which baby bjorn to buy?

[savannah]

I realize there are two styles to choose from, the original and a new style with increased back support? I'm due in May and hope to use the carrier a lot. However, I'm prone to neck and shoulder strains (that's where I tend to carry tension...I'm imagining I'll be feeling a little of that with all of the sleepless nights ahead of me, lol!). Anyway, is it worth the extra $30 to invest in the more expensive model? Did anyone buy the original model and regret it, or experience back pain?

Thanks for the help!

[Momof3Labs]

Neither will last you very long - the regular Bjorn gets uncomfortable by the time baby is around 15lbs or so. I haven't tried the Active version, personally, but imagine that you'd get a few more pounds out of it. The problem with the Bjorn is the baby's position - the baby's spine is supporting all of its weight, which is not a good position for a tiny body.

I'd suggest looking at a Mei Tai like www.kozycarrier.com or a sling or wrap for a newborn - read some of the other recent threads here on carrying a newborn for ideas. You can buy 2-3 really good carriers that will get you through toddlerhood for the price of one Bjorn Active...

[lenad]

What she said.

LD

[tarahsolazy]

A great carrier for a newborn is the Moby Wrap. You can get them only on-line, like at www.peppermint.com or I think www.cottoncradles.com The stretch in the fabric makes it very cozy and supportive for baby, and it spreads out over your whole back, you can hardly feel the weight. I can still carry my 25lb 11 mo old in a wrap carrier on my front and cannot feel any of the weight on my back, its all on my hips. I found the Bjorn very uncomfortable, compared to my Moby wrap and adjustable fleece sling. Try www.kangarookorner.com for those.

[JLiebCamm]

I agree with the previous posters. I had Baby Bjorn with my first child and after he gained a bit of weight my shoulders were constantly sore. After learning about pouches/slings on this site, I'm wearing them with my daughter and am very comfortable. The Bjorn is collecting dust.

[nov04]

Just got my moby wrap in the mail today. dd loves facing outward in it, we're working on the inward thing. It was so reasonably priced too.

I had a snugli like thing at first, took too long to get her in to be worthwhile.

[TereasaT]

I agree with the previous posters and think a stretchy wrap is wonderful with a newborn. I don't have a Moby, but I have a Hug-a-Bub and still love it for my now 5 month old. You can spread the wrap over your shoulders for great support and the wrap itself holds the baby snug to you so the weight is distributed wonderfully. It is so soft and snuggly.

I have tried both the original and the Active Baby Bjorn version, and they are both uncomfortable. The original was fine at first, but it got uncomfortable quickly. With my first son, it started getting really uncomfortable when he was about 3 months old. The Active version with the lumbar support makes me feel like terminator with all the buckles, straps, and padding.

Tereasa

[Tondi G]

I haven't tried the new style but we used our Bjorn a ton when DS was little!!! He hated the sling I tried and LOVED the Bjorn. I was just happy he was happy. Sure as he got heavier it was harder on my back but DH could wear him for long periods of time with no problem! I've never tried the Hug a Bub... heard good things about the Sutemi and am considering one since it is a similar style pack, we'll see. We just liked how easy it is to get baby in and out of the Bjorn.... actually we have loaned our Bjorn out twice already since DS was born.... to my BIL/SIL and our closer friends..... both were very happy to have the Bjorn and we all used it till the babies were ready for a backpack style carrier... around 6 months maybe!

Good Luck

~Tondi
Mommy to Mason 7/8/01
and lil man #2 edd 5/5/05

[mrsmac]

Just adding my 2 cents worth.
Our Baby Bjorn was the most used baby item second only to the infant carseat. Myself, DH, grandma and DD all loved it. I still wanted to have a sling so I tried the Maya wrap and eventually also the Hotsling. None of us, especially DD, liked either better than the Bjorn. The Maya wrap was a mess, fabric constantly slipping. I must've watched the video 50 times.... I liked the Hotsling but dd didn't at all. Baby #2 is arriving soon and I am still determinted to make use of my Hotsling. So I'll try again. But I am registering for the Bjorn Active (and will buy it myself if I don't receive it as a gift.) My back did start to bother me with the regular Bjorn once DD got heavier, but usually only when the cross connector in the back slipped up too high (between my shoulder blades. I had to have it crisscross lower.) That is why I'm trying the Active b/c of my back. I think slings do usually work longer (and are cheaper) but I could never get ours to work for us. DD hated them. Plus DH and Grandma liked the Bjorn better too. I'm thinking the Hotsling will be good in the begining when DS is tiny so he can curl up (womb-like) and once he gets better head control he can face outward in the Bjorn like his big sis loved to do. But everyone is different (every baby too!)
Good Luck!
~Tanya

[becky7700]

I can't compare the two - sorry! I loved my orignial style Bjorn. My shoulders would get sore after wearing it for about an hour. Just enough time to run errands :) Now I use an Ergo and carry DD on my back.

[becky7700]

I can't compare the two - sorry! I loved my orignial style Bjorn. My shoulders would get sore after wearing it for about an hour. Just enough time to run errands :) Now I use an Ergo and carry DD on my back.

[mom2jasper]

If you have your heart set on the Baby Bjorn, get the Active. My sister has the original and I could carry my DS for about 15 minutes before seizing up with back spasms. In my Active carrier, I can carry him (17 1/2 pounds, 5 months) for hours with no pain at all. I know people say that the baby is "dangling by his crotch" and I have read that study, but I honestly don't believe it's true. I can put my hands under his bottom and feel where his weight is centered--it is on his seat.

Now having said that, I do think that even the Baby Bjorn Active will eventually become useless. I feel like I'm needing another carrier soon. And I never used the Baby Bjorn at home. It was too much fuss with all the buckles to get him out before he started wailing so I could breastfeed.

So around the house I used the KKAFP, honestly we still use it almost every day. My husband's favorite, we can adjust it to fit both of us. Also a Hug-A-Bub, talk about having a baby plastered to your chest. The freedom! You can do anything in a Hug-a-Bub, maybe even a cartwheel and the baby stays stuck. (not that I would recommend it of course) The Hug-A-Bub is pricey, but I use it all the time. I just don't like untying it in public because it is a lot of fabric to be getting dirty, dropping in a puddle, etc. A Mei Tei is slightly better, but still has the dangling straps factor, and if I have bags, etc. it becomes tricky to tie baby etc. I get around mostly by public transportation--so where do I put the baby when I'm wrapping myself with material? When he can't sit uP? So we're back to something like the Baby Bjorn for outside.Easy to pop in and out. If you have a car and will be putting baby in the carrier directly from the carseat, might be a different story.

I am currently looking for the next step in carriers, and debating over the Sutemi and Ergo, but both of these are not so great with newborns as far as I can tell.

Hope this helps. Man I rambled on, didn't I?

[Oregonmother]

We loved our Baby Bjorn! The Active style was not available when I bought mine otherwise I would have probably puchased it instead. DS had colic as an infant and this saved our life. We used our Bjorn till DS was about 13 months old and to the weight limit. He was a big baby 90% for height and weight and I never had any major problems with it being uncomfortable. I'm not going to say it was easy carring him in it as he got larger, but it was much easier than carrying him in my arms or on my hip and he refused to sit in a stroller. As long as you put the criss cross in the back low enough(between shoulder blades, not above) it seemed very comfortable to me. This was the baby product we used the most and we definitely got our money's worth out of it.