New baby carrier

Katie - posted on 12/25/2009

Another vote for the ERGObaby carrier. LOVE LOVE LOVE mine!

Bryony - posted on 12/05/2009

When baby gets too big for a newborn carrier I highly recommend the mei tai. I loved the site for the "Kozy Carrier" but couldn't afford to buy one. Instead I looked up free patterns and sewed my own. If you can sew at all, you can probably make one for about $20 of materials (sometimes less). You do NOT need to be an expert seamstress! It's basically straps, and a rectangle for the body. I found it pretty easy to make and was SO much easier on my back than a snuggly or backpack carrier. I would know, my son was 26 pounds at a year old! Also sometimes you can get them fairly cheaply on EBay...

Ashley - posted on 11/23/2009

If you're interested in going the Mei Tai route, a good site is babysosmart.com She frequently has Mei Tai's on clearance, and you can also design your own with fabrics. I just got one for my 14 month old so I can wear her on my back (otherwise I usually wear her on my hip with our hotsling) and she's still getting used to it, but likes it pretty well.

I've heard lots of good things about the Ergo--I think I want to try and sell our Baby Bjorn to finance an Ergo for Baby #2--I didn't realize how bad the Bjorn's could be for the baby with her legs dangling out like that until I took a baby wearing class! Holy canoli.

Kirsten - posted on 11/23/2009

Check out Baby Wearing International (they have local chapters) or see if there is a local baby wearing group in your area. My local group has a lending library of slings, wraps and soft structure carriers to try out. I had a similar problem with my Baby Bjorn - it was so painful to wear my DS in it once he got to be about 15 lbs. I now use a Mei Tai and a Calyx which is a soft structure carrier much like an Ergo. There are so many excellent carriers out there to try that are SO much better than the Baby Bjorn.

Erin - posted on 11/22/2009

If you google baby wearing, you will find a website that shows you all sorts of ways to wear you baby with just one piece of fabric. I bought the fabric (which actually makes two or three) and it works great. My 3 month old is 15 lbs and loves being right against me while we go grocery shopping or run other errands or even around the house. You can make a sling out of it or wear your baby on your front or back. Lots of different ways. You should check it out. Also there are great instructions on how to tie the knots and everything. Hope this helps! :)

Amy - posted on 11/11/2009

Thanks for all the input.

Tricia - posted on 11/10/2009

I don't like structured carriers. I have a small frame, and I can't seem to get them to fit me snugly, so the baby pulls me down, and I end up with a sore back. I use my ring sling for occasions when DS is going to be in and out of the carrier and only held for short stretches of time, although I used it for longer periods when he was under 15 pounds.

My all time favorite, highly recommended, is the Simple Piece of Cloth route. I use a 10 yard long, 30 inch wide piece of stretchy knit fabric (I bought 10 yards of the stretchy knit that was on sale at the fabric store and cut it in half the long way). It's a wrap similar to a Moby, only for half the price (and a 5th of the price of an Ergo). I wear DS wrapped on my front facing in or out and on my back facing in. I could wear him on my hip, but that puts more strain on my back. With stretchy fabric, I can put the wrap on and pop him in or out. He's held very snug against my body,and the weight is distributed over both of my shoulders and my hips. I can carry him literally for hours while I walk. We did 4 hours walking on pavement at a craft show this summer, and I wasn't even hurting.

Also, structured carriers that fit between baby's legs and have his feet dangle down can put baby's hips and back out of alignment, so they aren't recommended if you're going to wear baby a lot.

Jennie - posted on 11/09/2009

I love the Ergo, couldn't live a day with out it. I went through about 4 other types of slings before I discovered it and it is hands down the best! My son is 17 months old and about 22 lbs. I wear him on my back most of the time but sometimes still in the front. He loves both ways and is very happy while being worn. Good luck.

Kimberly - posted on 11/06/2009

I really love my Ergo as well. My 18 month old son (who is very large...more like a 2 year old or so...) still loves riding in it, though it's not as comfy for me now at 8 months preggo. :) When he was a tiny baby I had a hotslings and a Moby that I'll use for our next babe, but that I found mostly impractical for an older child. (However I do still use the hotsling sling on occasion to hip carry my 18 month old and it works well that way...) But would not for very long periods.

Willow - posted on 11/03/2009

My daughter loves the old-school backpack carrier that I use for her (metal frame, not much in the way of bells/whistles.) I think evenflo made it and I always see these at thrift stores. She loves to be up so high and watching over my shoulder. When she is tired, I love to wear her in my ergo - she snuggles up close and passes out. (She even slept through an entire concert this way over the summer.) The ergo is definitely easy to bring along anywhere and she can fit into it for years to come. A friend of mine throws her 3 year old son in hers sometimes.