Baby Carriers

[Scuff]

Wondering if you all could recommend a baby carrier. #5 has reflux, so needs to be upright most of the time. I'd like to get a carrier so that I can actually do something besides sit and hold a baby all day. I have a moby wrap and I do like it. I don't like how complicated it is to put on. It's fine when I'm going shopping or something where I know I'll be using it for awhile. But I'd like something easier to put on for when I just want to grab and go. I also have an Ergo. I know people love these things, but it hurts my back. I have a bad back. I like how the moby covers most of my back. With the Ergo only on the upper back, my mid-back gets tired and sore pretty quickly. I've looked around a bit, but haven't really found any carriers that cover like a moby. Most are just shoulder straps, like the Ergo. Is there something I'm missing, that you love and would support my mid-back more?

[ByGrace3]

A woven wrap is just like a Moby but has much more support. Or a carrier like an Ergo, but that crosses in the back like an Olives and Applesauce (my favorite buckle carrier) But really for front carries I prefer a Mei Tai like a Kindercarry, Beanslings, or Bamberoo. Hw old is your little one? How many lbs? That might help. Ring slings like sleepingbaby.net are great for quick up and downs.

 

Hope that helps. Happy to answer any questions you have. I have tried a lot. :tongue_smilie:

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

I have used many types of carriers, hiking mostly.

 

Baby Bjorn XL is one I regret selling.

 

I tried a Mobi and my son almost slipped out!

 

I now have a K'Tan and a Regular Baby Bjorn

Both of these have good support in the back.

 

Just letting you know that after I had my 5th child, I had to get Wii Fit to do Yoga ( back strengtheners)

I had been a Certified Personal Trainer, and after marriage worked out at a gym for awhile, but then started at home.... it gets tough making time.

There are good dvd's available ( BEVERLY) was so good for my back and I used to exercise with her in the a.m. when we had Sky Angel.

So, I got the Wii Fit for all of us.

Nursing and lifting babies is serious business on the back!!;)

 

Hope the reflux heals soon! DS 10 has a scarred esophagus and was spitting up so much on our carpet and everything for about a year. He had it severe, and spitting up blood got us to the Ped. quick one morning. He had a scope and drank a bottle of Barium. This was what showed the scarred esophagus. Medication did no good. A Specialist told me to keep nursing, but to offer food sooner than I usually do, and to make it at home for maximum nutrition, and to use liquid vitamins. Another mom told me to offer mashed potatoes with butter, bananas, and other high calorie foods.

Brain development can be affected by severe reflux. Protein is very important as well.

We had a swing, raised the baby bed up on one end, always propped him up ( a boppy pillow is good ). Thank God his stopped when he turned 1. Or he would have had to have surgery. He still cannot eat spicy food or drink anything carbonated. And he upchucks more easily: when sick.

I will pray for you and your baby.

Edited November 1, 2012 by TGHEALTHYMOM
Reflux

[happypamama]

A ring sling (sleepingbaby.net is a good brand) might be nice for short periods of time, but they get uncomfortable because they're one-shouldered.

 

Is there a local babywearing group near you? They might have some options besides the Ergo that you could try. I like my Ergo, but there are other similar carriers that fit differently and might work better. I also hear that PAXBaby rents carriers to try.

 

I also really love my woven wraps for long periods of time when the baby is too heavy for the Moby; there are lots out there, but I personally have found both the BBSlen and Storchenwiege wraps to be very comfortable and supportive.

 

I also love my Kozy mei tai (kozycarrier.com). I do think my Ergo is the most comfortable for long periods of back carrying, but the Kozy is a good one too. My Ergo shunts a lot of the weight to my hips -- could you try lowering the Ergo on your hips a bit?

[pgr]

I second the suggestion above - a local babywearing group and/or lending library might be very helpful if you've got something like that.

 

I have a freehand Mei tai I used with my son when he was a tiny infant. In the end, woven wraps have been my favorite. There is a learning curve, but I have found them comfortable, adjustable, portable, and easy to use once I got the hang of them.

[Scrub Jay]

Love BabyHawk mei tais!

[Scuff]

I hadn't heard of a woven wrap, I'll look that up. Baby is 2 months and maybe 11-12 lbs. (She was 10 lbs at her 1 month. Has 2 month next week.)

 

We're hoping her reflus doesn't get too bad. :( for your ds. That must've been rough on mom and baby. She seems to do pretty well as long as she's kept upright. We had a few days that were bad, but she's been doing pretty well this week, so I guess we'll see. She definitely needs to be upright, though.

 

I don't know if I hve the energy to find a group, though thAT would be ideal to try things on ahead of time. I really just want to order it, have it arrive on my doorstep and be the perfect one. :)

[indigomama]

If you want quick and easy, I would do a ring sling. They are easy to find cheap, and very little learning curve and easy to pack for going out.

 

I got my first ring sling with baby #5 and she and I both loved it! She too had reflux and it helped her being upright.

 

The other nice thing, was that once I had her asleep, it was easy to slip her and the sling off and lay her in a bouncy or swing (so she was still upright) and not wake her.

[ktgrok]

try a mei tai, it is a cross between a wrap and a carrier like an ergo. I love them, best of both worlds.

[trinchick]

I loved my ring sling (sleeping baby productions as others have mentioned) which was a converted wrap. However, not sure it's the best solution for someone with back problems, as the weight does not get distributed completely evenly.

 

I also got a Beco Butterfly II, which I really loved for both front and back carries. DH was also perfectly happy to wear it, which was a definite plus. He never would have tried the ring sling.

 

I always wanted to try a wrap but after watching oodles of youtube videos of people wrapping their babies, I decided it was too involved a process for the ups and downs my kids seem to prefer.

 

Good luck with the reflux. I hate to think of an uncomfortable little baby!

[justLisa]

try a mei tai, it is a cross between a wrap and a carrier like an ergo. I love them, best of both worlds.

 

This. Baby Hawk is hands down the BEST one ever. It is worth every penny. The top is padded and thick so it gives head support. It is the most comfortable I owned, and I think I've owned every sling/carrier ever made

[somo_chickenlady]

I prefer a Mei Tai rather than a soft structured carrier like the Ergo, b/c I tie the lower straps more up under my breasts than my lower back (like the Ergo) and I wear babies really high, so my back doesn't hurt that way. I have a woven Didymos wrap, but it is wool and I get REALLY hot in it, so I only really use it in the cooler months. I don't like stretchy wraps, although I have one, b/c they don't provide much support beyond the newborn stage, and my back starts to hurt from trying to balance myself (kwim??). Ring slings and pouches hurt my back and shoulders.

 

I would say either a woven wrap (Didymos, Girasol - my FAV!!, Ellaroo, Dolcino, and Hoppediz are the most popular brands) would be good for a little baby that will stay in the carrier, or a mei tai for a bigger baby that will be up and down frequently b/c they are easier to get in and out of. Good luck!! :)

Edited November 1, 2012 by somo_chickenlady

[Scuff]

Ok, I think I'm going to get a Mei Tai. It looks like it'd give me more of the support I want with the criss-cross back. Those wraps look nice, but I don't see how it'd be much different from having a moby in terms of ease of putting it on and off. I may look into that when she's a bit bigger and a moby is too stretchy. I do like the way they carry.

 

So, mei tai. I've looked at a few brands and narrowed it down to the babyhawk or Mei Tai Baby. I was something with a little structure and wider straps across the back. I like the rectangle on the Babyhawk. I like that it is padded and folds up for baby, especially since mine is only 8 wks old and still doesn't have spectacular head control. The MTB, though, has an adjustable seat, which seems really great. #4 was a bit of a runt and didn't sit well in the Ergo, even at a year. Her hips were just so narrow that it was hard for her to spread as much as needed for the width of the Ergo. I really like that the MTB adjusts for that. Seems like a good feature. I wish there was one that did both! (Is there?) Or, if I could figure out what they did with those adjusters and add them onto a Babyhawk myself. But I can't seem to figure out how they do that. Ugh! So, could I get feedback on these mei tais? Does anyone have the MTB? Do you like the adjustability or find it unnecessary? How about the Babyhawk? Did anyone with a petite kid have trouble with the size of the seat?

[Scuff]

:lurk5:

[justLisa]

Ok, I think I'm going to get a Mei Tai. It looks like it'd give me more of the support I want with the criss-cross back. Those wraps look nice, but I don't see how it'd be much different from having a moby in terms of ease of putting it on and off. I may look into that when she's a bit bigger and a moby is too stretchy. I do like the way they carry.

 

So, mei tai. I've looked at a few brands and narrowed it down to the babyhawk or Mei Tai Baby. I was something with a little structure and wider straps across the back. I like the rectangle on the Babyhawk. I like that it is padded and folds up for baby, especially since mine is only 8 wks old and still doesn't have spectacular head control. The MTB, though, has an adjustable seat, which seems really great. #4 was a bit of a runt and didn't sit well in the Ergo, even at a year. Her hips were just so narrow that it was hard for her to spread as much as needed for the width of the Ergo. I really like that the MTB adjusts for that. Seems like a good feature. I wish there was one that did both! (Is there?) Or, if I could figure out what they did with those adjusters and add them onto a Babyhawk myself. But I can't seem to figure out how they do that. Ugh! So, could I get feedback on these mei tais? Does anyone have the MTB? Do you like the adjustability or find it unnecessary? How about the Babyhawk? Did anyone with a petite kid have trouble with the size of the seat?

 

The baby hawk is PERFECT. dd was 6 pounds 7 ounces at birth. I started wearing her high on my back at about a month. You can fold the bottom once to make it even smaller. You can get a very snug fit. I've never owned something so comfortable. I think I have owned every kind of carrier there is.

[ILiveInFlipFlops]

Ok, I think I'm going to get a Mei Tai. It looks like it'd give me more of the support I want with the criss-cross back. Those wraps look nice, but I don't see how it'd be much different from having a moby in terms of ease of putting it on and off. I may look into that when she's a bit bigger and a moby is too stretchy. I do like the way they carry.

 

So, mei tai. I've looked at a few brands and narrowed it down to the babyhawk or Mei Tai Baby. I was something with a little structure and wider straps across the back. I like the rectangle on the Babyhawk. I like that it is padded and folds up for baby, especially since mine is only 8 wks old and still doesn't have spectacular head control. The MTB, though, has an adjustable seat, which seems really great. #4 was a bit of a runt and didn't sit well in the Ergo, even at a year. Her hips were just so narrow that it was hard for her to spread as much as needed for the width of the Ergo. I really like that the MTB adjusts for that. Seems like a good feature. I wish there was one that did both! (Is there?) Or, if I could figure out what they did with those adjusters and add them onto a Babyhawk myself. But I can't seem to figure out how they do that. Ugh! So, could I get feedback on these mei tais? Does anyone have the MTB? Do you like the adjustability or find it unnecessary? How about the Babyhawk? Did anyone with a petite kid have trouble with the size of the seat?

 

Spend some time on TheBabywearer forums. You'll learn a ton and can search for what you're looking for. It is to baby carrying as the Hive is to homeschooling :D

[BlsdMama]

try a mei tai, it is a cross between a wrap and a carrier like an ergo. I love them, best of both worlds.

 

 

Indeed! I'm a mei tai girl myself, though I like a structured waist with a buckle - I find more support with a structured waist and I like the weight carrying on my hips and not my shoulders.

 

If that's the case try a half buckle - mei tai shoulders, buckle waist.

 

Structured waist:

 

On:

[BlsdMama]

Did anyone with a petite kid have trouble with the size of the seat?

 

You actually need a wide seat. The seat is ideal to spread almost to their knees. Narrow seats have been nicknamed "crotch danglers" in recent years and have been targeted as contributing factors in hip dysplasia in children. Awful right? If you look at the picture above, it's our daughter Sarah. She's two in that picture. She weighs about 27lbs right now and she's 3.5. She's SUPER tiny.

 

I will say that I use a wrap until they are about 3-4 months old. But after that, I'm a mei tai girl. I'll see if I can find a better pic.

 

ETA: Ella in a half buckle at about six months old. (She was under the 5th percentile for weight, so tiny as well.)

 

Ella - about 1-2 months old. (IMO, this carrier is a little too narrow.)

 

Side:

Edited November 3, 2012 by BlsdMama

[Scuff]

So, what brand carrier is that, Kelly?

[Scuff]

She really was a runt, though. Her legs were too short to reach out. Even now, at 2, I just put her in the Ergo to try it out today and she's just now fitting in it. I don't think it'll be a problem with #5, though. She's more of a normal sized child. :)

 

 

ETA- yeah, about your girls' sizes. :)

Edited November 3, 2012 by Scuff

[Jpoy85]

I have a Mei Tai and I LOVE it. A girl on etsy made mine.

[BlsdMama]

I have a Mei Tai and I LOVE it. A girl on etsy made mine.

 

 

Speaking of this, let's go over safety points. The pictures in the carriers are mine. There are a LOT of people making carriers.

 

Some carrier makers are VERY SAFE!

 

HOWEVER, it has the potential to be DANGEROUS.

 

They should be speaking about safety. Cuteness is not a factor. If straps rip off your carrier and you are carrying your baby on your back you will NOT be able to catch her/him before he falls backwards and hits his head from about five feet from the floor.

 

It's GREAT to buy it from a WAHMama but she should address particular points.

 

 

****** Straps need to be attached to an internal layer. They can be attached by a triple bar (three straight lines) or an X box (a box with an x) sewing. This can be internal (sewn to a hidden layer inside of the carrier) or external where you can visually see them. I like external. It's super easy to see if any of the stitching is coming undone.

 

****** Thread - 100% cotton isn't ideal and ideally it should be something high quality like Gutterman.

 

***** Fabric - This is INSANELY important. We all want cute carriers. See those prints in my pictures? They were picked for the cute factor. It means it's thin cotton fabric too - quilting types, etc. Is it strong enough to hold a baby? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

 

Each carrier should have a minimum of one 10-12 ounce weight fabric, two is better.

 

***** The straps - quilted, pieced straps were once really popular. They tear. Most of the weight in the carrier is carried on the straps and it has happened that babies have gotten hurt when the straps come off the carrier.

 

The straps MUST be made of a 10-12 ounce fabric like duck, canvas, denim, etc. THEY SHOULD NOT BE MADE OF CORDUROY. Cord is weak. There were some really popular makers of carriers using cord straps and they were gorgeous. But they realized the wales were too weak and they stopped. Don't buy a carrier with cord or cute fabric straps. Duck and canvas come in a wide variety of colors though! :)

 

***** How the carrier is attached to the waist band is important too. It should have more than one topstitch line.

 

In my opinion if you have a carrier with a structured waist it should be attached internally as well. I have a large square of fabric that wraps around the foam of the waist and into the internal hidden layer of the fabric. IF my waist were to rip at every seam (unlikely) it would STILL be attached internally and in NO WAY could separate. IMO, this is how they should be attached. Of course there are plenty that disagree and their carriers haven't had any problems at all.

 

**** The maker should advertise their buckles are meant to carry extreme weight (100-200 lbs) and have been tested. They should be able to tell you their supplier.

Getting buckles at JoAnn's or Hancocks will probably result in a serious injury. Buckles break. Their supplier should be a store who makes buckles for backpacking, mountain climbing, etc. It should be tested and they should know the load it can handle. It should be SIGNIFICANTLY heavier than a baby.

 

Carriers aren't carseats, but you are carrying your baby in them and there is a potential for serious injury. Be very careful when purchasing a carrier. (And I don't make custom carriers to sell so I have nothing to profit from posting this information except keeping someone's baby safe.)

 

ETA: I will also add that if the carrier is new and inexpensive, stay away from it. My straps are 90" long made of high quality duck along with two layers of fabric. I can't source that locally and it generally costs me $10-$15 per yard plus shipping. They don't fade because I use high quality fabrics - how much is that? About $8-$12 per yard. The foam costs. The buckles cost plus I have to have them shipped to me as well. Generally speaking by the time I'm done with a carrier I have $70-$90 in MATERIALS into the carrier. There is no way someone can spend $60 on materials AND spend the time putting it together (which is significant) and then sell her carrier for $70. If it's too good to be true, it is.

Edited November 4, 2012 by BlsdMama

[HS Mom in NC]

http://www.taylormadeslings.com/tms/html/catalog.php

[somo_chickenlady]

There is also the Baby K'tan, which is like a wrap without all the work, which would be good for a little baby. http://www.babyktan.com/instructions.html