best carrier for "hands-free" with a NB?

[lmh2402]

thanks, guys. gahh...too many options! snuggles, i sought out a baby-wearing group in my old hood, and they were of great help in getting comfortable with my ring sling. maybe i'll have to find some people out here.

[acmom]

I got a Beco Gemini when my 2nd was born for the same reasons you mentioned - my 1st was 21 months and I needed to be hands-free at times to help her. The Gemini was great- easy to use (no insert needed), comfortable and he felt secure in it even when he was tiny (he was a 5lb newborn). I also liked that I could forward face him when he got a little bigger and really wanted to look around. It can also be worn as a back or hip carrier, but can't really speak to that bc I mainly used it as a front carrier, both facing in and out.

I also would second the PP that mentioned trying a bunch on - I was able to do that and some just fit me better than others (the baby also seemed more comfortable in some than others).

[ABO Mama]

A stretchy wrap is my first pick for a newborn, but that will likely be too hot for a summer baby (my DC are all fall babies). I would go with a wrapsody wrap...the feel of a stretchy, but with more support, and cooler fabric.

[essnce629]

I love the Moby Wrap for the newborn period. You can wrap it and then leave it on throughout the day just popping baby in and out as needed.

[mommyp]

I love my beco gemini, I've been using it for DS since he was newborn. All the becos are great!

[lmh2402]

thanks, everyone. i think i'm going to try and check out some becos...

i've already got an ergo that i used a lot and am happy with for an older than NB kiddo...so i really need something to get me through the early months.

will also look into the pikkolo and ktan and maybe even the wrapsody

i can always fall back on my sleepy wrap as needed - i did use it with DS, i just didn't love it. and i fear mid-july and august with a whole lot of any kind of fabric wrapped all around me, is not going to be pleasant for me or babe

ETA: why gemini over butterfly? or vice versa? if i know i'll likely transition to the ergo when (s)he's older, should i just go with the gemini b/c there is no insert needed?

[hoodlims]

Since you are having a summer baby, I'd also recommend the Beco. But your baby needs to be at least 7lb for you to use it. Mine were both in the mid to upper 8lb range, so I started around 3 weeks with both (when I finally had to get out of the house by myself).

The Beco Butterfly 2 itself is very similar to the Ergo (w/o comparing newborn inserts), except the Beco has a belly panel between your baby's belly and your own. That has it's pros and cons.

I find the Beco to have almost too many buckles when you are using it in the newborn phase. It can be confusing, but you can fix that by watching videos. The belly panel does allow for you to pass child off from wearer to wearer without taking the kid out (since they are secure between two panels). It also lets you put the kid inside the carrier while it is on the couch or something, then you lift the entire carrier (with child inside) onto you. It is an extra "area" to shove your kid into. This may or may not bother you. It bothers me more with my son in his newborn froggy legged stage, but was fine with my DD when she was a little older.

The one thing that really bothers me about the Beco is when my DD was an older baby but not yet walking, I wanted to wear her on my back. I could not figure out how to swing her around from the front carry position to the back carry position in my Beco by myself without worrying that she was going to fly out in the process. My friends with the Ergo would have their babies hold onto them piggyback style while bending over and flip their Ergo up to encapsulate the kid. That looked easier than swinging the carrier around. We actually stopped using the Beco at around 8months because of this. Once DD was walking, we never even attempted again.

ETA: I often breastfeed in my Beco while walking/hiking/etc. It is easy to do because of the shoulder buckle (hard to explain). My friends who have Ergos have not yet figured out how to breastfeed in them, but that is not to say it cannot be done.

[MissAndi]

Hey there!

I too, thought the ergo was really hard to use with a NB. I used my BabyHawk Mei Tai when he was a newborn. It's like a Moby and an Ergo got together and made a brilliant carrier baby. I found it comfortable and fairly easy to use.

[DC_Emily]

I'm bumping this thread with an additional question.

I've used both a ring sling with my NB and have recently tried the Moby. DS did well in the ring sling up to one month. He is now six weeks and he hates it! He's too active to sit quietly in the NB positions with the material covering his head. But he doesn't have full head control yet, which means the other positions aren't possible (or at least aren't recommended) yet. I know that six weeks is the pinnacle of the fussy period. Is this typically a difficult age to use a carrier, or am I just doing something wrong?

Thanks.
DC_Emily

[ABO Mama]

I'm bumping this thread with an additional question.

I've used both a ring sling with my NB and have recently tried the Moby. DS did well in the ring sling up to one month. He is now six weeks and he hates it! He's too active to sit quietly in the NB positions with the material covering his head. But he doesn't have full head control yet, which means the other positions aren't possible (or at least aren't recommended) yet. I know that six weeks is the pinnacle of the fussy period. Is this typically a difficult age to use a carrier, or am I just doing something wrong?

Thanks.
DC_Emily

Have you looked at thebabywearer? Lots of help for figuring out wearing positions over there.