Carriers and Slings

I used the bjorn for my first baby and the Ergo and Moby wrap for my second. The Ergo may look just like the bjorn but it holds them by the butt instead of by the crotch which places the spine in a more natural position. as a mom who wore both babies a lot - I just felt better with the Ergo, it was comfortable for me and I thought my sone was more comfy too. Another benefit to the Ergo is it can be used until they are 40 pounds as a hip carrier and a back carrier.

I also liked the Moby wrap when my son was an infant so I could breastfeed while carrying. It was more difficult to learn how to position the baby in it but there was the benefit of additional material for coverage. As my baby grew I stopped using the Moby (because I had recieved the Ergo as a gift) but according to the detailed instructions that came with it, it was also able to be used with older kids as a hip or back carrier.

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The Ergo carrier looks a lot like the Bjorn, but it is SOOOO much more comfortable, and I think it is easier to take on and off. I got mine used, but I think it is well worth the money if you have to buy it new. See if there is a store in your area that sells them so you can try it out. Or if you have a friend that has one, maybe you can borrow hers and see if you like it.

I have owned pretty much every other kind of carrier or sling out there, and the Ergo is by far my favorite. Good luck!

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I have the moby and I LOVE it, it's not just for infants.I still use mine for my 18 month old, they hold up to 35lbs. You just need to tie it different ways for the toddler.

http://www.mobywrap.com/gallery.aspx

I used Bjorn with my daughter until she was almost 1 year old ...it is sturdy and gives you that close feeling to your baby. Remember they quickly grow out of these things so if you already have one use it. Be careful with wraps ensure your babys safety.

I really like my K'atan... great for infants and older kids... take a look at it online.

I like the Infantino Flip carrier. You can make it into a backpack when your baby gets bigger, but it works really well as a front carrier too. I think it's more comfortable than the Bjorn, and it's cheaper too. I got it for like $30 at Target. My friend has something called the Peanut Shell, which I know works well with her 1 year old and she holds him on her hip, hands free. It's more of a sling. Good luck finding a good one!

I used a mobi and still do. My kids usually outgrow it at about 1 year to 18 months.

I actually didn't buy a mobi because it is a knit fabric and can have issues with that (you can google that). Instead bought 6 yards of a pretty batik fabric and then cut it lenghtwise so I had 2 wraps, 6 feet each. That wat when one is covered in blow out diaper and needs to be washed the other is clean...

If you go that way M. I suggest a multicolored fabric, it hides stains better...

I absolutely love my Babyhawk Mei Tai carrier. This is one that you can definitely use for a while (my almost 4 year old still fits in it). They have a great website and you can completely customize your carrier if you don't mind the wait or they have some in stock that you can choose from. I use mine all the time and truly love it.

you can make a moby out of fabric, no sewing experience necessary.

i made a mei tai and my daughter LIVED in it. we even went to disney world when she was two months and she napped, nursed, watched, went on some rides and saw some shows...we went everywhere in it!

i've tried millions of carriers, and made several. the mei tai was so easy and is by far my absolute favorite. and it worked for my three year old too! so they won't outgrow it! i lost it a few months ago and seriously miss it!

I had an "over the shoulder baby holder" sling. It can hold up to 100lbs. I couldn't carry a kid that big, I'm sure! It come with pictures and a dvd to show all the different ways to carry a child from infant to toddler (to apparently pre-teen at 100# !!). My little guy was around 3 last time I had him in it. Still comfortable for both of us! I think it was $40 or $45, which I thought was a lot, but I think I got my money's worth and it still looks brand new.

Hope you find one you like!

I loved my mobi! We used it for our son until he was a little over 2 1/2. The only reason we stopped is that he got to heavy. There are so many ways of wraping it that you can use it for quite a while. I also used a ring sling. This was mainly around the house because if he fell asleep in it then we could just un loop it with out jostling him and put him down in it.

The mobi takes a little time to get used to but once you figure it out you are good to go.

I could never get used to the Bjorn. My husband liked it. I will say that I never tried the Ergo as it looked and felt too much like the bjorn

I have a Bjorn, a Moby Wrap, a Beco Butterfly 2, and a Beco Gemini. When I was looking for a carrier, I went to the Park + Vine in downtown Cincinnati and tried various carriers on (they have Moby wraps, Erogs, Becos, and several other types of carrier to try). If you are able to get to Cincinnati sometime, I recommend you bring your baby and try it out (my daughter detests the Moby Wrap - every child is different).

The Beco Butterfly 2 is almost identical to the Ergo, except that it has an interior sling for those of us who are nervous about back carries without one, and cannot do a hip-carry. ^_^ It also has a slightly different fit for the adult (another reason why it's great to try out various carriers). The Beco Gemini is also similar except that it can do the forward-facing carry that the Bjorn can do (not recommended for long periods of time, but fine for an hour trip to the zoo or whatever) and can do a hip-carry as well. Don't let the looks of the carriers fool you - both the Beco and the Ergo are 100 times more comfortable than a Bjorn, better for your back, and are good to a much higher weight-level. I had to stop using the Bjorn with my son when he was 5 months old because he was a big kid and it was breaking my back. I can STILL carry him in the Butterfly 2 at age 23 months. My 3 month old daughter didn't like the Butterfly 2 (she isn't very flexible and had a hard time sitting with her legs so far apart) and so the Beco Gemini is perfect for her because you can narrow or expand the base depending on the size of your child.

Another good reference is this site: http://www.frogmama.com/ She is the person I buy most of my carriers from, but she also has comparisons of different carriers on her website so that you can find the features you are looking for, she has a great try-it-and-return-it policy, and her clearance section has gently-used carriers for as low as half the cost. Even if you don't buy from her, I really think her instructional videos and comparison webpages are worth a look. Good luck!

i like my moby, i also have a bjorn, which i never use because it's not comfortable, and I have an olives and applesauce carrier, that i adore. The O&A functions a lot like the bjorn, but has different features making it better for infants and just more comfortable to wear and more comfortable for baby. My husband also wears it, so much so that I am getting a custom one for him, since mine is flowery and bright. He refuses to use my Moby. On another note, I can breast feed with my son in the Moby, which I can't do with my other carrier, it fits in the diaper bag better, since it is just fabric, but it is a pain to put on when not at home, while my O & A is easy to toss on in a parking lot or crowded room. here is a link for the O & A carriers.

http://olivesandapplesauce.com/catalog.htm

A bjorn is actually bad for your baby plus once they start getting heavy they hurt your back and shoulders. I have an ergo and it is the most comfortable carrier. I use it with my 3 1/2 yr old when I walk my dogs I put him on my back and off we go.

Even though other moms have said the same thing, I loved my Ergo so much that I must chime in! The Ergo was so comfortable for both me and my son. We used it until he was probably 2 1/2 or more.

I too have to chime in on the ERGO! I LOVE it!

I had a bjorn first ... hated it. The way it is designed, at least 3 years ago, it pulled in all the wrong places, and my daughter was not a fan either.

The Ergo... the straps support the weight better... the distribution is different, so you feel it less on your back. In addition, the way baby "sits" in it is better for them. They aren't hanging by their crotch ... they are actually in more of a sitting position.

For newbies there is an infant insert which is quite nice. I've used that with my twins. Not at the same time of course. :-)

Another good option is a wrap...but I would encourage you to go with a woven wrap...IMO they are sturdier and support baby better.

I do not like a ring sling... it pulled on my shoulder too much.

As you can see I've tried many different carriers. My fav so far is my woven wrap and my Ergo. You may also want to look into the Becco carriers. They are quite nice as well. However, I DO like the hood that comes with the Ergo. It's great to help baby go to sleep.... keeps distractions down. Also is great for windy weather and what not.

I see that quite a few people have given suggestions, but thought I would give my 2 cents worth. I am short, short-waisted and big busted. So, the moby is definitely flexible enough for my shape, and I did use it has I had a that and a ring sling as my first two carriers. But, if I have a second I am not sure I will use them at all. (Here's a comparison chart of some popular brands: http://www.theportablebaby.com/carrierfeatures.html, but it does not list the two I like best.) If I had it to do all over again, I would definitely use the Mei Tai, which I got about the time my son was a year old. Wish I had it earlier. And I now have the Chunei, which IMO, has no learning curve at all. I don't know why no one I know talks about or uses this one! http://www.hosausa.com/how.html I don't think I would feel comfortable using the Ergo for a newborn. Anyway, I only used my moby for big outings where we would be walking all day. I used the ring sling for restaurants where I would be sitting with the baby. I was watching a friend of mine use her ring sling, and I realized that it didn't really work for me because I was so short-waisted, there really wasn't the right space for the baby to set in it well. So, in my situation, I would not feel comfortabel chasing a 2yo around in a ring sling. Mei Tai and Chunei would be what I recommend. The Chunei would take you from infant all the way to 3 or 4 years old.