With Steele and Adia I never really used a carrier of any sort. Amy got me a Maya Wrap when Steele was born and while it is absolutely adorable I found it to be a little cumbersome and restrictive. (Who knows, maybe I never really learned how to use it properly even though I both read through the instruction sheet and watched the instruction video a bazillion times - 'cause I'm a total manual reader) I preferred to have them in the stroller (in my opinion, the only stroller one will ever need) when we were out and in our bouncy seat (certainly not the cutest, but in my experience, the most useful and sturdy) next to me at home while doing chores etc. But a trip to the post office the other day cemented in my mind that I am definitely going to need a carrier. Soon.
While we have been diligent to train Steele and Adia to stay near and obey and while we have never had say a "darting-in-front-of-an-oncoming-car experience", the fact of the matter is - they are still young. Very young. They're children. They are curious and impulsive and I definitely feel much more comfortable having them either contained in the stroller or firmly holding my hands while we run errands. Steele, approaching 4, is definitely maturing more but sometimes his squirrely-ness gets the best of him. ;-) So back to the post office. I was there... I had Steele in one hand, Adia on the opposite hip. I let go of Steele's hand and told him to stay put while I signed something and suddenly I realized, "Where's Xochi going to be during all of this?!?!" I had my first (and hopefully rare) brief moment of panic at the thought of baby #3 and decided then and there that I will just have to use a carrier. I also have a feeling we will not be making a lot of trips out for a while and I'm ok with that too.
So, slings aside, what type of carrier do you prefer? Ergo or Baby Bjorn? If you recommend the Bjorn, do you recommend the active or the original? Am I missing a different good one? It needs to be comfortable for both Justin and I. Justin requested that it be quick and easy to put on. We also need it to hold very securely to us as one of our main uses will be for when we go for walks. We take power walks pretty frequently as a family in the spring and summer - right before bedtime, the fresh air is good for everyone.
So let's hear your opinions!!
And while we're talking about Baby Bjorn - I'll give you two more favs.
I LOVE the Baby Bjorn bibs! I used to only be able to find them at specialty children's stores or on Amazon but now you can get them from Target! Kate will love that. They're soft and very adjustable and catch juicy stuff from running onto their clothes. In fact, I need to buy more - we seem to be prone to losing bibs.
I also really like our Baby Bjorn potty - simple design, doesn't take up a lot of space and about as cute as a toilet can be. It comes in cute colors too.
14 comments:
Cutzi - We can't recommend *against* any Baby Bjorn enough. They tend to cause hip dysplasia and are not that great for bonding anyway, since they face the baby outward, rather than inward. Go with the Ergo (or the Maya Wrap ;). You won't be disappointed in the long run, even if the learning curve is slightly higher.
Cutzi - although I am a single lady with no kids, I know both my brother and sister-in-law LOVE the Ergo - plus, it grows with kids - my niece was 1 1/2 and my sister-in-law carried her around in hawaii.
My friends also LOVE the Moby Wrap.
Looking forward to seeing new pics when your new little one comes!
I have both and think there are pros to both. You can, in fact face the baby in in the Bjorn, Stella would sleep with her cheek on my chest. She LOVED when I did let her face outward because she could check everything out much more easily. She never really liked the Ergo. I had the infant insert but she was either smothered like a little burrito or she just disappeared. I felt like her legs never really fit around my waist and I was making her do the splits. It's MUCH more comfy than the Bjorn, and you can carry heavier children, but I think it's harder to get them in and out. I'd love to use the Ergo with her now...
I haven't ignored your other post, but I've only flown twice! Thinking of you and praying for you!
I didn't have either Bjorn or an Ergo, but I did have a Snuglii and I didn't like that very much. My carrier of choice is a non-adjustable sling (however next time I would like to try the Moby). They are super easy to make and I found them so versatile. I could use them as a nursing cover, a ground cover, a blanket and many other uses.
One little gadget that helped save my sanity and my children's safety was this little number: http://www.the-baby-boutique.com/littlesafetyharness.html I first used my harness (we call it the Cool Kid Vest) when Uly was 2 and I was 7 1/2 months pregnant and flying up to Washington from San Diego. I had all these bags and needed to be able to reach my tickets, money, etc. and hold my bags all the while keeping track of my very active, very inquisitive 2 year old boy. That harness was a life saver! He loved wearing it because it gave him the freedom he needed and I loved it because he couldn't get farther away from me then I let him go. It was a live saver!!! Now our Cool Kid vest is currently being loved and used on our 3rd boy and it has been wonderful!!!
I do love Target!
I've had both, but what I have loved, loved, loved, especially as an infant - 5 months, the Kangaroo Korner Pouch.(http://www.kangarookorner.com/)
I got the swim material one for summer so it wasn't too hot. I wore it all the time with Lily and it didn't hurt my back. Once she got to 5 months, I switched to the bjorn. It's easy for me to put on really quick and it never hurt my back. Plus my girls liked looking out.
I did get the Ergo with Eloise and she was way too squirmy to want to be only facing inward. Plus, I couldn't get the hang of getting that thing on my back. I ended up getting rid of it b/c we just weren't using it. I think Lily may have liked it better, but the bjorn worked up until they were a year. After that I didn't really see a need.
That is REALLY long, but you asked for thoughts and I gave you mine. But definitely look at the kangaroo pouch....LOVE IT!
I didn't use the slings (and don't know what the Ergo is), mainly because I was fearful of the baby falling out. I know, I'm sure that can't happen, or they'd be recalled and on the Today Show ASAP. But still I worried.
I LOVED the Bjorn with Owen--just the regular navy one. He loved it too, and it was so GREAT to be able to have my hands free. The facing out wasn't a problem either--tehy face in for a few months first anyway. The only problem(s) I had with it were my huge nursing boobies and where to fit them--one of the things to be thankful for when you're an adopting mom!
So excited for the baby to come!
Hi Cutsi,
Good question and it looks as if everyone has a different experience with both. The Bjorn for us was very short lived as it's a back breaker, not very supportive, but they do have a "sport" version that I believe has a bit more back support. But like others have said, it doesn't go very far weight/age-wise. We love our Ergo, but did not get it until Sam was a bit older. We have friends that use theirs with their newborns and it seems to work out just fine if they're all bundled up. And I've heard you don't need the infant insert...waste of money. If the Bjorn feels better to you in the beginning, then maybe try to borrow one from someone and then get the ergo as it does last a long time and worth the money we think! Every baby is different in how they like to be held, so if you can borrow first before buying then you might be able to find the one that fits best for your little Xochi! Can't wait to meet her.
Good luck and thanks for all your posts lately.
Megan
We have both. I vote Ergo. (But don't get the Infant Insert).
I've used the Ergo for both Adelia and Audra, now, and I'm sold. I agree with one of your commenters who said that a brand-new baby in an Ergo would have to spread her little legs too wide. I've felt the same way about my girls. So I just tuck their little legs up so that they're not hanging out and that works fine. And now sometimes Audra has one little leg out and one little leg tucked up and that works, too. :) Until she's a bit bigger those positions are working.
But the reason I would vote Ergo over Bjorn is that it's more versatile (front carry, hip or back), way more comfy and I *think* that you can carry a bigger/older child in the Ergo for longer than you can a Bjorn. (?)
I can still comfortably carry Adelia on my back or front, and I couldn't with the Bjorn.
There's my two cents.
I love my Moby wrap. I like the Bjorn too, just for older babies. Todd prefers the Bjorn, I prefer the Moby!
I just can't believe that there are all these other baby carriers that we don't have. You can try them because we will find reason to add them to our collection I'm sure.
Yeah, I was gonna add that I have the Moby and love it for the newborn stage. But it's not really handy to go out and about with- more for in home because of the length of the wrap- it's a bit of a process getting on. (An easy process once you learn it, but it's a long piece of cloth to wrap.)
Enough about carriers.
~Stacy
Hi Cutzi! So exciting your little one will be here soon. I have the baby bjorn and i liked it when they were little but as they get bigger it is very hard to bend down and move around with them on the front. I have seen a ton of Mobys around here and have heard great things about them. Ergos are becoming pretty popular too. That said, I still use my baby bjorn and Aubrey at 10.5 months was in it just yesterday. It makes things so much easier to run errands. For the next baby I will probably get something different. So my vote...baby bjorns are great when they are little but as they grow, I may get something a little different.! Hope this helps!
Okay, it looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice on carriers but I'll go ahead and leave mine here too because Bob and I were just talking about this today.
After carrying four babies around in some kind of carrier, I've concluded that while baby is newborn and unable to hold up her head, we like the Baby Bjorn. Haven't tried the Sport version and I haven't found that the regular one is too hard on my back.
BUT once they are able to hold up their heads (around 4 or 5 months for my kids) I'd go for the Ergo. I'm really hoping to buy one for #5 though I won't be getting a newborn insert either. I really liked
Stacy's idea of tucking baby's feet up inside while they are too little to spread their legs that wide.
Like I said, we don't have the Ergo yet, so for the seasons when my babies are to big for the Bjorn, I've been using a wrap that I made that is similar to the Moby and I would totally agree again with Stacy that it's too cumbersome for outings but works okay for at home.
Now that I've repeated what everyone else has said, I'll say goodbye and that I'll be praying for you all and especially for A as she gets ready to have this little girl!
We are just about to buy the Ergo carrier. We were given the Bjorn as a gift with our first born, but we didn't need it much. I used the Bjorn a little with my 2nd, but it didn't seem like I needed a carrier until my third. Now that My oldest two are so active and we usually go for walks every day, and I like to have the baby with me throughout the day, I really need a carrier. I have used the Bjorn up till now, but like the others have said it really kills your shoulders once they get a bit heavier. I really do love the Bjorn in the beginning. I will let you know how I like the Ergo, but from what some of the people said here I think it would be a great investment from birth to toddler age.
My little one really does not like his carseat, so unless he absolutely needs to be in the car, I always have him in the Bjorn. I can't wait to get the Ergo carrier I ordered because it sounds much more comfortable!
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