What all Carriers do you have?

[iris0110]

I thought it might be fun to have a place to chat about the different baby carriers we have. This way we can see what others have tried and maybe get some reviews and tips. I know this is only enabling those of us who have a serious baby wearing obsession, but hey, it's still fun.

I will go first.

I have

1 home made flannel ring sling
1 maya wrap ring sling
1 home made fleece wrap
1 free hand baby carrier mei tai
1 onbuhimo carrier from www.pepermint.com
1 boopa sunna solarveil mei tai (thank you Dh )
1 sarong for use as a khanga baby carrier

On the way I have
1 solarveil ring sling from kangaroo korner
1 gypsy mama water wrap

I have also tried a solarveil hotsling pouch but wasn't too crazy about it. I have thought about trying the KKAFP, because it looks so cozy, but here in Tx I don't know that fleece is such a super idea. Maybe I will try one of the cotton ones if I can find it cheap in my size.

As for reviews, I love my ring slings and mei tais best. I wasn't so crazy about the wrap, it is nice everyonce in a while for a change around the house but I definately wouldn't want to try it while I am out. I am thinking part of the trouble is inexperience, combined with the bulky fleece material. I am hoping I will like the water wrap better. I don't think I could live without my freehand mei tai for walks and setteling a fussy baby. But I also love my maya wrap in the t2t carry around the house. Yesterday my parents took me out for lunch for my b-day (coming up this friday). I had to nurse Tharen at the restraunt, and i was able to do it completely discretely thanks to the long tail on my maya. Now I was by no means nursing hands free, but the tail kept me from flashing the whole restraunt, and Tharen was able to eat his fill in peace. Then I put him tummy to tummy and was able to finish my meal and even go shopping in the Aisan grocery store next door with him happily napping away.

I have not tried out my boopa sunna yet, but I hope to get alot of use out of it this summer. I tried my onbuhimo, but I don't think that Tharen is quite big enough for it yet. His legs need to go outside instead of inside like in the mei tai, and he just didn't seem comfy that way yet. Maybe in a couple of weeks we will try again.

[aisraeltax]

glad you started this. i have:

New Native. Large. think this is too large for me, though. i am 5'9 and thought i woudl need a large. interested in anyone's opinions re: this.

Hotsling. seems a bit snug but Ethan falls asleep in there after fussing for a few minutes. cant figure out how to do the other positions though.

Moby Wrap. LOVE this!!! cumbersome to put on and off and get babe in and out of for only a few minutes around the house, but when out and about, absolutely love this.

Mai Tai. ordered from TP here. dont know what kind but cant wait to get one.

now i need to find out what other kinds i need. esp. want one that i can nip with.

[Panthira]

I have a Baby Bjorn Active from when my 2 yr old ds was born.
I found it to be uncomfortable for baby's hips and legs and won't be using it for my newborn son at all. It was comfortable for my DH and me, but since we don't feel it's good for baby I'll be selling that soon.

We have a solar veil ring sling I bought off eBay from a WAHM when my toddler was a wee babe. It was just ok, since my son hated being worn. It was great as a shade for the stroller on hot sunny days though. I have no idea where this sling went in the 2 moves we've made since I bought it.

I have a Moby wrap (in Moss color).
Moby Wrap Website
I really like this wrap and so does baby. It's great for extended wearing around the house doing chores, or for long trips out. It puts pressure evenly on all the right places on my body and really holds baby securely. It is kind of a pain to put on, and not good for short wearing times. It has a lot of fabric and it can get very hot for us (but not baby).

I have a Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch (KKAFP) in Saphire Fur fabric. I bought this color for my DH who loves blue and wouldn't want to look feminine while wearing it. It's very pretty though.
KKAFP Website
This has been the best carrier for us right now. Once adjusted to the right size, we just slip it over the shoulder, put the baby in, and go. My DS likes the tummy to tummy carry the best for this pouch, though when DH is wearing it, the baby somehow ends up in a sort of cradle carry. He puts him in differently than I do. The pouch stretches perfectly right around the baby and the wearer's shoulder like a well fitted glove. The cons for us have been the baby sometimes overheats if we're in a warmer environment (though the baby stays toasty when in colder environments, so this can be a pro), and as the baby gets bigger I will probably experience pain in my shoulder and neck due to a prior accident. If I wear it too long my lower back starts to hurt a little, but only if it's been hours and hours. Easy to nurse in public discretely (sp?) while wearing it.

I have a Kozy Mei Tei Carrier coming.
Kozy Carrier Website
This carrier got the best overall reviews out of all the Mei Tei carriers, especially for younger babies. We ordered it in Windy Day fabric with natural straps. I hope the straps are wide enough for me so I don't experience neck pain (and the headaches that come with it) as baby gets heavier. There weren't too many fabric choices.

Hopefully this is all we plan on getting for carriers. I like practicality.

[kofduke]

I'm a bit of a carrier nut...

Right now I have:
a KKAFP
a hotsling
several mei teis (I wanted to find which one I liked best...I had a kozy with DS, and I've gotten a babyhawk, a sutemi, and a freehand).

I had and sold:
a moby wrap and a ellaroo wrap - I just couldn't get the hang of wrapping.
a maya wrap - I know it makes me a bad babywearer, but I can't get the hang of rings at all.
a mei hip -- the old ones were made with rings (see above)
a Pea in the Pod Pouch - fabulous, but I prefer the KKAFP
eta: a Eden MT - beautiful, but seemed like too much material for a small mama.

and I currently have up for sale on FSOT a wise woman adjustable pouch, a ring sling like an OTSBH and a handmade silk mei tai.

[iris0110]

I think I have a problem. I just bought an Eesti sling pouch from www.thebabywearer.com. I really want to make this pouch thing work, so here I go trying another one. Like I really need more carriers. Dh keep saying "We only have one baby you know."

[IncaMama]

i have:

1 maya wrap - used this exclusively with DS and LOVED it with him. Ava started out life hating this with a passion but i have recently found a bizarre hold that she likes. she dangles sort of diagonally sideways. LOL her feet are out, the sling is under her bum and across her back like a t2t carry but she's diagonal (head away from rings) and her head rests on my arm as i sort of hold her. it's not hands free but it relieves my arms of some of the weight. LOL

1 hot mama wrap - this was the first wrap that Ava let me use with her. i'm still not great at using it, and the fabric is superheavy and LOOOONG good lord is it long. it's not very compact (doesn't even FIT in my diaper bag with all the other stuff i have in there) and seems to loosen more quickly than it should the way i put it on. i'm not sure if i *love* it yet. i might need a lighter material wrap. didymos maybe?

1 kkafp - not sure this is gonna work out at all. Ava gets sweaty in it IMMEDIATELY and refuses to let her little leggies be scrunched in there. she stands in it. in general, she doesn't like having her legs bent. LOL so i think this one's not gonna last long in my house.

bought and returned: 1 hotsling - same issue with the kkafp, except even more problematic. the material didn't seem stretchy enough (though admittedly it would probably have stretched more with time) and Ava hated being scrunched in there. she stood in this one too.

what i wanna try next: a mei tai DEFINITELY (i'm thinking from www.meitaibaby.com is that how you spell it? because of the drawstring bum part) and maybe i'll try a lighter weight full wrap instead of my hot mama. not sure yet. i'd love to try someone else's lighter weight wrap (like ellaroo or didy?) and might beg a mom i know to let me try hers on for a bit.

[DesireeH]

Currently I have:

black maya wrap......Daph likes it fine but it's been hurting me cause I think I put it on too quick when we go out and about. We went to Ikea and I walked around for hours and was soo sore when we got back out to the car! LOL

Black mai tai (from Jevin) but cant find it to try with Daph! LOL

Homemade ring sling I got on ebay.....not my fav at all, Jevin uses it for his Jojo and Skeebo dolls. LOL

On the way:

Hotsling from the Trading Post, have a feeling it will be too small but we'll see. LOL

Mei Tei from Babyhawk. I ordered a custom one and am so excited to get it!

Have tried in the past (with Jevin): New Native (hated it), some stretchy fleece one (hated it because it was 2 layer and bulky/hot), Fussybutt water sling (liked that one cause it was easy on and off and great for stuffing in the dipe bag).....probably more but I cant remember, its 2 am and my brain is mush.

[jenniey]

hip hammock anyone?

I use hip hammock. Ever heard of it? Maybe I am just weird, but I adore this carrier... plus it works for all the boys. (4,2,6 months).
Also have various infant slings, maya wrap, and curdoroy thing I made. Have given away most others to friends; would absolutely never part with the hip hammock though. (God, don't go to hiphugger dot com.... something about half naked women.... scream, barf!

[amis2girls]

Originally Posted by jenniey

(God, don't go to hiphugger dot com.... something about half naked women.... scream, barf!

Don't try hotsling.com either

Have two ring slings that I must need five extra hands to get to work

and a hotsling on the way

[Taedareth]

Does anyone like the cotton version of the Kangaroo Korner Pouch?

[kofduke]

Originally Posted by Taedareth

Does anyone like the cotton version of the Kangaroo Korner Pouch?

I had it and didn't love it...

[IncaMama]

most reviews i've seen say to go for a hotsling before a kkacp.

[Minoh]

I'm so glad to see that other mamas are also obsessed with baby carriers!! It totally validates my own need to buy more of them and I was glad to share with my husband that others feel the same way about having a selection of carriers.

At this point I have a pouch sling, a Baby Bjorn (which we avoid using much) and a Hug-a-bub wrap, but I just ordered a Babyhawk mei tai and can't wait til it arrives! The Hug is my favourite because it's super comfy though it is a pain to put on in a hurry and sometimes I don't adjust it quite right.

I find the sling to be quite uncomfortable for long periods because DS is gaining weight sooo quickly (he's over 12lbs at 7.5wks). I've only had him in the cradle carry - have others tried any other carries with their slings yet?

[mariposita]

i've got:

maya wrap ring sling- i use reed in it in tummy to tummy hold. he loves it, but it's not the most comfortable for me unless dh is there to help me adjust. i really like it for hip carry for an older child!

hotslings fleece pouch - love it! dh can get reed into it easily. we use cradle hold and this is great for restaurants and around the house.

homemde wrap - this is so nice for long walks!

podaegi - i'll use this more when he gets older, but it's fabulous for housework!

[IncaMama]

man i am SO jealous of those of you whose babies like the cradle hold. rowan did too...heck, he napped in a cradle hold in my maya wrap when he was 18mos old while we trekked through some Inca ruins in Peru. i have pics of that. but not my little spitfire ava! she NEEEEEEDS to have her little head and feet out. if i even DARE to THINK about confining either of those, she goes ballistic. my beautiful kkafp is gonna be returned bc of that.

i love my maya for hip carry, so comfy. i still carry my nearly 3yo (well over 40lbs by now - he's biiiig) in the hip carry.

i just bought an ellaroo Ysabel from the babywearer trading post! i can't wait to get it!!! did i already post about that? i think i did. LOL

[dewlady]

this is my 4th dc and i think that i have tried almost every (general) style out there. my final vote for a favorite system are...

ellaroo wrap anound style /moby wrap style for first few months- i like this style because after carring so many babies in the last 7 years i have to have something symetrical. this wrap distributes weight evenly on both shoulders and on my hips, i can also nurse easily.

as soon as possible i switch to an ergo carrier on my back. i am really into baby on the back as i need my hands with three others.

when it is summertime i also wrap my baby in the style i learned from my sister who lives 1/2 the time in ghana. i find this useful as the fabric can be thin an dry easily when i am near water, and in a pinch near the pool or at the beach i also can substitute a towel.

in the cold winters i also use my korean back carrier to tie around my ergo for extra warmth.

thats what works for me!!!

[darkpear]

My carrier habit isn't too serious - yet

I have a Maya Wrap ring sling, an Ergo, and just yesterday I got a Babyhawk mei tai as a gift. I also have a Snugli gathering dust in my closet, but the less said about that one, the better.

I haven't worn it out and about yet, but I already love the mei tai! I can nurse in it easily and Moira seems happy in it. I'd been using the Maya up till now, but it's giving me fits, it keeps getting twisted. The pleats are pretty much gone and I'm just not up to ironing them back in.

[kris10s]

I have

homemade ring sling (raspberry stretch sateen lined with michael miller disco dots) http://www.thisclassicallife.com/ima...&g2_itemId=458

homemade pouch with padded leg rail ala hotslings in cranberry stretch sateen

Amy Butler Freehand MT

Sold Moby, baby hated it!

Have Ergo for toddler, wanting to buy a sturdy GSW wrap when I have the paypal!

[IncaMama]

ok add 1 ellaroo wrap to my collection.