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View Full Version : What's the best???



kelso44
10-21-2003, 01:54 PM
I am about to get a baby bjorn (first kid due in november) and just want to make sure that I am getting the best for my little dude. Is that the best carrier out there? What are my options?

thanks!

kelso

jayhjay
10-21-2003, 02:48 PM
Some people here are fans of the Bjorn and others are not. I didn't really like mine. I had a small baby and couldn't use it right away b/c she was too little. But by the time she was only a few months old, I found her way too heavy to carry it in without hurting my back. This seems to be a common compaint. I also don't love that you can only use it on the front (no back carrying or hip carrying) and only dangling vertically (versus a cradle or nursing hold).

If you like that kind of soft pack carrier, there are some others more widely recommended on these boards. Or you may want to consider a sling which is ofter more versitile in terms of positions. For my upcoming little one, I decided to try a sling instead and got a Zolo and a Mom and Me hemp pouch.

If you do some reading on the boards, you can get some more options. You might also want to do a search on Baby Bjorns so you can see some feedback. It is definitely a "love it" or "hate it" type of carrier.

egoldber
10-21-2003, 03:07 PM
There's not really any "best" carrier. I had a Bjorn, and like the other poster said, I loved it while she was small, but by the time she was 18 pounds, it killed me to wear it.

The best carrier is the one that fits you the best and that you are comfortable using. That being said, something like the Wilkinet is similar in style to the Bjorn, but with a better design and you can use it longer.

I have come to prefer slings. They are more versatile and you can use them well into toddlerhood. They do, unfortunately, have a much higher learnning curve than carriers like the Bjorn, which is very simple to use from the get-go.

HTH,

Calmegja
10-21-2003, 03:20 PM
*thread hijack, but sorta pertinent*

So, Beth...anxious readers want to know, did you make a sling decision? ;-)

egoldber
10-21-2003, 03:21 PM
Shhhh!!!

DH hasn't asked about the other sling yet! I've decided to try "don't ask, don't tell" and see how it goes! :)

deborah_r
10-21-2003, 04:08 PM
I agree with what Beth said about the Wilkinet. I saw dcclerk's Wilkinet and it looked cozy for both her and Caleb. Her DS did not seem like he was "hanging" off of her, but more like the carrier was pulling him toward her.

Many of us have found that, like strollers, unfortunately one does not usually meet all of your needs; or one works for newborns, but not for older babies.

heidi_timms
10-21-2003, 04:13 PM
If felt the same way about the bjorn. DD was too small in the beginning and by the time I started using it, she was already getting too big. I now have a mom-and-me hemp pouch that I love. I got my Bjorn at a yard sale for $2. I would try and get one used as most of the used ones aren't used much at all:) The Bjorn is way overpriced if you ask me!

~Heidi
Mom to Kailey Ashlin
4/27/03

mharling
10-21-2003, 05:14 PM
Of the Bjorn-type carriers, I've heard from a lot of people that they are the best. Another mom in my playgroup has tried a lot of the cheaper imitations and didn't like them nearly as well.

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b3524e54e42d - New 10/3

egoldber
10-21-2003, 07:16 PM
Just FYI, here's a link to the Wilkinet website. The gals on the Yahoo Babywearing group rave about it.

http://www.wilkinet.co.uk/

stillplayswithbarbies
10-21-2003, 07:19 PM
For the price of a Bjorn, you could have several slings. The Bjorn is not really versatile, and it tends to be painful to use once they get a little bigger.

If you get one, get a used one. You can find zillions at consignment shops that are hardly used at all. Or look at the Theodore Bean carriers, which you can get on eBay really cheap.

But I really think a sling is better.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

August Mom
10-22-2003, 08:22 AM
I'll chime in with a different opinion and say that DS and I loved the Bjorn. He has always been so happy in it. It did start to put more strain on my back as DS approached 20 pounds but we more than got our money's worth out of the Baby Bjorn. I tried other carriers with DS, but he always preferred the Bjorn. I found it very easy to put on/take off by myself. And, it washed nicely. I have no complaints.

Other options include adjustable slings, pouches, adjustable pouches (like the Kangaroo Korner fleece pouch), Wilkinet, Baby Trekker, Theodore Bean and Sutemi.

I would stay away from the Snuggli and slings you can buy at mass merchandisers.

Here are some links to different carriers:

http://www.kangarookorner.com/index.shtml
http://www.wilkinet.co.uk/
http://www.babytrekker.com/
http://www.epinions.com/kifm-Baby_Equipment-Carriers-All-Theodore_Bean_Micro_Mesh_Carrier_1MNBL
http://sutemigear.com/

Dcclerk
10-22-2003, 10:42 AM
As others have mentioned, I love my Wilkinet and DS does, too. I have no problems carrying him around all day in the thing. However, although I would choose it over the Bjorn, personally, my DH would not. It has straps that are relatively involved, and it usually takes me a full minute to get DS totally adjusted. Once you get the hang of it, it is no big deal and is great for couples who are very different in sizes, but if you don't want to take the time to work on the learning curve, a Bjorn is much easier (about 20 seconds in and secure).

That being said, both DH and I agree that the standard Bjorn is not nearly as comfortable as the Wilkinet (and I imagine some of the other carriers). In a dream world, my DH would probably prefer the easy of the Bjorn with the support and padding of a Wilkinet. I think the closest you could get with those are:

The NEW $120 Baby Bjorn with waist support
Kelty Kangaroo

Good luck with your decision. Don't feel bad if you end up getting something and then something else and something else until you have about 6 different carriers, like all the rest of us on this board! :)

sbbiomed
10-22-2003, 02:34 PM
We have the Bjorn and the Maya wrap (gift). We were using the Bjorn first and then someone got us the Maya wrap when our DS was about 1.5 months old.

Our DS is now about 14.5 pounds (3 months). My DW and I love the Bjorn so far. It is so easy and quick to put our DS into. When he was younger, he slept against our chest every time that he was in the Bjorn. Now that he is "older", he faces outward and loves to look around and see the sites. We just went to NYC last weekend and I walked around Central Park with him looking at the trees and the people and he loved it. I can see it becoming a strain on the back when he gets bigger, but we will have a child carrier by then to walk and hike with.

As far as the Maya wrap goes, My DW has not had too much time to play the instructional video (a good 20 minutes and you need to watch it a few times in a row) since we recieved it. It is pretty confusing to learn and my DW has tried it a few times, but it always felt like she needed to hold him with one hand (Bjorn totally secure feeling) because it feels like his tush is going to slip out the bottom and that the locking rings holding his weight will slip. I have tried it as well and I didn't feel like I could totally let go of him.

This is my opinion along with my DW's. However, the person that gave us the wrap has three and won't use anything else.

I think that whatever you start using and get comfortable with is what you will like the most. It is hard to get comfortable with something and then try to get comfortable with something completely different.

Steven
Dreams do come true - Joshua 7-14-03

wagner36
10-22-2003, 06:21 PM
I loved, loved, loved our Bjorn until DS got to be about 16 pounds. Loved it! It was so easy and convenient that we could shlepp DS anywhere. Plus, DH felt that it was manly enough (he's sensitive on this issue since he's a SAHD - everything has to be extra manly), whereas he would NEVER consider wearing a Maya. Now that DS is so big, he would rather just carry him or push him in the stroller. I, on the other had, am considering getting a sling for myself, but I haven't quite figured out which one yet! As long as you're not freaked out by spending $80 on a Bjorn that you may only use for a few months, I say go for it! DS wouldn't tolerate a stroller until recently, so the Bjorn changed our lives!

Tara
Mom to Charlie, 5/26/03

egoldber
10-22-2003, 06:47 PM
Have you had the person that gave you the Maya give you and your DW a lesson? There is absolutely nothing like having someone show you first hand how to use a sling! Their one major downside is their learning curve. I have a Maya and it really should be hands free. When worn correctly, there is really no way for a baby to slip out the bottom. Some people do have problems with the fabric slipping in the rings, but that hasn't happened to me yet, so it may depend on body type and ring position.

wreckgirl1
10-23-2003, 10:11 PM
This is my first foray into this board. I haven't really tried a lot of products other than the Bjorn, but friends of mine have told me that it is the best of that type of carrier. Lots of complaints about the Snugli...my friends who have bought it have ended up getting a Bjorn for kid #2. I'm not familiar with the Wilkins.

I agree that if you are interested in getting a man to wear your baby (DH, grandpa), the Bjorn is the way to go. My DH LOVES the thing...every time I leave the house I come back and DD is in the Bjorn with Daddy. And she's ALWAYS in that thing on him when we go out to the store, a restaurant, etc. Maybe now he'd wear her in a more traditional sling, but I doubt it. Pre-birth when we were at BRU looking at them, he said he wouldn't unless we got a masculine carrier. And the Bjorns are definitely masculine looking. And I see men all the time around town wearing their babies in a Bjorn, but not really in slings or Snuglies.

They are quite expensive, but you can buy a new one on Ebay for less than they sell in the stores, and get a used one for even cheaper.

Just my $0.02.

Cynthia
Mom to Julianna 9/7/03

kelso44
10-24-2003, 05:38 PM
OK, I am going to tangent slightly....

I continue to see acronyms like, DS, DD, DH, etc. what do these mean!!!?????

thanks!

kelso

stillplayswithbarbies
10-24-2003, 08:02 PM
Dear Son, Dear Daughter, Dear Hubby :)

Or sometimes another word that starts with D!

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

kaitlinsmommy
10-24-2003, 08:58 PM
FYI - I saw on Babycenter's website there is a new & improved (and more expensive) Bjorn. It looks like it is more like a Wilkenet. I loved my Baby Bjorn from about months 2-6 but agree with the previous posts. I wish I would have gotten a sling and am sure I will for the next baby. However, dh likes the Bjorn and I'm sure he will never use a sling.

C99
10-24-2003, 09:42 PM
Yep, I agree. My husband wears our son in the Baby Bjorn, but I never found the thing very comfortable on my back -- even when Nate was 8 lbs (min. weight requirement) and a month old! I have seen men wear Snuglies around A LOT in Chicago, but the Bjorn seems very popular.

jade729
10-24-2003, 10:38 PM
I had a Baby Bjorn for my DD and encountered the same problems as some of the posters in this thread. My DD did not like it when she was very small and by the time she was 15 lbs. it hurt my back.
I really wish I had bought a sling back then, especially since my daughter had colic. I did not do any research on carriers or slings a couple of years ago with my first pregnancy. I recently sold my Baby Bjorn on ebay and purchased a Zolo sling for baby #2 who is due any day now. After reading the message boards here for a couple of weeks I decided I wanted another sling as a back up and just purchased the Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch. I would definitely recommend that you check out www.kangarookorner.com because they rate many slings and pouches there and tell you all of the advantages and disadvantages of them. There are so many different carriers/slings out there so you should definitely read the archives here and check out the ones that best suit your needs.

Marissa
10-27-2003, 01:50 PM
I have to put in a word for a Hug a Bub. It's an obscure carrier - made in Australia - but has been an absolute lifesaver for my family. It's a front carrier, like Bjorn, but has none of the back problems, and you can use it with a much heavier child. I wear my son all day (including right now), and it has made my life MUCH easier. He sleeps well, is snuggled in, and my hands are truly free.

The main differences between it and the Bjorn are that there are no snaps or hooks on the Hug a Bub - it's a long (LONG) piece of jersey material that wraps around you. Also, because your baby is wrapped onto your body, the weight distribution is much better; translation: no back problems. The straps can be broadened across the shoulders to further reduce back strain.

Just a great product. People stop me on the street all the time to ask about it, because my son looks so comfortable in it! I don't even use my stroller when we're out.

Good luck!

megulis
10-27-2003, 04:37 PM
I have heard good things about the ergo and the kozy carrier http://www.geocities.com/kozycarrier/ . Just another mix in the world of complication.

egoldber
10-27-2003, 07:50 PM
FYI, neither of these carriers can be used with a newborn. Both require that the infant have good head control first.

HTH,

megulis
10-27-2003, 08:27 PM
thx for letting me know. i m awfully tired. :(

egoldber
10-27-2003, 09:27 PM
Aww!!! We've all been there!!!! It really does get better soon!!!