Baby wearing talk

[acorn99]

I saw some baby wearing talk came up in the Gear thread and I was hoping those with experience could talk about it some more! 

I had a Moby wrap and an Ergo carrier last time with DS that I hardly ever used, but I think this time around I will need to give it a better go if I want to get anything done.

What styles do you ladies like or recommend, or not recommend?

Bonus points if you can share pictures of the style you are talking about so I can visualize it a little better!!

[TheTuna15]

Just to clarify. By style do you mean type of carrier and different ways of carrying? I have a decent amount of pictures of K in both the K'tan and ergo. I love both of them and still use them even though she's 10 month.

[housecarder]

At the urging of the multiples board I joined a couple facebook groups, Tandem Babywearing and Everyday Babywearing. Lurking on their post and pictures has been so helpful!

[those3words]

When DS was really little (like until about 5 or 6 months) I loved using the Infan.tino Sync. It is a little harder to find now - I'm not sure if they stopped making it. But it was basically a thin piece of fabric between snuggly little DS and I. He felt cozy and secure in there.


Once he could sit well and was bigger, I switched to a Beco I got for free. I prefer to wear him facing in only because it feels like a more natural position.

[acorn99]

Jan 11, 2016 8:35:48 GMT -5 TheTuna15 said:

Just to clarify. By style do you mean type of carrier and different ways of carrying? I have a decent amount of pictures of K in both the K'tan and ergo. I love both of them and still use them even though she's 10 month.

I think I mean both! I never really learned much about it before, so I am a total newb and am curious about all the different options.

[acorn99]

those3words, is that a wrap like a moby, or a single piece?

[sarcaztic10]

I am actually thinking of adding to my collection and getting and Ergo and a woven wrap this time around.

What I have now and used for DS:

I have 2 ring slings, one is a lightweight linen fabric and the other is a more heavy weight embossed denim fabric. I loved my ring slings for when DS got big enough to hold his head up, I didn't like it for the newborn phase. It was great for quick trips in to the store but not as great IMO for really long walks or hikes. Pic of ring sling:


I have a Moby wrap for the newborn phase and DS basically lived in ours until he got too heavy for it to be comfortable. The Moby was great for the newborn phase to just be able to get stuff done around the house. It didn't last us very long though because DS was over 8 lbs at birth and gained about 1-2 lbs a week in his first few months. I think we stopped using it completely when he was around 3 months old. Pic of a Moby:


The last carrier I have is the Mei Tai. I got this when DS was older (I think close to 1 year old) and I loved it for hikes and longer walks. I also loved that it was so comfortable to wear him on my back as opposed to my front. I am excited to use it and see how it works for a younger baby. Pic:


The reason I want an Ergo is mainly because I think it would be easier for H to wear DS with the Ergo. H wasn't that in to wearing DS because there is a little work that goes in to adjusting the ring sling, Moby, and Mei Tai and all of the patterns I have are not super manly. I think he might enjoy having a pretty fool proof carrier that can be adjusted to his measurements so he can just put it on and go.

Why I want a woven wrap: I hear that they are really great, durable, super versatile, and can be used through toddlerhood . Pic of a woven wrap:

[sarcaztic10]

Oh, and if you couldn't tell I am a little baby wearing obsessed. DS was a very high needs child and wearing him was a lifesaver for us. Baby wearing and practicing AP saved my life with him, otherwise I would have gone insane.

[acorn99]

sarcaztic10, thanks for all of the info! I lent my moby to my SIL and I really hope she still has it because I want to try that again. I also like the look of the ring slings; they seem really simple and I like the idea of that. But I am also wondering if buying a more structured carrier will be nice to have as well, or if I should just wait and see how this LO likes the others in the first place.

[those3words]

Jan 11, 2016 9:01:32 GMT -5 acorn99 said:

those3words , is that a wrap like a moby, or a single piece?

It is kind of like a wrap/moby for dummies.

It has a clipped belt and two long pieces that come from the belt. I found it easier/faster than just a straight wrap (and I felt more secure).

[TheTuna15]

Gotcha! So like I said before, I have a K'tan and an Ergo 360. IMO it works really well to have something that's soft shelled like a k'tan or a moby and then something that's more durable like the Ergo. I wore K CONSTANTLY in the k'tan when she was itty bitty. It made it really easy to do basic things I needed to do around the house when she didn't want to be put down, like vacuuming... especially vacuuming. Please ignore the un made up face of a mother who is over it in 90% of these pictures.





Now that she's bigger, I can still fit her into the K'tan in a hip carry, which once again comes in handy when she doesn't want to be put down.



I always bust out the Ergo for walks/grocery store runs/etc. Basically anything that is going to take longer than 20 minutes. I like being able to have her facing me, facing out, or on my back.





I basically went with these two because I felt like I would get the most use out of them and the k'tan was only like $50. Also, they seemed to be the two easiest to operate, so that was a plus for me.

[mrss44]

I'm trying to decide if I should get a moby wrap or a ring sling for the newborn stage. Then I will be getting a Tula but can't find a pattern I want right now. Hoping they come out with some new ones.

[sarcaztic10]

Jan 11, 2016 9:09:58 GMT -5 acorn99 said:

sarcaztic10 , thanks for all of the info! I lent my moby to my SIL and I really hope she still has it because I want to try that again. I also like the look of the ring slings; they seem really simple and I like the idea of that. But I am also wondering if buying a more structured carrier will be nice to have as well, or if I should just wait and see how this LO likes the others in the first place.

I think if you can get your Moby back and your LO really likes that then a woven wrap would be a good next step as it is much more versatile than a Moby and I hear that after you get used to putting it on a few times that it doesn't take long to wrap them in to it. Otherwise the ring sling is a good investment as well because they are really simple and easy to use. If you are looking for a ring sling I really liked this seller and I know she was a former Bumpie for a long time ago, I am not sure if she is still around though. If you want to drool over silk ring slings and other more high end slings then go here but be warned, those are pricey.   

[comicSans]

Best carrier really varies by individual. I have a K'tan that I used when DD was tiny, but I never felt all that secure with it. I chose it over a moby type because I didn't want to deal with all the wrapping of fabric - though I know many people love wrapping.

I also have an ergo that I wore DD in out of the house a ton once she was big enough and it was great. I just got a Tula for Christmas and I like it better for my toddler (who is too small for a toddler Tula at this point). I was never comfortable with a back carry in the ergo, but the Tula seems better for me. Of course DD didn't walk until 17 months and now she only wants to walk, so we don't wear that much and I haven't gotten to use the Tula much.

I also have a ring sling for quick ups around the house - DD always wants up to see what I'm doing in the kitchen. My particular ring sling doesn't seem great for a newborn because it's double layered cotton - not that soft and the 2 layers make it tougher to adjust. It holds 23lb DD just fine, but I'm on the lookout for great deal on a better one. I think I'd like a rs for newborn because they're quick, easy to adjust, and very secure when done right.

I'd recommend deciding what's important to you - look, security, comfort, ease of use - then finding a bwi group or a specialty baby store that has carriers and trying a few.

[lovegrilledcheese]

I would like a soft structured carrier for DH and some type of wrap for me. I found a few chapters of Baby Wearing international in my area so I'm going to go check out a meeting so I can start learning more. Also they have a lending library that you can check out different wraps, slings, SSC, etc for two weeks. Once lo is born I can take her with me and try things out too

[tootsie]

Can babies face out in the Ergo now, TheTuna15? Yours looks way different from mine, but mine is 3 years old.

[tootsie]

I had a Moby and an Ergo. I used the Moby when she was little, probably up until 3 or 4 months, but I didn't love it. It's just so soft, I felt like I could never get it snug enough or stable feeling. My back also got kind of wrecked from labor, so extra weight on my front was pretty painful for awhile. I think I'll try it again with this lo, but I don't know if I'd recommend it since I don't think it's useful for very long.

We used the Ergo considerably more. I wore in at the grocery store all the time before she could reliably sit up in the cart (~7 months.) My H got a ton of use out of it. He would put her on his back on and mess around in the yard for hours while she napped. The downside for us was that she couldn't forward face, so she wasn't a big fan when she really got curious about what was going on around us. But maybe they have forward facing Ergo's now?

I'm definitely interested in other options this time. Maybe the k'tan for the tiny stage, since it's more structured, right? And I think I want a ring sling since it seems like DD was glued to my hip for so long.

[harlowjune1984]

Jan 11, 2016 10:05:54 GMT -5 tootsie said:

Can babies face out in the Ergo now, TheTuna15 ? Yours looks way different from mine, but mine is 3 years old.

There is a new Ergo 360, that allows you to face your baby out. I want to say that they came out like 6 months or so ago. 

[harlowjune1984]

I used the heck out of our Ergo. I actually went into a baby store with the idea of getting a different carrier, and then after trying them out, ended up getting the organic Ergo, which is so soft! I used it until DD was about 3.5 or so, and actually almost used it with her this weekend because it is more comfortable than our Kelty hiking pack, but DD ended up not needing it. This time, I am also going to invest in a Solly Wrap, for when baby is smaller, as I think that it will be easier than the Ergo with infant insert. I honestly wasn't a fan of using the Ergo with the infant insert, it made it feel so much bigger.

[TheTuna15]

Jan 11, 2016 10:05:54 GMT -5 tootsie said:

Can babies face out in the Ergo now, TheTuna15 ? Yours looks way different from mine, but mine is 3 years old.

It's called the Ergo 360 and there's a set of buttons in front that you can adjust so they can face out. It was brand new when I registered, so it came out maybe a year ago. 

[tootsie]

Jan 11, 2016 10:18:13 GMT -5 TheTuna15 said:

Jan 11, 2016 10:05:54 GMT -5 tootsie said:

Can babies face out in the Ergo now, TheTuna15 ? Yours looks way different from mine, but mine is 3 years old.

It's called the Ergo 360 and there's a set of buttons in front that you can adjust so they can face out. It was brand new when I registered, so it came out maybe a year ago. 

Sweet, I'm going to check it out.

[katelou]

I had a ring sling and a cheap Infantino Flip front to back carrier. It was nice because it did both and wasn't a huge investment. My kid hated the front carry after 4 months, so it got put away for a while and I found later she liked a back carry much better.

I rarely used it in the house, she was happier to be doing her own thing and unrestrained if there wasn't exciting scenery to watch go by. I used it more in stores and sometimes on walks.

I was a failure with the ring sling and could never figure out how to use it without needing to support her with one arm. I guess I need a YouTube video...

[tootsie]

Can someone tell me what the big deal is about Tula? From what I've heard there's practically a cult following... why?

[TheTuna15]

tootsie, I've been under the impression that it's because of the colors/patterns. Some of the girls I know swear that the fit is better than the ergo and that it's more breathable. I think it's worth trying on if you're debating between types, but I don't think it's the second coming of Jesus.

[madamewaffles]

I am a babywearing noob, so excuse my potentially dumb question. With the wrap carriers, are there different wrap styles to distribute weight differently on your body? I am disabled and the idea of a carrier really excites me as my arm strength and stamina is pretty low, but worry about how much pressure it may put in other parts of my body.

[sarcaztic10]

Jan 11, 2016 12:17:03 GMT -5 madamewaffles said:

I am a babywearing noob, so excuse my potentially dumb question. With the wrap carriers, are there different wrap styles to distribute weight differently on your body? I am disabled and the idea of a carrier really excites me as my arm strength and stamina is pretty low, but worry about how much pressure it may put in other parts of my body.

If you have a woven wrap there are so many ways to wrap it, it is very versatile so if one position doesn't feel very good then you can try another. Versatility is a main reason why I want a woven wrap. Pictures of different ways to wrap below:

[harlowjune1984]

Jan 11, 2016 11:34:57 GMT -5 tootsie said:

Can someone tell me what the big deal is about Tula? From what I've heard there's practically a cult following... why?

I now have three friend that have gone from the Ergo to the Tula Toddler, and they all love them for after the age of two. I was tempted to get one since we were getting close to the weight limit on the Ergo with DD, but I don't think that I would use it as much as I would when she was younger. Since the maximum weight is 45 pounds on the Ergo, and DD is now 4 years old and barely weighs 40 pounds, we really could continue using it for awhile. But now we are down to using it once every 5-6 months. 

The Tula Baby Carrier has a minimum weight of 15 pounds (max 45). The Toddler has a minimum weight of 25 pounds (max 50). Ergo (not the 360) has a minimum weight of 7 pounds (max 45). 

Although they have awesome patterns, one of the turnoffs for me is the fact that it doesn't have the pocket that the Ergo has in the front. We were always putting things in that pocket...an extra diaper, wipes, binky, her lovie, her beanie when we didn't need to use it at the moment, etc. You can stuff a good amount of stuff in the that pocket, and a majority of the time, it was enough stuff that we didn't have to bring the diaper bag. I also loved the head cover, because I don't know how many times we got caught in the rain/wind and I wanted to cover her up, or she fell asleep in there and I could snap one side of it to help support her noggin. 

[comicSans]

The straps on the Tula are a little wider, more padded and I think they're positioned slightly differently - hence more comfortable for some. The panel is also a little wider & taller - I feel like it's a better fit now for my 20 month old. Also, because it's taller the back carry feels more secured. It does have a pocket on the waist belt.

I think people like that it comes in different patterns. Once a pattern is discontinued it becomes hard to get and sought after. Plus they've done some exclusives for different sellers, making those patterns harder to get and driving a competitive market. I think the market has gone down though - you used to regularly see certain patterns reselling for more than retail. They also will convert a woven wrap into a Tula - those are big $$$

[lostinfaith225]

This was helpful. I didn't baby wear with ds, but want to with 2.0. I was looking at the ergo 360 or Tula. You guys still have me torn! Haha

[comicSans]

Other Sscs to look at would be Lillebaby and Beco - people love both. I'm not familiar with the ins and outs of the different versions, but I believe there are some in which you can wear a newborn without an insert, or they come with the insert, and they also have some that can do an outward facing carry.

Eta: Bobas are also much loved.