Questions about an Ergo

[KLD313]

I just bought an Ergo carrier and I was wondering if most people wash them before use? Also my baby is almost 4 mos old, do I need to have the insert?

I'm kind of kicking myself for buying it because i'm not sure I'll use it but it seems good for being able to go to the grocery store alone with the baby. Other than that I'm not sure where I'll use it but I got a good deal on it.

TIA.

[mezzona]

I washed mine before use and have washed it twice more. It washes really well, but I have the beige one.

[crl]

Hmm, I did not wash mine. I couldn't get the old style insert to work. I never tried the new heart to heart insert. I was able to use my ergo without an insert when dd was about six months old, she is on the big side.

Catherine

[candaceb]

I just bought an Ergo carrier and I was wondering if most people wash them before use? Also my baby is almost 4 mos old, do I need to have the insert?


TIA.

I didn't wash it, but I got the sucking pads and I did wash those before use. Mine is navy blue so I'm concerned about it fading if I wash it too often.

I started using it without the heart-to-heart insert when DS was 3.5 months old and we were traveling and I didn't want to deal with the bulk of it. He was around 13 pounds then. We started out with both legs in froggy position, then one leg out, and he now has both legs out.

[KLD313]

I didn't wash it, but I got the sucking pads and I did wash those before use. Mine is navy blue so I'm concerned about it fading if I wash it too often.

I started using it without the heart-to-heart insert when DS was 3.5 months old and we were traveling and I didn't want to deal with the bulk of it. He was around 13 pounds then. We started out with both legs in froggy position, then one leg out, and he now has both legs out.


I didn't know they had sucking pads.

Thanks for that info. She's already over 13 lbs so maybe I'll just try her in it and see how it goes. How would I know if she's not in the right position or if she's too small for it?

[crl]

I did not feel comfortable using the Ergo until dd's nose was above the top of the carrier so I could check on her breathing. Not sure that is a real standard, just what made me comfortable. I tried froggying her feet, but she kept pushing down hard with them and they would slide between the bottom of the carrier and my belly. It felt really unsafe, like she could slide out. So I used my pikkolo and my mei tai, which I could cinch down smaller to get her legs out earlier. She could get her legs out in the Ergo around 6 months.

Catherine

[wellyes]

They wash fine, but it's not required. No biggie either way.

I'd use without insert once the baby
1. Can sit with her legs splayed out across your abdomen comfortably
2. Can sit upright (leaning on you or the carrier) without shlumping down after a few minutes

[Uno-Mom]

It's really the straps that get crusty. We haven't washed ours' yet after 8 months' use. But I need to ASAP because it dragged along the floor at urgent care last week. That's the one kind of contamination that freaks me out! But our Ergo is dark brown and doesn't show dirt.

Quick tip: the sucking pads seem way spendy for what they are. Instead, you can cut the feet off a pair of knee highs (or use baby legs) and thread them over the straps. You could hem the cut edge for a classier look. Personally, I use my favorite retired pair of striped socks and leave the frayed edges showing. But I'm a hippie girl with (many would say) a troubling style sense.

We switched from sling to Ergo when my daughter was about 5 months old. She could comfortable sit with her legs spread out by then.

[BabyBearsMom]

I washed it. It washes great. I air dry it though.

DD started using it without the insert around 4 months, but DD had excellent neck control at that point and is very large (she was and is in the 90th percentile). I found the infant insert to be a PITA, but still loved the Ergo.

I use my Ergo a lot. I wore DD at the grocery store and Target until she could sit up on her own and sit in the cart. I will still throw the Ergo under the stroller in case DD gets fussy when I am out and about at the mall or at a festival or something. Sometimes DD just wants to be held and the Ergo is great for that. I wear DD a lot when she is sick, especially lately she has had RSV and keeping her upright in the Ergo is nice. Now that DD is almost 9 months old, I wear her on my back more than my front since she is so heavy.

[KLD313]

Thanks everyone! She's kinda big too (80th percentile) so I'm going to see how she fits in it. Her head control is good but I'm not sure if it's good enough. I really don't want to buy the insert for just a couple of months so if she's too small I'll wait.

[Beth24]

Thanks everyone! She's kinda big too (80th percentile) so I'm going to see how she fits in it. Her head control is good but I'm not sure if it's good enough. I really don't want to buy the insert for just a couple of months so if she's too small I'll wait.

How did it go? I missed your post before, sorry, but I went through this transition a couple months ago, and I remember reading in the instruction booklet that the minimum weight requirement was 15 pounds. I tried it around that time and the legs were awkward until just recently. I felt he was too big to be frogged inside the carrier and his legs too small to be outside around my waist (or else my waist was too big LOL)! Anyways that stage was short lived and now we use the Ergo w/o insert all the time and we LOVE it.

[lizzywednesday]

I didn't know they had sucking pads.

Thanks for that info. She's already over 13 lbs so maybe I'll just try her in it and see how it goes. How would I know if she's not in the right position or if she's too small for it?

If she ends up in the carrier curled chin-to-chest, that's an airway obstruction issue and a sign she might need the insert to help with positioning.

I had the heart-to-heart and liked it OK, but between the bulk and the fact that my DD was an end-of-winter baby and not a start-of-winter baby, it just wasn't practical for us to use. I used my EllaRoo until she grew a bit more so she wouldn't curl chin-to-chest in the Ergo alone.

Definitely froggy her legs & snug the carrier as close to your body as you can. It should help stop that chin-to-chest thing.

A tip I got from a babywearing group was you should be able to kiss the top of Baby's head while Baby is in the carrier next to your heart. If you can't, Baby isn't in the carrier properly.