Can I 'live' without a baby carrier?

[germin8]

We own a used Bjorn. But, after I heard from two friends about the pressure on the spine they create since the baby hangs from the crotch... I've been thinking about buying a different carrier.

We got the Bjorn for free, and I'm not excited about paying $80+ for a used Beco or Ergo.

I am a SAHM and haven't used a carrier with my 4 month old (~13 lbs). As she gets bigger and heavier... maybe I will need one.

Tell me what I would NEED one for. I just want to hear it; it will encourage me to spend the $$$.

[SubliminalDarkness]

If you can afford it, buy a good one. If you can't, make a DIY one. A DIY wrap is super easy and inexpensive. No sewing involved!

I would have probably melted down and lost my mind without my carriers. My DS2 was very high needs. He needed to be held constantly, nursed constantly, he didn't sleep.... Oh boy. But I could put him in a carrier and continue with my day.

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

If you can afford it, buy a good one. If you can't, make a DIY one. A DIY wrap is super easy and inexpensive. No sewing involved!

I would have probably melted down and lost my mind without my carriers. My DS2 was very high needs. He needed to be held constantly, nursed constantly, he didn't sleep.... Oh boy. But I could put him in a carrier and continue with my day.

: - it really depends on your baby, I think. My daughter was in carriers for hours and hours every day because it's the only way I could function that first year and a half. I used a knockoff Moby made from some nice quality serged stretch jersey until she was 6 months old (and 20 pounds, she was a big girl!) and then invested in a Beco and wore her on my back daily for hours a day until she was about 16 months old. So the thing was worth every.single.penny to me. And literally pennies a day when you break down the cost.

My son, on the other hand, wasn't in carriers quite as much, so a pouch was fine for him; but again, IMO the pouch was worth every penny of the $40 or so I spent on it since it was good quality and allowed me to use it daily with no worries, and was good for positioning him and didn't hurt my back or neck (he was rarely on me for more than about 30 min at a time in teh pouch). DD was VERY unhappy in the pouch, she had to be completely upright which is why I needed the moby/beco instead of just using the pouch.

[GoBecGo]

I use mine:

All the time i'm out unless i'm running (i have a babyjogger to run behind) i literally have used my stroller 5 times in 5months and barely used one with DD1 too - i ALWAYS get a seat on pubic transport because i never get stuck in the stroller/wheelchair bay at the front where others need to seat more than me.

To do my housework/DIY (on tues i put DD on my back and re-sealed my bath!).

When i'm at the doctor/dentist and cannot get childcare (on the rare occasion the doctor needs access to my stomach i take her out and stick her on my hip.

when she is ill/fussy/having a growth spurt - i can feed her in mine too, using one hand to support my huge breast.

I have a pattern for a meitai which i sewed which you are welcome to have (it's pretty simple, but if you are a total amateur with the sewing then maybe a friend or relative could help?) - PM me your email address if you would like it (same goes for anyone reading this )

[The4OfUs]

I used to have a pattern for a no sew ABC using 4 geometric cuts, but I think I lost it when my flash drive cracked. I'll see if I can hunt it up.

[The4OfUs]

well, that was easy! I heart Google Image Search:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/n...ToNoSewABC.jpg


obviously the scale is a little off to fit the measurements into the picture, so go by the measurements not the picture scale. Here's a nice little article about it, too:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...26tbs%3Disch:1

"they" say to use a heavy fleece, but that would have killed me ded heat wise so I'd probably have gone with a good midweight denim with a little stretch, or canvas with some stretch for strength and a little give.

[somegirl99]

Mine has been essential for me to take care of my dogs, and to get stuff done around the house (or even to eat meals) when he's not napping.

I put him in it and go for a long walk to calm him down / help him sleep as needed.

When we are out and about, it's the only way he will nap (besides in the car)...it made it really easy for us to travel with him to a friend's wedding at 2 months old, he slept through security, most of both flights and the wedding itself.

I love how it allows him to interact with people because he is at their level. It has also done a great job of building up his muscles, he has great head control and even briefly sat unsupported yesterday, at 3.5 months.

This is a nice video showing the difference in baby's perspective between a stroller and being worn.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zga_mW9vqnE

[Nicole730]

I'm currently in love with my homemade wraps. Just a long strip of fabric!

[katelove]

Can you live without a babycarrier? Yes. Does it make life a *billion* times easier to have one? Definitely!!

Here is why I like mine

- I never have to go out of my way looking for lifts, ramps travelators etc
- I never have to worry about narrow aisle/walkways/spaces between table/checkouts
- Don't have to move chairs and tables around to sit in a cafe/restaurant
- Can carry baby and shopping/nappy bag etc from car to house easily
- Hands free shopping
- Don't end up pushing an empty pram and juggling an unhappy baby (the rare occasions I do use the pram I always take a carrier as well!)
- Easy access to baby for kissing, chatting, snuggling
- All the developmental and social benefits

[happysmileylady]

Sure you can live without one. My oldest is 14 and I had NO carrier with her ever. Well, I take that back, I tried some multi buckle crotch dangling contraption all of two times before deciding it was too complicated and tossed it. I figured that was all the options I had and never looked at getting anything else. And I cannot recall ever thinking that I wished I had some sort of carrier.

Now, with my other two, I use ring slings and I LOVE them.

[germin8]

Great info!

I guess I'm just trying to justify the cost of something that could actually be better... Is a carrier like Ergo/Beco better than something like Bjorn, Boba, better than the wraps, better than the slings?

A lot of you have mentioned the Mei Tai... which was one I considered... but, I think my DD would prefer to face forward... and I'm hesitant... thinking it's too much work to put one on by myself. So, I sorta stayed away from them, but kept eye-ing the Mei Tai. I should mention: My DH would use the carrier too.

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

...To do my housework/DIY (on tues i put DD on my back and re-sealed my bath!).
...
I have a pattern for a meitai which i sewed which you are welcome to have (it's pretty simple, but if you are a total amateur with the sewing then maybe a friend or relative could help?) - PM me your email address if you would like it (same goes for anyone reading this )

Reseal your bath? Wow.

Originally Posted by The4OfUs

well, that was easy! I heart Google Image Search:

http://media.photobucket.com/image/n...ToNoSewABC.jpg
...

I couldn't see the NoSew image here.
I do sew, unfortunately I have no time for it... and it is in storage, miles away. I'd rather pay someone for this than make it myself... at this price, I would just buy this one... but, I wasn't to interested in 'wrap' type things since they just seem like so much work to put on and like they require a lot of adjusting compared to the ergo/bjorn/beco/boba/etc.

[katelove]

I have a Beco Gemini and an Ergo. At the moment (5.5 month old) I prefer the Gemini. The base is just a little bit narrower, still supports her to the knee but the Ergo is much wider and goes out beyond her knees. That makes her little legs stick out straight and she doesn't like it. She also seems to get a bit lost in the Ergo whereas the Beco hugs her firmly and conforms to her body. I feel like the Ergo will be better when she's bigger/taller.

They are easier on and off than the wraps but not so adjustable or snuggly.

Any of those options is better than the Bjorn IMO which doesn't have the wide base support or the waist/hip band to stop the weight all dangling from your shoulders.

[The4OfUs]

I love love loved my Beco, it was worth every single penny. So comfortable, so easy to get on, no ties or tails, just clip and pull snug. I could get her on my back by myself in 30 seconds after a couple weeks of practice. She was about 7 months old and over 20 pounds at that point. I wore her on my back every day until she was about 17 months and refused to go in it anymore; she was nearly 30 pounds by then.

It looks like if you can find a Beco Gemini, they can do a front facing front carry: http://www.amazon.com/Beco-Baby-Carr.../dp/B003YDWU2Q

This page doesn't have one for sale though. Other pricing indicates about $130 on amazon, but I'm sure you could find a better deal out there somewhere. I'm telling you, worth EVERY penny if your kid wants to be carried a lot.

[LionessMom]

i was told that wearing them facing out in any carrier is bad for their back and hips.

[Super~Single~Mama]

Originally Posted by germin8

Great info!

I guess I'm just trying to justify the cost of something that could actually be better... Is a carrier like Ergo/Beco better than something like Bjorn, Boba, better than the wraps, better than the slings?

A lot of you have mentioned the Mei Tai... which was one I considered... but, I think my DD would prefer to face forward... and I'm hesitant... thinking it's too much work to put one on by myself. So, I sorta stayed away from them, but kept eye-ing the Mei Tai. I should mention: My DH would use the carrier too.

Keep in mind that the Beco and Ergo don't allow forward facing any more than a mei tai. I loved my mei tai - it's infinitely adjustable, and easy to use (after the learning period). The Ergo worked great for me until I lost the preggo weight, and then since I'm small it wouldn't adjust enough for me. The Beco that I have now fits EXCELLENT, but I can't imagine it would be comfortable for someone much larger than me - so you might want to think about you and your DH's sizes, and how you differ. The mei tai has no limits on how adjustable it is, unless you need longer straps - and then you just order them with longer straps

I actually have a used mei tai that I'm willing to part with - if you're interested send me a PM.

[Lauren82]

I can't imagine not having a carrier. The main reason I love my mei tai (Babyhawk) is that once baby is strapped to me, my arms are freed up. That really comes in handy when I am out and about with all of my little ones. It is also good for soothing a fussy baby to sleep.

It's also good for shopping trips where I don't have to worry about maneuvering a stroller around aisles and displays. There is less chance that strangers will touch the baby when it's strapped to my chest.

We got a reversible Babyhawk and DH picked out his own printed fabric for one side (college football team). Since the carrier ties with straps, it is easy and fast to swap the baby between us.

I have used all sorts of different carriers and slings and the Mei Tai works best for me.

[Lauren82]

Originally Posted by Super~Single~Mama

The Beco that I have now fits EXCELLENT, but I can't imagine it would be comfortable for someone much larger than me - so you might want to think about you and your DH's sizes, and how you differ. The mei tai has no limits on how adjustable it is, unless you need longer straps - and then you just order them with longer straps

Good points! Sadly, the Beco didn't work for me because I have ridiculously large breasts and it was really uncomfortable. It didn't work well for DH because he is overweight with a large waist circumference. The Mei Tai is a perfect fit for each person.

[Dr.Worm]

I loved the Over the Shoulder Baby Holder. It is a ring sling and it comes with an instructional dvd. Or if you get one used they have instructions online. You can wear your child in nursing position; forward facing; etc.

[fruitfulmomma]

I guess I'm just trying to justify the cost of something that could actually be better... Is a carrier like Ergo/Beco better than something like Bjorn, Boba, better than the wraps, better than the slings?

IMO, absolutely! Totally worth every penny I spent on my Ergo. I went through several different carriers with my first three children and none of them ever really worked for us. I got an Ergo when #4 was a few months old and it has made life so much easier. #5 is almost 2 and just now getting independent but until the last couple of months I wore her almost constantly when we were out of the house.

[The4OfUs]

Originally Posted by LionessMom

i was told that wearing them facing out in any carrier is bad for their back and hips.

If they're in a sitting position and not a dangling position, with the hip level at or lower than the knee, with their bottom supported instead of their crotch being supported, it's no different in a front or back carry; at least from what I understand.