Baby wearing is awesome for babies of all ages. It can really be a lifesaver for newborns, especially in the first few months when they aren’t as content to be put down. Sometimes it’s all you can do to get things done around the house (a couple of free hands make all the difference). But aside from that, there’s nothing like the feeling of being able to hold your baby close to you. The stroller can be nice sometimes, but your baby is only your baby for so long – as early as they start walking things can change a lot in that department. It really is a great bonding experience to actually be able to “wear” them close to your heart. And babies generally love being held close. It’s a win-win.
It’s something I wish I’d gotten a hold on when Penelope was a newborn. I had almost given up on the idea after deciding it wasn’t very comfortable – until I started looking into other carriers. It’s all about choosing the right kind of sling or wrap for you and baby. Not all are created equally! I have just finally found my niche in baby wearing, and it only took me 9 months. Though it will still be of great use for now, I wish I would have figured it all out while Penelope was in her “I want to be held 24/7″ phase. But it is definitely good knowledge that will come in handy in the future! I thought it would be nice to document my experience, so the following is a general overview so far. Keeping in mind, this is based on only one person’s opinions, personal preferences, and one baby’s preferences.
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1. The Over the Shoulder Adjustable Ring Sling
Pros: Adjustable, fairly easy concept, can discreetly breastfeed (just use the extra fabric to cover) – I really liked the extra fabric feature just for the ability to shield baby from the wind or sun.
Cons: Hot, can be hard to adjust, over the shoulder – I’ve found that over the shoulder just isn’t the best for me. It doesn’t evenly distribute the weight and can be uncomfortable to use for very long.
Investment: Mine was a homemade gift. The Maya Wrap is one known brand in ring slings and costs about $65. Target and Babysrus sell a brand of ring slings called Balboa Baby, but they aren’t much cheaper. They sell for about $55. They also are limited in adjustability, so I really wouldn’t recommend them anyway.
First time trying it out, a week and half old:
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Once Penelope got a little bigger her head never seemed to be well enough supported, as if it was always about to fall out. Sometimes she wiggled her way out of it – she wasn’t so fond of being swaddled really either, so it makes sense.
Aside from that she always seemed squished in the cradle carry (which she hated) & preferred to be upright by the time she was a month old, and though some people successfully do the upright hold in a ring sling, I still didn’t feel like she was ever supported well enough.
Maybe it’s just because she’s a bigger baby, or perhaps it depends on the woman’s shape. I’m not sure. Kind of a bummer since I like the look of the ring sling and some moms make it look really cozy. Who knows, maybe in the future I can find more use for it. I’d love to try it out again. At any rate, I really love the ring sling in itself.
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2. The Pouch Sling
Pros: Easy to put on, no adjusting necessary, can be used with infants in a cradle hold or for older babies in a hip carry position.
Cons: Over the shoulder, Non-adjustable – as long as it fits correctly this can be a pro, but if it doesn’t fit it’s essentially useless.
Investment: Again, mine was a homemade gift. You can find pouch slings through Target as low as $30, but the price really varies depending on where you look.
Penelope upright “in” her pouch – though she’s not really in it. This is the only picture I have with it though:
I love this pouch because it was made with love by an awesome friend (as was my ring sling). I used it a bit around the house. It can be great for a quick task – easy to put on with zero hassle. I also think the material can have a lot to do with it. A stretchier fabric perhaps would allow for a better fit. I really can’t see using a pouch sling once baby gets to be over a few months old. (I don’t know about your baby, but Penelope has always been heavy.)
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3. The Generic Front-to-Back Baby Carrier
Pros: Adjustable, convenient, masculine enough for dad to wear, quick, can be inexpensive, fairly comfortable, usually has a back support, easy to find.
Cons: Not an “all-ages” carrier – not ideal for very young babies who can’t hold their heads up, still can hurt your back (the adjustability has a limit), forces baby to sit on their crotch rather than sitting on their bottom, the front carry causes an unnatural curve in the spine. Example:
The manufacturers promote this position but it’s actually not the ideal position for baby to be in for a long period of time.
Investment: We paid about $30 for this Infantino. The Baby Bijorn carrier is highly rated, yet I’m not sure why. The Bijorn goes for about $80 and when I compared the two in store, neither one seemed particularly higher in quality. In fact, the leg openings on the Bijorn looked too small to me. The ergo is also an option that is similar to this style carrier, only positions the baby more like a mei tai (bottom) and costs $100+. It’s supposed to be a very comfortable and good quality carrier though.
As I mentioned, the carrier we have is an Infantino. It was a quick & inexpensive buy when we needed something quick for the pumpkin patch. Good quality, too. I knew it wasn’t the best carrier option out there, but it gets the job done. And it’s not going to kill your baby to be carried in it for a little while. It’s also the only kind of carrier that many dads will consider using.
All in all, not terrible. Just not the best. Definitely not a bad idea to keep one in the car for back up.
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4. The Single Fabric Baby Wrap
Pros: Comfortable (oh so comfortable), can be tied various ways, allows for baby to sit back on her bottom, can be used for newborns to toddlers, good for discreetly breastfeeding in younger babies (obviously the hold I have Penelope in isn’t ideal for it – she’s too big), easy to take baby in and out without re-adjusting, comes with a handy bag to carry it in, one size fits all in a good way – can be adjusted to fit anybody.
Cons: Can be hot, longer learning curve – may take a few tries but so worth it once you get it down.
Investment: These go for $35 – $40, depending on where you buy them. I paid $20 for my like-new Sleepy on craigslist.
Penelope is huge, mind you. This is how a newborn would be worn:
This is the baby wrap that I so wished I’d had sooner when I was making that whole spiel about finding my niche above. It is really the most versatile of all baby carriers. The main brands for these kind of wraps are the Moby Wrap and the Sleepy Wrap. I tried out the Moby from a friend of mine, but when the Sleepy was available for a cheap price on craigslist I jumped on it. I’m glad I did. I found the fabric to be more favorable. It has more of a stretch than the Moby, and means you really have to tie it quite snug (if it’s not snug enough it won’t feel comfortable). The end result though, in my opinion, is a better and more comfortable fit. I was so excited about how comfortable it was! I walked a couple miles in it with zero back pain, and my baby is 20 lbs plus. This would have been the solution to my problems with the prior carriers. The Moby can be found through the Target or Babysrus website so it’s more known, while the Sleepy generally has to be ordered directly from their site or can be found on ebay/craigslist. There are some lesser known brands such as Wombfruit Life that make their wraps out of cotton gauze, which is supposed to minimize the heat issue. I haven’t tried them out myself, though it seems like a good idea.
Some people find the wrapping to be too frustrating. It is very long, about 5 1/2 yards of fabric. This intimidates some people. It’s literally longer than my living room.
If you’re an impatient person you might pass it up. I would highly recommend sticking it out though. If you can stand a few failed attempts and a thorough read through the instructions, it’s a very worthy wrap.
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5. The Mei Tai (May-tie – not an alcoholic beverage)
Pros: Comfortable, adjustments made by tying – no buckle-straps involved, can be used for younger to older babies, baby sits on bottom, compact – fits in diaper bag, one of the easiest to tie & re-adjust.
Cons: Not as great if you want your baby facing outward, limited carrying positions, probably not ideal for breastfeeding, emphasizes the rolls in your back (ha ha).
Investment: Babyhawk sells them for around $90. Mei Tai Baby sells them for about $80. I bought mine off of ebay for $24 – that was including shipping.
The mei tai is essentially like a wrap, only much easier to tie (the trick is high and snug). It’s an Asian inspired wrap. Mine actually came from a seller on ebay from Thailand (it was cheap). You can find mei tais now all over ebay as their pattern is not very complicated. The leading brands I’ve seen are Babyhawk (which is supposed to be great, I just didn’t feel like spending $100 right now) and Mei Tai Baby. It comes in 2nd place for comfort next to the sleepy wrap, which works as a great alternate. A little less hassle & less hot. It’s a great grab-and-go carrier for the day time, and one that’s good to use with older babies. You can have it off and on very quickly, and though I prefer using it frontward you can use it frontward or backward pretty easily.
I even used it during band practice (although, baby was pretty fussy so it didn’t last long).
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So this is it for my adventures in baby wearing to date. If you made it this far, kudos to you! Conclusion – my overall favorite carriers based on comfort and versatility are definitely the wrap and the mei tai. But all carriers have their pros and cons, and all of them have their place. Each different design has its use.
I’ll end with a picture of Penelope sleeping in the mei tai:
- Melissa
