Ergo questions

katrina_pharmd

I love babywearing.  We have a mei tai, a hoppediz woven wrap, and a moby.  DH decided that he might want to wear DS, and I can't convince him to use my new, gorgeous woven wrap, so we are considering an Ergo or a Manduca.  I guess DH thinks that it looks more masculine than a wrap   My questions:

1) Realistically how heavy can the child be to use this?  I know the manufacturer says till toddlerhood.  Our DS is nearly 6 months old and weighs close to 22 pounds.  I want to make sure we can get lots of use out of the Ergo if we invest in another carrier.

2) Is it super comfortable?  I can wear DS in the wraps for hours and not be aching at the end of the day.  DH is worried that the Ergo will hurt his back.  What's your experience?

We will try to borrow an Ergo to test it out, but I wanted to know some long-term users thoughts.

Thanks!

hikerbeth

I wore my DD very regularly until she was 3 (around 33 lbs.) and occasionally until she was 4 (around 36 lbs.).  I could comfortably wear her for a few hours at a time at that age if necessary (hiking).

DS is over 30 lbs. at 16 months and I wear him a lot.

So yes, you have a lot of time!

Mrs_MBed

Same as the PP, DD1 is just under 40 lbs and can still comfortably in there.  When we would go hiking, I'd rather carry DD1 than the backpack with diapers/snacks, even though she weighed more than the backpack.  The ergo was more comfortable for me to wear. 

I really love ours.  I haven't used it in a couple of weeks because the hip strap is a bit uncomfortable for me right now, but it is still in my car as I refuse to caught out and about without it. 

Oh and I was about 30 wks pg with DD2 and I would still use it to carry DD1 on my back - the belly and DD1 evened each other out

zeesbride

My daughter is 25 lbs and I can bear her weight just fine. We have really tapered down on wearing since she is now 37 inches ( and I am 5feet tall) but her weight is distributed well in the Ergo.

llamakins

1. The weight limit is more about what the parent can handle! We used the Ergo up until pretty recently and my little guy just turned 3. He's 36 lbs now--we used it well into the early 30's!

 

2. Of all the carriers I've worn/tried, the Ergo is the most comfortable. My husband and I have both worn it. It really keeps them centered and close to you, so it's like a wearing a big backpack that is on nice and high and snug. Just moves like part of your body.

 

We love the Ergo. Actually, we bought it online at a site that gauranteed you would like it or you could return it within 90 days, I think. I can't remember--but keep searching. (Bought 2.5 years ago.)

There is a new version called ergo Sport. It seems to be lightweight, but maybe the padding on the shoulders, etc is not as thick. I'm happy with our regular Ergo--feels very sturdy.

sweetpea2003

The Ergo is extremely comfortable! 

C-Charm

I've read a lot of women on TBW say that there are better SSCs than the Ergo for bigger kids because the body is too short.  Other than that, it's a good choice.  It will support your kiddo's weight.

I forget the kinds that people switch over to when they want something with a longer (& sometimes wider) boy--maybe Dream Carrier is one of them.  Anyway, an Ergo should meet your needs for a while.

ETA: Here are some SSC reviews:  https://www.thebabywearer.com/cgi-bin/reviews/reviews.pl?softstructuredcarriers.  Some people found the Ergo straps too bulky & thick.  It also looks like it works better for taller people as opposed to petite people.m

drcolleen

I couldn't talk my DH into wearing DD with a wrap/ring/mai tai either, but he would in the Ergo for hiking and it's easy to get up and down once they get to the point where they want to walk some then switch the carrier from DH to you and back without getting it dirty like dragging a wrap on the ground.  Honestly I haven't put her on in a while, once this spring hit and she was >2y/o we encourage her to walk with us for walks w/ the dogs and she pushes the grocery cart but we are not in an urban setting.  I would definitely try the Ergo for your DH!