Babywearing moms, I need your input!

[Forget-Me-Not]

Hello all
Some friends and I are throwing a shower for a friend who is adopting babies #5 and 6.  They are 2 years, and 3 months old, and she also has a 4 yr old.  We are going to go in on a nice baby carrier for her because she's going to need her hands as much as possible!

Anyway, it's been a while for me and I don't know what's on the market anymore.  I was thinking an Ergo, because I had one, but another friend thinks it might be too hot.  We have many, many days where it's well over 100 degrees and we even see a few 115+ days.  

I'd love some input on what people like and are using these days.  I'm thinking a ring sling is out, because IMO, it's hard to bend and stretch with one and the learning curve is a little steep.  She needs something easy to figure out!

Edited May 27, 2017 by Forget-me-not

[Ravin]

An Asian style baby carrier is less hot than an ergo (on which it is based). A maya wrap or Taylor-made sling are good options in hot climates (I wore my babies in central Arizona).

[JustEm]

I was Justin Arizona for 5days in 100 degree weather and my ergo was fine. My cousin who lives there uses an ergo. It may be different in weather like Alabama with 100+ with high humidity

[three4me]

I always opted for my ring sling when it was hot. But that won't work well for the two year old.

[Forget-Me-Not]

If we go with the Ergo, will she need an infant insert for a 3 month old baby? I never had one with a tiny baby. 
ETA: Never mind, I see they for up to 12 lbs.  

Edited May 28, 2017 by Forget-me-not

[meena]

Tula carriers are supposed to be great. I'm way past the baby carrying stage, but if I had a need for a carrier this is the one I'd save up for. They make a mesh version that is good for hot conditions: https://babytula.com/collections/coast-mesh-carriers

[Tanaqui]

In contrast to what was said above, I found a ring sling PERFECT for toddlers in that up-and-down stage. Put the two year old on my hip, five minutes later put her down, ten minutes after that pick her up again and sling her on the hip. When she fell asleep, shove toddler and sling to my back.

 

If your friend has never worn a baby before, I'd go with an ergo and an inexpensive ring sling. They're pretty simple to use, and the ergo looks modern and safe to inexperienced eyes.

 

Otherwise, I'd go with a long woven wrap (not a moby, I don't like them stretchy) and a ring sling. You can never go wrong with a ring sling, and there are many wrapping styles that minimize the heat.

Edited May 28, 2017 by Tanaqui

[displace]

Personally I would not make it a surprise gift and I would just ask her. I personally had to cycle through many different wraps, slings, and carriers before I found something that worked ok for me (a baby K'Tan). Some moms don't like baby carriers and prefer a rocker or something. Especially with her not being a new mom she may have patterns already established.

 

I'm short so I'm sure that affected how many problems I had. And ignore if I'm too much of a Debbie Downer. It's just my own perspective.

[Carrie12345]

Is there a babywearing group nearby?  My sister belonged to one where she could borrow different kinds and styles.  She didn't buy one (though she did have my old, basic wrap) until my niece was a lot older and she found what was most comfortable for them.

(She's in Atlanta, so definitely hot!)

 

 

[Hilltopmom]

Tula. Mesh. No wait list to buy, unlike other brands.

 

The baby & toddler won't both fit in an ergo, they're really only for babies.

 

Or, ring sling. Could use with both littles.

[Sarah CB]

In contrast to what was said above, I found a ring sling PERFECT for toddlers in that up-and-down stage. Put the two year old on my hip, five minutes later put her down, ten minutes after that pick her up again and sling her on the hip. When she fell asleep, shove toddler and sling to my back.

 

If your friend has never worn a baby before, I'd go with an ergo and an inexpensive ring sling. They're pretty simple to use, and the ergo looks modern and safe to inexperienced eyes.

 

 

I agree. I loved my ring sling. With a small baby, it was like tucking the baby into my pocket. So easy to use. I didn't ever take my car seat out of the car, I just tucked the baby into the sling - much easier. When they got bigger I also found it easy for toddlers to be up and down. 

 

I didn't like using the sling for long expeditions past about 9 months - maybe it was how I used it, but I'd end up sore. That's when I used a carrier with good padding, lots of straps, and a waist band. 

[Hilltopmom]

My problem with a ring sling for a baby when I have a toddler too, is that I'm always chasing the toddler,grabbing him out of trouble, etc & never feel like baby is secure enough in a ring sling with a toddler pulling on me.

 

Love them if don't have 2 littles at once

[three4me]

In contrast to what was said above, I found a ring sling PERFECT for toddlers in that up-and-down stage. Put the two year old on my hip, five minutes later put her down, ten minutes after that pick her up again and sling her on the hip. When she fell asleep, shove toddler and sling to my back.

 

If your friend has never worn a baby before, I'd go with an ergo and an inexpensive ring sling. They're pretty simple to use, and the ergo looks modern and safe to inexperienced eyes.

 

Otherwise, I'd go with a long woven wrap (not a moby, I don't like them stretchy) and a ring sling. You can never go wrong with a ring sling, and there are many wrapping styles that minimize the heat.

I keep forgetting that I have unusually large toddlers. 😂 You're absolutely right! Any normal 2.5 year old would be totally fine in a ring sling.

[My4arrows]

Tula. Mesh. No wait list to buy, unlike other brands.

 

The baby & toddler won't both fit in an ergo, they're really only for babies.

 

Or, ring sling. Could use with both littles.

My 3 year old can fit comfortably in the ergo. The original goes up to 45 lbs and the new 360 goes to 33 I believe. My toddler rides nicely in my back and side.

[Tanaqui]

My problem with a ring sling for a baby when I have a toddler too, is that I'm always chasing the toddler,grabbing him out of trouble, etc & never feel like baby is secure enough in a ring sling with a toddler pulling on me.

 

If it's just psychological, you can ignore what I'm about to say.

 

However, if you actually feel the sling moving away from you or the baby shifting, then the problem is that you're not cinching the sling tight enough. This is a common error. People are worried somehow that they can make the sling too tight, so they leave it much too loose instead. Your sling should be sufficiently tightened that when you have the baby in it, you can bend down and the baby doesn't move at all. (As for baby placement, however you're wearing the baby - if they're lying down or sitting up - you should be able to easily kiss the top of their adorable head. That's how you know they're positioned correctly.)

 

I keep forgetting that I have unusually large toddlers. 😂 You're absolutely right! Any normal 2.5 year old would be totally fine in a ring sling.

 

I'm thinking back, I think I even put my younger kiddo in there - for short bouts! - as late as three-and-a-bit. But then she mostly preferred to just walk, so I ended it up giving it away to a stranger. (With the caveat that I expected them to pass it on to somebody else when their kid outgrew it. I don't know if they did that, but I hope they did.)

 

[heartlikealion]

Honestly, it's such a personal decision. I have a Lillebaby and a Kinderpack. They aren't cheap and they have pros and cons. Those pros and cons will vary from person to person as well as carrier to carrier.

 

Do you have a baby store where she can try them on first? Maybe a gift card to the baby store with a note that the money is for a carrier.

 

My Lillebaby is an All Seasons. It has the mesh panel to help cool baby down on hotter days. I can zip it closed on colder days. Technically my 2 yr old has not outgrown the weight limits, but she is so tall I don't feel it's a good fit anymore. That is why I recently got the Toddler Standard Kinderpack. It has a taller back panel but says the same weight limits. The lady that sold it to me has taken classes on these things and said not to take the weight limit too literally (in other words, I could use it if she exceeded weight a little).

 

I tried an Ergo knockoff. I didn't like it because the back panel was way too low for my taste. And it was all canvas. Not ideal for our weather. Ergos have been made as knockoffs a lot. I actually pointed it out to the lending library where I got it that I suspected it was a knockoff after reading about the stitching patterns and such. Our lending library removed it so it would not pose a potential fall hazard to anyone.

 

I have a 2.5 yr old. I wear her front carry and back carry. My Lillebaby allows side carry and forward facing out as well, but I felt like my baby was kinda big to face outward and I didn't really like it for ergonomic reasons so I never did it. But it might be good for viewing a parade or something. As for the side carry, I tried that once and it wasn't fun! It was my attempt to wear her and eat a meal LOL So just because a carrier has a million carrying positions doesn't mean you will need/use them all.

 

Some people prefer slings or wraps, too.

 

A tall back panel is important to me as my child likes to ride arms out and do crap like flip her body out. Pics below (tokidoki design is Lillebaby. Navy with constellations is Kinderpack).

 

ETA: both my carriers have a mesh panel, but only the Lillebaby zips closed. You can see better pics on the actual product sites. I ordered both mine from a baby store where I tried them on. I got my LB during a Black Friday sale.

Edited May 28, 2017 by heartlikealion

[ktgrok]

FYI Lillebaby has a sale this weekend!! Just goethe Complete Airflow for $87 with free shipping! Good for 7-45lbs. And it is mesh for hot climates. 

 

https://www.lillebaby.com/temporary-price-cuts/complete-airflow-blue-aqua.html

Edited May 28, 2017 by ktgrok

[MistyMountain]

A baby carrier really depends on the fit. When I used baby carriers the ergo did not fit me well nor did a few other soft structured carriers I tried. Either the fabric was to thin to be supportive or it was to wide and stiff. I did not like the ergo for carrying a toddler because it sat so low on their back so it did not support them well and that made it heavier. I just used starting using a mei tai because I could get a more custom fit. A kinderpack came out towards the end when I already had carriers but when I tried that on it was so comfortable. It fit a variety of sizes and the fabric was very supportive without being stiff. Tulas are even more recent and easier to find. I heard really good things about them and it seems most people like them but have not tried it personally.

Edited May 28, 2017 by MistyMountain

[heartlikealion]

I tried on Tulas. They weren't a great match for us. I was originally going to get the Lillebaby airflow Carryon toddler when I sized up for the mesh (humid here), but it was sooo floppy for us. I needed more structure. Also, I have a small frame so I like to be able to tighten the carrier more than some people. The Lillebaby comes with a lumbar support piece but I have taken it off before to allow me more room to tighten the waist. The Lillebaby has long straps that you can criss cross but if it's too loose and you wear the baby on your back, it looks funny crossing them over the front of your chest and a huge PITA for me personally to get on/off. So I just stopped crossing the straps but sometimes felt it wasn't as snug as I'd like.

 

The store I bought mine at sells online, too and offered layaway so I did a downpayment on my KP and then made a few payments and they shipped it. I know that if you don't care about the patterns (some people really do, some don't) you can find plain ones at Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond for Lillebaby. I don't know if they can be tried on in store but I know you can get the BB&B coupon and use it at BB&B which will help with the cost. I would steer away from Amazon sellers personally.

 

Also, Lillebaby doesn't require an infant insert. Ergo does on at least some models. Don't remember about KP or Tula for infant requirements. (if anyone reading is curious about infant carriers)

Edited May 28, 2017 by heartlikealion

[Alice]

I second the idea of either asking her or offering to lend her some different ones to try...maybe with a "coupon" you give her for an IOU for her to pick out the kind she likes the best. 

 

I hated the ring sling. The best one for me was a very basic fleece sling (I had winter babies although I wore them all year round in that thing. Even at the pool in a hot Virginia summer). I think mine was one of the ones that might have gotten recalled when they had the concerns about the pocket slings. I never worried about that as I wore my tiny babies so their heads were up on my chest (kissing distance) and I could tell if they were breathing. Then as they got older it wasn't an issue. 

 

Regardless, it seems so personal as to what kind people like and are comfortable in. I had about three other kinds given to me or that I tried out and most were just not comfortable for me and my body type. 

 

[ashfern]

I used all the different kinds of carriers over the years. Finally bought an Ergo with baby #5 and wish I had gotten it sooner. I still use it with him when we take our hikes. He's nearing the top weight for this carrier though as he's 45# and I think the max weight is 50. I live in GA and we hike 2-5 miles in all weather. It's so comfortable especially with a heavier child. The ring sling always dug into my shoulder when the kids got heavier. Mine were all 25+ lbs by one. I do have a Didymos that I like but it does have a high learning curve. Also, it's hotter than the Ergo because of all the fabric.