SSC Advice

[Kutie.Pie]

I'm looking into getting a SSC in the next couple months (DS is 4 1/2 mo) and I was hoping to get some advice from experienced moms. I've been looking at the beco butterfly, ergo, and boba carriers. Any suggestions on what you have found to work best and why? I'm also open to other suggestions, I just want to know why you picked that particular SSC. Thanks!

[Quirky]

I think the Boba is intended for babies 1 year and older, plus as I understand it doesn't have a sleeping hood, so I don't think that would be your best choice.

Both the Ergo and Beco are great SSCs (as are many others on the market), but these two are very different in fit and function.

The Ergo is the simpler carrier, with fewer moving parts. There's more of a learning curve to do back carries, but there are many ways to do it and lots of help online (and in person if you have a babywearing group near you) and it's really not hard to master. It's shorter in the body than the Beco, and tends to fit medium to larger framed parents better IME.

The Beco seems to be cut a bit more narrowly so IME it fits smaller to medium framed people better. The biggest difference between the Beco and most other carriers out there is the infant insert/safety harness combo, in which you buckle the baby into the carrier and then put baby and carrier on as one unit. On the one hand, this makes back-carrying a piece of cake -- as easy as putting on a backpack. On the other hand, it adds another step to the process of getting baby on and off. When baby is little, this isn't so big a deal since you'll probably be doing extended carrying sessions, but at the toddler up-down stage it gets to be a bit more time-consuming.

There are lots of other great SSCs out there -- AngelPack, Olives & Applesauce, Pikkolo, the new BabyHawk Oh Snap, and Patapum come to mind as readily available (there are also customs from some great makers but they're not as easily obtainable). I think the first questions to answer are what body size/shape you are, whether you plan on sharing it with someone else, and whether you're open to learning back carries without the training wheels if you will of the Beco.

[MamaPhD]

I have the ergo and LOVE IT! We got that after trying Baby Bjorn for a while. I use Ergo and Hotslings with my 13mo 22lb DD. Ergo is sturdy and comfy at the same time. Super easy to use. We use the sleeping hood and zipper pouch pretty much every time, so I would miss those if I got a Boba. I think the only issue can be your baby might not be big enough to do the split legs but too big to use infant insert right now. In that case you can frog leg him without having the feet come out the sides. Ergo rocks!