Baby-wearing 101, a comparison of my 6 carriers

Baby-wearing! This is something I SO looked forward to before I became a Mom. I just LOVE baby-wearing, for so many reasons. It helps you bond with your baby, it makes him feel safe, it allows you to have your hands free to do other things  (like eat lunch for instance), you can run errands feeling “light” (without carrying in the carseat, diaper bag, etc). and it is awesome for kids who have colic (click to read about our experience). It is also especially wonderful for your 2nd or 3rd kiddos- wear one while pushing the other one (or in my case two). I may just have a slight obsession with baby-wearing and have owned an embarrassing number of baby carriers (wraps and soft-carriers) over the last 3 years to prove it.

***this post contains affiliate links at no cost to you***

1.  Moby Wrap . This was my first obsession. My first (C) was VERY HARD as an infant, and wearing him in the Moby and going on a walk was one of the only ways I could calm him down. Seriously, he wouldn’t calm down unless I was feeding him or he was in the wrap for the first several weeks of his life. Some find it intimidating as it is a very long piece of material, but I would usually wrap it on me at the house. And then when I got to wear I was going, I could easily put C in it and go (he hated his carseat). I would go grocery shopping and then sit at the Starbucks in the store for an hour so C could have a good nap. **Tip: there is a TON of fabric, so I would simply put it on at home before I hopped in the car. This way I was ready to slide the baby in when we got to our destination. Watch my video below on how to put on the solly- you put the Moby on the same way, except I fold the whole piece of fabric over on itself (hamburger style) first to make the strip less wide before you wrap it around you. This also creates pockets for the baby’s head.
2. Solly Baby Wrap. This is like a sister to the Moby. You put it on the same exact way, though the Moby is much thicker in material (and I folded it in half before wrapping it). The Solly is wonderful for those who live in the heat like us. It is thin and breathable and has a cute pouch on one of the tail-ends, so you can easily fold it into itself and throw it into your diaper bag. It also comes in SO many beautiful designs, and what Mama doesn’t love something that is pretty?

***Some of my friends have sworn by the K’tan (or K’tan breeze), which is similar in that it is a wrap style carrier. I did try my friends K’tan once when our second didn’t like the Moby wrap at first. Pros: It is easy to put on: it is just like a shirt. Cons: For me there was a noticeable difference in comfort as it didn’t go around my waist to spread out the weight to my back. Also it didn’t seem as tight or secure as the Moby wrap or solly. I love the true wraps because as you lose weight during your postpartum period you can tie the wrap tighter/make adjustments easily. Also, you can get a secure and tight fit based on your preferences.

3. Ergobaby Original Award Winning Ergonomic Multi-Position Baby Carrier with X-Large Storage Pocket, Black Camel This was a carrier we also used all the time with C (my husband would wear him often in it while I went to tutor). When D was little, I would put him in the Ergo and push C (under 2) in the basket so we could go grocery shopping or on a Target run quite easily and without having to push in the double BOB. It can work for kiddos up to 35 pounds, and you can wear them on your back, which is also nice. I wish I would have gotten the Ergobaby 360 as that one can be worn with the kiddo facing outward. My boys have always LOVED being able to look out once they reach 5 months or so. I read a few mixed reviews on the velcro strap for the 360 (that it is extremely loud and hard to get a sleeping baby out of, if wanted). The Ergo is extremely comfortable and “safe” for the baby as his hips are kept in the proper alignment, with his bottom below his knees.  One of the major drawbacks is you have to use an infant insert (or roll a blanket and put it at the bottom to give a little boost) for when your baby is small, and it is an additional cost.

4. Lillebaby My parents got this for me for Christmas this year for baby #3. I love it because it is similar to the Ergo in that it is comfortable, has lumbar support, spreads the weight towards your back since their is a strap around your waist. But it is cheaper, doesn’t require an infant insert and the baby can be facing in or out like the Ergo 360! I also love that the airflow version has a front pocket that can be zipped down to allow more comfort for Mom and baby during warm weather. It also has the option to criss cross the back straps for a more secure fit, a removable sunshade/hood, the option to back or hip carry….it’s truly awesome. The more I wear it, the more I love it. A few weeks ago at church I wore our 4 month old in and our 2 year old out when he demanded Mama carry him (he is heavy and our car was parked far away). Yesterday at the zoo, I wore the baby for almost the entire time, outward facing when he was awake so he could enjoy the view and when he got ready to nap, I simply turned him around and he would sleep on me for an hour or so. It made our trip to the zoo with 3 boys so much more doable (I was solo).

I am so thankful within the last week or so he has liked being worn again. He went though a stage from about 4 weeks- 4 months where he HATED being worn (facing inwards). So mom tip: when you think you’re kid “hates” something, wait a few weeks and try again. You never know when their preferences may change. They might surprise you, so don’t give up hope.

***Other carriers very similar to Lillebaby include Ergobaby 360, Tula , MiaMily HIPSTER. After doing a lot of research and compassion, we went with the Lillebaby as it offered tons of features and was more affordable than the others (with no need to buy an extra insert like the Ergo).

Related Post: How to survive life with 2 under 2 or 3, 3 and under, i.e. essentials you need to put on your registry!

5. BABYBJORN. We used this for every grocery store trip and outing from months 5-8 or so (until C was old enough to sit in the cart). It is economical,  super easy to put on, my husband enjoyed wearing it as well and the baby can face out! My only complaint is it killed my back when worn for long periods of time. And some say that the baby’s hips aren’t held in the correct position (I never got too concerned about this, as my boys were in it for maybe 30 min-1 hour a couple times a week, max).

6. Biubee Shoulder Ring Baby Water Sling Carrier Fabric Mesh for Newborn to Toddler (blue). The one linked isn’t the same exact one I have, but it is very similar. I LOVE this for the summer! It is cheap (under 20 bucks!) and is made of mesh like athletic short material so it can get wet and it dries super quickly! I used it all the time the first summer we had 2 (4 months and 21 months). It is wonderful to be able to wear your baby and chase your toddler when at the pool or splash pad. In my opinion, it is a MUST have for Moms with multiple small kiddos wanting to spend a lot of time at the beach, pool, splash pad, etc in the summer.

**There are many slings you can buy for A TON more money. For instance, the have, the sakura bloom (is gorg!)…My thoughts were I would get a cheap one and just see if I liked it. This one has plastic rings instead of metal ones, which come with pros (they don’t rust) and cons (they may slip). I don’t use this ring sling for long term use…maybe a couple hours tops at the pool or splash pad a few times a week. It does the job well for me and serves the purpose I hoped for only 17 bucks. It was well worth the cost. You may have to play around with it some to get a snug fit.

All in all, I love baby-wearing and highly recommend it. So choose the carrier that works best for your needs! I don’t think you will regret it (and when you’re done you can always sell it at a kids resale event or on Facebook marketplace quite easily, as all of these can be washed and are as good as new).

Also, if you have a little girl, you should totally get her one of these:

Ergobaby Toy Doll Carrier Limited Edition Keith Haring, Black (because how cute is a little girl carrying around her doll like Mommy?)

Happy baby-wearing Mamas!

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