Favorite for your toddler?

[Mal85]

DD is a year old and our favorite up until now has been our Babyhawk. She's 30 in long and just over 20 lbs and the Babyhawk is just getting snug on her. She seems uncomfortable in it and won't fall asleep in it anymore. We don't babywear all the time, just when we go for walks/hikes or go on longer shopping trips. It's also starting to hurt my back/shoulders when I carry her for more than 20 minutes or so.

I'm looking for something with more back support, lower back in particular, and takes more of the weight off my shoulders. I always hear about the Ergo, but want to know what everyone loves about it. I also looked into the Boba carriers. So, tell me what you love for your toddler and what you love about it.

[ElaynesMom]

We have an ergo and love it. Because it has a structured waist belt it really transfers the weight to your hips instead of your shoulders. I still find it super confortable and my dd is 2.5 years. It has a sleep hood which is great for napping babies/toddlers (thought the new boba 2g has a sleep hood as well). The ergo also has a zip up pocket sewn on the body of the carrier that I can fit 4 diapers (disposable), a ziploc of wipes, a change of clothes for my dd, and my money/debit cards. I love not having to bring a seperate bag.

The Boba looks just as good though, so I say get whatever you like the looks of best.

You could also look into the new Babyhawk Oh Snap! buckle carrier, or an Olives and Applesauce carrier, both seem to be well liked.

[MamaPhD]

Ditto! We love our Ergo for 16 mo DD (33", 24lb). Hip and shoulder straps are padded and distribute baby's weight well. You can do front(our fave)/hip(little weird but works)/back(most comfy) carries so very versatile. Since DD started walking around 14 mo, we have not used it much, though. She loves to walk, what can I say. On rare occasion when she does want to be held, I have a hotsling in my bag. So, maybe you should just wait a couple of months to see if your little one loves walking, too, instead of investing $$ in another carrier. Just a thought.

[lifeguard]

We also love our ergo. I find it easy to get ds on & off my back. It's comfortable for me (& I'm assuming him 'cause he never complains or resists getting in) & dh. It's easily adjustable back & forth with dh & I (although I use it more dh still prefers his ring sling).

[SelenaJean]

I have really liked my Patapum toddler and my Maya tie for my toddler. My son is a leaner and both have high enough bodies to make him and I feel secure. What I like about the Patapum is that it has an extra set of straps on the body that hold him close to my back. With the Maya tie it has really wide wrap like straps that spread over my shoulders and made him feel really weightless, even when he was over 30lbs. I used to walk 2 miles a day and both were really comfy. I did just order an Ergo but I'm 40 weeks preggo so I will not be able to test it on my toddler yet. I hear it has a shorter body so I'm not sure I'll like it for him since he leans.

[tanyam926]

I went from a moby to a didy to a Babyhawk mei tai and now that my 18 mo old is 30 lbs I have a BabyHawk Oh Snap. I also use my ring slings for short quick trips bc they aren't the most comfy.

I love my Oh Snap bc it has major support and it is super easy to get him on my back. In fact, I have never mastered the back carry w/anything until I got the BH Oh Snap. It has a lot of structured support and bc it is a buckle carrier it is easy to get on and off. It also comes in fab colors and prints.

Hope you find something you like!

[Lauren710]

There are tons of soft structured carriers out there that will help distribute the weight to your hips/lower back like the Ergo.. I thought the Ergo was pretty comfy but too thick, we would get SO hot in it, and the body is very short. Olives and Applesauce is similar in design, I found it to be just as comfortable, but the body doesn't have so much padding and they can be found in lots of pretty colors/patterns. I don't think Caren does customs anymore but there are plenty to be found on the For Sale or Trade section of thebabywearer.com.

Some other brands.. Kangas are supposed to be awesome, I had a custom slot but gave it up because we're really only wrapping right now. Kinderpacks are amazing, I had the opportunity to try one for a week, but they can be pricey and hard to come by. I have a petite toddler Dream Carrier visiting me right now, I haven't had a chance to try it yet but they are also very well-made.

I LOVE wrapping my toddler too, another option to throw out there

[meco]

I loved a woven wrap. It was definitely my most used and most comfortable carrier when my son was a toddler. I used a ring sling or pouch a lot in toddlerhood for quick ups and downs, but for long distances and travel and the like, the wrap was the most supportive for me.

For soft structured carriers, I love both the CatBirdBaby Pikkolo and Boba. I think I'd like to own one of those in my ideal baby carrier collection.

For back support, I like the Pikkolo because it crosses in the back versus other SCC with backpack straps and a sternum clip. The Boba is also a great, comfortable carrier. I find it trimmer and softer than the ERGO, and it has more comfortable straps IMO. It also has a wider, higher body which alleviates that problematic arch out that the ERGO is known for.

[Adasmommy]

I haven't used SSCs, but I love a woven wrap for a big kid. There are so many ways to tie it that you can find the one that distributes weight best for your body!