Baby Wearing

[purelygemini]

Does anyone with small children have recommendations for the best baby wearing carrier? I'm looking at the Boba, K'Tan or Moby. It's so hard to know without trying it out or never using one before and I want to spend the money on a good one!

 

[jinxii]

I've tried the Moby with my friends kid, and if you're short, go with a different brand! I'm only 4'9" and it didn't work at all for me.

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I'm going to be using a Baby K'Tan and a ring sling with this one. I'm not a fan of wraps, and the Baby K'Tan seems more my speed for those early days. We're also getting a Tula, especially for when they've gained some weight.

Tulas are my favorite, and I still wear my 2 1/2 year old in one without a problem. Plus there are a ton of prints to chose from!

 

[pinkpassion]

I'm 4'11" and my moby is just fine!! I used it for months with dd1. I do think a k'tan is easier to use because you don't have to do all the wrapping lol. But I can't part with my moby, I just love it so much! I also have a mei tai carrier. I love it!!!!

 

[MeeOhMya]

i have an ergo. It's great but they are pretty expensive.

 

[Scout]

I had a Baby K'Tan, the Ergo, and the Boba 3G. I returned the K'Tan bc my baby hated being in it. I returned the Ergo bc I had a May baby and live in the southern US and the infant insert was way too hot. I loved the Boba 3G and used it from infancy until just recently (she's 2 and a half).

 

[justplay91]

I have an Ergo 360 + infant insert, a Moby, and a K'tan. The Ergo is fantastic, especially as baby gets older and heavier, but isn't great for a newborn because the insert gets hot pretty quickly and just doesn't seem to hold baby super comfortably. The K'tan is great, because it's quick and easy to put on, but the fact that it isn't adjustable makes it a little less fitting and supportive than the Moby. I use it with my DD who is currently about 7.5 lbs, and I wouldn't want to use it much past about 15 lbs. That said, the Moby can be pretty difficult to put on in public because it drags on the ground and I usually can't get a great tie with it... But when I do, I love it! Overall, they're all great for different functions. For just carrying her around the house, I use the K'tan because it's so easy to take on and off. The Ergo is great for long walks outside because it's so supportive I can't even feel when my 26 lb toddler is on my back. And I typically use the Moby for long shopping trips or walks around the mall. If I ever have another baby, I think I'll try a ring sling and a mai tei as well. I'd like to try them all!

 

[EarthMama]

I tried the baby K'tan with my 2nd and man, didn't like it at all, hard to get a perfect fit.

I ended up wrapping my newborn, with a semi-stretchy wrap, which seemed hard at first but really wasn't with a few tries and I was able to get a perfect fit for the baby which was important for comfort for long-term wearing.

But as soon as baby turns 4 months, in the Ergo he/she goes.

 

[Itsychik]

I only discovered baby wearing with my second baby... and after reading around different websites and reviews I more or less blindly chose the Boba wrap (a stretchy wrap, because I read it was better/easier for the newborn phase). And I LOVED it! That thing was a lifesaver on so many different occasions. One of the big benefits (IMO) of a stretchy wrap is that it's so easy to adjust baby to different positions without having to re-wrap yourself every time. For example, when I would go out I could sit somewhere and adjust DD into a laying position and feed her pretty discretely and the wrap allowed me to do so just one handed. Or when I took an intercontinental flight and had her in the wrap so we could both sleep and I didn't have to worry about dropping her, or for taking her in/out of the wrap multiple times (like driving from store to store) and I could leave the wrap on in the car and just pop DD in and out at each stop.

I tried a woven wrap after DD was born also but I thought it felt too constricting.

There are some disadvantages though to the stretchy wraps. Since they ARE stretchy, you have to wrap it multiple times around yourself/baby and during the warmer months this can get uncomfortable (I live in a cooler climate so this was only an issue for me for about a month during the summer). Also, as your baby gets bigger/heavier you may need to tighten/adjust the wrap if baby wriggles a lot. And, you can't use the stretchy wrap to back carry, so if you want something you can convert into a back carrier then you should consider a different type of wrap.

I also got the infantimo mei tei carrier which I really dislike (and my DD HATED being in), and I recently bought an Ergo, although I've never used it before but I'm looking forward to trying it out once my next LO grows out of the Boba. If you keep an eye out for deals, you might be able to find a cheap Ergo (Zulily had a sale in the spring and I got mine for $65, and sometimes there are deals on Amazon). I've also seen them at TJ Maxx stores for around $60 (although then you don't get a colour choice).

If there's a baby carrying consultant anywhere near you, you might be able to try out a few types of wraps/carriers/slings to try and get a feel for what you like before you buy something?

Good luck either way!!

 

[vaniilla]

We've chosen a close caboo for this lo, I've found it very easy to put on and and off, it doesn't involve any wrapping as the carrier slips over your head and you then tie an apron like thing over you. I agree with the PP that a stretchy wraps is very practical to use in the first few months.

 

[Mthoodmom]

I used a baby bjorn with my other children, but am going with an ergo for this one. supposedly it is the most comfortable carrier for mom and baby... we shall see!

 

[purelygemini]

I'm going to be using a Baby K'Tan and a ring sling with this one. I'm not a fan of wraps, and the Baby K'Tan seems more my speed for those early days. We're also getting a Tula, especially for when they've gained some weight.

Tulas are my favorite, and I still wear my 2 1/2 year old in one without a problem. Plus there are a ton of prints to chose from!

I have no idea what a ring sling is or a Tula so i'll have to check them out, thanks!!

 

[purelygemini]

I had a Baby K'Tan, the Ergo, and the Boba 3G. I returned the K'Tan bc my baby hated being in it. I returned the Ergo bc I had a May baby and live in the southern US and the infant insert was way too hot. I loved the Boba 3G and used it from infancy until just recently (she's 2 and a half).

I'll have to keep that in mind for the Ergo since I'll have an April-ish baby and live in SoCal. Thanks!

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

This is my daughter in a Tula and a ring sling. The Tula is a soft structured carrier, so you buckle them instead of wrapping fabric around them and your body. Much easier to use in my opinion, and very sturdy. I've done 5k races with her in the Tula on my back and didn't even feel her. Plus they hold re-sell value well. They usually go for $150 new, but I've seen them for $100 on ebay and Babywearing on a Budget Facebook group. Definitely my favorite carrier! (The Standard can be used up to 45 lbs, so you can use them with baby for 2-3 years)

https://www.tulababycarriers.com/

 

[HopefulEm]

I did not like the K'Tan because baby never felt supported enough in it and there's no way to tighten it up. I switched to a woven wrap and never looked back. (I still carry her in it at 21 months.)

 

[MindUtopia]

A moby or similar fully adjustable stretchy wrap is great for a new baby (Kari-Me is another brand and there are loads of people who make their own). I personally don't like the ones that are pre-wrapped (like K'tan or Close Caboo). Putting on and adjusting a wrap is easy once you get the hang of it (if it isn't, it's user error and you just need to find someone to help you figure out how to do it and/or keep practicing until you get it). But I don't like the ones that aren't fully adjustable. Stay away from the pouch like ones, Babasling and the like, basiclally anything where baby hangs like in a hammock. They aren't safe or comfortable. A good ergonomic carrier is great when they get older (we have an Ergo, but there are lots of brand), but they aren't super comfortable for a new baby. They are great for when you're on the go, doing something active, but not great for sitting or bending over or doing housework, which is a lot of what I did with my daughter in the wrap when she was small. Really recommend a moby or other stretchy. It was a lifesaver and the absolute best thing we bought before we had our daughter. We eventually moved on to using a woven wrap, which I love, and I can still wear her in the woven and in the Ergo and she's almost 3.

 

[xSweetTartx]

If you can sew, there are a million tutorials to make these carriers on your own.
Last time I made a mei tai style with an end cost of $45
This time I am making a soft structured carrier similar to the tula. Materials this time cost $38

 

[jinxii]

I think I've decided on a mei tai style carrier for me because my husband will use it too and it looks like the easiest to swap between people. I also like how you tie straps over baby.. seems like better support for baby and me.

 

[LaughOutLoud]

I have ergo but use it after few months

 

[jenmcn1]

My experience this far with baby #4 on the way has been, I LOVE my Moby wrap for the first 2-3 months, and arohbd 5 months my babies usually love the Ergo! Anytime before that is uncomfortable for them and they can't quite stretch their legs and hips that far apart. I have found 5 months a good age to switch over. You can also get the infant insert. Personally I lived my moby for the newborn stage. So comfy and close to mama without the bulk of a structured carrier. Love BOTH the moby and Ergo. Just depends on the age of baby