Baby carrier/wrap

Kate0034

I'm starting to research baby carriers and wraps to add to my registry. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'd love to hear what you liked/disliked and why! Also what age range you used it for (I've heard some are better for newborns but not for older babies, etc)

TIA!!!!

Becid24

I am starting with a bay ktan or moBy wrap for the newborn stage then going to a beco Gemini until baby is closer to one when I'll hopefully switch to the baby hawk oh snap until we are done baby wearing. I have not used a ktan or moby but I've used the Gemini and oh snap and loved them with my last child. I wore my child daily taking siblings to school, grocery shopping and around the house.

voonaa999

I used ergo with my first one since birth and loved it. With the 2nd one, I used sakurabloom sling and loved it because I was able to breastfeed while he was in there. But as he grew and our nursing days seizes I went back to my ergo.
I think sling is only ideal for baby stage and the more formed buckled carrier are better for your back and overall baby carrying.

bohemianlc

I tried to use a Baby K'Tan with my LO when he was very young, but he absolutely hated it. I had a couple of friends who loved that wrap more than anything, though, so it's definitely worth a try if you want to go with a wrap when the baby is super young.

I did a TON of research and finally settled on an Ergo 360 for my son. When he was about 10 months old, I decided to invest in a Tula for a variety of reasons, though, and I'm happy I made the switch. While I still think the Ergo is a great carrier, there are a few reasons I wish I would have gone with the Tula from the start. Yes, the Tula is trendy and comes in cute prints that are more visually appealing than the Ergo, but there are several non-superficial reasons I prefer it. The Ergo 360 and the Tula are about the same price, so it really comes down to a matter of preference. You can buy newborn inserts to use for both carriers, so both can be used from birth. 

• The Ergo has a velcro waistband that his blankets and swaddles would get stuck to all the time. This may not seem like a big deal, but Velcro will destroy delicate fabrics. We completely ruined a few muslin swaddles by tossing them in the backseat next to the Ergo when we were on the go. 
• The straps that tighten the waistband and arms just hang on the Ergo, while the Tula has a little loop built into the strap that you can use to fasten and secure extra length. I have a very slender waist, so I had to tighten the Ergo quite a bit, leaving me with a giant strap that hung all the way to my knees. I had to awkwardly stuff it into the waistband, and it would often slip out and dangle. 
• The Ergo is a lot bulkier and doesn't allow for as much breathability for the person wearing the baby or the baby himself. I live in the South, and my baby got SO SWEATY on warmer days when I would wear him, even if it was only for 15 minutes or so. If you don't live in a warm climate, this maybe wouldn't matter to you as much. 
• Once he hit about 25 pounds, the Ergo became very uncomfortable for me and my back started to really hurt. I tried a friend's Tula at that point and felt like my baby was 10 pounds lighter. I'm not even really sure why, to be honest with you. 
• My husband is a bigger guy, and he said he always felt like the Ergo was pulling on his shoulders. Now that we have the Tula, he loves baby wearing almost as much as I do. I have a good friend who is plus-sized who said that the Ergo wouldn't work for her, but she wears her Tula every day.

The Ergo 360 does allow the baby to face out, which is an option the Tula does not have. I know that allowing babies to face out is a touchy subject in the world of baby wearing, but I will say my son went through a very brief phase during which he would ONLY face out, so it was nice having the option to allow him to do so for short periods of time with the 360. Note that only the 360 model allows the baby to be ergonomically supported while facing out; a baby should never face out in a  traditional Ergo, as it wasn't designed for that type of carry. 

*Edited to add one more thing!

Kate0034

Thank you all for the help!! I feel like I've narrowed it down a bit!

@bohemianlc thank you so much for the side-by-side comparisons, that was very helpful! And I live in the south as well so I'm definitely looking for the lightest/coolest option!

SLGILL1978

I had an Ergo and loved it! I still use it and my daughter is 2.5 years. Both the original and 360 have the same three positions. Front, back and side. My 2.5 year old is exactly 25 lbs and she sits on my side comfortably. My husband likes to put her on his back. It's not recommended to have baby forward facing in any type of carrier.  I have never heard any bad reviews for the Ergo. They can be a little pricey but Target has a brand called Infantino that are similar to the Ergos that I have also heard great things about. 

Leahauc

I agree that wraps are great for newborns and as babies get heavier, I prefer structured carriers. My LO is 3 months old now. We started with the moby wrap when she was born. It was great at first (once I got the hang of tying it) but she went through a phase at one point where she hated it. Now she's back to being ok with it. Since she's got more head support now (still can't sit up on her own though), we both prefer our MiaMily Hipster. It's a little on the pricey end but it offers front, back, and side carry options and has a hard seat to prevent hip dysplagia. LO loves it and will stay content in it for hours and eventually fall asleep in it; it's actually the one way we can go grocery shopping without daddy's extra hands. Plus I just found out first hand that customer service is awesome. I emailed them because one of my hood snaps broke and I got a whole new carrier in the mail two days later. Can't get better than that. I considered the ergo and Tula carriers as well and have heard great things, but I never had a chance to try them.

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Kayciejoe56

I LOVE my ergo... mostly because LO loves the ergo lol. I feel a lot more confident with a structured carrier vs a sling. Also, my LO prefers to be upright and look around, he hates when I try to take him out in his carrier (car seat) especially when I put the cover on. I imagine a sling would be the same.

TomekiaB

I bought the Boba 4G because the infant insert came with it and I thought it looked the most dad friendly (after considering tula and ergo). I am also considering the Boba Wrap for around the house the amazon reviews say it is very similar to the Moby but the reviews I read of people that have tried both said the boba wrap had nicer fabric. I do not have a baby wearing group near me.