Having a baby brings a new set of challenges for you and your family. You need to find a way to transport your new addition to help make your life easier. Baby carriers are an excellent way keep your baby close to you and still have flexibility. There are many different carriers to choose from and determining which is right for you and your family may seem a bit daunting. Here are some ideas to help you make the choice which will fit your needs.

Keep in mind there may not be a right “one” carrier; you may want to have a couple of different carriers for different situations. Here is a summary of some of the most popular baby carriers available with some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

Some baby carriers allow you to “wear” your baby close to you. The most common of these carriers are baby slings. Baby slings are made of soft fabrics. They may be padded or unpadded. The sling generally refers to an adjustable, fabric carrier made of fabric with a ring that allows the wearer to lengthen or shorten a “tail” of fabric to fit the wearer of the sling and the baby they are carrying.

Once you learn how to properly adjust them, proponents of baby slings say they are the carrier of choice. One sling can adjust to any size adult caregiver, which is a plus. They are versatile and work well for nursing discreetly in public. There is a learning curve to figure out how to accurately adjust the fabric through the rings.

Another baby carrier that holds the baby close to the caregiver is the baby pouch. Similar to the baby sling, the pouch is made from a folded piece of cloth. However, the pouch uses a folded length of fabric, forming a pouch for the baby. The ends are fastened or sewn together, so that it is unnecessary to adjust the carrier. The pouch is easy to use, but needs to be properly fitted for a snug baby carry. It goes over one shoulder like the sling so your baby’s weight is all on one side.

Another unstructured baby carrier is the mei tai carrier. This Asian-inspired carrier is a soft carrier which has straps that fit over both shoulders, making it an ideal carrier for larger babies and toddlers. Although most wearers can fit a standard size, some manufacturers make extra large or small sizes as well. It’s especially effective for a back carry, although not necessarily for a newborn.

A wrap is a baby carrier that can be very versatile. The long piece of fabric distributes the baby’s weight over both shoulders, and it can be configured in many ways: back carry, hip, front, etc. If the wearer pre-ties the wrap, it can be used quickly for quick trips. However, the long piece of fabric can sometimes be bulky to store, and can be intimidating to a new user. There is a learning curve in mastering the different ties which are possible with the wrap style carrier.

Besides these soft, baby-wearing baby carriers, there are a variety of framed and unframed backpacks and front carriers for outdoor adventures. No matter which you choose, you and your baby will enjoy the closeness, bonding and convenience baby carriers provide you and your family.

David Cummings is a devoted parent and author on family topics. He is dedicated to helping parents improve family time together and to ensuring a brighter future for all children via contributions to children organizations. David is the General Manager for Bustling Baby, LLC – a company that knows the hectic parenting lifestyle and offers products to make life with baby easier, such as the baby carriers and slings

Baby Carriers Are a Moms Best Friend is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

Baby Backpack Carriers – The Basics is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

Moby Wrap UV 50 SPF Baby Carrier Sand

The design of the Moby Wrap uses your entire back, as well as your shoulders, to carry the weight of your baby. Unlike other carriers, which have narrow straps or go across one shoulder, the Moby Wrap is a wide piece of fabric that is wrapped over both shoulders. It is amazingly comfortable and easy to wear. There are no buckles, snaps or other fasteners.

It is easy to adjust the fit of your Moby Wrap by varying how tightly you wrap yourself and your baby. The Moby Wrap comes with an easy to follow instructional guide and this web site with the latest news, tips and techniques. With the single stretch cotton and the width of the Moby Wrap, your baby is wrapped close and tight, insuring a secure hold. Your babys head can also be secured under the stretchy cotton fabric for added safety. You can finally have both hands free and know your baby is safe and secure.

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Moby Wrap UV 50 SPF Baby Carrier Sand is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

Ellaroo Mei Hip Baby Carrier Mango Mahogany

Our #1 selling hip carrier. This carrier combines the benefits of carrying your baby on your hip with stylish and easy-to-use design. This is the only hip carrier on the market with a shoulder strap that cups the shoulder, rather than riding up toward the wearer’s neck.

Add the supportive waist strap, and you have a very practical, comfortable baby carrier. A fantastic solution for any baby over 3 months. We even know many moms who still use this into the toddler years! 90% sustainably-harvested organic cotton or hemp.

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Ellaroo Mei Hip Baby Carrier Mango Mahogany is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

The Patapum-Baby-Carrier

The Patapaum Baby and Child Carrier allows you to continue shopping, walking, hiking, or doing housework while you are being hugged by the one you love, your baby!

The Patapum Baby Carrier provides soft, padded adjustable shoulder straps, and a supportive padded waist belt that spreads baby’s weight to hips, not your back. The waist belt can be adjusted up to 55″ which makes it perfect to share between parents.

The Patapum is made of 100% cotton shell and inside straps are made of breathable synthetics that can be machine washed in cold water. The Patapum also offers a soft cotton mesh sleeping hood that can be tucked away when not in use.

Another special feature is the body of the carrier can be tucked and snapped to the waist belt (sleeping hood must be detached).

Safety features include: Heavy duty buckles to prevent unexpected openings. Baby’s sitting position, with support for the thighs and back, allows for healthy growth of hips, pelvis, and spine. Baby’s held close to wearer’s center of gravity, allowing for natural movement while walking or working. Large leg openings to avoid chafing of baby’s skin.

• Can be worn front or back
• suitable from 18 months up to 40 lbs.
• Easy to wear and adjust
• Lightweight and compact
• Durable and easy to clean

Soft, lightweight, EASY, February 26, 2008

I was using the Baby Bjorn prior to this purchase and I have to say, for my one year old this carrier is far better. It is a little difficult to learn how to put the baby in if your alone but after they’re in- its FANTASTIC. I don’t feel any pulling on my back. I walked for 3 miles with my son on my back and felt fine. It packs easily, it’s lightweight, and overall a great purchase. I highly recommend it!

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The Patapum Baby Carrier is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

I already have the Ergo Baby Carrier for when my baby gets older. I just want a sling type carrier that can be used by my husband and myself in the mean time. Does anyone have any suggestions / recommendations. I don’t have a lot of money so I really don’t want to make a mistake.

Thanks,

Julie

I’d go either with a fitted sling like a Hotsling or New Native Carrier or if you want a two-shoulder style, I’d do a Mei Tai.

What baby carrier is not too complicated? is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

The Ergo Baby Carrier

The Ergo Baby Carrier’s great design helps support a perfect sitting position for your baby and allows for spinal growth. It dissipates a lot of baby’s weight between the hips and thighs, which helps to reduce compression of the spine a common problem with other front baby carriers. The Ergo also helps with balance helping to reduce the forward stoop and therefore improving the posture of the person wearing it.

Like any of the carriers, this one takes some practice (though this front carry is about as easy as it can get). It is possible to carry a child long distances in this carrier in great comfort for both baby and mother. At around $100 this carrier isn’t to expensive and will suit most peoples pockets.

If your looking for a great all-round front baby carrier you could do worse than this one. Take a look at the video and see what you think of the Ergo Baby Carrier.

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BEST EVER! , October 10, 2008

I have 5 baby carriers. I started with a sling type carrier for my baby and tried a Moby Wrap, then the Baby Bjorn Carrier for awhile but it was hurting my already damaged back and neck! So I started looking around for a back carrier now that my baby can hold her head up (she’s 4 months now) and found this one…its so versatile! I love it. I highly recommend this carrier, especially if you have back or neck problems.

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The Ergo Baby Carrier Review is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

Hotslings Everyday Baby Sling Carrier

This popular Everyday Hotsling Baby Carrier is one of the most comfortable baby carriers available on the market today. It is well padded, simple to put on and baby will love it.

Hotslings carriers are an innovative design that combines style with function. Just because you are a parent now doesn’t mean you should be stuck with a plain and pedestrian baby carrier no one will notice. Nor will you be stuck with a front pack that only is ok for your baby’s early months. This baby carrier also spreads your babies weight across a wide area (unlike many other carriers) almost eliminating shoulder pain.

Features & Benefits:

• Fantastic single piece design
• No catches snap on buckles
• Well padded for a comfortable fit
• Very Small and compact
• Can be folded flat enough to put in diaper bag

If you are searching for a trendy, comfortable to wear, inexpensive and simple to use baby carrier you need look no farther than the Hotsling Baby Carrier.

Take a look at the video below to see how easy it is to put baby into this sling.

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Hotslings Everyday Baby Sling Carrier is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

The Ellaroo Mei Hip Baby Carrier can be classed as a front carrier because the baby is in front of you but as the name implies your baby actually sits on your hip. The carrier has a shoulder strap that cups the shoulder instead of moving up towards the neck. This hip carrier is very comfortable particulary as your child gets heavier. If you have a back or shoulder problem then this is the carrier for you.

Main points:

• The Ellaroo Mei hip carrier is very comfortable
• Reversible colours
• Natural cotton material
• Will take your baby until 35 pounds
• Three months plus
• The shoulder strap is wide enough to spread your child’s weight making carrying a breeze.
• Folds when not being used
• Fast snap on / off buckles
• Baby can be carried on either hip.

Ellaroo Mei Hip Baby Carrier is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks

The Most Essential Baby NEED (after bottles/breasts and diapers, of course)

Having had seven daughters and owned a childcare center for seven years, I have experienced a lot of equipment and accessories intended to make caring for babies just a little easier. If I had to do it all over again and was told I could only have one piece of baby equipment, without hesitation, I would choose a baby sling. I did not own a sling for my first three children. In fact, I never even heard of them outside of maybe seeing a picture of women in third world countries using them to strap their babies to them. Something significant happened during the seven years between the births of my third and fourth child: the rise in popularity of the internet. With the internet came the easy exchange of ideas. With that, the good word about baby slings spread like wildfire.

There are other hands free ways to hold your baby that I had tried; primarily front baby carriers and baby backpacks. Some people really like these options, and they may be perfect for you, so let’s take a look at some of their features.

There are many brands of baby front carriers with slightly different features. Graco and Baby Bjorn are two of the more popular brands. With these carriers, two padded shoulder straps go over your shoulders and criss-cross your back. The straps adjust to accommodate different sizes and shapes that men and women tend to be. The baby is then slid into a supportive pocket with leg holes. The baby’s final position is against the chest with the feet dangling. As the baby grows and gets stronger, many carriers allow the baby to face outward. The things I did not like about the front carrier is that it seemed awkward to me. If the baby fell asleep while in the carrier, it was difficult to gently remove her to lay her down in the crib. Also, because the baby was in the front, she was in the way both physically and visually, making the accomplishments of such tasks as sewing, meal preparation, cleaning, caring for older children, et cetera more difficult.

Another option is a baby backpack, which is stood on the frame in order to insert the child. Then the frame is lifted and slid onto the back of the adult. I found that the baby got heavy quickly with this method. Also, I didn’t like the fact that I had no visual contact with the baby while she was on my back. Another problem that I had was that I couldn’t just sit down and take a rest without having to first remove the backpack. I personally didn’t like the functionality of the backpack for times when the baby fell asleep. Additionally, it was rather bulky and took up quite a bit of space when it was not in use.

Nine years ago, after the birth of my fourth daughter, I was finally introduced to … cue up the Halleluah chorus … A BABY SLING!!! There are several kinds; my preferred sling style was a long piece of fabric that fed through two metal fastening rings, leaving a “tail” of fabric. My absolute favorite was the Maya Wrap with a pocket sewn into the tail, which I used to carry a couple extra diapers and wipes, and often my car keys and wallet! With this style baby sling, I could carry the baby high or low, on the front, side, or back, facing forward or facing me, and lying down or sitting up. I was also able to breast feed in a discreet, usually hands free manner, covering any accidental exposure with the tailpiece of the sling, which easily went over my shoulder. As the baby grew, the sling easily adjusted to accommodate her changing comfort preferences. If the baby fell asleep, the sling easily slipped over my shoulders and allowed me to keep the baby nestled in the sling as I gently laid her in her crib. Up until my children were about four or five years old, I was able to continuously use my sling for hands free carrying. As a child care center owner, there were many times where I was able to put two children comfortably in one sling allowing me to still use my hands for other things. I frequently used the sling to hold and bottle-feed infant twins.

The biggest disadvantage with a sling is that, for some people, they take some getting used to. Some people practice with a small dog or life sized baby doll. It is best to look at videos or pictures of how others are using them to get ideas. It may take a little time, but I personally feel it is well worth the adjustment period.

As you can see, I am a bit biased toward slings, but the other hands free baby carriers might be absolutely perfect for your needs. Look at all options and try a few out. Whichever you choose, you will be a happier, more productive new parent as you learn to incorporate the joy of nurturing your newborn with the other long list of tasks that you have.

Baby Front Carriers And Slings is a post from: Baby Carrier Backpacks