The last carrier I will buy...

[griciai]

I can buy one more carrier, because once we're on a single income it's going to be *tight*. So, I have to get this right...

I had originally posted a question looking for hip carrier suggestions, but reading some of the answers and doing more research made me realize that's not quite what I need.

*help!*

I will soon be full time SAHM to my 3 1/2 yr old and 9 1/2 month old kiddos (yay!). I will also be, relatively speaking, for all practical purposes, a "single" mom - my DH works close to 90hrs/wk, including some overnights and weekends. I need two hands... This is what I have to be able to do with my carrier:

1)back carry - I have to be able to cook/do housework and carry the babe - he's not a playpen kind of a kiddo (thank God!)

2)hip carry - that's how I'm ALWAYS carrying him anyway

3)front carry both facing in and out - for going to the store

4)easy in/easy out - and I have to be able to do this myself, without help...

I am having so much trouble picking - can anyone help??? Probably a soft structured? Or an asian? But which??? I have a hotsling and a moby now- DS loves the moby, hates the hotsling...

Thanks so much!
:

[lifeguard]

You can do all that with the moby, right?

[Arwyn]

Moby won't last long at all. At 9.5mo, it's really nearing the end of its comfortable use life (it's just not good for larger babies).

A woven wrap, if you practice a bunch, is going to be the hands-down most versatile, and would be good since you say you both already like the Moby. Next up would be a mei tai, then SSC.

I vote you buy either a SSC or a MT, and make yourself a long woven wrap and a shortie woven wrap.

[Pyrodjm]

Yup, a good supportive woven wrap will allow you to do all of the carries you mentioned and will last and last.

[Maluhia]

BECO Butterfly.

[Quirky]

To do all of those, I agree that a woven wrap is your best bet. Definitely the learning curve is steeper but there are lots of great resources on the web to help you learn.

[mysticmomma]

Originally Posted by KailuaMamatoMaya

BECO Butterfly.

ditto.

[tinyblackdot]

Originally Posted by mysticmomma

ditto.

Really? How in the world do you get your los on your backs in the butterfly?

I would go with a Olives and Applesauce if you want a SSC.....if you want a MT, i would get a bamberoo. Both are built for toddlers AND babies!

[Quirky]

Butterfly is the easiest carrier to do a back carry in for those who are new to SSCs...are you maybe thinking of the Beco Obi as something you couldn't use for a back carry?

butterfly can't do hip or forward facing out though. Just forward facing in on front and back.

[baturay]

All the carries you listed can be done with a woven wrap comfortably. Second to that, though not all the carries you listed would be done comfortably, would be a mei tai or soft structure carrier. But, I think I'd recommend a short woven wrap for easy on and off. Something like 3.2-3.7m depending on your size would allow you to still do all the carries you listed in your post.

[MoonStarFalling]

I'd go for a buckle tai.

[griciai]

Thank you, ladies!



OK, say I scrap the forward facing part (I can still do that with the moby, right? And I didn't think of it - but I agree that he's going to be out of the weight range soon)...



What's better for free hands for cooking and for picking up a little/doing some laundry, etc.? SSC/MT or GSW?

How is a GSW different from a moby?

Any suggestions on a specific brand of SSC or MT??? (I read the reviews - I'm overwhelmed....). Is the butterfly good for a toddler weight? I'll look at the others mentioned above, too.

The Kozy seemed nice in that I could tie it.

I'm the only one who will be doing the babywearing. I'm 5'7'', big boned, wide shouldered, long legged, wide hipped and avg sized (150lbs/size 10).



Thank you all so much!!!
~G

[Autumn Breeze]

My grapie baby MT became my most used carrier when my dd was about 9 months because I could get her onto my back so easily. For hip carries I continued to use my hotsling.

(At the time my husband worked from 9a-7p with an hours travel on either side, and my son was 4 and my daughter was in her first year. So having hands free as much as possible was a must!)

[junipervt]

my vote is for a kozy or a baby hawk or toddler hawk if your ds is long

all of these you can find for around $50 on diaperswappers or thebabywearer

[baturay]

Originally Posted by griciai

What's better for free hands for cooking and for picking up a little/doing some laundry, etc.? SSC/MT or GSW?

both, as you can do back carries with either one.

How is a GSW different from a moby?

A Moby is stretchy and a woven has diagonal give both ways, but it's not stretchy. GSW is more supportive than a stretchy wrap.

Any suggestions on a specific brand of SSC or MT??? (I read the reviews - I'm overwhelmed....).

Mei tai suggestions --- there are lots! Some good ones are Cat Bird Baby, Freehand, Kozy, Babyhawk, Napsack, Ball Baby...so many great choices. I have no SSC suggestions, as I'm not into buckles, but I'm sure there are others who can post suggestions for you.