like a bjorn but not?? -- get the ERGO!

[ahrimie]

i have the bjorn and though i don't like it much, i think it's easy to put on and off with baby in hand. i also like that you can make them face outward. but i can't wear this for very long because my shoulders and neck start to ache.

i love love the moby.. never ever strains my body but i don't like how you have to put the baby down to put it on and wrap it around yourself. i've got the hang of it now but i wish it had some buckles or something so that i could just snap it in.

is there anything that combines the best of those two?

ETA: i just wanted to add after hating this problem.. i decided to use the ergo i bought while preggo. i LOVE it. i can wear this 4x as long as the bjorn... easy to use with one hand (just snap on the waist piece first before getting baby).. in fact, it's all i used during a 5 day trip to nyc!

[annasmom]

I have never used the moby, so I wouldn't know what to recommend for that, but as far as the Bjorn - there are lots of other types of soft structured carriers available that provide much better support.

Probably the most readily available are the Ergo, Beco, and Patapum. But there are lots of others as well, including some beatiful carriers that can be custom made. If you are interested you might want to check out The BabyWearer Dot Com for some more information and reviews.

[ahrimie]

i actually bought the ergo while i was pregnant but i havne't whipped it out to use it yet.... but i thought with that you can't make them forward facing, right?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I thought that I would (well, ds would) dislike not being able to forward face in the Beco Butterfly but he is quite content to face inward and look over my shoulder. The Baby K'Tan lets you have baby ff'ing and is a more ergonomic carrier. It doesn't seem to me that it would be easy to do one handed though.

I always used my Bjorn w/ ds1 and for a good while with ds2. I have not found another carrier that I can put on while holding the baby though. I am getting good with the Beco but I am still not sure if I could do it. However, it does have that infant insert that the Ergo does not. That insert lets you get baby in the carrier and then put the carrier on.
I had lots of Ergo troubles but I am doing better with the Beco.

Beth

[annasmom]

.... but i thought with that you can't make them forward facing, right?[/QUOTE]

You are right, sorry!! Honestly, I really don't know of many carriers that you can do forward facing with. I know that some exist, but just not so many. If you don't get some good recommendations here, I highly suggest you head over to the babywearer dot com and ask the ladies over there.

[salsah]

how do you wear the bjorn? i see many people walking around with the baby in the bjorn hanging all the way down by their waist -- ouch! after i put it on and put the baby in, i lift the baby up so her head is just below my chin and tighten the straps. that way the weight of the baby isn't pulling down on your shoulders too much. i was able to use the bjorn that way with dd2 for a year, pain free.
of course everybody's body is different. i wanted to love the ergo but i couldn't. i have back issues and the ergo actually hurt my back more. my sister however is the opposite. she only used the bjorn with her newborns and when they got heavier she switched to the ergo.
look for a baby boutique near you where you can go try them on.

[rgavelis]

My friend loves these carriers

http://www.babyhawk.com/

I'm thinking about getting one for the next baby.

[annasmom]

My friend loves these carriers

http://www.babyhawk.com/

I'm thinking about getting one for the next baby.


Love, love, love my BH!! Best carrier for me by far!!

[ahrimie]

i just looked on that website... can you make them face outward? there wasn't a picture of that...

[katiesmommy]

I wanted to address the facing outward thing. It's generally not recommended to face babies outward in carriers because their legs hang down and it isn't good for their hip develpment. Also because babies can't turn away when they get overstimulated when facing outward.

I wear my 3 1/2 year old in a mei tai from cuppiecakecarriers on diaperswappers.

[ahrimie]

oh really? i didn't know.

when i wear the moby or bjorn with her facing inward, she turns her neck and body outward so she can see outside... that's why i face her outward in the bjorn--but i don't wear that for more than 30 min like that.

but in other carriers their legs hang down too, not with just the outward facing... is there something different about facing outward?

[LBW]

I still love my tried and true Kozy carrier:
http://kozycarrier.homestead.com/

and a few months ago I bought a Connecta that I really like:
http://www.connectababycarrier.com/

You might also want to look at short wraps (like a size 2 Didymos) or ring slings. You can use these on one shoulder and carry your baby on your hip. That way she can see forward, but not strain her neck to do so or strain her hips. These are by far my favorite carriers now because they are so easy to pop the baby in and out and they are comfy!

Let me know if you have any questions about wraps, but I second (or third) the thebabywearer.com recommendation!

[katiesmommy]

Dangling legs is typically not good. Most SSC's, wraps, mei tai's, and slings position the legs so that it's as if you were just holding them on your hip, the top parts of their legs wrap around you as oppossed to dangling in midair.

I'm off to find a picture of my dd in our mei tai for you.

[katiesmommy]

Found it, please excuse the dirty mirror. Anyway, notice that her legs are just as if she was sitting in a chair except with the knees splayed out as opposed to hanging down.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m159/sparkle_shadow/2558156670_9685745b7d_o.jpg

[ahrimie]

ohh, i see what you mean.

cute carrier!!