Should I get a baby carrier?

[DueInNov2011]

For some reason, I can't see myself using a baby carrier all that often. Do I need one? I am a first-time Mom & working on my registry now. I've noticed that carriers are not cheap. Please let me know if this is an item all of you experience Moms feel you could or could not live without. Also, if you decided you cannot live without it, which one do you think is best?

Thanks!!! :)

[crl]

Many people love them. I am sure some never, ever use them. I think it is hard to tell ahead of time. I used one some with my oldest, but could not have lived without one for my youngest. She rode/slept in it everyday while I walked my older ds to te bus and supervised him playing outside after school. Also she slept in it with me walking around the house at night for a few bad nights where she wouldn't stop crying otherwise.

I loved my pikkolo and I think they are very easy to use so would recommend them for a new babywearer.

Catherine

[Kymberley]

I had 2 that I could not have lived without for the first year of DS's life. They were especially useful when shopping, as I didn't want to lug the carseat into the store and take up cart space. DS loved being carried as well. I used my Beco butterfly a lot, then switched to my Ergo when Babysteals had them. I like both, but found that the Ergo was easier to use for front carry, and the Beco was easier for back carry (for me). We still use the Beco occasionally, and DS is 2.

[hellokitty]

Yes, whatever you do, don't get a baby bjorn or infantino. For a newborn, I love the moby wrap, so older babies, an ergo/becco/pikkolo would be ideal for a newbie.

[amldaley]

Just echoing others sentiments that some people love 'em and some don't. Do you NEED one? No, probably not. You can totally live without one. But they can be very helpful and useful.

For me, I used it from when DD was 3 months to about 12 months. Around 14 months, my DD just refused to be carried. She hates being warm and she hates being restricted or constricted in any way. It's part of her personality. She has never been snuggly. She JUST NOW will voluntarily cuddle watching TV or reading.

I work full time and when I needed to get out and about I needed to maximize my time. I loved using a carrier for errands and shopping. It seemed so much more simple than lugging the giant carseat around and I felt so detached from DD when she was in her stroller. It was so much easier to push a shopping cart with her in the carrier. I interacted with her more than I would if she were in a stroller. I talked to her constantly when she was in the carrier.

I preferred a SSC (soft structured carrier like Ergo, Pikkolo, etc. I had a Connecta from England) than wraps and slings. I was not handy enough for a wrap and I felt the Moby stretched too much and DD refused to be in a sling. But that was just *my* preference.

There are lots of great posts here on BBB about babywearing. There is also a great site called www.thebabywearer.com where there is TONS of good info. But if you don't want to use a carrier and don't think you will, then don't. Millions of people don't and they do just fine :)

ETA: Now that I am expecting number 2, I am super excited to dig out our old Connecta and I am shopping carriers again. I got enough out of it the first time around to want to do it the 2nd time around! And I can easily see how, with a toddler running around, a carrier is going to come in handy!

ETA Again...The Baby Wearer also has a FSOT sections so if cost is an issue preventing you from wanting to try a carrier, you could consider buying a used carrrier.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Absolutely! I can't even imagine dealing with lugging that stupid bucket seat around (heavy, awkward), tying up a hand or 2 to carry baby by hand when I am trying to do other things (carry bags, open doors) or deal with a stroller (having to always look for elevators or lug a stroller up stairs...). Grocery shopping is much more practical with one too as it is unsafe to put a carseat on top of the cart despite what everyone else does and if you put it in the basket you don't have much space for goods.

Babies tend to enjoy being in a carrier all snuggled up with you. Standing there simply swaying can settle baby down. There are so many brands and styles out there that I think you could find one you liked. My friend borrowed my Beco for her 2nd kid after being anti-baby wearing with her 1st. After listening to all we could do with our baby carriers she decided to try it. She is a convert and still wears her ds at 11m. She just used it the other day while taking pictures at a wedding for her niece. Handy!

Beth

[swissair81]

I don't think I could have done without one this year. The baby needed the carrier. She is 11 months old and still prefers when I carry her. My older 3 liked the carrier for the newborn stage, and then preferred the stroller once they settled down. I like the Baby Hawk Mei Tai and the Pikkolo.

[BayGirl2]

I also found having one to be very handy. My DS loved it, and he was the kind of baby that wanted to be carried everywhere. Now with my 2nd on the way I expect to use our carriers even more. DS is now 26 months and going through a "carry me" phase and DH just puts him on is back in the Pikkolo.

Do your research and try out different styles and brands of carriers. Don't just register for a Bjorn because they are easy to find at the big box stores. I think the majority of people who get one of those at best find it useful only to a low weight or worse find it very uncomfortable and over priced. You can get much more for your money, or spend less to get something more targeted, with the less-marketed brands.

[pb&j]

Could not have lived without my Beco. DD was colicky and had to be held 24/7. She's still very clingy at age 2.5, and most nights I make dinner while carrying her hands free in my Hotsling.

I had a peanut shell pouch with DS that I used quite a lot as well to carry hands-free. He was a giant, so I stopped wearing him in the pouch around age 1, but definitely would have used a soft structured carrier had I had one at the time.

[lizzywednesday]

DD was and still is very cuddly at almost 17 months.

When I didn't have the wrap I'd registered for when DD was teeny-tiny, I got next-to-nothing done around the house and mostly "forgot" to eat. (My shower was canceled due to snow. Twice.)

Once I had the wrap, it made it easier to run quick errands to Target, the grocery store and even the mall so I could leave the (g-dawful) travel system stroller at home.

I delivered by C-section, so lifting DD in the baby bucket was a PITA for me; it's also crazy bulky and I just didn't have the patience for navigating grocery bags, the bucket and our front door.

I also registered for a SSC (a.k.a. "soft structured carrier") and we still use this when we're going places that aren't stroller-friendly, like others' homes, Cape May and other tight spaces. Ours is an ErgoBaby brand carrier, so it's rated for front, hip and back carries (though I find the instructions for the hip carry confusing and pretty much useless) and can be used 'til DD is 35 lbs. (It'll be a while.)

Yes, they're expensive, but if you look at the features, that money will be spread out over a number of years.

Or, if you're still not convinced it's for you, there are plenty of people willing to buy them in "gently used" condition.

[AnnieW625]

With DD1 I didn't get my Beco Butterfly carrier until she was 20 or 21 months old. We only used it for back carrying. With DD1 we used from pretty much birth until about a year in the front carry. We haven't used it much this summer, but I know we will use it more soon in the back carry mode.

I would try a couple of different carriers. I tried the Ergo and it hurt my back with DD1 in it. I much preferred the Beco Butterfly. If you think you are going to want a carrier that offer more carrying positions like the Ergo then look at the Beco Gemini.

I decided on a soft structured carrier because I didn't feel confident enough to use a Moby or Mei Tei wrap style carrier.

[gatorsmom]

I never used one with my first 2 babies. I borrowed several types from friends and just never liked them. Then I had my twins and a friend introduced me to the Mobywrap. It was just what I needed to carry Greenbean around in when he was colicky and wanted to be held for 7 hours at a time.

If I were you, I'd do a little research to find out the best-loved ones and then see if you can borrow some to try when your baby is born. You might be surprised to find you love 'em or hate 'em. :p

[rin]

I never used one with my first 2 babies. I borrowed several types from friends and just never liked them. Then I had my twins and a friend introduced me to the Mobywrap. It was just what I needed to carry Greenbean around in when he was colicky and wanted to be held for 7 hours at a time.

If I were you, I'd do a little research to find out the best-loved ones and then see if you can borrow some to try when your baby is born. You might be surprised to find you love 'em or hate 'em. :p

:yeahthat:

In my experience a lot of it has to do with the baby, too; some babies love being in a carrier and some really don't. I've tried a few different carriers (Baby Bjorn, Moby Wrap, Ergo, Kozy Carrier, Starsling), and none of them have really worked for us. I wanted to love using a carrier, but we could never find one that both DD and I liked. (Some I thought were super comfy but she hated, some vice versa. She LOVED the Bjorn, I thought it was a torture device. Rinse, lather, repeat.

I might not put one on the registry, and see if you can test some out after your baby's born. (Maybe try out whatever your friends have, or boutiquey baby stores often have carrier workshops where you can try out different carriers and see how they work for you and your baby. Also, YMMV, but I always see Bjorns for super cheap on craigslist, and I actually really liked mine when my DD was under about 13-14 lbs or so)

[ahrimie]

I think you should at least register for it. Keep receipts and boxes to everything you receive as gifts. If you end up never using it, you can always return it.

I used the Moby and Ergo with DD1 and absolutely loved them. Sometimes it's just easier using a carrier than taking out the carseat. Other times, your baby just wants to be held while you're already out and about or you have other things to do. It's for convenience sake too. Many times, I was pushing an empty stroller (mostly used to carry my diaper bag and other things while I shopped) and wore the baby.

[mrshalco]

I would also recommend searching the babywearers website and see if there is a local chapter of babywearers near you. There is a great one in Boston - that will demonstrate how to use different types of wraps and carriers and then allow you to borrow for a month at a time. I tried a few out before I found that I love Mei Tais and went out and bought my own!

[MissAndi]

My DS refused to be put down for the first 2 months without screaming his little head off. So, a sling absolutely saved me. I have a Balboa Sling, Bjorn, and a BabyHawk Mei Tai. I used the sling with him until he was 2.5 months old and my DH used the Bjorn as soon as he was big enough (8 lbs). My DH still loves the Bjorn, but thinks that some of the parent facing (Ergo, etc.) may be a little more useful for him. As babies get older and start swinging their feet, daddies have to be a little, um, careful that those feet don't swing right into them. :/

I've used the BabyHawk for several months and love that I can throw it in the wash and be done. So easy-peasy.

That said, I agree with PP that sometimes you and your baby will like different things. I found that I honestly could get nothing done for the first couple months of DS's life because he had to be held. So, babywearing helped that. The babywearer.com website is great. I also recommend perusing CraigsList as you can get tons of various carriers much cheaper. Also, if you need for people to buy you things from your registry you KNOW you'll need: carseat, crib sheet, then I wouldn't recommend the carrier on the registry. But, if you can put it on there, I'd totally recommend it, but keep the gift receipt. :)

[DueInNov2011]

Thanks everyone for the feedback!!! It is very helpful!!! :)

[amldaley]

I think you should at least register for it. Keep receipts and boxes to everything you receive as gifts. If you end up never using it, you can always return it.

I used the Moby and Ergo with DD1 and absolutely loved them. Sometimes it's just easier using a carrier than taking out the carseat. Other times, your baby just wants to be held while you're already out and about or you have other things to do. It's for convenience sake too. Many times, I was pushing an empty stroller (mostly used to carry my diaper bag and other things while I shopped) and wore the baby.

That was me, too......the stroller became the sherpa cart. Boy, do I miss that. I went ou to the "big fancy mall" yesterday for our tax free shopping sans DD and I was REALLY tempted to take her stroller with me to ferry all the bags around!!!!!

[hoodlims]

I think it really depends on your lifestyle and your baby! I had one because I really liked the idea of breastfeeding discreetly on the go (did this all the time in my carrier), walking hands-free (good for if you have dogs), and comforting a baby to sleep. I wore my baby everyday, all the time, until she was about 7 or 8 months old. She was a baby who hated the carseat and wouldn't sit in the stroller, so it really saved my life. I think my Beco Butterfly II was the single best purchase on my registry. It was definitely the most used!

[hoodlims]

For comfort's sake, I would suggesting registering for one with a waist strap. If you look at the Bjorns, they don't have one. Think of how they recommend backpacks with waist straps now for kids to save their backs.

[mjs64]

I love, love my Beco Gemini. It's perhaps the most useful baby item I own. I love being able to do errands with my hands free. And in the first few months, it was a very reliable way of settling DS down. He'll still pass out in the carrier. He's 20 lbs now and I still do a front carry and I still prefer it to the stroller. I couldn't manage him in the infant carseat after a few weeks. I hate that thing. It stays in the car now unless we use it as a seat at a restaurant, though now that he sits with support, we probably don't need to pop it out of it's base anymore.

FWIW, I had a hard time figuring out both a Moby wrap and a ringsling that 2 different friends lent me. But the SSC (soft structured carrier) has always worked for me. The Beco is pricey (I think around $110) but we use it everyday and I see us using it for a long time. Worth it. You won't know until you are constantly carrying around an infant how nice it is to have your hands free. Good luck, and congrats!

[mjs64]

One last point: I love the closeness of wearing the baby. Makes him imminently kissable.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

if i just had my first (DS), and never had to do air travel with baby as infant, and i was not a SAHM, that i could have very, very easily done without a carrier. i was never really into babywearing, and DS didn't like to be held all that much. carrier did come in useful for plane rides though (going thru security or boarding plane, and needing both hands free) or riding subways etc. though that was pretty much it...i never ever wore DS past 8months of age...he never liked it. At 14mos i tried to wear him and he would.not.have it. however, maybe this is rare..maybe i'm the only person on this board who has a baby/toddler who does not like to be worn and would rather walk around.

however, with my 2nd, a carrier was CRUCIAL. DD liked to be held all the time, plus i need both hands free all day to attend to my toddler DS. and i needed the carrier for when i went out with both of them, as DD was not old enough to sit up and usual carseat can't fit in teh shopping cart with a toddler in it as well.

so i wouldn't say a carrier is all that necessary for your first. but no harm in getting one anyway. i had a SLeepywrap that i used maybe five times total with my DS, but i used it multiple times a day for my DD until she was about 3 or 4 months. then i used the Pikkolo (which i had gotten DS for the purposes of traveling).

i agree with PP, don't get an Infantino or a Bjorn. I think many people get a Bjorn (bc it's so popular), hate it bc it hurts their back and then get turned off by babywearing.

[hoodlims]

What was also really helpful for me was watching Youtube demonstrations on the different types of carriers and how to get a kid in and out. I was all about the Moby, and even became a "wrapping" expert with a stuffed animal, but when it came down to getting the kid in and out quickly, it didn't work for me. A soft structured carrier was the best for me when it came to long term use, but a sling was first, simply for the ease of popping in and out while doing chores around the house.

[Kira's Mommy]

My advice would be to try to borrow several types of "newborn friendly" carriers from your friends or buy used. If you and/or your baby hates them, just return them or resell them. Repeat the exercise at 4-5 months with the ergo-type carriers if you're feeling adventurous.

On my DC2 registry I only have carriers LOL :p I personally would not have survived without them. They were by far the most important and the most frequently used baby item I had.

I had:
- a borrowed ring sling for the newborn stage. I liked it but never felt 100% safe, I always had one hand on DD, but my other hand was free!!!, which was a HUGE relief. There may be better options for newborns.
- baby bjorn, which killed my back and was promptly returned to the store
- Ergo after 4 mo, which I loved

Just a note about the bjorns. I have a surprisingly large number of friends who really like them (their spines must be made from steel). A lot of babies really enjoy facing forward in the bjorns. There is a lot of research questionning the safety of forward facing positionning in the carriers though...

[amldaley]

One last point: I love the closeness of wearing the baby. Makes him imminently kissable.

Awwww...one of the best points to be made :)

[Beth24]

Awwww...one of the best points to be made :)

:yeahthat: