Product Spotlight 2/15: Baby Carriers

swizzlemalarkey · February 2020

This weeks product spotlight is all about baby carriers!! Feel free to use the prompts or just type away! Links/photos welcome.
I snagged a schedule that's been used I think by a few BMBs now, but if you guys want to add/change anything let me know!!

This is a place for FTMs to ask questions about, S+TMs to share their prior experience with, and everyone to share what they're eyeing in the world of maternity, baby and postpartum products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to look back and reference!

To view past Product Spotlights or the upcoming schedule, see here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fCSvGqefiQ7m-cqNEBzPuaIqF7BL2ost0Ta2sMjC-8w/edit?usp=sharing

For S+TMs (or FTMs that already have said item):

Individual (e.g., lifestyle) factors that might influence your choice:
Favorite baby carrier(s):
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
What you like and don't like about it:
Any special features? (comfort, convenience, etc)
Is there a baby carrier you don’t have but are considering? Why?:
Is there a baby carrier you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?:
Additional thoughts on baby carriers?:

For FTMs:

Baby carrier(s) you're interested in:
Link/picture:
Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
Any questions for S+TMs?:

(template taken from August 2020)

swizzlemalarkey · February 2020

FTM here. I’ve heard great things about a lot of baby carriers but I think I am interested in the lillebaby. Anyone have one? I also heard good things about tula but they’re pricey so it would depend on if I didn’t like anything else. I definitely want to try some on because I get back pain pretty easily so I will need something that distributes weight well. But I’m completely clueless and get overwhelmed easily so any tips would be greatly appreciated!

mflowers929 · February 2020

We have a couple of carriers. We have one that I'm not sure of the brand, but is similar to like a baby bjorn? We also have a sling, which I personally wasn't a fan of. It never felt totally secure to me. Both of those were passed on to me from my best friend.
My aunt passed me a mamankangarou wrap that she had just laying around for when my cousin visited. It's a stretchy wrap and I looooooved it for when DS was young. The brand is kind of expensive, but it's lasted pretty well. Not sure if I would have bought it for myself, I probably would have gone with a Boba instead.
I also have a standard Tula which is our go to right now. I bought it second hand for $100, and it included suck pads and an extra hood. I love it and so does DS. We do a back carry with it like 95% of the time. I'll probably end up upgrading to a toddler Tula at some point so that we can use the standard with new baby.

My husband has also decided that he wants to buy a baby carrier from tactical baby gear XD

swizzlemalarkey · February 2020

@mflowers929 yes the stretchy ones how could I forget about those!! I found a company that makes them a while back before we were TTC so I’ll have to look into that, I want a stretchy one for when they’re tiny too that’s a good idea. I’m glad to hear you like your Tula! I would probably buy one used as well, & I definitely was considering the tactical baby gear one for H too but I don’t know how often he would use it haha!

mflowers929 · February 2020

@greyl I'm actually probably going to be bringing the stretchy wrap to the hospital with me for skin to skin

Louise_Belcher · February 2020

We have a Boba stretchy wrap (~$40) and a Lillybaby Complete All Seasons (~$120). The Boba got a lot of love and was so comfortable, but the Lillybaby didn’t get a ton of use. Great carrier (I am not knocking it at all), but with 2 under two I found it hard to tend to the 1yo while baby wearing the infant in the structured carrier. Bending down to the 1yo’s level and lifting him while baby wearing was too cumbersome for me. Once my youngest was mobile he did NOT want to be that contained so my window of opportunity was shot. They also got big and heavy fast and it was so hot. I’ll try again this time and maybe have better luck with these age gaps and this season. I may consider another wrap to add a print since my Boba is solid grey.

Edit to add pics of each carrier in use.

jennifer_louise · February 2020

I love baby carriers and I think I will probably do even more baby wearing this time around since I the 3yo often requires lots of hands. We have two: a hand-me-down Ergo baby and a Lillebaby (@greyl, see pic lol).

We liked having two. We used the Ergo baby (with infant insert) from day 1. Then when she was a little bigger, she liked the Lille so she could face outward. From then we could alternate whether we wanted her to nap or be engaged. I used the Ergo up until she was 2ish in the piggyback or side positions. Would recommend either carrier!

angbaby83 · February 2020

The Lillebaby was the only carrier I had with my DD. I loved it for taking her on walks and going into the store. She was pretty tiny as a newborn so I used a rolled up blanket to help support her but it worked great even then. I tried using it during the day to get stuff done, but it was hard to maneuver. It sounds like some kind of wrap would be better for that. I just worry that I couldn't figure out how to do it. I watched a video for one and I was like...nope. The only issue I had with the lillebaby is that I got quite hot carrying her but I wasn't carrying her for really long periods so it was okay. I still don't know what I'm going to do for a stroller so I see a lot of baby wearing in my future.

mflowers929 · February 2020

@angbaby83 once you get the hang of the wrap it's super duper easy!

Louise_Belcher · February 2020

@angbaby83 The wrapping definitely takes some practice at first, but it looks more complicated than it is. Thank goodness for YouTube though! I loved that I could put it on at home and then slip baby in when we got to where we were going.

swizzlemalarkey · February 2020

@jennifer_louise thank you!! Love the mini picket sign!

robinj716 · February 2020

Second time mom and never used a carrier so I’m really curious which one to get because I want one for this time around!

mflowers929 · February 2020

We use it a lot in the kitchen lol

slr1229 · February 2020

Will be my third baby. Have a Solly wrap and an Ergo 360 back from 2015. I honestly used neither much- didnt like the large Velcro around my waist with the Ergo, I think some are much better now with adjustments for the back waistline belt. With the Solly, I found myself always holding under the baby because it just worried me being so hands free. Will sell both and probably get the Lilliebaby or cheap Target Infantino since it’ll be our last.

elsie42 · February 2020

I have a Happy Baby original carrier and one of their onbuhimos. https://happybabycarriers.com/ I LOVE THEM. I cannot reco this brand enough, especially the original. First because they are beautiful. They are linen carriers so they are lightweight and breathable which is different/better than a lot of others. You get hot pretty quick carrying a baby but these keep you pretty cool. It’s also so much less bulky than others like Lille (which I don’t own but I have tried from friends). I hated the huge bulky straps on the other ones but Happy Baby is really slim. I also like that it’s a small company owned by a husband and wife. The popular colors sell out quickly but if you follow them on Instagram and/or join their fb group they announce when the new releases will be. Okay I’ll stop raving now lol.

macheno · February 2020

STM, we have a lillebaby carrier and a baby k'tan. The baby k'tan is lightweight and easy to use, but for DS I didn't use it much since he was such a large baby. I have back issues, and since it's a soft carrier it ha . it back support. That's why I got the lillebaby. I didn't really start using it until DD was older- 8mo and up. He hated being inward facing so I never used it when he was younger. Funnily enough, after he turned 1yo he started liking the carrier and being inward facing. I think this time around I will use it more with the baby when getting around with DS.

jennifer_louise · February 2020

One more general point about baby wearing. My DD was a pretty colicky and fussy newborn. When all else failed, I felt like putting her in the baby carrier/wrap was an almost surefire way to get her to calm down. I know all babies are different, but the combination of reduced sensory exposure, being close to a warm body, and gentle rocking was a game-changer for us. Just another thing to keep in mind!

momofmiracles31889 · February 2020

I was given a handed down Moby wrap to use for my DS and I loved it when he was a newborn although it was a little on the warm side for August- September baby should be cooler weather Atleast where I am. I did find the moby to feel too stretchy and not offer good back support once he got to around 3 or 4 months. I have scoliosis and prone to back and neck pain. So we got a Lillebaby complete embossed- a little pricey but it was wonderful! It has low back support which felt so much better and I would wear DS in it to go grocery shopping, when he was younger he’d nap facing in and as he got older but wasn’t old enough to sit in Cart I’d face him out so he could take everything in! DH wore him in it on his back when we went to a baseball game with his family. We did stop using it by 1 because DS likes to be free lol but excited to use it again for baby #2!

starlynn91 · February 2020

Loved my ergo360 with baby #3, will use it again with this one. Looking into a more breathable one- I like the way the solly wrap looks, but I dunno.

momofmiracles31889 · February 2020

We did give our moby to a friend to use for her baby and don’t plan on asking for it back since we had been given it for free anyway. What fabric wrap carrier do you all think is the best? Breathable yet sturdy for newborn phase? Curious whether moby, boba, solly or baby k tan is more well loved? I have all of those options saved on my babylist I started for ideas 😂

rosesintherain · April 2020

Hopefully this will move this back up.

Im considering a stretchy wrap - what ones do love?

I was looking at a k’tan or a boba or moby. Does any of those have less fabric length?

Louise_Belcher · April 2020

@ktholysz I used a Boba and loved it when they were little and squishy. After dropping most of the baby weight mine was a bit long so I just cut the end off so my tail wasn’t so long.

raesky1111 · April 2020

Omg how did I never see this
I'm looking at the infantino 4-in-1 flip but also now the Lillebaby complete airflow 6-in-1. What's influencing my choices is something not hard to put together if that's even needed at all, and also something that can be adjusted so my SO and I can switch between wearing it comfortably. SO is 6'something and over 300 pounds, so it's critical that the carrier can be able to adjust from my tiny to his larger more broad frame.

mflowers929 · April 2020

@raesky1111 I know I said I would double check for you and I finally did. We have the Infantino 4 in 1. It worked great for both me and my hubby with minimal adjusting.

pai314 · April 2020

I used a solly which I looooved. Stretchy and lightweight. I get hot easily so this was great for me.
With my first I had an ergo but didn't care much for it (it was just the type and I don't believe they make those ones anymore)
After the solly stage we used a tula which I bought second hand. Loved it so much!

I'm considering also a lillebaby (a friend is selling one real cheap, brand new) or the ergo embrace for a trip we'll be taking whenever baby is 3-4 months old. At this point leaning towards the lillebaby since it looks a bit more breathable.

As I said, I get hot very easily -- if you know of a carrier that is breathable please let me know! I'm open to suggestions!

slr1229 · April 2020

I wanted a Tula but when I had my second they could only face inward, wanted one that could do both. Will find a a second hand liliebaby for this one. Will be doing a lot more baby wearing with 2 older kids! Edited to add: I had an Ergo 360 in 2015 and the band around the waist was just too much. I’m 5”8 and athletic built so it was too much for my frame.

mflowers929 · April 2020

So, just as an aside - please keep in mind that wearing baby facing outward is not recommended for long periods of time. They actually say no more than about 15 minutes at a time, though you could probably get away with 30-45. It's really hard on their hip joints.

beaandthebabes · April 2020

We have an Ergo organic carrier which I love because it is super comfy, an Infantino Gather which was my second favorite and an original Baby Bjorn which I hated but my husband LOVED. The Baby Bjorn felt like it put pressure on the middle of my stomach I could never get it positioned right.
This time I really want to try something more like a wrap or sling when he is little bitty so I’m doing some research on those options. I’m leaning towards Tuck and Bundle because they are supposed to be one of the less hot options and I’m an over heater for sure.

slr1229 · April 2020

Just saying, if you don’t want to purchase multiple carriers you’ll end up using the outward facing way more from when they’re 4 months until 2. After a certain age kids want to face out.

robinj716 · April 2020

Ring sling ? Any opinions on those ?

mflowers929 · April 2020

@robinj716 personally I wasn't a fan of the ring sling, because it never felt super secure to me, but I know lots of other people love them.

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Product Spotlight 2/15: Baby Carriers

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