Baby Bump/ Maternity News and Trends/ Shopping for Baby

Choosing Your Carrier

Jun 12 2012

Members of the Bluegrass Babywearers offered their reviews on different carriers. This is what they had to say:

“I have been so grateful to have an ERGO carrier as my youngest (and most mischievous) child has learned to walk and even now that she is almost 3. I purchased the carrier because I was going on an airplane trip with her when she was 8 months. I needed to carry her, her car seat and 2 smaller carry-on bags. I needed my hands free. It has been the best investment ever! Going anywhere is stressful with her, so it is so very nice to be able to take the carrier into the store and be able to strap her on when she has run away for the 3rd time … It was especially nice when she would fall asleep in the car around nap time and I could put her in the front carry position and snuggle with her while I did what I needed to. As she has gotten heavier I have had to cut down on the time I have her in there because even with an amazingly comfortable carrier like the ERGO, it’s to getting hard on my lower back and hips as she is now 30lbs. At 8 months (22lbs.) I could carry her for a couple hours shopping or on a hike, now at 3 yrs. (30lbs.) it is more like 15mins.” -Kristin A.

“After Theo learned to walk we went through a phase where he didn’t really want to be worn (which was a huge change from the first year of his life when I wore him a ton!) But recently he’s been up for it again and I love it. It means we can attempt longer walks and hikes and I know we have a way to get home. Carrying him today is more like giving a no-hands piggyback than when he was an infant when I did mostly front carries. But even at close to 40lbs, I don’t find carrying him all that difficult. We use an Ergo and it is surprisingly comfortable for both of us. As the child gets larger, I find that having a good hip belt to absorb some of that weight is key. But the biggest thing is that as he gained each pound I got a little bit stronger with him. I love that I can still wear my sweet boy!” -Hannah H.

“My toddler loves to be worn (14 months) in a back carry, but will still tolerate a front carry in a mei-tai when she is really tired. I just find that I have to be conscious of my posture, remembering to keep my abdominal muscles tight. I find I fatigue quicker now that she is over 20 lbs, but I think if I wore her on a more consistent basis my body would adjust better.” -Gina M.

“My daughter (15 months) loves to walk, but she also still loves to be worn. It’s nice to be able to switch back and forth on longer walks and hikes. When I walk to get her brother at school, I can wear her when we’re walking on the sidewalk near the street and let her down when we cut through the park. I still wear her around home on occasion if she’s fussy or clingy and I need to get stuff done. I still love wearing her in a wrap, but I have to admit it’s getting harder now that she’s almost 25 pounds. For long hikes, I like my Ergo Baby Carrier. I wore my son in it at the state fair when he was five years old and almost 50 pounds. For short trips in and out of stores, meetings, etc, I keep a good pocket sling in the diaper bag. I wouldn’t want to use it for a long walk, but it’s nice to have for short term carries.” -Beth G.

“I wear my 19-month-old on my back in our Boba several times a week, though usually just for walks (which are often 3-5miles). I’d love to wear him on the front, and he would like it, too, but it just isn’t comfortable for me anymore. He likes to walk on our walks and we let him for awhile, but he’s just so slow sometimes! So, wearing him gets us there faster, but also it’s great exercise for me. Hubby offers to carry him, but I always do, just for the exercise. I don’t usually wear him around the house. Mostly this is because I can’t get him in the Boba on my back by myself. I probably would if I could, especially on those days when all he wants to do is be held.” -Rebecca H.

Shopping Guide:

Once you decide what carrier is best for your family, here are some top brands to check out:

Stretchy Wraps

Boba Wrap www.bobafamily.com

Moby Wrap www.mobywrap.com

Woven Wraps

Bali Breeze www.wrapsodybaby.com

Didymos www.didymos.com

Mei Tai

FreeHand www.togetherbe.com

Kozy Carrier http://kozycarrier.homestead.com/

Baby Hawk www.babyhawk.com