name your favorite baby carrier

One of the challenges to Baby Bunching is always transportation--by car, stroller or foot. Usually we talk strollers here, but we've had several requests to put together a Baby Carrier Guide similar to our Double Stroller Guide.

But this time we need a little help from our friends. Back when we had our first two, our options for toting our babes were A) sling B) Baby Bjorn and C) cheap knock off of Baby Bjorn. Fortunately, for those Bunchers today, the selection for carriers is nearing that of double strollers. So we wanted to lend a hand on things to consider when choosing your carrier.

We're been taking a mini poll over on our Facebook page. (Please feel free to join in.) But you can leave a comment here or email us directly with your favs. We'll do the research on all the products available and report back on pros/cons and pricing. So what will it be? Ergo, Moby, Baby Hawk, Beco? Let us know.

Comments

[JessPond]

We loved the hotsling. Definitely was an issue shopping for a while when we had the two infant carriers! LOL

[Andrea]

I've had several different mei tei's, and they are definitely my favorite. Almost as easy to use as an Ergo, but so so much cheaper!

[Rachel O.]

I'm a big fan of the Beco (only one "c")... and they just put out a new model that you can use on the hip/back/front, with the baby inward or outward facing!

[Ashleigh]

I use a sling for my 9 month old but I'm cautious about recommending them for new babies since there is the risk of suffocation. I also like the Moby wrap.

[Joelle]

My Beco rocks! I bought it after my son's first birthday (after using a friend's and loving her's) and have never before had a carrier I could wear so long with such a big baby with no back pain!

[Buddha Mama]

I love my Maya Wrap because it works for an infant and I can still use it to hip carry my 25lb big! Actually putting big in the Maya on my hip and carrying the babe in her bucket on the other side is how I get to and from the house without losing my marbles.

[Janna]

I have different favorites for different seasons of babyhood- the Moby wrap for a newborn, then add in a pouch sling (upright tummy to tummy legs in hold) until about 4-5 months, then my mei tai after that. Now that my youngest is 14 months I still frequently use my pouch sling (hip hold) or my mei tai. Yes, I have a bit of a carrier obsession.

[Emily Faulkner]

I loved my mei tai when little was a newborn. It kept him so snuggly close to me, and was snug and compact enough for me to easily keep up with big. As little grew, I ended up getting an Ergo and love it. It's comfortable and versatile, and I can even carry big around in it when needed. Plus it has a very handy zippered pocket in front, so if I'm just running in somewhere quickly I can stick my keys, wallet, and phone in there and skip the bag. Huge bonus!

[Liz]

I have loved my Hotsling for my babies when they are little--although you always have to be careful with the pouch type sling (or any) for suffocation hazards. But both my daughter and son loved it and slept in it quite nicely.

Once they are big enough I switch to the Ergo. It's an investment but so worth it. The cost per wear is very low, I'm sure.

[Kathleen]

We have Bjorns (Classic and Sport?), an old-school Ergo, a Lillebaby, and a Maya Wrap sling. The sling gets no love because it's stretchy and hard to get the fabric through the rings (dumb postnatal moment, a different fabric would be better). My husband loves the Bjorns, although they got abandoned around 20 lbs. The Lillebaby is our compromise when we're traveling (Bjorn style for dad, on the back for me), but isn't quite as solid as the Ergo. I love the Ergo and am still using it at 23 lbs.

[Cori]

LOVED my Moby Wrap-used it with all three from newborn until 12 months--easy to wash, super comfortable and durable, and once you get the hang of it, it's really easy to use.

[Kate]

I am using an ergo for latest little, He is very content in it, the only complaints I have about Ergo, is the lack of head support of they fall asleep, and the inability to have them face forwards. Other than those two things i have loved it. I do have the newest infant insert, and I tried it, an found it to be a little useless, and awkward. I just do not think the Ergo is very infant friendly, however once they have good control over their head, it is perfect....unless they are asleep, although the rain/sun shield is perfect for those situations. I do find it hard to use in backpack without assistance.

I will say this for it, I have never had a back ache, even after hours of walking around at the zoo!

I have tried Moby wrap, I hated it. I would tie it really tight, and it always sagged so much that I felt as if the baby ended up at my knees. The Snugli I had was just uncomfortable, hurt my back and shoulders and didn't seem to provide comfort to baby.

Oh I also love the sturdiness of Ergo, it truly feels as if I could leave it alone with my kids....and they could not possbly destroy it!!!

[Suzanne]

I like my gypsy mama wrap, similar to a moby. Great for wearing a baby while preggers with the next one, you just use a little more fabric to wrap around you and the baby and have a little shorter tails left over.

[Elaine]

I'm a big fan of the snugli. Easy to put tiny babies in the front facing you, then a little older they can face out, then older still and they can ride in the back. Easy to get sleeping babies out of also. I take my babies to work and couldn't do it without my snugli.

[Molly]

Not a snugli or a bjorn or anything that looks like one! They KILL my back and are so not supportive and they just do not look comfy for baby (I sure wouldn't want to hang by my crotch and I'm not a boy...)
I loved my meitais (I have a babyhawk and one that a WAHM made for me) for when babies are brand new and squishy. I have only recently gotten the hang of a wrap with a newborn and while the slings were nice for quick in and outs, they'd make my shoulder hurt after an hour or so.

For wraps I prefer a woven to a stretchy for better support but I know lots of mamas who like the stretchy wraps like moby or sleepy wrap for newborns. Just not for me, but then, I have big newborns. :)

When I'm pregnant I like my ringsling (sleepingbaby.net has my favorite ones, most comfortable ever) to hold an older baby or toddler on my hip.

For a baby that's a little older and ready for back carries I love my boba carrier. It's a soft structured carrier like a beco or an ergo but I prefer it to both our beco and our ergo as I find it easier to use and adjust than the beco (and I hate the panel between mom and baby in the beco butterfly II) and it's got a higher back and better leg support than the ergo. I can wear my 2 1/2 year old in that for hours hiking on my back with zero complaints from either of us. DH likes it too.

[ergo baby carriers]

I love this! I love looking at all the different baby carrier. I’ve been through several & my now 1 year old is mostly worn in a ring sling for quick trips, a mei tai (by me), or our beco butterfly 2 (my husband’s carrier). It’s fun (and a little sad) to watch the babies grow up & grow out of/into different carriers.

[Lisa]

My first wanted to be carried upright and the Moby was my go-to carrier for him. My daughter preferred to be cradled and I used a New Native sling for her. I have also really liked my old school Beco and my Kinderpack for back carries and the Scootababy hip carrier was great for the "up, mama...down, mama" toddler phase.

[KnoxJESSIE24]

Set your life easier take the home loans and everything you want.

[chiropractor Brunswick back pain]

Carrying it my baby by my arms is still the best way to cuddle the cute little man you have .