Is a Bjorn really so bad? - Page 2

[Oliver's Mama]

Originally Posted by pixiepunk

it never ceases to amaze me that people can't differentiate between something being potentially harmful and it causing harm to everyone. "my child escaped unscathed" is an argument i hear all the time for all kinds of things that are less-than-ideal or potentially harmful (formula feeding, starting solids too early, turning your baby's carseat forward facing at a year, whatever). Just because it didn't affect *your* child's spinal or hip development doesn't mean it isn't true that it can have a detrimental effect. Just as it's true that plenty of kids thrive on formula, while some fail to.

For me, I want to do what's ideal for the development of my child. Why use something that has the potential to do harm when there are hundreds of other, similarly-priced options that don't have that potential?!?! i seriously don't get it.

I had a knock-off bjorn last time that I plan to replace with a buckle mei tai. It's not necessarily because the news hype swayed me- that only got me thinking that perhaps I should research my options. With my first baby, I thought my only options were whatever was on the shelf at babiesrus. In looking at the mei tais, it just looks like common sense design- the structure looks more comfortable and properly supportive for both me and my baby. As a layman, I could clearly see that a SSC, or wraps as well, would of course be better- just the logisitics of it. No scientific data or expert opinions needed. Now that I know there are better options, I'm changing carriers.

Sure my baby turned out fine and developed walking and running skills by 8 months, and he slept in the bjorn with ease, but that didn't mean he was comfortable. He probably couldn't tell if it hurt because it cut off circulation to his legs.. poor chubby blue stumps. It didn't look natural to have a baby dangling out in front of me, and it killed my shoulders. Reason enough for me to suspect that this was not our best option.

[momo7]

This is an interesting thread....

I have a friend who uses an Bjorn....I use an Ergo.

Please tell me the difference because when we are standing side by side I don't see the difference in how her baby sits or how mine sits.....Please tell me what makes these two carriers different. The only reason I didn't like the
Bjorn was because it looks to tight when she wears it. I have never worn a Bjorn.


Can anyone help me with this?

[Adasmommy]

The ergo has a wide seat under the baby's bottom, so that your baby can be seated and supported under the thighs and bottom. This is illustrated by the fact that the baby's knees are raised higher than his bottom--just like when you pick a kid up on your hip and they naturally pull their knees up around your torso.

The bjorn has a more narrow crotch so that instead of being seated, the baby is supported only through the crotch, with legs hanging down. This puts all of the baby's weight on the base of his or her developing spine.

Which sounds more comfortable anyway: seated, or dangling by crotch?!

[goldfinches]

Originally Posted by momo7

This is an interesting thread....

I have a friend who uses an Bjorn....I use an Ergo.

Please tell me the difference because when we are standing side by side I don't see the difference in how her baby sits or how mine sits.....Please tell me what makes these two carriers different. The only reason I didn't like the
Bjorn was because it looks to tight when she wears it. I have never worn a Bjorn.


Can anyone help me with this?

Is it because with the Bjorn, people typically face baby out, thus the "crotch" comments? Because, if the baby is facing towards mom, he isn't being "crotched", imo.

[Keria]

Bjorn is what mainstream parents use so it has to be evil, truth is if the baby is facing in there is no dangling by the crotch if baby is facing out they are hanging by the crotch I have seen babies hanging by the crotch in a Moby while facing out.

[NicaG]

Originally Posted by KLM99

I have an Ergo, a ring sling, and a wrap and I can't get any of them to feel comfortable with my newborn. The only thing that is comfortable for both of us has been the Bjorn. Now it's getting uncomfortable now that he's 13 lbs., but he's still not big enough for the regular Ergo carrier (which I adore with an older baby). Is the Bjorn really so bad to use while he's young?

I was in the same situation--had an Ergo for my older son, but couldn't use it for my newborn, couldn't deal with the Moby wrap, etc. I used a Bjorn for the first few months until dd was big enough for the Ergo. I don't know. It worked for us, and I didn't feel like dd was "hanging from her crotch" as is the complaint (she was only facing inward). Why would they allow this product to remain on the market if it were really causing profound harm?

[tamrajo]

We used the bjorn for my daughter until she was about 5 or so months old and I started sewing Mei Tais. She loved it, and even more importantly (to me anyway) was that DH would wear her with it too. Now that we have a 3.5 month old son, DH a stay at home dad wears him all of the time with it. He doesn’t like the “newborn” hold with the ergo and he’s still too little to spread his little legs around my torso, but too big to crunch them up either. I’m sure there are worse things that we could do than to put our baby in an bjorn.

[momo7]

Thanks for answering my question about the Bjorn vs. Ergo. I can definitely see the wide seat and upraised legs as being better than the "dangling" posture of the Bjorn. My friend's Bjorn never looked that comfotable for her baby anyway...he always looked so squished in it.

[zinemama]

All I can say is that every single friend I had used the Bjorn and our kids are all healthy and active nine years later. Slings just didn't work for any of us. That said, I was very happy to switch my kids to the Tough Traveler backpack at around 7 months when they could sit up. I was able to get so much more done with them on my back.

[SolaSola]

Thank you for the discussion. My baby (4 weeks) screams in the moby, hates the sling, hates the ergo and is only happy in a bjorn. She does not like to feel squished. I only wear her facing me, but if it weren't for the bjorn, I could not wear her. I do put her sleeping self in the moby and do household chores, but I could easily just let her sleep in the cosleeper. As soon as she wakes up she is unhappy and wants out.

[Ahappymel]

I may be oversimplifying here....but if it works for you, baby seems comfortable, I say go with it

[Bokonon]

I have a Mei Tai that I absolutely love, and wear DD facing in. We have a hand-me-down Bjorn that DH wears DD in, front-facing. It's not every day, but it is fairly frequent, and they both really enjoy it (DD just laughs and laughs in it, and sometimes falls asleep, so she doesn't seem uncomfortable). It's a pretty special thing for them, and DH definitely likes wearing her around the house. I know he won't use the Mei Tai, but what kind of carrier is similar to the Bjorn that baby can ride front-facing? FWIW, DH is a really big guy. TIA!

[onelilguysmommy]

Originally Posted by Fuamami

I don't think so. I wore my dd in a Snugli all the time, and my SIL used a Bjorn with all her kids.

I will point out that the linked article in the pp was written by a chiropractor. Why don't you search for some studies on the connection between spondylolisthesis and baby carriers, and see if you can find any reputable ones that prove a connection?

Wouldn't a chiro be a good person to ask for advice on hip/spinal issues?

[Sk8ermaiden]

Originally Posted by Bokonon

I have a Mei Tai that I absolutely love, and wear DD facing in. We have a hand-me-down Bjorn that DH wears DD in, front-facing. It's not every day, but it is fairly frequent, and they both really enjoy it (DD just laughs and laughs in it, and sometimes falls asleep, so she doesn't seem uncomfortable). It's a pretty special thing for them, and DH definitely likes wearing her around the house. I know he won't use the Mei Tai, but what kind of carrier is similar to the Bjorn that baby can ride front-facing? FWIW, DH is a really big guy. TIA!

Guys tend to like the Ergo - you might look into that?

[Sk8ermaiden]

Originally Posted by TropicalGirl

Bjorn is what mainstream parents use so it has to be evil, truth is if the baby is facing in there is no dangling by the crotch if baby is facing out they are hanging by the crotch I have seen babies hanging by the crotch in a Moby while facing out.

This is true too - I have always felt that the Moby facing out is just as bad as the Bjorn.

[Drummer's Wife]

Facing out, in any carrier, isn't ideal for baby anyway.

[GoBecGo]

Originally Posted by NicaG

Why would they allow this product to remain on the market if it were really causing profound harm?

Really? Cigarettes? Alcohol? Sports cars which can go 120% faster than the speed limit?

NO, i am not saying the risk is comparable, i am just (hopefully) illustrating that "it's available to buy" is NOT the same as "it is definitely safe/harmless".

I agree, facing a baby out in any carrier which carries under the crotch are isn't the best. My DD rode facing out inthe sling with her little legs froggied and crossed and always seemed comfortable/happy.

Also my DD screamed in the wrap and sling initially, it took a decent walk to settle her the first few times. After about a week just the smell of the wrap sent her off to sleep - everything is unfamiliar when you're 5 days old, sometimes crying in a sling doesn't mean they "don't like it" but that they don't know it, have some other issue going on (my XP hated wearing DD in the wrap because he would put her in it when she was crying to calm her down, and then say "she doesn't like it, she's crying" - well, yeah, she was crying before you put her in there!) or need a minor posture adjustment to feel good.

[daisymommy]

Well, I've worn both of my previous babies in slings. Then with this newest babe, I was having trouble feeling like he was secure enough in there was I was bending up and down emptying the dishwasher, laundry, etc.
So, I bought a Bjorn on Ebay (silly, silly me ), wore it 2-3 times and then promptly made an appointment for myself at the chiropractor...and no, I am not joking. I sold it back on Ebay the very next day.

[katelove]

Originally Posted by goldfinches

Is it because with the Bjorn, people typically face baby out, thus the "crotch" comments? Because, if the baby is facing towards mom, he isn't being "crotched", imo.

I would respectfully disagree with this. I have seen many babies facing inwards in Bjorns and none of them have their legs supported at all, let alone to the knee. I don't know how it would even be possible in the Bjorn, the fabric is too narrow to spread that far, even on the littlest baby.

I just had a look at the Bjorn website and all the babies have dangling legs. The fabric seems to go about as far down their legs as a disposable nappy from what I can tell.

[npl]

I'm interested in this thread, and wondering whether any other mainstream carriers are better than the Bjorn for supporting baby.
I have the Kelty Kangaroo that works differently to hold baby in than the Bjorn. You wrap the bottom part up around baby and velcro to create a snug pouch that cradles the pelvic area, with legs sticking out, and then the whole thing is buckled to the parent portion at the shoulders and the bottom.
I never felt that baby was "hanging", more like coccooned.
I tried googling a decent image to show what I mean, but I can't find one that shows the way the baby is cradled!