I have a Baby K'tan wrap and then will get something like a Moby so DH can wear it too. We are also going with either the Ergo Sport or the Beco Gemini
Wrap style carriers are great for newborns, I really liked the extra
closeness and security. The Moby wrap was great for us. I thought it
was easy to use, extremely comfortable, and DS slept well in it. Other examples would be the Sleepy Wrap and Baby Nest.
If you like baby wearing, you'll probably want to switch to a
more structured carrier when LO gets bigger. We started using an Ergo
Sport around 5 months and I love it. I could comfortably wear my 26 lb. DS all
day and it's quick and easy to use. Other great options are Beco and Boba.
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM My BFP Chart
Wanted to post this separately since it got kind of long: I recommend avoiding Baby Bjorn carriers. Most of their styles don't
give baby enough support and leave them
dangling by their crotch, which can be bad for their hips. There are
several other cheaper brands that do the same thing, so watch out for
those too.
These types of carriers are also uncomfortable for the
wearer because of their poor design. All the weight is pulling on your
shoulders, whereas good carriers will put it on your hips. This means
that you
can only use them when your baby is really little and only for short
stretches of time. They have much lower weight limits too. They're
also very overpriced, especially when you consider how much use you'll
get out of them. Good carriers like Ergo, Beco, and Boba are better for
baby, much more comfortable for you, cheaper, and can be used a lot
longer.
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM My BFP Chart
I bought the Beco Gemini when my son was about 9 months old. It's amazing. Haven't used it with a newborn yet but I've heard great things. We used a Hotslings Adjustable when he was a baby and it worked fine for short time frames, but got uncomfortable if I wore him longer than 10-15 minutes at a time. I recommend investing in a good one from the beginning!
I love the Moby wrap for when the baby is little. There is a slight learning curve when you are learning how to put it on but once you figure it out, it feels very secure. It is great for skin to skin contact when they are little as well. My last pregnancy I had a baby bjorn for when my son got older and I hated it. It was awful and hurt my back. This pregnancy I have already bought the Ergo. I have heard great things about it and am super excited to use it.
Another vote for the Moby - It's definitely not the best carrier out there, but it's relatively inexpensive and a good place to start and see if you even like BW.
With my last baby, I used a homemade ring sling (that wasn't quite "right") at first, then a babyhawk, then woven wraps.
This time, I am going to have a Moby for the newborn stage, several woven wraps on hand, a new babyhawk (in addition to my old one) and a different ring sling that suits my needs better.
There are so many great carriers out there (and quite a few terrible ones) that it is important to try a few to see what really works well for you. With a bad carrier, I was comfortable for a few minutes, but then baby didn't feel secure and I started to hurt. With a good carrier, I could wear DD for hours with no pain and two free hands...Amazing!
There are soooo many options out there! A lot depends on what you want to be able to do with the carrier and how long you plan to babywear. You might want to see if there is a baby-wearing group near you. There's a phenomenal one in my area and it's a great resource- you can try different types of carriers and the moms will help you troubleshoot any issues you;re having with them.
That being said, I loved my Moby when DS was little but he was born in February so it was nice to have that extra warmth. With LO2 being a May baby, I'm getting a woven to use- it will be cooler than the Moby and will be nice and supportive for when LO is older. I also have a BabyHawk mei tai (loved this one with DS, especially for high back carries!) and an Ergo, as well as a ring sling and a Boba. Sadly, once DS hit about 16 months, he decided being worn was the devil. I miss wearing my little guy!
Re: Babywearing?
I love my BabyHawk and also have a Beco.
Both you can choose your fabric.
The Baby Hawk had two versions I have a Mia Ti and live it!
Wrap style carriers are great for newborns, I really liked the extra closeness and security. The Moby wrap was great for us. I thought it was easy to use, extremely comfortable, and DS slept well in it. Other examples would be the Sleepy Wrap and Baby Nest.
If you like baby wearing, you'll probably want to switch to a more structured carrier when LO gets bigger. We started using an Ergo Sport around 5 months and I love it. I could comfortably wear my 26 lb. DS all day and it's quick and easy to use. Other great options are Beco and Boba.
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
My BFP Chart
Wanted to post this separately since it got kind of long: I recommend avoiding Baby Bjorn carriers. Most of their styles don't give baby enough support and leave them dangling by their crotch, which can be bad for their hips. There are several other cheaper brands that do the same thing, so watch out for those too.
These types of carriers are also uncomfortable for the wearer because of their poor design. All the weight is pulling on your shoulders, whereas good carriers will put it on your hips. This means that you can only use them when your baby is really little and only for short stretches of time. They have much lower weight limits too. They're also very overpriced, especially when you consider how much use you'll get out of them. Good carriers like Ergo, Beco, and Boba are better for baby, much more comfortable for you, cheaper, and can be used a lot longer.
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
My BFP Chart
With my last baby, I used a homemade ring sling (that wasn't quite "right") at first, then a babyhawk, then woven wraps.
This time, I am going to have a Moby for the newborn stage, several woven wraps on hand, a new babyhawk (in addition to my old one) and a different ring sling that suits my needs better.
There are so many great carriers out there (and quite a few terrible ones) that it is important to try a few to see what really works well for you. With a bad carrier, I was comfortable for a few minutes, but then baby didn't feel secure and I started to hurt. With a good carrier, I could wear DD for hours with no pain and two free hands...Amazing!
There are soooo many options out there! A lot depends on what you want to be able to do with the carrier and how long you plan to babywear. You might want to see if there is a baby-wearing group near you. There's a phenomenal one in my area and it's a great resource- you can try different types of carriers and the moms will help you troubleshoot any issues you;re having with them.
That being said, I loved my Moby when DS was little but he was born in February so it was nice to have that extra warmth. With LO2 being a May baby, I'm getting a woven to use- it will be cooler than the Moby and will be nice and supportive for when LO is older. I also have a BabyHawk mei tai (loved this one with DS, especially for high back carries!) and an Ergo, as well as a ring sling and a Boba. Sadly, once DS hit about 16 months, he decided being worn was the devil. I miss wearing my little guy!
ETA: bwing groups linkie.