Beco good or bad?

[lil96]

I was just at a store yesterday that had a Beco (idk what model, Ididn't even know until today there were more than one model).

Here is my experience with carriers. I have a baby bjorn, a snugli, a sling with rings, an infantino and I have tried different wraps on at the stores.

First I had a c/s and that made the carriers and slings uncomfortable to wear bc it hurt my stomach. The sling wasn't much better. In slings, carriers and especially wraps, I feel so trapped all that material drives me crazy (it has something to do with my ocd, I really can't tolerate it).

Once the c/s stomach pain went away, I tried them again. If I wore any of them for more than 5 minutes, my back would be in so much pain, I felt like none of them were comfortable, so I only wore them in case of emergency. It really made my life difficult bc my child really liked to be held and stay close to me, so I owuld spend the day holding her and not doing anything else.

Because I think it makes so much sense, I would really like to get another type carrier, but I really worry I will be miserable no matter what I try. With #2 on the way, I can't imagine not being able to cook and clean, so I feel the carrier is neccesary.

So I saw and tried on the Beco at the store, it didn't feel so bad, but I only had it on for a few minutes. Does anyone have opinions of it good or bad?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Becos are so much better than Snuglis and Bjorns because they distribute baby's weight better. At 8m I just couldn't take the shoulder pain from my Bjorn so I tried a Beco. I have been able to wear my ds very comfortably in there. I put him in the front of me till he was a bit over 12mo (maybe 15-17m) and now I use it as a back carrier. We can go for a 2 hour hike comfortably. I might get a bit sore by the end but it's mostly like you would feel if you were wearing a heavy back pack.

The buckle around the waist and the overall design will probably be really good for you. Oh, and the Beco has this sleeve or pouch (for the lack of a better word) so you can put the baby in the carrier then put the carrier on. Very handy for gaining confidence.

Ergos are good options as well. Same basic design minus that sleeve.

Beth

[sunshine873]

Definitely try something else! I have a Baby K'Tan and a Piccolo carrier. They are both extremely comfortable as I was told by many on this board. I have also heard great things about the Beco and the Ergo.

DD and I were out shopping with a friend once and I didn't have a carrier along. She let me borrow her Bjorn and I was shocked at how different it felt. My back & shoulders were hurting within 5 minutes - and that's when my DD only weighed about 8 or 9 lbs! The Baby K'Tan and Piccolo are both much more comfortable. I'll start to get tired after wearing her for a few hours, but that's much better than the Bjorn!

Anyway, there are much better options out there. I'd say give the Beco a try!

[maestramommy]

I had the 4th generation Beco (the one before Butterfly) for a short time. It was okay, but in essence it was a meitai with buckles instead of tie straps. I got it for Dh and he didnt' like it because the padded portion of the shoulder straps were so short. Also the panel, like I said was just a flat piece of material like a meitai. We traded it for an Ergo, which we both like much better. Much more supportive.

However, the newer Beco, Butterfly, looks like the body is pleated so there's actually a pouch for your baby/toddler to sit in. Also the butterfly design helps you get the baby on your back without having to do it the traditional way (hip scoot, superman toss), so some people feel more secure about doing back carries. I wish I had a chance to try one, but then I'd be tempted to buy one!

[goldenpig]

I've used an Ergo with my little one since she was born (with the padded taco shaped infant insert until about 4 months) and am still using it with her 2 years later--I would say it's probably my all-time best baby product purchase. I mostly use it as a front carry because it's easier and I can see her better (she's only 21 lb so small for her age, but it does go up to 40 lb). Recently I (impulsively) bought a Beco Butterfly because I fell in love with the pretty patterns and a lot of people were posting online that it was supposed to be better/easier than the Ergo. But I only used it a couple of times and felt like it was kind of "fiddly"--seemed like the buckles were more complicated and it was harder to get her into the pouch. The Ergo is basically put on the waist strap, pick her up, put on the shoulder straps and click one buckle. So it's easy. However, the Ergo does not have as much neck support for the baby (doesn't go up as high as the Beco) and doing a back carry might be easier on the Beco due to the extra sleeve so you can put the baby in first, then put them on like a backpack. And the Beco rolls up more compactly than the Ergo which has thick padded shoulders (although that makes it very comfortable). I'm going to try the Beco again when the new baby comes. But for now it's just sitting in the closet and I always reach for my trusty Ergo. They're both definitely much better than a Bjorn--my sister had a Bjorn but bought an Ergo and she said it's a world of difference. Hope this helps!
PS Just so you are aware, both Ergo and Beco only have the infant facing towards the parent, not outward like the Bjorn. It's more ergonomically correct for the baby to sit in a pouch than hanging by their crotch.

[MontrealMum]

The difference between the Beco and the Bjorn is like night and day, seriously. We started with the Bjorn, and I was unable to carry my DS in it after the 1st month (and he's very light). DH still liked it, so we did nothing - and I really regret that now because there are so many more places I would have gone with him or done that winter, and we missed out because they were stroller inaccessible with all our snow. We bought a Beco when DS was about 9 months or so and I am still able to carry him in it no problem.

[NewMom2007]

I love the Beco - have the version before the Butterfly. Started using it when DS was about 6 months and used it up until a few months ago (now I'm too pregnant to use it). As he got older, found it was ideal for trips through the airport - just put him on my back and walk through security.

It is very comfortable. There is a bit of a learning curve for the back carry, but doable! I never tried a Bjorn - after reading about the benefits of carrying with a Beco/Ergo style + I'm not a fan of the dangling baby look, I decided to go with Beco.

[urquie]

we have a beco and an ergo. i much prefer the ergo, as does dh. it is fabulous!

[SnuggleBuggles]

You need to find a baby wearing group and try the dif't carriers on for yourself. I bought an Ergo based on recommendations but it just wasn't a good fit. The Ergo rubbed my upper arms and was really uncomfortable. It probably could have gotten better over time. The Beco was a much better fit for me. NINO (nine in, nine out) is a baby wearing group that may have meetings in your area. Otherwise, try thebabywearer.com to see if there is a group that way. It was so helpful to have the pros help me pick the right carrier- with no pressure to buy.

Beth

[hapimommy]

I have a Beco Carrier and really like it. I am pretty short and so when I heard that Becos fit a shorter person better, i bought one. (I am 5'-3") I front carry my little guy everywhere since he loves being near me, he is a heavy one though, at 8 months old he is almost 23 pounds. I have tried to carry him in back but then it gets harder as I cannot see what his little hands are getting into. I used to have a Moby wrap and that only lasted for a month before it got too inconvenient and unbalanced for me to use. I would definitely recommend the Beco. I tried a Ergo at the store and it was nice too, but I fell in love with the pattern of the Beco, it is the Pony pattern and was on sale at the time.