Before my daughter was born last August, I had so many people tell me that I would never truly be prepared for her arrival.  Honestly I didn’t expect to be since she was a surprise to begin with, but there were a lot of things I just had no clue about.  Like how much she would want to be held.  Which was pretty much ALL. THE. TIME.  In those first few weeks I did not even have to worry about working out to get back in shape because I had a 10-pound little human to carry around all day long!  But as much as I appreciated the complimentary workout for my arms, it was exhausting carrying her around while still attempting to get SOMETHING accomplished.

Which is why I became a huge fan of baby wearing.  I am really not sure how I would have survived the first few weeks without my Moby Wrap, and now that Harlow is a lot bigger, the Ergo Baby carrier.  I did an incredible amount of research on baby-wearing options when I was pregnant but I was still not sure what would be the most useful, which is why I invested in the Moby and the Ergo.  Turns out I loved them both for completely different reasons.

Hiking the Barton Creek Greenbelt with little Harlow in her Ergo.
Hiking the Barton Creek Greenbelt with little Harlow in her Ergo.

There are so many advantages to wearing your baby.  I put Harlow in her carrier when I want to go on a hike on the Greenbelt, run into Central Market for some groceries, or just take a stroll with my husband on South Congress.  It is a thousand times easier than pushing around a giant stroller.  I’ve even knitted, gone to the bathroom, and napped with Harlow in the Moby (but not all at the same time).

Allison and Ashlee at AMB have both written about their experience with baby wearing.  And for fans of the well-known pediatrician Dr. Sears, he has a wonderful story about this own baby-wearing experience.

While the benefits are clear, the options can be pretty overwhelming.  But I’ll tell you what I like about the carriers I used and how some of the other choices compare.

 

Ergo Baby – I use my Ergo almost daily.  What makes the Ergo special, in my opinion, is the convenience.  There are two buckles, one at the waist and one at the shoulder blades.  You snap the waist, hold your baby to your chest, pull up the arm straps, and snap the second buckle.  After you’ve practiced a few times it takes literally no more than 15 seconds. If baby is hungry, just loosen the straps to let her sink down to the boob.  Need some privacy?  There is a little hood in the front pocket you can use to cover baby when she’s nursing or sleeping.  When baby gets bigger, just move her around and wear the Ergo like a backpack.  Prices start at $115 for the original version (I use the Performance version), and that’s really not too bad considering how useful it is.

ALTERNATIVES: Beco Gemini, Boba Carrier
*Baby Bjorn and Infantino make forward-facing alternatives to the Ergo but I personally am not a fan of front-facing carriers due to hip safety, and comfort/security reasons).
DISADVANTAGES:  price point is a bit high; hair can get caught in the should buckle; shoulder buckle might be hard to reach if you aren’t very flexible

  

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One of our peaceful Moby moments.

Moby Wrap – The Moby is a long, stretchy piece of fabric that you wrap and tie around your body, creating a pocket that your baby slides into.  I used the Moby pretty much constantly for the first two months since Harlow was not yet big enough for the Ergo.  The tightness of the fabric and proximity to my body was soothing for her (as it is for most babies), and there were nights when the Moby completely saved our sanity.  You know, those this-baby-will-never-stop-crying-and-I-am-losing-my-mind nights?  Yeah, the Moby works for those.
There is definitely a bit of a learning curve when you are first starting out, so make sure you read the directions carefully and watch some videos online to learn how to wrap and tie the Moby.  But once you get the hang of it, you can get baby wrapped up in under a minute.  Once baby gets a bit bigger, the fabric tends to stretch out and a sturdier carrier is probably a better option.  The Moby runs around $50, so it is more affordable than a lot of the other options.

ALTERNATIVE:  Boba Wrap
DISADVANTAGES:  thick fabric can get hot in the summertime; once you take baby out, it can be tricky getting her back in without rewrapping

Woven Wraps — these are more widely used internationally compared to the United States but are still very popular among a lot of American moms.  Woven wraps tend to have a high learning curve, meaning it takes a lot of practice to really get it right.  But once you do, they are said to be quite sturdy and comfortable to wear for long periods of time.  You can find woven wraps in all price ranges, and they come in a huge assortment of fabric types and colors, which makes them much more unique and customizable than the name-brand carriers.  Etsy has a lot of beautiful hand-made woven wraps.
DISADVANTAGES:  difficult to use, bulky and hot in Austin weather, can be expensive

There are several other options to choose from:  Ring Slings, Baby K’Tan, Mei Tai, etc.  They all certainly have their pros and cons but it important to find a carrier that suits your lifestyle.  Ask yourself what is most important to you: Comfort? Durability? Convenience? Style?  Your answers will help you determine the best carrier(s) for you.

Do you wear your baby?  What sort of carrier do you use?  What reasons do you have for wearing your baby?




 

 

 

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