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View Full Version : Baby Bjorn vs. the others



Krystan
01-11-2001, 02:22 PM
Is it really worth it to spend all the extra money on Baby Bjorn? I saw several other brands that look similar, but would be willing to spend more if it was really worth the extra cost. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

joodyjr
01-12-2001, 06:36 PM
I would have paid ten times the price for my Bjorn had I known what a wonerful carrier it really is!! All I had heard was rave reviews about it, (even Rosie O'Donnell said it was great). I got mine for $70.00 total on ebay, brand new. It was perfect for evenings when my little boy was cranky and only consoled if I held him. It is quite comfy for me and him.

HoneyB'sMom
01-13-2001, 09:06 PM
I borrowed a Baby Bjorn and liked it alright, but someone recommended that I try a baby sling, and it was a dramatic improvement. You can carry the baby in the same stomach-to-chest or baby-facing-out position in a sling, and also when the baby gets older you can carry him or her on your hip with the sling. When they are newborns, carry in the "cradle" position (baby is lying down curled up, supported by the sling). This is a bit better for their backs when they're still really little (recommended by both a pediatrician and a chiropractor).

Two brands I would recommend: The "Over The Shoulder Baby Holder" and the Nojo Original Baby Sling.

Slings are considerably less expensive than the Baby Bjorn, wash easily in the laundry, and I feel much more comfortable on the back. They come with a pamphlet describing how to use it in the various positions. Another advantage: baby is not smack in front of your face, so if you sit to use the computer or eat, the baby is supported in your lap by the sling and you have free hands.

That said, if you don't like the sling, the Baby Bjorn is by far the best front carrier. My advice would be to borrow one and try it out before committing to the purchase.

Geebee
01-17-2001, 12:44 PM
Baby Bjorn is worth money. I used a friend's carrier once, and it was uncomfortable and felt like the baby was going to slip out if I leaned over.

Chevalier
01-24-2001, 02:15 PM
I think the feature to look for in a carrier is a seat that opens up, so you can lay the baby onto it before closing the seat. I bought a cheap snuggli that did not have this feature, and returned it after realizing I'd need a shoehorn to get dd in or out of it. I received a nice carrier as a gift; it was from a small Colorado company- BirdNest. It has the up-front adjustments like the BabyBjorn, but the straps adjust to fit both myself and my husband, who is 9" taller and 120 lb. heavier.

Chana34
01-25-2001, 01:01 PM
I have a Baby Bjorn and a New Native sling. Love them both. I start newborns in the sling then, when my kids get to a point (about 6 weeks) when they really want to see out, I switch to the Baby Bjorn. I switch back to the sling at about 6 to 8 months
When they are sitting really well and I want a little more versatility.

joodyjr
01-29-2001, 07:47 PM
FYI as of today 1/29, babycatalog.com has Baby Bjorn carriers for $59.99 with free shipping. Best price I've seen for new so far. I've ordered a Britax car seat from babycatalog.com and didn't have any trouble w/them. Fast shipping!

lmintzer
01-30-2001, 01:29 AM
I e-mailed babycatalog.com's customer service yesterday and found out that these sale item Bjorn's are the old model. The newer model supposedly has a new button close neck support and an easier system for detaching the front of the carrier (automatic thumb grip and color coding on the new latch system). The old model for $59.99 seems like a real bargain. Just wanted to let people know that it's not the new model, just in case you were looking for the easy detach new system.

Squiddley
02-02-2001, 03:03 AM
We own and have tried to use Tomy and Tommee Tippee carriers, both of which were a pain. The Tomy has insufficient padding and the Tommee Tippee one was much too big, despite claiming to be suitable from birth.

Cannot recommend the Baby Bjorn highly enough. It IS more expensive, but to try is to believe. It is very comfortable, easy to put baby in and take her out, fits "big" daddy and skinny mummy! Best of all, you can put the whole thing in the washing machine without having to take it apart or lose any pieces (there are only the straps and the cushioned part.)

Try to borrow one or use it in the shop to see, because it's not everybody's favourite. Good luck.

Sq

tamiam
02-06-2001, 04:31 PM
I actually started out with the Baby Bjorn, but I love to try new stuff. Besides the Bjorn, I've owned and used OTSBH (Over the shoulder baby holder - padded sling), Maya Wrap pouch (UNpadded sling), Infantino 6-in-1, Snugli (one of the deluxe models), and the Kelty Kangaroo, which I had to have after it won all these awards.

Without going into great detail, none were as easy to use and as comfortable as the Baby Bjorn, or adjusted as quickly. Some of them just took forever to put on and take off, some were just too bulky, the Kangaroo had way too many straps hanging down all over the place. And my babies LOVED being in the Baby Bjorn. The Bjorn is worth way more than its asking price!

The only one of those "other" carriers I still have is the Maya Wrap pouch. It's good to use if your baby is under the height/weight limit of Baby Bjorn (8#, 21"), or when baby is old enough to carry on your hip. And I'm about to purchase a new Baby Bjorn for baby #3 - after all that experimenting, I'm finally convinced there's nothing better out there!

elaine
02-14-2001, 06:03 PM
It seems silly, but I'm having trouble configuring my Baby Bjorn so that the flap stays folded down in the front-facing position. Any tips out there?

ACinnamonGirl
03-25-2001, 08:56 PM
Hello ~
It appears from all the postings that the Baby Bjorn is THE infant carrier to get. I have another question regarding this item for those of you who own one: Realistically, how long did you used your BB carrier? BabyCatalog states the carrier is good for infants up to 33#'s ~ which is around a year or so. To me, this seems like a lot of weight to be supporting on your front - how comfortable was it to carry a larger infant? I am trying to decide if this item will be something I can get a lot of use out of. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Jules

joodyjr
03-25-2001, 09:35 PM
LAST EDITED ON Mar-25-01 AT 07:36PM (Mountain)[p]My 17+lb. son fits comfortably in our Bjorn!
He's now 5 1/2 months old and we still love our Bjorn!
Even if I had only used it for 2 weeks, in my opinion, it was still money well spent!

JennsBabySky
04-01-2001, 02:43 AM
I love my Baby Bjorn. At 11 months, my daughter STILL hates her stroller, but is a perfect angel in the baby BJORN!

thomcatbob
04-05-2001, 04:03 PM
I have a Baby Bjorn and OTSH sling. My 5.5 mo old son (weighs approximately 18 lbs)likes being in the Baby Bjorn but I have found it to be a little cumbersome to snap him in. When I'm shopping, my lower back does begin to hurt so I can't shop for long periods of time. Now I'm considering using the sling because I'll be able to carry him on my hip. I've been using it around the house and have not had any back pain with the sling. Hope this helps.

GinaP
04-14-2001, 11:54 PM
Yes, it's worth the extra money. It's a great carrier--you won't be disappointed.

gina
04-24-2001, 12:43 PM
I tried the Baby Bjorn and found my bad back still suffered. Instead, I bought a BabyTrekker which has support around the waist. BabyTrekker has their own website www.babytrekker.com and can be worn with toddlers up to 40 pounds, or 4 years old. The BabyTrekker is very soft, cool for Mom and baby, and has the added features of allowing you to wear baby facing in or facing out ON YOUR BACK as well! My daughter is 19 pounds now and I can comfortably nurse her while wearing her in the BabyTrekker, but she giggles with delight when placed on my back for long walks outside. The carrier converts to a back-pack for easy-on and easy-off.
I found a delightful website that tells all about wearing babies and offers info on using slings and other carriers:
www.KangarooKorner.com
Good Luck!
gina