Recommendations on Baby Carriers?

We love the 'Baby Pouch' (http://babypouch.bizwhich). It is essentially like the traditional Moby wrap but the fabric used has a 2-way stretch. This makes the wrap softer and easier to wrap around baby.

If you live in the LA area you should attend the Pump Station's weekly 'Sling Clinic.' It is free and they will introduce you and show you how to wear various slings, wraps and carriers.

http://www.pumpstation.com/pumpstation/dept.asp?s_id=0&am...

I LOVE my Moby wrap (http://www.mobywrap.com). I am also short waisted and found this much more comfortable.

I really liked my Graco. It was easy to get in and out and was the lightest carrier that I saw. I couldn't believe how heavy some of them are! I could barely lift it with my son after 2 months

Hi N.,
Wrap - The Moby for when baby is little (0-6 months). My daughter loved this carrier and I always felt like she was a part of me when she was in it. Once they hit 15+lbs, they get a bit heavy.

Sling - New Native, Hot Sling or Maya for in and out of the car and quick trips. My favorite now that my daughter sits on my hip is the Over the Shoulder Baby Holder. This would have worked from birth (I just got it a few months ago). It is adjustable and has padded edges (this is key). I would not get one that is not adjustable since you are petite you want it to fit you perfectly and can also be worn by someone else - husband, mom, sitter, etc.

Carrier - I just purchased the Beco for a trip and we love it. My baby weighs 20lbs and we needed something else for longer periods of walking with her. The Beco is perfect and works front or back and also as a hip carrier when folded up. I have read that the Beco is better for petite women (but will still work with larger husbands). Would highly recommend and is way more comfy than the Bjorn.

Bottom line is I ended up with about 6 carriers! They all served their own purpose.

Best of luck!
D.

N., CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SOON TO BE ARRIVAL!!!!

GOOD NEWS!!! There is a phenomenal BABYWEARING group here in L.A. called KOALA L.A.led by the very AMAZING Traci Cummings. Her monthly meetings are incredible, and she offers a BABYWEARING LENDING LIBRARY where you can borrow slings/ wraps/ carriers to try for yourself. Her # is: (213) 300~8275, and her e~mail is ____@____.com is truly a BABYWEARING ADVOCATE and all her help is free!!! : ))) I highly recommend contacting her with your request and also letting her know that you live in La Jolla. I also invite you to join our KOALA L.A. YAHOO GROUP: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/koalaLA/.

Also, http://www.thebabywearer.com/ is an amazing place to find more data on slings/ wraps/ carriers for us BABY WEARING MAMAS!

And, just so you know I love my BABYHAWK MEI TAI!

http://www.babyhawk.com/

And, my 2 other favorites BABY CARRIERS are the CALYX and
BECO BUTTERFLY!

http://mamabydesign.com/shop/

http://www.becobabycarrier.com/

LOL,
L. (BABYWEARING MAMA to 13 month old Dylan Orion........29 September 2007). : )))

I used the Ergo and the Maya Wrap. Ergo is great for longer wearing...if the child is on the smaller side-- purchase the infant insert. My baby loved falling asleep in it. It was great for outdoor outings, grocery shopping farmer's markets, amusement parks...I loved using it over a sling when I knew I was going to do a lot of walking/moving around. I used it alot when we wanted to be out but you don't want to take the stroller and lots of stuff. It is great on the back too. I loved the Maya for short term wearing or times when you aren't moving lots but the baby may want to nap-- like church or a ball game. There is something wonderful about holding the baby close. And the baby loved it! She would get so excited whenever she saw the sling or carrier come out!!!! She knew she was in for a wonderful time.

I use the Ultimate Baby Wrap by Parents of Invention and I love love love it! It's like a long piece of fabric that you wrap around and you can carry your baby 5 different ways. It takes a few minutes to learn how to wrap it (it comes with a dvd). It comes in lots of colors and is soft like a t-shirt. It also folds up small and you can carry it easily in your diaper bag. I got it because my son outgrew his bjorn carrier. This wrap goes up to 35 pounds and I can wear my 25lb 1 year old comfortably. I can't wait to use it for my next baby the whole time. So much more comfortable than the bjorn. Since it's just a piece of fabric, you can adjust it easily to your body so that it fits your size. I ordered it online through amazon, but target and babies r us also carry it online. Good luck!

Hotslings!! Hotslings!!
I loved the hotsling with bith my girls! No extra material, no rings, and easy! I used it it for almost a year with both my girls then switched to a Mei Tai! I can still use the Mei Tai with my 4 year old!

Check out chickabeez.com

The best company! The owner will talk to you on the phone about sizing too! It's a Mom in Northern CA.
Good luck!

Ergo baby!!!! Best piece of baby equipment I had. My son who is now 2 and a half can still go in it as a backpack. It's super comfortable, he loved being in it and you are hands free. It has a new born insert for the first couple of months, I started using mine when my son was four months so not sure how great the new born carrier is but I figure if it's by Ergo it's great. I used a Maya sling pre that and loved it also (especially when he was so little, it was very safe and felt comforting but I always had one hand on him so doing stuff got easier when I switched to the Ergo.
Best of luck
M.

I love the Ergo too, but I also use a "pouch" style carrier more often these days...I find it easier to use on the fly. The one I like is from a company called www.happyslings.com and it is well made.

Good luck!

I used the Moby and absolutely loved it! It was great. My son was small, so we were able to use it for a while. I am really petite as well and it was definitely the most comfortable for both of us. He would sleep in it all the time when we were out.

I agree with AR's post below. Hotsling! I bought mine on ebay. My son is 13 months, 22 lbs and I still use it and love it! He likes it too, we get to interact with each other during walks, going to the zoo, etc. Congratulations on #2!

check out www.sleepywrap.com

they're awesome!

I used my Maya Pouch with my son until he was about 4 months old. Then he was just too big for it.

With my DD I got a Maya Sling with padding in the shoulder. LOVED IT! No backaches and it was easy to wash and just throw into my diaper bag. Plus I breastfed her, so it was also used as a coverup when I was feeding in public. I used it for her first year of life. Then she started walking. I would suggest getting a slightly used one from their site or if you are handy with sewing, you can download the pattern from google to make your own.

I also had a Baby Bjorn with my son and hated it! I could only wear him in it for about 30 minutes and then I would spend the rest of the day with a very sore back. But with the pouch and sling, I had no back issues.

hey there... i have totally fallen in love with the moby wrap carrier. it is just a very long (about 6 yards) piece of very breathable stretchy material that allows you to attach your baby to you in several different positions. there are no structures or pieces that get in the way and you put it on to fit you and baby perfectly. i believe you can find some at attachedtobaby.com. let me know what you think. it is especially wonderful, because your miracle can be right against your skin/ body... :)

I liked the sling for the first few months. Now that he is six months I am using the ergo. My one complaint is that the shoulder straps fall off of my shoulders. It may be that I don't have it adjusted properly or it may be that my narrow shoulders are a problem. I love the design of both the Ergo and the Beco though- much easier on my back than the baby bjorn. I bought my ergo at a second hand shop- great price! It goes in the washer so no worries about germs.

Hi N.,

Congratulations on baby number two!! I recently had my second child and this time I am really enjoying using the Moby Wrap and another similar model called The Ultimate Baby Carrier. With my first-born I tried to use a sling and didn't care for it. The wrap is much beter on my small frame. I'm petite also and the Moby does have a lot of fabric (The UBC has less fabric) but that hasn't been a problem for me. They come in many different colors and the moby even has an organic cotton option. The wrap is very easy to use and once you see how it goes on you can put it on quickly. My good-sized four month old daughter seems to be extremely comfortable in it. I know that The Moby is sold at A Mother's Haven in Encino. If you can get there you can try on the Moby as well as a few other carriers in the store. Also, I recently found that they have a 10% coupon here on Mamasource (look under Member Perks) that you can print out and bring to the store with you. Just thought I'd mention that I've head a lot lately about the Baby Bjorn not being so good for young babies. I understand it's because the position forces them to tighten and stress muscles that should be relaxed. For infants a wrap is a great choice! Enjoy baby's birth~ and here's some free advice I was given~ have fun! Really ;)

Love, S.

definitely look in to the slings...they may seem awkward at first, but with pracitce, you will get comfortable with it! And some of them have several ways you can wrap them and carry the baby!

I've tried several brands and I think the best carrier on the market right now is called Baby K'tan. It's made of 100% cotton, is a double sling worn on both shoulders to even out weight distribution, and it really is hands-free, unlike many others that claim to be. The max weight limit is 42 pounds. Check out their website www.babyktan.com. I know that Palomar Pomerado Hospital's boutique at 15611 Pomerado Road, Suite 100, Poway, CA 92064 ###-###-#### carries them in stock. Ask for Christine or Amy, they are both extremely helpful.

I am a mom of 5. I used a sling for all of them. When they are newborn they don't weigh so much. It was easier than taking the entire car seat out. With the sling you can keep them close to you (away from germs in the air while shopping). I also used the sling a lot because I breastfed and no one even knew it. Hope you find what's best for you.

try the Mama Wrap - I'm small too and loved it
L.

I used both Bjorn and Jeep, and liked the Jeep one better--easier to put on and more comfortable to wear... and bonus, it's much less expensive!

Love my Moby Wrap for longer excursions as it is kind of a task to get it wrapped and tied and the baby just right in it, but with some practice it is really the most comfortable way to carry my baby (I'm not quite 5'4'' and 135lbs). But for quick trips in and out of the grocery store or dropping off my preschooler I LOVE my hotsling - got it at Target, their pattern selection is pretty limited, but it's a good price if you're not hung up on having just the right look. Of course you can get pretty much any color or pattern online :) What I would do first is pop in the store and try on different sizes with the baby after (s)he's born (that's what I did) because they come in a packaging that you can snap open and closed. My 4 month old is happy in either the wrap or sling, and falls asleep easily in both. Happy carrier hunting!

I'm petite as well. I used Moby wrap for the first few months (very comfortable but not easy to wear). I've been using Ergo which is much better than Baby Bjorn but it still feels bulky for me. I heard that Beco is more comfortable for petite figure but I never tried it.
ps: Ergo has 90-day warranty.

Hi N.,

I never did well with the carriers or slings. Try looking into wraps. There are a lot of variations. They support the baby and my back much better. It took a little to figure out how to use them but once I got that figured out it was much more practical for me. The website for Cotton Cradles was informative and had great variey.

Good luck finding what works for you.
http://www.cottoncradles.com/

I love the Ergo. I didn't use the infant insert as much as I had hoped to because it got too hot for both mom and baby during the summer months. But now that my son is big enough to be in the Ergo without the infant insert it is great. So much better on my back!

If you search past posts on this site regarding carriers, you'll see the Ergo was very popular among Mamma's here.

I love the Ergo. I have two. The old style I got with my first and the new style I got with my second (we used both for a short while with two kids). I tend to use a pouch for the first month or two but I did use the Ergo a few times with my second newborn - then after he had head control it was all I used. My first child rode on the back as late as 4 years old (we were hiking). I'm short and petite as well and this is the only carrier that didn't hurt my back and was a cinch to use.

I highly recommend it!
M.

I don't know where you live, but I would suggest going to a store that carries different options and trying them...even bring a doll or a friend who has a baby so you can try them out. Kisui in Redlands is a good place! Good luck!