Baby Carriers

I LOVE Mei Tai's... probably why I started making them! My daughters loved being carried in them, and I still carry my 2 year old on my back if she wants, and my 1 year old on my front or back, she loves both. I'm in DePere if you'd like to come over and try one on, and you can check out my website at www.CarriersByLisa.com.

1 mom found this helpful

A lot of people like the Ergo. I have never tried it, personally, as I prefer all-fabric carriers to ones with straps/clips. The really appealing thing about Ergo to me, though, is the accessories, like the backpack, that attach to it.

I use a ring sling for my son who is 15 months, as well as for the baby we nanny for who is 3 months. I have also used wrap-carriers and mei tei's. I prefer the ring sling for most daily use, but the mei tei also gets used regularly. I do love my wrap, especially for walks, but I don't use it as often because it takes longer to put on, although when Rene was younger, I used the wrap regularly in one carry that could be taken off and put back on without retying.

You may want to check thebabywearer.com for more information. That site has a lot of information about all kinds of carriers, as well as forums that you could ask people about the different types.

Good luck and happy babywearing!
Ray

1 mom found this helpful

I tried the Moby and found it way too hot! Lots of my friends like the ergo and mai tei type carriers. There is a group called Twin Cities NINO that meets twice a month. They have all kinds of baby carriers that you can try out, and folks to talk to about various carriers, how to wear them , and where to get them. You should be able to just google "Twin Cities NINO" and get information on meeting locations, dates and times.
Baby wearing is such a nice and convenient way to transport a little one! Best of luck!
M.

I LOVE my Ergo and would recommend it in a heartbeat!!

I have a moby wrap. The regular kind, without the padding. I like it for toting my daughter around in the house. i haven't used it outside much, mostly I just put her in it when I'm doing housework like laundry. She's a good-sized 6 months and it's not uncomfortable for me at all. And she's got the thunder thigh thing going on too, and it doesn't seem to bother her at all :) It is a ton of fabric though, and I really have to wonder how great that's going to work in the summer, since your whole torso is wrapped in copious amounts of fabric. I also can't really comment on how it would work for long expeditions--the longest I've ever used it for was maybe an hour or two.

I LOVE the moby wrap. I don't use it much anymore, but she still likes it when I put her in, and it is very comfortable for both of us. It was a lifesaver when she was a little younger.

I am currently trying to figure out the same thing. I am interested in some kind of sling because I can bring my baby to work with me and want a hands-free nursing solution. I have been doing a lot of reading but the more I do, the more I realize I need to try out some different slings and see what works best for me and my daughter. If it is at all possible, you should see about trying out a few different carriers. If there is a smaller baby-products speciality shop in your area, see if they will work with you and let you try a few out. I just suggest this because the more I read, it seems that everybody just LOVES the carrier that works for them, but there are a lot of unhappy uses of carriers out there too. The conclusion I've come to is, it is a very individual thing for parents and babies and there is no easy best-carrier solution that works for everyone. Take in other's advice, but use it to shop around for one that works for you and your daughter. I hope that helps!

Hi B.,

I also have a big baby, and I've just graduated from the Bjourn to a Mei Tai-style (asian style) carrier - the maker of mine is Babyhawk (www.babyhawk.com) It's so comfy! I just came back from New York City where I spent one full day wearing my 26 lb-er as I played super-tourist, and no soreness whatsoever. (I would've had two full days if that storm hadn't hit & made it rain so terribly hard on Sunday!!) In any case, I love this carrier - I wear Noah all the time. You can also wear your little one on your hip or on your back (if she wouldn't pull at your hair like mine does!!)

In Milwaukee, there's a class at least once a month on babywearing where one can try on different style carriers to see which works best with mom & baby. Perhaps there's something like that in your area too? Maybe if you do a search online you could find something like that, and try different carriers on before selecting a new one.

I hope this helps & good luck finding the right carrier - it's so worth it!!

My toddler--he's 16 months old--still likes our morning walks in the Over The Shoulder Baby Holder sling. He's used it since he was 3 months old. It's highly adjustable.

Wraps are great, but more complicated and hotter. The advantage of a wrap is you can put it on in the morning and put baby in and out while leaving the wrap on in between errands. I don't have a wrap because of they are so much money and I don't think I'd use it as often as my other 2 carriers.
I really like my Pretty Momma Sling. It doesn't have the pads on the edges so it is lighter and much easier to use. Also, the shoulder is very comfortable.
I also love my Mei Tai. Its a little bit like a wrap, but is less complicated to use. You can do front or back carries and continues to work as they grow bigger. Its better than a sling for long periods of time since it uses both shoulders to support.
attachedtobaby.com has tons of carriers and info on it. Good luck!
J.

If you want to get some hands on help I co-lead a local babywearing group. We are like the laleche for babywearing. It's called Milwaukee Babywearers and we have 2 classes a month. Once every month in the falls at The Center for Well Rounded Maternity Care nad then we alternate between the wauwatosa library and the waukesha library for the other meetings. We offer hands on help with any carrier and show you the variety of baby carriers out there that you won't find in babies r us, etc.
http://www.milwaukeebabywearers.com

mei tai! i can't say enough wonderful things about them! they are so versatile (good for front & back carry) & can be used from birth to 35 pounds.

i use mine with my 30 pound 3 year old son & he loves it!

i think you can find them online in a variety of places - they range from fairly expensive ($65+) to fairly inexpensive (maybe $25 or so), and come with different bells & whistles depending on the maker/brand. lots of wahm's make them (i work outside of the home full-time, but i make them) because they are less expensive to make than to buy a lot of the time. if you're a bit handy with a sewing machine, you can probably find a pattern online & make your very own.

let me know if you have questions - i'm a self-proclaimed babywearing addict!

J.
mom to chase (3)

I like my Over the Shoulder Baby Holder. It is simple and works for larger babies. My son is 2 and I carried him at the zoo the other day... and I also use it for my 4 month old. He was a bigger baby too :)

Something else to think about is attending a NINO meeting. NINO stands for Nine In Nine Out and I have heard that they have many slings to try and see what works for you. I think you could find their local chapter by googling them.

SAHM to 2 boys ages 2 and 4 months.