baby wearing, straight from the kangaroo's mouth

When it comes to baby wearing, there are a lot- a lot-  of options.  For a newbie, it can get a bit confusing and overwhelming. Most baby carriers are pretty pricy and you want to invest in one that you'll love- not second-guess. Now, not to braaaaaag but I have an extensive amount of babywearing experience. Even before I had my own kids, I nannied for two little girls in the rural mountains of Vermont and I would often put one in a backpack and one in a front carrier and take them for hikes. It was obviously one of the best jobs ever, and when I finally did have my own kids I knew that a carrier was high on my list of gear to own.

As you may already know, not all carriers are created equal: Some carry in the front, some in the back, some do both (some even carry on the hip!). Some are pretty simple to put on, others... not so much. I have tried most of what the babywearing world has to offer: pouch, front carrier, wrap, ring sling, & structured pack. (There is another category of carrier called Mei Tai carriers- basically a cross between a wrap and a soft carrier- that I have not tried. They look really wonderful, though!)

Front Carrier: 

The Baby Bjorn
Pros: 
~lightweight,
~easily packed
~my favorite for infants
~easy to put on
~comfortable to wear
Cons: 
~babies outgrow it fairly quickly
~has faded a bit with washings.

I got my Baby Bjorn as a shower gift when I was expecting Oliver, so we've had it for over 6 years. It has held up beautifully through my 3 kids plus my niece in between. It has been everywhere with us- Colorado, NewYork, all over New England. I heard that some people think it is difficult to put on but I find it to be the easiest of all of my carriers. But maybe that's just because I've been using it for so long. It is only for front-wearing, but baby can face inward or outward. I find it's best for a baby under 15 or 20 pounds as anything over that will give you a serious shoulder and back ache. As a bonus, Jon wears it all the time because it's not overly girly (and in fact pretty masculine, as far as baby carriers go.)

Dylan taking on Central Park in the Bjorn

Ollie taking on the Colorado mountains in the Bjorn

Peyton in the Bjorn on a separate trip to Colorado

Ollie worn backpack style in the Ergo. I think he weighed around 28 pounds at the time. Peyton in the Bjorn at around 17 pounds. Hiking the Flatirons, I think, but I could be wrong.

Front/Back Carrier:

The Ergo

Pros: 

~can be worn front, back or hip

~super comfortable, even with a heavy child

~easy to put on (except for the back buckle which I have trouble doing on my own.) 

~easily packable. 

~stands up to lots of washings

Cons: 

~not great for infants (I got the infant insert but I've never been able to get Dylan comfortable in it and she's still too small to fit in it without the insert)

Because of Ollie's delays, he did not walk until Peyton was 6 months old. When I realized the end of my pregnancy with Pey that I was about to have two non-walking babies (with no clear indication at the time that Ollie ever would walk) I went a little crazy buying carriers. The Ergo was one of these purchases after it came highly recommended by one of my friends. 

Peyton (worn in the front at 30 pounds) on a 20 block stroll in NYC. (I was taking this picture wearing Dylan in the Bjorn)

Wraps:

The Solly Baby wrap

Pros:

~very soft & comfortable

~lots of great color options

~baby seems most comfortable in it

~stands up to lots of washings

~easily packable

~looks really nice on

~lightweight fabric

Cons:

~outgrown fairly quickly

~ uncomfortable to drive in

~not easy to put on and off

~if putting on away from home, you'll have to drag the ends on the floor/dirt/etc

Wraps (which are basically 2 or 3 yards of fabric that you tie on) are my go-to carrier when I'm at home. All of my babies have loved them and seemed very comfortable in them. Being the snuggly baby that she is, the only reason I can get any work done around the house with Dylan is because of the Solly wrap. She will gladly hang out in it awake or asleep, as you can see. And by the way, if you have an older child, Solly does have a Solly Dolly Wrap that is possibly the cutest thing in the world. I'd get one for Pey, but if you scroll down to the Ring Sling section, you'll see that she already has a babywearing accessory :)

Dylan Roo just hanging out in the Solly

Dylan Roo taking one of her dozen daily catnaps in the Solly.

My only issue with wraps is that they are uncomfortable to drive in (the crossed fabric in the back digs into me) and if you want to put it on when you get to your destination you end up dragging the ends of the fabric in the dirt/snow/rain/germy floor, etc. So I usually just save the wrap for home use, which is a shame because the look so pretty on. 

The Moby wrap:

Pros: same as above, minus lightweight fabric

Cons: same as above

The Moby was the first wrap I got, when Oliver was a baby. I loved it but the fabric is very heavy, so basically un-usable in the summer months. Great in the winter though! I once met a woman carrying both of her 2 month old twins in one of these (at first I thought she had an enormous chest...) so obviously, it's hardy. 

Another catnap, this time in the Moby

Baby Peyton helping me make pancakes in the Moby

Ring Slings

The Maya Ring Sling

Pros: 

~easy to put on

~Easy to wear

~can use for newborn up to, well, I'm up to 6-year-old and still going...

Cons:

~Not the sturdiest of all carriers (I like to keep one hand on the baby most of the time)

I love my sling. I still keep it in my car, as I couldn't part with it when I was sending hand-me-downs to be used by my niece. Sometimes I use it with the big kids when we go on hikes or long walks in the city, as it gives that little helping hand. It's big enough that I could carry Jon in it, if I wanted to. I have used it with Dylan, but I'll admit it's not my go-to infant carrier- I like it much more for bigger babies/toddlers. (Slash, I suppose, school-age kids.) I have to mention that while I love my Maya wrap, I have recently discovered Sakura Bloom ring slings and they are gorgeous. 

Baby Ollie taking a stroll in Vermont in the Maya wrap

A bigger Ollie taking a walk in Vermont

Peyton multitasking with her ring sling :)

Frame Packs:

The Kokopax (I don't think these are available anymore!)

Pros: 

~easy to wear & put on

~kids seem to like the view from higher up

~awesome for toddlers

~kids don't feel as restrained and can move around a bit.

~base unfolds to put on groound

Cons:

~bulky/not easily packed (Takes up room in car, which we are always short on)

~Jusssst at the right height for the kiddos to pull your hair

Frame packs are great for long outings, like hikes. They are especially great for toddlers because they have a little more room to move around and they have a great vantage point, and I swear Peyton used to think it was an amusement park ride. I used to use my Kokopax when I went grocery shopping with her because girlfriend has never been able to sit in a shopping cart. 

2 year old Peyton at the Tree farm

1-year old Ollie at the tree farm (apparently we liked using this at the tree farm)

10-month-old Ollie apple picking.

The Kelty Pack:

Pros: see above

Cons: see above

Our Kelty pack was a surprise shower gift. We actually keep it at Jon's family's Vermont house so we don't have to take up precious car space bringing it back and forth, and we frequently go for hikes when we are there. It's great because it has a small pouch to pack stuff, because you always need to bring stuff when you've got kids.

9-month-old Ollie in the Kelty pack

While many of my carriers were shower gifts, a few were purchases that I made on my own. The result is, obviously, a whole lotta carriers. I feel like I've gotten my money's worth of all of them, as I've pretty much used at least one of them everyday for the past 6 and a half years:

 6 1/2 years = 2,372 days,  

2372 days divided by 7 carriers = 338 uses/ carrier.

Obviously, some get more use than others, but you get the idea :)

I'd say in terms of usage, my carriers rank in as such:

1} Ergo * (ranks #1 for 4+ months)

2} Solly Baby Wrap

3} Bjorn (ranks #1 for birth to 4 months)

4} Maya Ring Sling

5} Kokopax

6} Moby Wrap

7} Kelty Pack

So if you're reading this and wondering which one I would pick if I could only choose one? That's tough... I'd probably say the Ergo (but you 'd have to try your luck with the infant insert in the Ergo, or see if you can borrow someone's Bjorn for a few months until your baby can fit in the Ergo without the insert) The Ergo is the best in terms of length of use, durability, packability, comfort, and versatility. But gosh, I do love my wraps too! So if you were to splurge on a second, go with the wrap (and the Solly is my clear favorite over the Moby)

That said, I think it's a preference thing, so really, this is all my own experience. Case in point: After I originally posted this, my friend Melissa sent me this message:

"I have to say, for me, I loved my Maya Ring Sling and Boba Sleepy Wrap for under 6 months.
I hated my Ergo (they are not great for small framed people as far as comfort- my husband liked it)
I liked my Boba, but it wasn't until I got my Tula that I knew true baby wearing love! <3"

So there you go! If you (or a friend) are trying to figure out which carrier to get, you can absolutely take my two cents into account, but definitely ask around and see if you can borrow one from a friend or relative. 

I've also discovered a rental program at  Quirky Baby For a small fee, ($3.50) you can try out a variety of carriers, and I believe you get to keep them for 3 weeks which is great. Trying them out for yourself before you buy is a wonderful option, whether it is through an online program like this or simply borrowing from a friend. 

Whatever carrier you choose, or whether you choose to babywear at all, I hope the grainy pictures of my (and Jon's) unconscious and awkward modeling have brightened your day. 

Oh, and I'm coming back at'cha with a post about cloth diapering in the near future, so stay tuned for that!

**The information in this post is purely my own opinion and only intended as a friendly recount of my own experience in babywearing. I have not been compensated or asked by any of the above mentioned companies to mention their names or links**