Advice on Baby Wearing

I loved the Bjorn and recommend it highly on the basis of personal experience.

However, I think the Ergo is sort of the brand of choice these days. It has drawbacks that would bother me personally -- first you need the infant insert, then there's a little while while you can't use it at all, then you can use it again -- but a lot of people swear by it.

I personally preferred the Bjorn to any sling. It was simpler and more stable. My son really liked the close contact. When he got old enough he LOVED to face outward and stare at the world.

I haven't read all the other responses, but I had a ring sling and hated it. I loved my sleepy wrap and loved my mei tai. I used both much more with my 2nd than my 1st...it was much more necessary. I liked the wrap for the younger months and the mei tai once my baby could sit up.

I love my Ergo and have used it for 2 babies, and will be using it when my next baby comes. I haven't gotten an infant insert yet, as I also have a Sleepy Wrap (similar to the Moby), which I tend to use for newborns. I like to be able to tuck my newborn away from overly-curious eyes and hands. I have an Ergo sport and have never had trouble with it feeling uncomfortable.

I bought my Ergo from Heavenly Hold, and was able to try it out before committing to the full purchase:
http://www.heavenlyhold.com/

There are tons of other options that she carries, so happy trials!

I love my ring sling! I have an unpadded Maya Wrap and a couple unpadded ones I bought from mamas on Etsy.com. I also used padded Over the Shoulder Baby Holders and one other brand of unpadded ring sling that I can't think of the brand.
I tried a couple other styles that I borrowed from friends as well.
I found the ring sling to be the least "fiddly". There aren't a bunch of ties and buckles and pieces and parts. Just one big piece of material and a couple rings to slip it through. There wasn't as much bulk either. I safely used if from only a couple days old until they were just too heavy to really carry anymore in it. When using it with a newborn I always put them tummy to tummy with their head head up against my chest. I never put them lying down in it, cradled. I never felt comfortable doing it that way, and if done wrong it can cause breathing problems and I didn't want to chance it. I would put them in a cradle position to nurse though, always using my arm to hold them, never doing it "hands free".
I can still carry my almost 4 year old in the sling today, though obviously not all day long like when she was little.

I just ordered the k'tan baby carrier it looks easy to use and I to have a sling I just don't feel my 4week old looks very comfortable.

I could never figure out that Moby Wrap! I used a sling when the babies were tiny. Their heads were covered, they were "snuggled" and I could easily nurse without too much exposure.

When the got older, I tried a Bjorn but it just didn't work well for me. I am short and it just didn't "fit" me. My husband used it all the time with both kids and LOVED it!

Head to a consignment shop and try a few on (post baby). See what feels good and then buy one!

We opted for the Beco baby carrier. They've improved a bit since we got ours about six years ago, but I highly recommend them. We chose this one as it is very adjustable and worked for both myself (4'11.5") and my husband (6'), whereas, some other brands would have required us to buy two separate ones due to sizing (of the adult).

I liked the Beco, wore my son on my front, and then back, and because my back is not in great shape, this was offered more support than a sling would have. I used a Bjorn a friend had given us, after 6 weeks and for the first few months, while my husband used the Beco with the infant insert. By 5-6 months or so, he was in the Beco with one or the other of us wearing it.

I have five baby carriers, so I will tell you about each one. And I just had a second baby, so I understand. I like the Bjorn for its ease of use. It's great when I need to get baby in and out of car easily and safely. I think everyone should have one for that reason, and because it doesn't require an infant insert, like the Ergo. However, it's not super comfortable for long periods, for you or the baby, so I don't really even think of it as a baby wearing device, more like a baby carrying device. I have two Ergos. I switched to that with my first when he hit fifteen pounds; it's great for long walks and still easy to put on. Don't make the mistake I made and get the sport model; the straps aren't as padded so its less comfortable for you. I recently bought the classic Ergo with the infant insert for my second. It's cozy and comfy, but if you are running errands, it's not great, because the insert is like a little papoose and you really need a flat surface to lay baby on to get him in and out. For actual baby wearing, I like the Moby. It's cozy and supportive for infants who need head support. But it's hard to put on outside, because it gets dirty when it drags on the ground, and I do find it a little time consuming to get baby in and out, because it just seems to come undone for me even when I don't take it all the way off. However, when baby is crying and I really need to feed toddler or get him to sleep, it's the best thing. I am wary of slings and have never tried one. I also have the Kelty back pack, which is strictly for hiking, and I have the new Nuroo pocket, which is a baby wearing shirt. It isn't very supportive, you need to keep one hand on baby if you walk around with him; it's supposed to facilitate skin to skin contact but I've found it pretty inconvenient. Hope this helps!

My husband and I both LOVED our Bjorn's - the kids liked them too, especially once they were old enough to face out. Just be careful not to use them until they are holding their head up well on their own.

Good Luck!

I loved Ergo - it carries all the way up to 50lbs and over. There's a new ergo-like carrier out there. I don't know it, but it's similar - I think it has some more options.

I loved my Over The Shoulder Baby holder, which is a padded ring sling. My sister swears by her Moby Wrap.

I loved my Ergo. In fact I'm passing it on to a friend who is expecting. It's supportive and does not dig into your shoulders like Baby Bjorn styles.

I loved my bjorn. it was easy for me to put on and off on my own. I could do anything with it on. (2nd hand store if you need to get one much cheaper than the $50.00 for a new one).

Good luck

FYI- bjorn's and similar style carries do not allow the baby to be in a natural position. They can cause hip problems. They're called "crotch danglers " due to all of baby's weight on their crotch. They don't look the least bit comfortable. I used a sleepy wrap (like a moby) until my babies were big enough for ergo (4-5 mo). They are now 15 &34 mo and we still use ergo. You can do back, side or front wear with the ergo

Did not love my Moby or Hot Sling either. I recommend the Ergo but get a infant insert!! Bjorn was good, too but I liked the Ergo best!

I failed with multiple slings with my first. We used a Jeep brand version of the Bjorn, which worked okay, but they go rapidly from too small for it to too big. For the second, I bought a Sleepy Wrap. It has more give than a Moby, so you put it on you, then it's easy to pop the baby in and out. Takes a tiny bit of practice at first, but that was by far the best thing I had for my second that I didn't have for my first. The downside is that the fabric is like a double-knit t-shirt -- pretty heavy for wearing here in the summer. I did use it for my newborn in June, but we would both get pretty sweaty it wasn't well air-conditioned (but even so, she went shopping *a lot* in that thing). We then spent a month in cooler temps, and I just wore the wrap all day - popped her in and out as needed. Awesome. So much better for grocery shopping, for example -- no lugging the bucket and the 3-year-old.

Once she was a little older, I ordered a Beco on eBay. Much cheaper than stores. Our Kid2Kid (consignment store) now carries a lot of them, so if you have one nearby, check there. The Beco is fine, but never got as much use as I thought. This kid is just as happy in a stroller. So part of my advice would be to weight on a carrier-type purchase (Bjorn, Ergo, Beco, etc.) until the kid's a little older and you have a good idea of what you need it for. Wraps are cheaper and easier for the newborn phase.

The BEST thing to do is find a babywearing group in your area. I found one where I live, and they have monthly meetings where I could go with my baby and they would show me how to use all kinds of wraps until I found one that was good for me and the baby liked it. And, they had a lending library so I could borrow one for a month to try it out before I went out and bought one. Google for babywearing groups, or attachment parenting groups or even La Leche League in your area for a lead on women who can actually show you how to wear your baby. You really can't mimic that kind of help and experience online.

I loved a simple ring sling for ease of use and for nursing. And I loved the Moby for longer walks and when I wanted to be truly 100% hands-free (I always felt like I needed 1 hand nearby the baby in the ring sling for a little stability). I also had a Snuggli, but the baby wasn't as comfortable in that as he was in the ring sling or moby. But everyone is different.