May 2016 Moms
seasalt123
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Babywearing
seasalt123
member
I couldn't find a dedicated thread for this and figured, as we are all becoming more and more active, it would be great to have a thread for discussion.
To kick things off:
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
Feel free to post a photo of you wearing your baby!
To kick things off:
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
Feel free to post a photo of you wearing your baby!
Re: Babywearing
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
I have purchased the Boba wrap, the K'tan active, the Ergo Original and the Beco Gemini.
I gave the Boba away as all the wrapping was too overwhelming for me as a new mum and didn't feel secure. I returned the K'tan as I couldn't get the XS to fit me and LO snugly enough.
I still have the Ergo (got it secondhand) but am not going to buy the infant insert for it, which is required at this age until around 5/6 months. It also does NOT allow you to face the baby facing outward. I LOVE that the Ergo has a zippered pocket and sunhood, hence I have kept it. I will wait until my baby is older to use it.
For now, I have the Beco Gemini which I love. My only rants are that it doesn't have a zippered pocket and that it doesn't have a sun hood. I love the many positions you can put LO into it (including facing outward) and I love how easy it is to put on and off. The designs are also so pretty.
If I could start all over again, I would have bought the Lillebaby carrier in lieu of all of them. It's more expensive than the ergo and the Beco but it doesn't require an infant insert for newborns (like the Beco) but DOES have a zippered pocket and sunhood like the ergo. I tried it on and it was comfy and easy to use.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
Running errands, short and long walks plus hiking.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
If anyone has a pocketless carrier, I would suggest some of those running belts with an enclosure for your phone and keys. I couldn't buy one locally so I said to hell with style and bought a fanny pack which I wear around my hips for short errands. For longer walks or hikes, I wear a backpack.
Pictures of the Beco Gemini carrier and the fanny pack included.
I don't know about anyone else but my son's head never seems to go to the side and rest on my chest with the Baby Bjorn and seems like he's smashing his face into my chest which makes me nervous, anyone else have this problem?
K'tan active, k'tan original, woven wrap, and infantino mei tai. I use the k'tan mist often because it's so incredibly quick and the active is perfect for summer.The mei tai is my favorite overall if I'm going to wear him longer because it has great airflow and support. I'm still too chicken to wear the woven much...
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
Around the house, errands, outside playtime with toddler, events.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
Any tips for gaining confidence with a woven wrap?
@kbrands love the photo! I am always so jealous of anyone who has mastered a soft carrier/wrap. I always get overwhelmed by them. I love how cozy your baby looks in there. I always thought the perk of a wrap would be that they position the baby quite high up which makes it easy to sit down with the baby still on. It's not that comfortable to sit with a structured carrier as the belt runs across the hips.
I love that I can finally get some work around the house done without having to risk baby freaking out when I put her down. She usually falls asleep after I've only been walking around a short time, so I think she likes it! As for the carrier itself, I love that it can be used with a tiny baby without needing to buy an insert. It has a little pocket in front and I like that it has the lumbar support as well. Looking ahead, I like that I'll be able to wear her in different positions (back, front, side).
What I don't like is how hot it can get, even just from being in there a short time she felt warmer (although she didn't seem to be bothered). And that's being indoors with the A/C running!
Also, I'm constantly checking to make sure her head isn't smashed into my chest, similar to what @Rosie6692 said, although she usually does have her head to the side, I'm checking every two seconds!
I imagine I'll mostly use the carrier indoors, at least until the weather gets cooler!
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
I have the Boba Wrap. Likes: LO LOVES being snuggled up in the wrap. He sleeps all the time in it. It's very snug and I don't feel like he is going anywhere. You can kind of pull the wrap up over LOs head so it doesn't flop around. Cons: It strains my back, but I think this is bc of my back, which is always kind of hurting me
Ergo Baby: Likes: Seems to distribute more of the weight down by your hips instead of mid-back like the wrap. Cons: The infant insert is like a winter sleeping bag. Too hot!
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
Around the house, at social occasions. We plan to get a nice hiking backpack/carrier for hikes.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
Repeating my Q from above: I need a baby wearing system that takes the load off my back. Is this possible?
DS: Born 5-17-16
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
We use ring slings and also have an infantino baby carrier. I prefer the slings because they are a lot more breathable and are so much easier to get baby in and out of.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
I baby wear at the grocery store all the time. We also use it for when he is having a "I just want to be held" day and we need to get things done.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
I definitely recommend ring slings. They can be pricey but are SO worth it!
I have the K'tan breeze and love it! It looked overwhelming at first but it's so easy to put on and LO loves to be snuggled up in it. I've only tried the kangaroo hold since she's still pretty little bit looking forward to trying the other holds.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
I mainly use it when running errands by myself so I don't need to worry about the car seat. Also when outside since I can pull it up around her head to block the sun.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips
Any mamas out there know how to get the k'tan to hold LO up higher? She's not quite high enough to kiss, she tends to be at about my chest. I try to get her higher but can't figure it out
I have the K'tan original. I like it because it is comfortable and easy to use. It doesn't have all of the extra fabric like some other carriers have. I had the small originally so I got the XS, even that seems a little big. LO will start out where I can kiss his head but sometimes ends up down farther. I am usually able to fix that though.
My husband also has one and his works great for him.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
I use it when I go out alone so I don't have to carry around his carseat, it's just easier for me. I also wear it on errands.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
I need some recommendations on other carries. Ones where baby will stay cool but it's still easy to use. Also, something good for someone short, as I am 5'2" so anything with extra fabric might be a pain for me.
Me: 31
DH: 29, SA - Great
Married: June 12,2011
TTC #1: 1/2014
Diagnosis: Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
Treatment: Clomid: 50mg, 100mg, 150mg - not successful and not monitored
Menopur 75ml (upped to 112.5ml), Ovidrel, & IUI IUI #1 8/31/2015
9/15/2015: BFP HCG - 400, 9/17/2015: HCG - 827, 9/21/2015 - HCG 3,327!@kbrands7 we have a really active baby wearing group around here that is super helpful. Maybe there is one near you? They do all kinds of crazy wraps. Lots of pros.
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
Moby:
Like: I find it easy to wrap, he usually sleeps well in it. I can get more done.
Dislike: It gets HOT! It's hard to bend or do everything I might want to in the house.
Waterproof/UVA protected ring sling
Like: I can use it in water and it has sun protection.
Dislike: I'm still working on using it. I think it's more stiff than other RSs and harder to adjust.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
Around the house, errands when I'm alone and/or don't want to use the stroller.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips? Any SSCs that don't turn you into a furnace?
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
Moby wrap - easy to travel with
Sling - also compact to keep with us
Ergo - sunshade is brilliant and you can nurse in it!
Bjorn - we have the active mesh one hand me down from my sis and its the only one my LO likes after trying all the others. It's got better head support than the ergo, and it has a back support feature. It's easy so to get him in and out and adjust.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
Around the house so far, can't wait to take him out more when the summer heat is over.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
I love the bjorn so much more than the ergo, but I believe They grow out of it much quicker than the ergo. The mesh is really nice for summer time!
K'tan pros- so soft & cuddly, lightweight, super easy to use, fits in my purse, usable from day 1, works like a baby sleeping pill on both of my kids.
K'tan cons- fitted to the person so may not be able to share with spouse (although not an issue for us because husband refuses to use cloth wraps, he probably thinks they're just not manly enough), less supportive for the back, couldn't really wear my son in it for more than 20 min after he hit 15 lbs, so I only got like 3 months out of it. But totally worth it!!
Boba pros- my absolute fave soft structured carrier. Basically like the ergo but better in every way. Able to use with infants without an insert, padded waist and shoulder straps offer good back support, 2 zipper pockets, snap off hood for sun coverage/ infant head support. Used it with my son until about 24 months- probably could have back carried him longer but I got pregnant and had back issues right away. My son continued to nap in this carrier on hikes up until I stopped using it, which was great for when I wanted to do a day trip without having plan around nap time. Husband is happy to wear this one too.
Boba cons- honestly can't think of any other than that it's bulkier than a wrap so harder to stash in a purse/ diaper bag. Less stylish too, but not really important to me.
Here's a bunch of pics of my son in all manner of carrier- purple is the K'tan, grey is the boba.
K'tan Original - I love how quick and easy it is to slip on. no buckles or special ways to wrap the thing around my body. I used the size guide and bought myself a medium which was what was suggested. It feels a bit loose and Lucy tends to sink into it after 10 minutes so I have to keep pulling her up and pulling down the back adjuster thing. I'm not sure if this is a common issue or if I should have bought a small even though the guide says Im on the high end of a medium.
Mountain Buggy Juno - I love how secure Lucy feels in this. No slipping or adjusting needed once she is in. I dislike that it takes longer than the K'tan to 'set up' Its still easy but not something I would bring in the car to toss her in on the go. I tried that once and it was a bit of a hassle to do in a parking lot. I also don't like using the infant insert. I think that might be the most annoying part of getting her in.
As far as carriers in general I love the convenience of using one but I hate how sweaty Lucy gets in there. She tends to just place her face right in my cleavage which is not only scary because i feel like she cant breathe but its also uncomfortable because i end up with wet cleavage. I have to constantly turn her head to the side. I can't wait to start being able to wear her facing out
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
I use the K'tan around the house and for short walks or if we go to a store and I don't feel like bringing the stroller or carrying her around in the car seat. I use the Mountain Buggy Juno on long walks or if its real cold and Im going for a short walk. The Juno is much warmer especially with the infant insert.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
Anyone else have issues with baby slipping down when using a K'tan or feel they need to keep pulling the back loop to keep it snug? Should I get a small? at $100 I don't want to buy another to find out its too small. Any K'tan experts out there that can advise if this sounds like a sizing issue?
I'll post some photos later of Lucy in each carrier.
@Bellodomani I do use the extra piece under her butt but she still sinks down. Lucy never enjoyed the kangaroo position and would actually push her legs straight as if she were trying to stand up in it. I put her in the hug position and it works better but she still sinks down. I started to think maybe its just meant to be worn that way but after seeing the two photos here I think not. I have never been able to get her as high as in your photo.
i have watched the moby videos and just can't get it together - anyone else struggle at first and then master it? I feel like you get it or you don't LOL
i also have the chicco brand "close to you" carrier and I'm almost never using the moby because this is so much easier. I am hands free which I can't figure out with the moby! It feels structured and LO gets comfy and usually falls asleep. I haven't attempted it in public yet tho... Mostly because LO is still so averse to the sun. Does anyone else have that problem? He is 5 weeks and he looks like he thinks he's dying when the bright sun gets in his eyes :-) and there's no head cover to give him shade so I'm not really sure how to go about using it for errands and such. I guess I could cover him with a small blanket or something for the walk indoors but that seems like a hassle... Probably better than maneuvering the car seat/stroller everywhere I go!
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
I love the K'tan for our summer heat. Baby loves to be held and falls asleep in it so I can free up my hands and get some stuff done around the house. It's easy to put on, packs well, no infant inserts. I have a size S and the fit works great for me now wearing him in the hug hold.
I love the Ergo for a bigger baby because I hate the infant insert. I used it with DS1 and plan to use it this fall with DS2 when the weather gets cooler and when he gets too heavy to wear in the K'tan for long periods. The Ergo is comfortable for me and easy to use. The only thing I dislike is the lack of a forward facing option. I may get the Ergo 360 or Beco Gemini for this reason later on if I end up wearing him a lot.
I don't like the Bjorn - it just isn't very comfortable for me and doesn't look comfortable for baby. DH likes it because he couldn't wear the Ergo comfortably for some reason, so we kept it for him to use on rare occasions. If we do end up getting a different forward facing structure carrier that also works for DH, I'll sell our Bjorn.
I also briefly owned a Moby with DS1 and got rid of it a week later. My son hated it and would cry. I was too hot in it after 5 minutes (he was an August baby). There was too much fabric to wrap and I couldn't imagine ever using it outside the house with all that wrapping.
I am short so that doesn't help.
But when anyone from the baby wearing club helps they fix baby and I up in the Moby so easily
So annoying. I think my brain cells are fried at this time though from severe lack of sleep.
First, the Solly.
Pros:
Jet absolutely loves it. As soon as you put her in it she falls asleep.
You can nurse while wearing it, totally did this while I was having a beer at a restaurant a few days ago.
Super portable. Folds up into a tiny ball, I can throw it in my bag easily.
Fits both me and DH, since it's a wrap there is no sizing.
Cons:
Can get hot.
Took a few tries to figure out how tight or loose to wrap for optimal comfort and security.
Use:
Everywhere. Both DH and I wear this around the house and out for walks.
Tula.
Pros:
DH likes that it is more structured.
I like to use it when Jet is awake and wants to look around more.
Fits her up to 45 pounds.
Can wear her on front or back (once she's older).
Cons:
Have to buy additional infant insert.
Isn't as portable as Solly, would be difficult to stash in a bag.
Use:
Hiking, longer walks. We don't use it in the house but pretty much everywhere else it's great.
Pros-
Easily used for years between both DH and I
I like the plain pattern so it goes with everything
Can buy suck pads when the baby won't stop messing with the straps
Baby # 1 loved it even into toddlerhood up to now - baby #2 loves it and it is filled with sleepy dust
Made travel of any type a breeze
Has a place to store keys and other small items
Has a sunshade
Apparently can nurse in it - this was tricky for me but I did it a few times before in a bind
Con's
Learning curve to learn to snap baby in by yourself
Cannot use without an insert for about 4 months
Infant insert is ridiculously hot and thick
Don't really like the position of newborn legs in it - learning curve on it with the infant insert to get baby perfect and put it on by itself
Use:
100% of life, store, hiking, home, walks, travel, airplanes, security at airport, literally this was the best piece of baby gear we owned with baby # 1 and got the most use out of.
1) Do you have a carrier(s)? If so, which one? What do you like/dislike about it?
I'll preface this by saying I'm not into baby wearing, but we got a cheapy option just to have. We have the infantino swift (less than $20 at target!) and I do like it for when I need my hands like when I'm grocery shopping. Or a day like today that I have to go out and need to hold an umbrella! I like that it feels secure and baby feels safe in it, but she does slump to one side. I think for our needs it will do the job.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
I don't think I'll use it for long periods, but it does the trick if I have to run up the block to the grocery store or for a short walk around the block.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
I tried it once around the house to get things done but it didn't work. Can't get close enough to the sink to do dishes. Don't want to use it around the stove. Worried about bending over with her in it to clean up. Just wondering when you all are wearing it around the house, how are you doing things??
- I have a HAPPY wrap which is basically the same thing as the Moby wrap but thinner and much better for the summer. I love this wrap but my little girl is super long. She can't sit sideways like she did when she was tiny and new. I'm having difficulty getting her in the hug position and wrapping by myself.
- I have a Moby wrap I've never used because it's hot and heavy.
- I picked up a K'Tan at Once Upon a Child and tried it out for the first time yesterday. It's definitely easier to put on and get LO inside by myself but it doesn't feel secure. They actually had a medium and a large size so I tried both and because of my breastfeeding boobies I could barely get myself into the medium. Now I have the large and she's not fitting close enough to my body. Or maybe I'm just use to a tight fit because I normally wear the HAPPY wrap.
- I also have an Infantino carrier I picked up from OUaC. LOVE. It's so easy to put on and take off. Our daycare has actually requested that we bring in a carrier if we use one. Since it's a home daycare with children 0-4 years old they like to wear the LO so they can easily participate in activities with the big kids. I'm going to probably send this carrier or the K'Tan since they are so easy.
- I WANT A TULA! I can't afford it right now but keep my eye out for gently used carriers.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.I'd like to get to the point where I wear her more often than I use her stroller (we aren't there yet). I don't use them when out shopping as much as I'd like because I haven't found one that's easy to take her in and out of (the Infantino carrier may be solving that problem). As I said above, her carriers will also be used at her daycare.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
I'm interested to see who's husband baby wears and what they use. DH wants to wear LO but the soft wraps aren't too attractive on him.
DD: 05/14/16
I use it at the grocery store, so I have room in the cart, when I take big kids to the park, bbq's, around the house cleaning. It's nice to have the option so I usually bring it everywhere with me. I have also BF'd in it, so that's a plus!
I know some people wear their babies to feel close to them. I am almost doing it for the opposite reason. It makes me feel independent and like me again. I also find the carrier great for trail hikes and hiking as a stroller on uneven ground is a nightmare or flat out impossible.
I have a Moby wrap, which is what I've been using mostly so far with my roughly 8-lb infant. I like that it is pretty comfortable for me, and find it easy to wrap, but there is a lot of fabric there so it is hot, especially if I wear it out in our midwestern June heat. It tends to put DS to sleep. I like that I can wrap it at home and it's not too bulky to wear while driving, but I can then just insert him when we arrive at our destination. It's very long, so wrapping it on the go is awkward. I usually find I have to adjust or tighten the wrap at some point, since gauging the tightness can be tricky and DS seems to slide down too low sometimes. This fiddliness makes it not my favorite, but it does work well and especially for little infants.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
I like to baby wear around the house when doing upright sorts of housework (tidying, folding laundry, carrying laundry upstairs, preparing food). I also need it for errands, since we use a convertible car seat from the get-go and I have no way yet of setting the baby down when shopping if I need to use my hands elsewhere. I am also, oddly enough, going to wear him hiking in a couple of weeks!
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
I would like to get a structured carrier that is very simple and fast to put on/off, ideally one that we can size so that my husband and I can both wear it. He isn't patient enough to deal with something that has to be wrapped or adjusted a lot, so I'm probably looking at an Ergo or something similar. We are not that different in size, so as long as it has room for some small adjustment it would probably work.
Babywearing pictures!
I have a Lillebaby and was gifted a woven ring sling by a friend. I'm trying to get used to how to properly use the ring sling. I'm attributing most of the bad parts to my incompetence with it still - it seems like S gets really warm in there though. I haven't used the Lillebaby yet, I was trying to adjust it to the narrow seat and I think I messed it up... I have to look at it again to see if I can get it back together properly.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
I've only been wearing S around the house in the ring sling because I'm not that great with it. I would love to wear her for walks around the neighborhood or just generally out and about.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
The K'Tan looks really interesting! For the people who have it, do you think it has a generally low learning curve for those who aren't too knowledgeable about baby wearing? I was looking at how it's worn and how it looks to start with with the two loops and it looks a bit intimidating to me (but my wrap / wearing knowledge & experience is practically zero)
DS2 in K'tan
DS1 in Ergo
Cons? Price and availability. They are close to $200 and can be hard to "score" at stockings but are available at retail these days on the Facebook b/s/t pages. The plus side to investing in a carrier like this is when you are done using it you can typically get all or most of your $ back when you sell as long as the carrier is in decent condition. Even though it is pricey it is worth every penny. I've worn baby for hours, and have worn my big 3 yr old for hiking (in our toddler size kinderpack) and been completely comfy.
I also have a ringsling that I've used a few times and a babyhawk mei tei that I haven't even touched, lol.
Ergo 360 4position carrier with infant insert.
It is too big for my baby. Even though the weight says the baby must be 7lbs. Mine is 10lbs and does not fit into even the infant carrier insert properly. The instructions say her legs are supposed to be frog legged hanging out the sides while she faces me. yeah that does NOT work. Her legs aren't long enough so she ends up pressing her feet into my stomach and it is uncomfortable for both her and me.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
When she gets big enough to use it, I foresee using it more around the house.
3) Any comments, questions or other tips?
I think it depends on baby's size.
Feel free to post a photo of you wearing your baby!
No photo b/c I can't get the thing on with her b/c she is too small.
First Pregnancy
Second Pregnancy
- BFP: 09/11/2015
- EDD: 05/25/2016
Baby Born04/15/2016
PGAL
5.5.16 | 8.14.17 | 1.30.19
I have the Solly wrap and an Ergo, only using the Solly so far. It took a couple tries to get the fit / position right, but now it's pretty easy to get on.
2) How do you think you will use the carrier most often? Ie around the house, hikes.
My LO will sleep in the Solly for an hour on walks. I hope he can still fit in it in the fall as it's been too hot most days to use it. I've also used it to get him out to the beach so I don't have to lug the carseat across the sand. I don't love it for chores around the house - too awkward to reach things, but I think it could work for computer stuff.