Let's talk about the Baby Bjorn

[arivecchi]

I know a lot of people here hate the BB carrier and say it is horrible for the baby's spine. Anyone have any idea where that information comes from? Care to share any reliable research on the subject?

I am definitely not a baby carrier geek, but I do like the BB. Yes, it definitely has some drawbacks, but I do not think it is as horrible as people describe it here sometimes. I loved it when the babies were small. It was so easy to use and DH and the babies loved it. For DS2, I did get an Ergo based on recs from this board. I found the Ergo to be useless for the first 4 months. DS2 was not comfortable in it and screamed everytime I tried to use it, but was happy as a clam in the BB (not to mention the fact that the Ergo is intimidating at first). Once he was old enough to sit in the Ergo (around 5 months), he liked it much better. Now that we can do the back carry, it rocks.

Anyway, I want to educate myself more on the subject. :)

[Reina]

I really like the Baby Bjorn carrier. My DS likes it very much. After reading some negative comments on this board regarding the BB carriers, I asked our pediatrician if there is a drawback to baby carrying in the Bjorn. He said he did not know of any unless the baby was in it 24/7. (the notion of too much of a good thing applies to all I presume.) And of course I'm talking about carrying DS 3-4times a week, within reasonable time periods. He doesn't live inside the carrier. DS is 7 months old. Sits up very good. His spine looks just fine.

I am not a baby carrying or stroller or any other baby gear expert. My personal experience with it has been quite positive. I have to say though, not a fan of the baby carriers that have 3 miles of fabric or the very very simple ones that are loose and floppy either. BB suits my urban & suburban living nicely.

[AngelaS]

I loved the Bjorn. I bought one w/my second and used it for trips to the grocery store, travelling, etc. When I had my third, I used it even more because I needed more free hands! LOL I never used it around the house, just when we were out and about doing errands.

Personally, I don't like how babies sit all spread legged in Ergos. That doesn't look at ALL comfortable to me!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I read the whole suspended by the crotch bad for the spine before but I have not seen anything really official about it, just in an article on Mothering or somewhere (as well as discussed here). I really liked the Bjorn with both boys. For me it was so easy to use. i kept one side done up all the time and could just slip the baby in. In the winter I would put it on, then put my coat on. I kept it on all day for errands, just popping ds in and out when we got where we were going. I just never could figure that out with my Beco.

There did come a point with both boys that I just couldn't handle the Bjorn anymore. It was killing my shoulders. So, having the Beco was very nice. I wish that I could have figured it out better and gotten more use out of it. I just couldn't master the back carry unless dh was there. When I did use it I did see why it got good reviews. It was comfortable in a way the Bjorn wasn't for a heavier baby.

I think it is, for me, a situation of using it in moderation. But that goes for any carrier. The part of one Mothering article I read that was persuasive was about how you should switch things up so the baby can be in a variety of positions. Just like you don't want baby in the carseat all the time, you want to switch things around with carriers.

With the Ergo and a little one you can sit them in there in a way that their legs aren't splayed. I agree that it looks uncomfortable. I also didn't like how low down he was when I sampled an Ergo in the early weeks. I worried about suffocation.

Beth

[citymama]

We had a hand-me-down basic Bjorn, but also other carriers in the stash. For the infant stage, we liked the ring sling (Maya Wrap), esp. DH who used it all the time. At about 2-5 months, I used the Bjorn intermittently for short trips, and found it convenient and easy to use, but definitely not ergonomical for me. It killed my neck and shoulders. That's when we sprung for an Ergo, and from months 5-24, we absolutely LOVED it. It was hard for DD to go from being forward facing in the Maya or Bjorn to facing me, but she got used to it.

This time I have a Kangaroo Korner pouch in addition to Maya for the first few months. And the Ergo insert, although I hear mixed reviews about it. We also have a Babyhawk mei tai we got as a gift. And I'll borrow the nicer newer Bjorn Active that's better for your back and see if that works better than our old one.

Regardless of the controversy, which I didn't really know about at the time, it felt to me like the baby is being suspended in a way that hurts ME and would be tiring for her after a while. Compare it to a Maya or carrier where the butt is fully supported, and you can feel the difference.

I think Bjorns have their place, but I would hesitate to make it my go to carrier. In the mix of things, I'm OK using it for short spells of time.

[Jennifer626]

I have a Bjorn Air and LOVED it for the first 4 months...but after DD got to be around 14 pounds, I bought an Ergo. And, IMO, the Ergo is WAY better overall. I did forget to put the Ergo in the car one day right after I bought it and had to wear the Bjorn for a 10 minute walk and it KILLED my back. So I figure I was just spoiled by the Ergo.

[salsah]

i heard that it isn't healthy for the baby to be facing out, but facing in is okay. but i don't know how reliable that info is either. other carriers that are popular now are popular because they are more comfortable for the parents, especially as the baby gets heavier. regardless of whether it is good for the baby or not, the first carriers i recommend to friends are the ergo/beco/pikkolo type because i know that for most people those will be most comfortable and last the longest.

[satchnbucky]

We liked the BB for the first 8 months and then we got an ERGO. Much as I love the ERGO, I find it difficult to put on by myself (whereas I can put the BB on when I'm alone) and like OP said, for a little baby, I think I would prefer the BB. Like many things, I think the BB is good for certain stages and carriers like the ERGO are good for others :). BTW - I never really felt like my babe was hanging by his crotch (or really situated that much differently than he was in the ERGO - maybe because he was smaller when I used it with him)... I do find that the ERGO is more comfortable for me though...

[swissair81]

I don't like the BB because it hurts my back. I had the one with the extra lumbar support.

[lhafer]

I loved the Bjorn. I bought one w/my second and used it for trips to the grocery store, travelling, etc. When I had my third, I used it even more because I needed more free hands! LOL I never used it around the house, just when we were out and about doing errands.

Personally, I don't like how babies sit all spread legged in Ergos. That doesn't look at ALL comfortable to me!

Actually having their legs spread like that gives them proper development in the hips.

http://www.continuum-concept.org/reading/spinalStress.html

This article is about Bjorns exclusively, from the Bjorn company - http://www.babybjornbelievers.com/September-News-Bulletin/check-up-questions-about-baby-wearing.html