Baby Carrier Recs

sorarose · December 2015

With my 1st, I purchased a Baby Bjorn, but barely used it. DS was squirmy and it felt so heavy...I really only used it when we went to the airport or something.

I'm torn with all the recommendations people give me now. Tula? Ergo? K'tan? What are your experiences/have your heard? Pros and cons? Thanks!

NicknShan · December 2015

I love everything about the Ergo - the price was right and I still use it for my 27 month year old. It is similar to the Tula IMO, and I couldn't find a reason to justify the added cost for the Tula oeve the Ergo. I have tried both so this is just my opinion. I know it's a less popular one to prefer the Ergo to the Tula.

Do do you have a trade group you could join and try some out to see what you like?

fishwife799 · December 2015

I'm the opposite and prefer the Tula. For me the straps fall in a more comfortable place. I feel like the back comes up higher which is more comfortable for DS and the base is wider so theoretically it should fit longer if you do extended carrying. I had an Ergo with DD and started using it for DS. She was fine in it but he would get angry and arch his back. I almost gave up wearing him. Then as a last ditch I ordered a Tula thinking I could sell it if it didn't work and he loves it. The nice thing about carriers is they have a high resale so if you do go the more expensive route and get the Tula you are still going to get a good chunk of it back if you re-sell it. I know you would get it back with an ergo too, but for me it was a way to justify the extra cost. Plus the prints are adorable

Marisac888 · December 2015

I bought an ergo and it didn't fit me well and my DD hated the infant insert. I bought a lillebaby and LOVE it. Lots of color/temp options and no insert needed for young babes. I have the embossed version and it is cute, soft, and really comfortable.

likeabel · December 2015

A lot of it depends on your body type and how your baby likes to sit. I have a Beco Gemini and love it but it's really good for petite women. What works with one baby might not work with the next. Bjorns are notorious for being horrible on your back. I'd never suggest anyone buy it.

ufsandra85 · December 2015

I loved my ergo and then went to a baby wearing meeting and fell in love with kinderpacks. Tulas are popular so i thought i would like it best best ohh kinderpack was so much more comfy for me. I also own a lillebaby. Imo it is more bulky, the straps are too long and it isn't as easy to adjust as my kinderpack. It rarely gets used. I highly suggest a babywearing meeting so you can try them all out before buying because everyone is different

Huskerfanz · December 2015

K'tan when they are itty bitty. I liked how it didn't have a bunch of extra fabric and was easy to put on.

Tula for when they are older. I have an ergo and Tula. Ergo worked fine for when he was a baby. Tula was better for when he was older as he is a tall guy and would fling himself back sometimes.

AmberLiz99 · December 2015

I've used our ergo for the kids from about 3 months-2 1/2 years old. It's great for long periods of time, hikes, and staying comfortable with wavy kids.

That being said, if you don't use it for long trips idle bigger kids the straps are pretty cumbersome because I the padding, and something like a K'tan might be more suites to short use. It depends on your intentions for using them.

CLWilliford · December 2015

I had a Moby with my first - It was ok, I wasn't crazy about it. I also found it to be very time consuming when trying to wrap it around myself with all the extra fabric. Ill be interested to read all the comments on what worked well.

Atlast111 · December 2015

The Britax carrier has really good reviews. It's a structured carrier which i like and not stupidly expensive like some of the other carriers. Im always worried im going to look like a hippy with one boob hanging out with the cloth ones! Supposed to be much easier on your back than others and supports baby well. Will be getting one myself.

Bonnie Bloyd · December 2015

Solly wraps are super popular right now. I have a Moby, but I really want a solly wrap! They are supposed to be great for newborns and the material is lightweight and breatheable.

MDKC14 · December 2015

I had a Fleurville stretch carrier when he was just born to keep him close then a Tula as he got older and I love both. The Fleurville was a shower gift and is cheap and at Target. Not that great for when they get older though.
If you have a shop close to you I'd suggest going in and trying them on. We have an Itsy Bitsy Bums here and it's great for figuring out exactly what is best fit for you.

MynaBird · December 2015

I love the Moby for a little baby. Once I figured out how to wrap it (YouTube is your friend), during my maternity leave I would just wrap it in the morning, leave it on all day, and put baby in and out as needed.

I don't use my Ergo much day-to-day, but it's great for longer outings (zoo, shopping, etc.) because it is so structured and because the pocket is great for wallet, keys, or other small items you want to keep handy. I still use it to back carry my 35-pound two-year-old if we're going to be walking for a long time and don't want to deal with the stroller, although most of the time she'd rather walk if she can. It does feel like a bit much for daily use, though. I'm thinking of getting a Mei Tai for this one.

Emztron500 · December 2015

A carrier where your baby's legs are in more of a supported sitting position (as opposed to more dangling like in a Bjorn) and where the baby is facing you rather than facing out will make it more comfortable for both you and baby. And in any carrier, the higher and tighter your baby is against you, the lighter he will feel. A "dangling" baby will always feel heavy and hurt your shoulders/neck/back. Ergo is awesome and relatively inexpensive but is less comfortable for older infants and toddlers (if you intend to babywear for a long time). You can use it with a newborn with the insert, but that will be a lot of layers for baby in the summer when we're all going to have little bitty babies. Tula is too big to use with a newborn but is great for larger infants/toddlers.

I bought an Emeibaby carrier (another type of buckle carrier that's highly adjustable but fairly pricey) because it can be used from day 1 but is also good for toddlers as well, so I am using it now for my older child but will use it for baby when he/she comes. I believe Chimparoo Trek and I think some Beco carriers also have built-in infant inserts that aren't as bulky as the Ergo's.

A wrap is awesome for a teeny tiny little baby too! Just a bit of a higher learning curve. You can get a stretchy wrap like a Moby for cheap, especially if you look for them second-hand (mine cost me $30). But stretchy wraps aren't very supportive or comfortable once your baby's beyond 12 lbs or so. Woven wraps can be used on big kids and newborns alike but more challenging to learn and more expensive.

My recommendation, if at all possible, is to find a specialty baby store that will let you try on different carriers and find the one that feels most comfortable on your body. Or attend a babywearing class if you can find one in your area and try some different carriers that way. It's hard to know what you will like until you try them. I went to our local babywearing store expecting to buy a Lenny Lamb or Tula carrier and walked away with something entirely different because it just felt better on me.

sthomas1222 · December 2015

My recommendation is to find a babywearing group near you. Babywearing International has over 100 chapters across the US. My chapter is small but we have 30-40 carriers for caregivers to try out & receive help from educators in wearing safely & finding what works best for them.

alsbaldwin · December 2015

I used (and still use) a Solly Baby with DS, and I loved it. I used it for the first time when he was 3 days old, and I still use it occasionally at 12 months and 24 pounds. I loved that I could tie the wrap prior to putting him in and then just slip him in and out- it was a lifesaver when we went grocery shopping and trips like that.

Around 9 months old, we got an Ergo since long trips in the Solly started to become uncomfortable after about 30 or 45 minutes. He loves the Ergo as well, and it's very supportive and comfortable, even when I use it now while pregnant.

Lilwatz · December 2015

We had a moby and an ergo before our daughter was born. My husband liked wearing her as a tiny baby in the moby, but I could just never do it. The lack of structure had me SO WORRIED that I would hurt her. I know, it's silly, but I could not do it. I really prefer the structured carriers. I wore her in the ergo 2-3 times with the infant insert. It certainly is bulky and a process to get her in and out. When she was about 2 months old we were introduced to Kinderpacks and use those exclusively now. They are adjustable in the width between the legs so they can handle newborns. I hear they are very similar to Tulas. I just liked the KPs so never tried the Tula. Also, KP comes with a mesh panel on some and in FL that was appealing to me because it gets so warm.

I will say, KPs are crazy hard to get online at times and resale is stupid high. We were able to get all of ours online.

MillerMama13 · December 2015

I never really intended to wear with DD. TBH I was really naive to baby wearing. I did get a structured carrier (Bjorne I think?) But only used it a couple times around the house. My friend let me use her pouch sling. I didn't care for that much either.

I really want to wear this baby. I think lugging around a car seat while keeping track of a three year old will be too much. I'm leaning heavily toward a mei tai carrier. And may just go ahead and buy one since they're only $25 at target. I also plan to go to a baby wearing international meeting after the holidays. Normally I'd think paying $150+ on a carrier is ridic but after looking at how much they are resale, I can totally justify it. I'd just have to convince hubby. Tulas are actually more expensive at resale price! What?!

I recommend watching YouTube videos. Actually seeing how the carrier straps on or whatnot gives you a much better idea of what you might like. Just watch out for people making videos that have NO CLUE what they're doing. Maybe look at the baby wearing basics before you watch videos.

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