Baby carrier advice

[Georgina_D]

I'm looking for a good quality baby carrier, preferably a 3 way one that's light, easy to put on myself, that takes most of the baby's weight and ideally usable for at least a couple of years.

Not bothered about brand or cost. Any advice please?

[Hidden]

We’ve used the babybjorn that goes three ways for ours and it’s been great so far. I used a soft sling in the first three months and then went to babybjorn after then when she was a bit bigger. The one we have lasts them up to 3 years.

[Georgina_D in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Which bjorn one? They have a few. Is it easy to set up alone?

[Hidden in reply to Georgina_D]

I can do it on my own no problem but it takes a bit of practice. Although I think that’s the same with most carriers. Here’s the one we have babybjorn.co.uk/baby-carrie... my daughter is only 1 so we haven’t tried it on our back yet. My daughter loves it and falls asleep in it when we are out all the time. Its easy to adjust as well so my other half can use it too. Hope that helps!

[Shay88]

We’ve just bought the ergo baby carrier after trying a sling wrap ( which are lovely but such a faf!) and a cheap cheerful carrier which was so uncomfortable but quick to get on. Was recommended this one from many people and it goes up to 45lb and amazingly comfy. There are different versions on website believe the one I have goes front and back and they have another that goes front back and hip.

[Hidden]

Hi! I’m a trained Babywearing peer supporter. I loved carrying my babies. For newborns I recommend a Close Caboo, it’s easy to put on, soft and holds baby in the correct anatomical position for baby's comfort and yours. Common mistake people make is not getting it tight enough, so I recommend you find a local sling library or sling meet to check you’ve got it on in the most comfortable and safe way. Close Caboo hold their value well so buy a second hand one and sell it on when you’ve finished with it, you can buy secondhand ones for between £25 and £40, the newer style ones will cost more.

Once baby gets to about 4-6 months old you’ll want to move onto a new sling. Go to a sling meet/library and try them out. They all fit differently so I can’t recommend which one will suit you. Lenny Lamb and Tula have recently brought out some that grow with your baby, so would be worth a try as you can make the panel smaller and bigger as baby grows. I had a Manduca which has a panel that can be extended and I could still carry my 3 year old in it...when I needed to. I still have a toddler Tula which I can carry my 3.5 year old in when he’s really tired and doesn’t want to walk, doesn’t happen often.

At 6 months, once baby is sitting confidently you can pop them on your back. Google wrapyourbabyinlove for her YouTube video of ‘walk like an Egyptian’ way of getting baby on your back on your own.

I don’t recommend Baby Bjorns as even their ergonomic carriers are really tricky to use and to get as comfortable as other ergonomic carriers. Manufacturers recommend facing forward is only done for 20 minutes max at a time, if baby falls asleep you must turn them round as it could compromise their airway. It is hard on your back as it’ll put your centre of gravity in the wrong place, it’s bad for baby’s back as their spine is not in the optimal ‘c’ shape for good development. Baby’s can be overstimulated by all the stuff that’s going on when forward facing, we have learnt to filter unimportant stuff out, but it’s all new to them and it can be too much, whereas when they are facing their carer they can snuggle in when it gets too much.

I also don’t recommend ErgoBaby for a newborn as it’s very tricky to get baby into a good position with the ‘c’ spine shape. However the Ergo is an excellent sling once they are 4 months plus - don’t be tempted to buy a cheap one though as there are lots of fakes on the market which could have unsafe dyes for your baby (babies suck carriers) and buckles and stitching have been known to fail on the fakes.

On Facebook there’s loads of great groups buying secondhand and for advice if you can’t get to a sling meet/library. @Slings and things for sale or trade @buckles on a budget @afforable baby slings for sale or swap

Any questions, I’m happy to help, happy, safe baby wearing - always follow TICKS babyslingsafety.co.uk/

[Georgina_D in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Winnie. What is Sling meet/library?

[Hidden in reply to Georgina_D]

If you go to slingpages.slinginglondon.c... and scroll down, click on the link sling map, click on the magnifying glass and type in your location you can find your local meet, library and sling consultant information. I volunteer at St Neots Sling Meet in Cambridgeshire and have the privilege of helping lots of lovely mummies find the right sling for them.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

A sling meet is a gathering of like minded people that wear their babies in slings or carriers, where you can get advice and try other slings or carriers. A sling library is a collection of slings and carriers that you can try with advice from trained babywearering consultants and peer supporters, you can also hire slings or carriers, we charge £15 per month plus a refundable £20 deposit (returned when the sling or carrier is returned to the library).

They are a great resource run by volunteers to help you find the right sling or carrier for you. Carriers are like jeans, they all fit slightly differently, so some people love Levi’s but on others they’re not at all comfortable. There are so many different brands of carriers getting the right one will mean you’ll use it more and get better value for money. X

[PoppyC38]

I have the ergo360 which I love. All babies weight is on your hips, have walked for a couple of hours with him in it and it’s comfortable. Would recommend.