Ergo vs other carriers?

[MrsKChicago]

I'm setting up our registry, and looking for some input on carriers. We have a Moby and a ring sling for the tiny baby stage, so I'm specifically looking for something for when he's a little bigger. I don't really have a practice baby to borrow to test them out, unfortunately.

I'm looking at an Ergobaby carrier (https://www.amazon.com/ERGObaby-Ori...s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1415764325&sr=1-5) for a couple reasons. It seems to be comfortable and ergonomically correct for a baby - knees at or above hips, etc, as far as I can tell. It has a good sized pocket on the front so I don't have to worry about a diaper bag for short runs to the store. And most importantly, my husband has a badly healed broken collarbone, and having bag straps lying over it can really hurt. The Ergo has a hip carry option that only goes over one shoulder, so he'd be able to work around his bad collarbone without any trouble. I haven't seen that on any other soft sided carrier, but I may have missed it. I know the Ergo doesn't have a forward facing option, but I don't anticipate using that option anyway.

Any opinions? Anyone have an Ergo and love it or hate it? How do they compare to the higher end carriers like Tula?

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

We were given an ergo, we've only used it once on a friends baby and he seemed pretty happy in it

Of my friends who have carriers, most of them have the ergo and love it.

 

[minties]

Ergos are great! Very comfy. Love the fabric, love the pocket, love the padded shoulder straps. I sold mine and bought a kinderpack in the end because:

-Ergo straps only adjust one way. Fine for front carries, hated it for back carries. You have to yank them behind you with a back carry and I hated that.

-They are quite small for toddlers. I needed something taller and wider and my daughter is very short.

-The side fastening waist buckle can make your tummy look fat. The waist strap sort of folds over a bit and digs into your tummy.

-A bit hot for summer. My kinderpack had a mesh panel.


I would use an ergo again for a 0-15 month old happily

 

[MrsKChicago]

Thanks! Do you know of any carriers that would be better for a toddler that come with the hip carry option? I like what I've seen of the Ergo, but if I can get something that will last longer and that DH can work around with his collarbone, it might be the better bet for us.

 

[felix555]

I love my ergo I still carry my 12 kg, 19month old in it most days ... although he's getting too heavy now for long (2+ hours) walks.

As minties says, can be hot in the summer and that's my only complaint with it. But I live in London so summer typically lasts 2.5 days if we're lucky.

I will say though if you're getting it for the side carry ... I find it's really awkward carrying this way with the ergo. It could just be me doing it wrong but I just never managed it. I really just don't think it's designed well for side carrying personally.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'll likely be front or back carrying most of the time. It's just DH who will need the side carry option. I'm hoping the carrier will fall in such a way that it doesn't bug his collarbone, but I'd hate to be halfway through a day out and he starts to hurt and has no other options. We'll have a stroller too, so if it's a million degrees we'll probably just wheel him.

 

[felix555]

I really do think it might just be me but I found I was either strangling myself with the one strap or it was too loose (I'm taking about the strap on the shoulder)

If you look at these pics you'll see what I mean

https://www.lasplash.com/publish/Li...nd_parenting/the-ergo-baby-carrier-review.php

I really don't think you'll regret getting it though. It's a brilliant carrier, I love it and it's the thing I've had the most use out of. My OH has also always loved it and he carries him in it all the time still, he prefers it to the pushchair.

I wouldn't have survived the baby phase without it as my LO needed to be held constantly and I still love it now he's a toddler.

 

[minties]

Hip carry is painful and akward for me in any carrier. Always hurts my neck and just feels wrong and heavy. Sorry :-/

I would imagine weight evenly distributed across two shoulders would be better for him than weight digging into his neck.

 

[Tulip]

I also loved my ergo but hated the hip carry, sorry! If youn can stretch to a different carrier for hubby, the scootababy is specifically for a hip carry x

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'll check it out! I don't think he'll be the primary baby carrier (he overheats too), but we both want him to have the option, and I'll probably want to hip carry when he's older. Have you tried the Scootababy? Did you like it?

 

[felix555]

No experience of them but aren't ring slings really good for side carry? Might be a good option for a second carrier

Eta - https://www.ellaroo.com/index.php/instructions/hip_carry_ring_sling

 

[MrsKChicago]

My SIL has a ring sling from my nephew that she's giving us. Maybe we'll see how comfortable it is. I don't know if DH will feel secure carrying him without nice solid straps and buckles, though. We have a Moby, too, but everyone says they're too stretchy for bigger babies, and possibly too complicated for someone who doesn't do it regularly.

 

[felix555]

Yes I hear ya, that's exactly why we got the ergo. I do wish I persevered more with the Moby but I struggled with it and used the ergo from very early on.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'm looking at reviews for the Scootababy and it looks really promising! I could do that and the Ergo for the price of a high end carrier like a Tula. Now I'm wondering, though, if we'd use the Ergo much if we had a hip carrier. We both tend towards crossbody carrying in non-baby situations (messenger bags vs backpacks, etc. Even his camera strap is cross body). I guess I can always sell the Ergo if we don't use it.

 

[MrsKChicago]

Anyone try a Beco Gemini for hip carrying? A friend just recommended it and said the hip carry was comfortable. She said we're welcome to test it out, but I have a feeling DH won't be comfortable actually carrying her baby in it, and he's still itty bitty, so wouldn't be representative of what it would be like with an older baby anyway.

 

[minties]

Is there a particular reason why you are so keen on hip carries? I found back carries infinitely more comfortable.

 

[MrsKChicago]

My husband broke his collarbone several years ago and it healed badly, and he can't have straps over that shoulder. Even a medium-weight backpack or his DSLR camera on a neckstrap causes pain resting on that bone. So he needs something one sided like a hip carry where the strap only goes over the good collarbone. I'll probably do hip, front, and back depending on what's most convenient that day, but it's going to be primarily hip for him.

 

[misspriss]

I have not used the Ergo personally, I have the Boba. I have heard the Ergo is good for most people, but the straps can be a bit long and wide for petite users. I find the boba straps do not quite go down small enough for my frame, but I'm only 5'0". I hear most "average" users have no issues with it.

I would think the ring sling might just work long term, but I don't have experience with those either.

 

[EcoMama]

I love my ergo. Ive had a high end carrier too (a wompat) but prefer ergo. Hate the hip carry though, sorry :/
Ringsling, hippyseat, babasling for hip carry.

 

[sue_88]

Keep on with the ring sling for a hip carry. This will be the best option into toddlerhood.

SSC's whilst can be used in hip carry arent really designed for it so aren't very comfy.

ERGOs are good, but can be difficult to sell on due to the fakes being around.

Manduca, Beco, Connecta, Boba are all other good brands of SSC. I'd put Manduca at the top of the list.