries are great for quick trips but not so good for long walks IME

Ah thanks! I sold the BH a couple of months ago as he refused to go in it, he would arch his back so I couldn't tie it snugly enough and i'd end up with a sore back from the straps pulling. Someone at mums and tots this morning just offered me to try her woven wrap so I'll give that a go. Thanks for your help!

hmm-there's no way that'd work for a proper toddler, at least not for mine! The principle is good but I think as the back is so shallow on it you'd have a job trying to get them comfy as well as stopping them lean out backwards on you! honestly, if you're thinking of hip carrying and you have the nugget of thought of going down a woven route try a ringsling or a shorty. it's worth the effort of mastering it. longer lengths are fine but if you have a child held at the hip they have a tendency to want to go down eventually and play etc and the constant up/down will drive you nuts if you're left with a huge length of fabric. wrap tais (mai tai made from a wrap) could also be an option too as some can be used a hip carry by crossing the one side over xx

Hip carries are great for quick trips but not so good for long walks IME

Agreed. I do looooong walks but I'm babywearing *hardcore*! but I've been doing long hip carries from day one so I think my back muscles must have grown with my child getting heavier! In all seriousness, it is something you (and baby) get yourself used to xx

longer lengths are fine but if you have a child held at the hip they have a tendency to want to go down eventually and play etc and the constant up/down will drive you nuts if you're left with a huge length of fabric.

This had occurred to me! So is a ring sling generally a shorter piece of fabric? I've never seen one. I don't think they have any sling meets round here, I looked a while back and couldn't find one. I don't know if I'm going to be able to do what I want to do without spending a lot. I think my preferred option would actually be a SSC with buckles so I could pop him in and out easily, but with his past history with the BabyHawk I don't want to risk spending £40 or £50 only to find he still hates it!