Ergo owners, I need advice

[hmseyer21]

I am pregnant with my third child and considering buying an Ergo. I have tried other carriers but haven't loved any of them. So after reading reviews I think this is the one I want. There is a local sales website where I live and someone has 3 new ones listed that he said he got on closeout from a store going out of business, I straight up asked him about authenticity and warranty and he assured me that the warranty is good. The price is $80, and I possibly could deal a little and get it for a few bucks less. The colors he has are black, cranberry, and camel, which I am having trouble choosing from, any pros/cons? And how could I tell if for some reason it was a knockoff? And finally, any reason not to buy an Ergo?

[fruitfulmomma]

I wouldn't do it. Ergo reported on their website awhile back that there were knockoffs being sold and I don't see how the warranty would be any good if it already changed hands. It is good for one year from the original purchase and requires proof of purchase.

Aside from that I my Ergo. I bought mine locally, but Abby's Lane - www.abbyslane.com is a good place to purchase them from and has free shipping I think.

ETA: ERGOBaby also does auctions on their site http://www.ergobabycarriers.com/baby...egory/auction/ and you might be able to get a good deal through them. The shipping is a bit steep though.

[baloo888]

I just purchased an Ergo from diapers.com and although the price wasn't necessarily a deal ($105) it had free shipping and it was delivered within 48 hours.

I actually was hesitant to purchase the Ergo after hearing some bad customer relation stories and finding out it was made in China and so I purchased the Beco Butterfly instead before my daughter was born (12/08).

We used the Beco exclusively when she was an infant but I always felt I could never get it adjusted correctly to wear her comfortably for a long while. I'm 5'8, 150...err, 160 lbs and the webbed strapping always cut into my under arms and it always felt like the baby was too smooshed to me. She's now around 20 lbs and recently she seems to grow increasing frustrated with being in the Beco so I thought I'd try out the Ergo since I could return it with no hassles.

The Ergo arrived early this week and it is absolutely fantastic!

The Ergo is a bit bulkier than the Beco because of the thicker padding at the shoulders and in the quilted body, but it is not nearly as bad as I had feared and it's definitely not a problem. I think the biggest difference for us is in the seating: the body of the Beco just kind of led directly into the waist belt to create a seat while the Ergo has an actual 2-3 inch wide "bunched" area that actually forms a platform for baby's bum. Our baby is cloth diapered so perhaps she needs a bit more room than non-clothed? Plus the Ergo has a zippered pocket that, although is small, it will easily fit a wallet and cell phone.

As much as I have wanted to love the Beco, had I tried these two out at the beginning I would have chosen the Ergo, hands down. I suggest buying one from a place with a great return policy so you can wear it about for a while and see if it is a great fit for you and your child.

[Alisse]

Be aware that you're going to need the infant insert for a while as the baby's legs can't splay out enough yet. Some mothers are able to have their child go in froggy-legged but my son didn't like that. If you do get the insert don't get the "original" insert; get the new one they have called the "heart to heart" infant insert so that the child can be worn upright. Unfortunately, however, it does up the cost of everything. Here in canada i paid almost $200 for the organic carrier and insert.

Personally i found the whole contraption with the insert really cumbersome to use and i didn't like that i couldn't back carry from a young age, (which i really needed to do in order to be able to do all the house chores, etc). The carrier i finally loved was a chunei which i still use now, religiously. My sisters and mother also prefer the chunei over the ergo, (and we come from a big babycarrying culture). Thank goodness my husband at least uses the ergo. I should also mention that the other reason i didn't like the ergo was because the hip strap leaves you with a muffin-top sort of look even though i'm very slim, as it digs into you a bit.

[MamaPhD]

I LOVE our Ergo! I would personally pay the extra $ and buy a new legitimate one for $105, though. I was debating between black ad cranberry and chose black. It's great.
I guess every carrier has a downside, and for Ergo, it may be the newborn carry. I got mine when DD was 8 mo, so I don't have personal experience, but Ergo is made for bigger babies(5-6mo+) & toddlers. They do have the infant inserts but kinda seems like an afterthought to me.

[ScarletBegonias]

i absolutely LOVED my ergo, but if i could do it again i would buy the boba baby carrier instead. it's basically the same exact design as the ergo but better in every way: made in the usa, about the same price as the ergo, much nicer fabrics in 100% organic cotton and seems even more supportive for the baby than the ergo.

and, ita with Alisse about the dreaded "muffin-top" look. even if you've slimmed down, if you haven't firmed up the ergo will reveal all!

Alisse: thanks for that chunei link - i want one now! very elegant and old world styled, and what a freakin' CUTE baby boy in the video!

[RunnerDuck]

Love my ergo. Also had a Beco Butterfly which I never used - could never figure out - and Beco 4th gen which I LOVED - until I got the ergo. The Ergo is more substantial and padded - so a little bulkier - which I thought was a drawback when I was first looking, but the baby feels so much more supported and easy to carry. One of my girls is about 24 pounds and the other is about 31 and they both fit/feel great in it. With the Beco it was still good - and I still use it if DH and I are both wearing one - but the Ergo is just so much more comfy. I would not hesitate to reccomend it.

Mine is black with a green hood. I think had I picked on my own I would have gone with cranberry - but a friend was selling hers and I got a good deal so that is how I got this color.

DH likes that it is comfy and not at all girly. My Becos are the carnival print which he would wear but he definitely prefers the more subdued look of the ergo.

Most importantly, I guess, my babies prefer the ergo. If I try to put one in the beco and the ergo is in sight they will point and whine at the ergo. I don't think you can ask for much more of an endorsement than that.

[hmseyer21]

Thanks, I found out that he actually works at the outdoor store that sells Ergos(checked their retail site) and I think they stopped carrying them so he put them on the local sales to try to profit I guess. So I don't think they are knockoffs. Warranty might be an issue unless he can give me a store receipt, but if I do love it, I'm sure it won't be a big deal. I will check out the others too, I've been seeing the Boba ads and wondered about that one too.

And thanks for the infant insert tip, I'm sure I will need it.

Just checked out the chunei, looks great too, seems like it would really provide back support.

[Summersquash]

I could never get DD comfortable in the infant insert - but once she was 6ish months old, we both LOVE using the Ergo without the insert. It is super comfortable both for front and back carry positions. I haven't personally tried the hip carry. Now at 14 months, it's still our go-to carrier.

[ASusan]

We used the Ergo from about 3-4 weeks, with a rolled receiving blanket as an "insert." DS was 8lbs10oz at birth, so a tad bigger than average.

I did not use any other carrier, save a Maya wrap for a little while. LOVED the Ergo. I received it as a work gift, but knowing what I know now, I would pay for it a couple of times over.

Back carry from 4-5 mos, when DS had reliable head control.

[SAPMama]

My son is 8 weeks old, and we both love the Ergo.
I use it when running errands, because it is so quick and easy to put on and take off. We don't use the infant insert, he goes in with his legs froggied. He is a big boy, 13.5 lbs (9+ at birth), and the heart to heart insert just did not work for us. There didn't seem to be enough room in the body of the carrier.

[jewelsJZ]

I love my ergo! Got it for baby #3. Wish I would've had it for the others. We use it both to front and back carry. My 14 mo. old loves it. When he sees me putting it on, he does a little happy, excited dance.

I got mine from www.iwearbaby.com
Anneliese is great. She is local to me so I was able to go try it on. I actually first got a Maya tie but didn't like it and she let me return it for the Ergo. I see her list price is $105-$120 but she also has "Construction Clearance" on her website. They are remodeling their house.

We got black and I'm glad because we use it alot and so it doesn't show the dirt. And my son chews on the straps constantly. it's not the type of carrier you can just throw in the wash, I don't think. I just wipe it down with a damp cloth if he spits up or wipes banana on it or something, but am so glad it generally doesn't show the dirt.

[Rowansmama]

Originally Posted by jewelsJZ

We got black and I'm glad because we use it alot and so it doesn't show the dirt. And my son chews on the straps constantly. it's not the type of carrier you can just throw in the wash, I don't think. I just wipe it down with a damp cloth if he spits up or wipes banana on it or something, but am so glad it generally doesn't show the dirt.

According to the wash instructions that come with it, you can wash it in the machine on cold and in the dryer until it's almost dry. I've only washed it once in the machine (spot cleaning rest of the time) but it came out looking like new. I also have black, which doesn't show dirt all that much. Plus, it's more manly I guess, and my husband happily wears it, which he probably wouldn't do with the cranberry color!