Help me find a babycarrier for me, please! :)

[mzpuff]

I'm new to babywearing and need a little help, DD is 3 months old and weighs about 12 pounds. I'm 5'8 about 155 pds. I would like a baby carrier that I can use now and up until shes about 2 years old or so. Any suggestions?? I'd appreciate it! Thanks

[RoseMcNeill]

Of all my carriers I find it really hard to pick a favorite. We have a Storchenweige woven wrap, EllaRoo wrap, Moby wrap, UpMama Ring Sling, Hotsling, Adjustable Hotsling, Ergo, Mei Tai Baby and a second generation Beco. If I had to get rid of all but one I think I would keep my Beco.

I LOVE wraps for little babies. They feel so nice and snuggly, but once my DD got bigger the Beco was a huge hit with us. She is 4 and I still put her in the Beco. I find it to be very comfortable for both of us. The newer Beco carrier look a little more accomodating for little babies as well if Im not mistaken.

Second fav is the Mei Tai Baby carrier. I started using this when my DS was 2 days old, and I used it with DD up until she was around 3. they are really pretty with tons of fabrics to choose from.

The UpMama ring slings are really pretty also and very easy to use - though I find having all the weight on just one shoulder gets a little harder as baby turns toddler.

A good starter is the Moby wrap. Of all the wraps I find the ones with a bit of stretch easiest to use - and if you don't like it you'll only take a $50 hit.

thebabywearer is a great place to learn about different carriers, read reviews and buy second hand.

Ah! So many options! Have fun choosing!

[clovergirl]

There are so many options, it's true!  If you think you will want to do some back carrying in the future, I'd recommend a mei tai or a soft structured carrier.  They both work very well for both front and back carries.  A woven wrap is also a great choice, but they do have a bit more of a learning curve.  A pouch or a ring sling would be a great choice for front and hip carries, but as babies get bigger and heavier they may not be the most comfortable for longer periods of carrying.

So, think about what you might like in a carrier... are you willing to tie knots or would you prefer buckles?  Do you want to be able to do back carries or are just front/hip carries OK with you?  Once you can narrow down the type of carrier you think you may like best then you can dive into the different brands.

Good luck in your search!

[MovnMama]

A major vote for any soft structured carrier... definitely will take you through the twos. My personal fave's were my mei tai and my podegi (which I made, narrow blanket style).

If you find the need for two carriers (and I did), the ring sling was excellent as well. Easy in and out, but not great for a long haul. Versus the mei tai, great for a long haul but more time consuming for the up-down type activity.

Also, ring sling is sometimes preferable for the little 'uns, but it's not too big a deal. I got my mei tai when DS was 3 weeks and used it CONSTANTLY. Until, like, 3yo.

In theory, the wrap will meet both of these needs and be just one carrier instead of two. But honestly, like another PP said, you gotta be committed to the learning curve and the knot tying, etc. Knots didn't bother me, but the excess fabric did. Simpler, I'd say, just to have two that work well, rather than one that does both but neither as well as a specialized one.

IMO. Go try some on with your kiddo!

[Super~Single~Mama]

I loved the Ergo while it fit (once I lost my baby weight the waist didn't tighten enough anymore), and now I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Beco.  It's awesome.

Check online to see if there are any babywearing stores near you - then go and try them all on!

[stellamia]

mzpuff:  I LOVE my Beco Gemini!! DD is sleeping in it as I type this. I also have a Moby and like it a lot but stretchy wraps aren't as good for heavier babies so for a wrap I'd recommend a woven wrap. If funds allow, get a soft structured carrier and a woven wrap. Then you're covered throughout your babywearing days (and with multiple kids).

 

 

Edited by stellamia - 12/21/10 at 10:33pm

[organiclifelove]

I've tried SO many! 

For a brand new babywearer this is what I would suggest:

If you can buy two- get the Moby wrap (or sleepy wrap) for now, and the Ergo for 6 months +.

If you can only get one, I would get the Ergo with the infant insert.

I've been blogging about babywearing for years and from my experience- all the new mama's I try to get to wear the other ones always end up going back to the Ergo (or if they start with it, they never try anything else!)

It will also last you all the way to a large toddler

[time4latte]

A friend of mine has probably near 50 carriers (or more) of various types and sizes. She let me go through them, try them and borrow a few. I've used mobi-type wraps (great for when baby is small), pocket slings, ring slings (both great when baby is smaller but the weight on one shoulder does get tiring after a while when baby is older), mei tais and soft structured carriers (with buckles).

If you can only buy one - a mei tai is definitely the way to go. Great for front, back and side carries. I found it really easy to get my son in and out of when going to the grocery store. Back carries take a little bit more work to get on, but I haven't found that to really be any different unless the soft structured carrier has an internal harness like the Mama By Design SSC that I really don't want to return.

Good luck and let us know what you end up deciding!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mama to DS 17 months and hoping for #2

[TiffanyToo]

If you go to TheBabyWearer.com you can see if there is a local babywearing group near you, try yahoogroups too. Most groups offer helps in learning carries, finding carriers that will be a good fit for you and some offer lending libraries, swap boards etc.

Here is what I found on TBW I am not sure how current the listing is.

Gainesville, FL has a Babywearing group too. We have a Facebook page

http://www.facebook.com/GainesvilleBabywearing You can contact me or Bailey422

Miami:
We have meetings every last Tuesday of the month at 11 a.m.
Whole Foods- Coral Gables in the Lifestyle Center off San Remo.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/miamib...yguid=56755932
tbw contact- nadiasmama

Hope this helps!

[ruthieb21]

I love my Beco Butterfly!  My son is 16 months old and we have been using it since the day he was born and still get lots of use out of it.  I do find however as he gets older and heavier, only the back carry is really comfortable.  Good luck!

[angiedoula]

I've used a soft-structured carrier ( Baby Bjorn, $35) for my first as well as a sling carrier (hand-made from etsy.com's Snuggle Bug Slings, $20) for my daughter.

The soft carrier didn't work well with my rounder postpartum image and I don't like the way baby looks like he's dangling.. just weird to me. We re-purchased the Bjorn again with DD and found it to work great for both me (5'0 and busty) and DH (6'3 linebacker build). DD however didn't seem to like the only 2 positions the Bjorn offered. Now, both DH and I agree that a backpack-type carrier is best for us both once baby is old enough and strong enough.

The sling, I just love. I've lost a lot of weight over the months and I've been able to work with the sling to keep it fitting properly. It's a pouch-sling, and offers 5 different positions to carry baby but I do not suggest the back carry position. With this sling, I've been able to comfortably nurse everywhere and anywhere, I've been able to go hands free, public transportation is easy (on busy days you have to collapse your stroller, and most drivers make you remove baby from stroller when the bus is in motion. I can do most household chores with baby in sling and can shop at the farmers markets, teach my childbirth education classes and so much more. Babywearing is a godsend to parents of colicky babies.

One thing I tell m y clients though -- go to a boutique that specializes in baby wearing. You can try on a variety of carriers and even with a weighted baby doll to really get the full effect. If there isn't a boutique near you, contact a local doula or private childbirth educator. Many doulas offer Baby Wearing 101 training that teach you how to find a good fit for you as well as how to properly "wear" baby.

[sosurreal09]

wearyourbaby.com can show you how to use wraps and how to make one, cotton gauze will work best

I am wearing a wrap in the locust position that i made from cotton gauze in my avatar

[Purple-scarf]

A good baby carrier that worked really good for me was Ergo-baby carrier! Just google the name and see the nearest location. Sometimes there are free shipping options on-line.

[HappyHappyMommy]

Originally Posted by MovnMama IMO. Go try some on with your kiddo!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super~Single~Mama 
Check online to see if there are any babywearing stores near you - then go and try them all on!

My personal favorites are the Moby Wrap (for when children are very young (I wish I knew about this when my DD was young)) and the Beco (for when children are a little older). But I was so glad we (DP and I) tried lots on. Before I tried them on, I was sure I was going to get an Ergo, but when both DP and I tried them on, the Beco just fit a little better than the Ergo. I still think the Ergo is also a great carrier and know a few people who have Ergos and love them, so I think it's a matter of individual fit and personal preference when it comes to carriers. I found a place that sells baby carriers (and other items) by positing in the Finding Your Tribe forum here on MDC and got great recommendations from the mamas on this board. I hope you find a carrier that you and your little one love!

Edited to add: DP and I went together and both tried on the carriers because we wanted something we could both use AND something that was easy to adjust when switching between the two of us. If your partner or another caregiver will also be using the carrier, I recommend going together to try out the carriers!

[stacer1823]

I have tried numerous carriers and slings.  Now I swear by my Beco.  My son is 8  months old and 20# and this is the only carrier that I can carry him in for long periods of time without my back and shoulders hurting.  It was a bit of an investment ($150) but it has been worth every penny.  It has an infant insert (which we never used since we got it when he was 3 months old and my son was so big) but I am excited to use this for the next kids to come.

[RthyCrunchyMama]

My wraps are by far the most comfortable.  I have a moby as well as 2 woven wraps.  My baby ktan, though not as comfy and versatile, size wise is a great combination of the comfort of a wrap and the simplicity of a soft structured carrier.  These too are my favorites as newborns.  I also LOVE my Kozy carrier.  I didn't like it at first as it is not as supportive as a wrap, but it is SO SO SO easy to get on, fits both me and my husband. goes on my back and front and hip. , so simple to adjust to nurse in and fast and simple to get on.  I didn't find it AS supportive for a new born however.  But at 4 months it worked great.  If I had to pick only 1 it would be a moby, hands down.  If I got to choose a combination it would be a moby and a kozy.

EarthyCrunchMama

Natural Living for the Modern Family

earthycrunchymama.com

[dramamamax4]

My favorite is my Kozy Carrier. 

[jPapa]

Beco and Moby, you can’t go wrong! As you baby gets older, they will eventually outgrow the wrap and if you liked the Moby for a front facing position, Beco makes a Gemini carrier that offers FF out position.

P.S. Beco is all organic without the crunch look of other carriers.