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September 2016 Moms
PSUBecky23
member
Babywearing!
PSUBecky23
member
I am by no means an expert, but I wore my daughter from birth until she stopped letting me at 2.5, so I have some knowledge. Babywearing is addictive and amazing. I never would've gotten grocery shopping done without it. And also just a nice way to snuggle while still getting stuff done. Vets - share your knowledge. FTMs - ask your questions 
Re: Babywearing!
any suggestions for a lightweight, cool carrier for a petite person?
BFP: 8/11/18 Due: 4/26/18
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DS1 -- 9/30/2016
DS1 -- 9/30/2016
infantino newborn carrier
mei tai sash
moby wrap
k'tan
ergo 360
bitybean
#1 was great but short lived. It was lightweight and supported my newborn son.
#2 sucked for me. I couldn't wrap it in my own and balance the baby. I tried it early on and ignored it. I tried it again when DS was 9 months and we went hiking. I needed MH's help but the back carry in this was awesome. We were in Kauai so the ergo would have been too hot.
#3 was a great snuggler. I got the wrap pretty easily and I liked the side option too. I did not like trying to adjust it while wearing it and the wrap was so intricate that I couldn't just bring it, I left the house wearing it like it was a part of my outfit.
#4 was a great starter wrap. It took zero effort to put on so I could take it anywhere. However, DS is stalky and became too heavy for it so I switched to the Moby.
#5 is my go to. I like that DS can face forward as well as cuddle with me. Yes, it can get warm. Right now he doesn't care to be worn unless he's sleepy so I bring it along on shopping trips and by the end I wear him to sleep, otherwise he sits in the cart in his floppy seat cover. The Ergo is the only carrier I can wear all day and not feel the weight of my child.
#6 is what i got for the water. This is fabulous for beach wearing. Not very
supportive so I can't wear it very long.
I recently had the chance to test drive a Tula. I don't care for it. It is a lot like the ergo but the securing strap isn't accessible for me so I couldn't latch it if I were by myself.
I bought a beco Soleil on steals with the infant bundle. I'm waiting for the new baby to try it out.
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I'd love to find a babywearing class near me! I more just want to try out different things and see what works best. I know I don't want a carrier where the baby is hanging off of me. I have a large chest, so I want something comfortable that I can wear easily on the front or back. I want to wear the baby in front mostly, and eventually on my back. Would be great if DH could wear the carrier too. I know I don't like the loop ones- I don't want a big long piece of fabric hanging off me!
For a newborn, I plan to get a solly wrap (even though it'll only last a while since stretchies tend to get uncomfortable past 15 lbs) because i want to be able to pop baby in and out all day with ease. Then I'll also use a woven wrap and my ring sling.
If I was recommending one purchase it would be a ring sling. I still use mine with my 31.5 lb toddler and it's easy to get baby in and out once you've practiced. There is a learning curve though, so if you want something that is more immediately user-friendly a stretchy, k'tan, or soft-structured-carrier like a lillebaby or beco or ergo or tula, etc. is the way to go. If you do get a soft-structured-carrier, though, be sure to check out if you need a special insert for newborn use. Some require that and some do not.
I'm also not an expert by any means, but I've been doing a ton of experimenting, learning from others, and reading tons and tons, and watching a million you tube videos over the past year and a half. I definitely recommend checking out videos by wrap you in love and wrapping rachel. Those will give you a great sense of how different carriers work. There are also great introductory videos to each kind of carrier on the babywearinginternational.org website.
If you're in a hot weather area, linen wraps/ring slings are supposed to be great. And, as someone else mentioned, lillebaby makes an all-season carrier. I believe it has a zip-away panel that reveals just mesh so you can keep baby cooler in hot weather.
K'tan: loved it when my son was tiny. It was easier as a ftm for me to manage this than a wrap. Easy to wash and wear, although it does need to be the right size for the wearer, so depending on your so's size it may not work for both partners. Awesome option for a new mom, not expensive and super easy to use correctly. It's kind of a stretchy t shirt material, so it's not too hot. They also have a breeze version that is more breathable.
ergo: it was ok when my son was younger, but didn't seem to fit my body shape well and once he was about 9 months it hurt my back to wear him. The panel is a little stiffer than my Tulas have been, which wasn't as comfy for us.
Tula: I've had two of these and loved them both. I noticed a huge difference from the ergo, I don't know why exactly but I can still wear my 19 month old comfortably without pain for me. They tend to hold their value and can be resold for close to retail although this is decreasing. There are lots of price points for these, and some made with woven wraps that can retail for $300-600.
Woven wrap: I've had two tekhnis and have been really happy with them, but prefer the ssc for quick use. We don't really wear around the house that much but if we did this is likely what I would prefer. My toddler doesn't have enough patience to be wrapped when we are out and about. The tekhnis I have are made with repreve, which is a recyclable material from plastic bottles and makes the wrap really breathable. There's a bigger learning curve on woven wraps. They can also get very pricey depending what you get.
This go around I'm planning to tandem the twins in ring slings, likely linen, when they are itty bitty and maybe tandem with two ssc later on but we will cross that bridge when we get there!
Boba has an air model that is supposed to be breathable, and lillebaby has a model called all seasons. Kinderpack has some models with their breathable panel, I don't remember what it's called. (Koolnit! That's what it is!) Kinderpacks have a three part panel that cups the baby a little more and some people find more comfortable. They also have plus size straps that work well for larger chests.
For a new mom I would recommend getting something that works for newborns like a stretchy wrap or k'tan, and then trying out some of the pricier options when your baby is getting close to the right size. I've seen a lot of moms buy a ton of Tulas or wraps while pregnant but if your kid hates them or you are uncomfortable it's not worth it to me. You can get inserts for the ergos and Tulas, and ergo just came out with a carrier that fits newborn to toddler without an insert. Again, I can't remember what it's called but it would be easy to google.
Edit for correcting baby brain mistakes
Moby was perfect for newborn days--we almost bought a K'tan, but my husband and I are different sizes and we didn't want to have to buy two. I didn't find the Moby too complicated once I got the hang of the wrap technique, but it was definitely something I'd have to wrap myself in first, and THEN get the baby out and tucked in.
Ergo was great for about 3 months+. Once he could hold his head up and start looking around more. Hated the Ergo's infant insert! DS really liked riding in the Ergo and using my boobs as a pillow to sleep/drool on, lol. It did get hot in the summer, though, and it was difficult to use once he got heavier. I felt like it didn't have great back support, honestly.
As he got heavier (around 12 months-ish?) I started putting him in the Maya Wrap more, and it was much more comfortable for me to carry him on my hip that way. By that point, he mostly wanted to walk, but if I needed to carry him for some reason, it was a good way to take the strain off of my arms! DS refused to be worn after about 18 months, so that dashed my dreams of wearing him forever, lol.
I think I'm going to stick with what we've got for the new baby, since carriers are SO expensive! Hopefully they work as well the second go around, and maybe this baby will like being worn more. Definitely going to be stalking this thread for more ideas/suggestions, though, just in case!
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https://store.ergobaby.com/baby-carrier/adapt
local BWI chapter (they do monthly meetings and have a lending library)
everyday babywearing
babywearig 102
Babywearing on a budget
@mom2adoodle most soft structured carriers should work for both of you. Like an ergo, Tula, etc. Stretchy wraps like a moby will also work. The only one I'm aware of that wouldn't is the k'tan. I have huge boobs and my husband has a broad chest so we were actually able to both wear that one surprisingly.
@Sporty1216 the adapt! That's what it's called! That one does look super cool!
https://m.albeebaby.com/ergobaby-performance-baby-carrier-ventus-purple.html
November Siggy Challenge: Selfie Fails
Hidden for the sake of your eyes!
Also loved our Moby wrap early on and it worked well with the position my daughters legs had to be in for her harness.
Pros: super snuggly when baby is tiny, easily adjustable (once you figure it out)
Cons: Past about 6 months, it's not as supportive as other wraps (structured or woven), if you're wearing it in the summer it's HOT
I spent more and got a beco carrier with my second. LOVED it. I tried some woven wraps, but I've never liked them very much. And do NOT buy one of those cheapies from Walmart or Target.
Evelyn (3.24.10), Graham (5.30.13) & Miles (8.28.16)
My son was VERY heavy for his age, though. Always top of the weight and height charts. So at one year he was the size of some two-year-olds, and the way he fit in the carrier started to become awkward. Like you know how the bottom support is supposed to end behind their knees? His legs were so long that it was cutting into him on his chunky upper thighs. I think that contributed to the carrier feeling uncomfortable for me--before that, he fit pretty comfortably. And I never wore him on my back, btw, so maybe that would've helped with the weight distribution. My chest is really huge and I hated the way the strap crossed my boobs when I tried to back carry.
We we were given a used Baby Bjorn SSC. These are basically frowned upon by the baby wearing community because they are crotch danglers. It only strapped on to my shoulders, not my waist, so it would hurt my back after a while. However, this it was incredibly easy to use and much faster to put on than the wrap. My husband used it more than I did.
Since we liked the ease of a soft structured carrier and the Moby was too hot, I shopped around for one that was better than the Bjorn. I really liked the Kinderpack, but those are incredibly difficult to get and a bit pricey. So I ended up with an Action Baby Carrier. It is easy to learn, and both DH and I are able to wear it. There are plenty of prints available as well. It has become our most used carrier.
Finally, we also have an Osprey hiking backpack that carries the baby. It is aluminum framed. We got it at REI. They had several to choose from and we tried them all on. They even had a weighted doll to put in the carrier so you could feel how it felt with a load. It has become my husband's carrier of choice - I am not sure if that is because it is more manly or if he finds it more comfortable. If you plan to do a lot of hiking, I highly recommend this or something similar.
eta also the regular Tulas are the same price on the target website that they are on the Tula website, so I truly don't understand the fuss. This just means I can get 5% off am with my redcard so I have no problem with this.
Likely a discontinued print. I spent under $200 for my toddler tula. (Standard price on the Tula website.)
There are some beautiful, hand woven wraps out there that I've seen sold for more (like into the thousands).
For some, babywearing is worth the price of a special item. It's like an expensive purse or shoes.
I definitely have more carriers than I initially thought I would. But it's kind of turned into my hobby and I have different ones I like for different purposes, moods, etc. But I also have a relatively low budget (I use the "fun" money allowance I get each month and save it up over time), so my carrier choices reflect that. Others have more expendable income and have amazing collections (aka "stashes") that are probably worth $1000s.