The Baby Carrier Buying Guide

Baby carriers

Wrap

Sling

Ring Sling

Soft Pack Carrier

Mei Tai Baby Carrier

Find the carrier that is right for you

Are you looking for a more stylish baby carrier? Tired of pushing a pram in front of you everywhere you go? Or does your newborn cry whenever you put her down?

Baby carriers are not only great for your baby, they can make your life easier, too. There are many different options out there: slings, wraps, mei tais, kangaroo carriers and soft pack carriers. Each of the different carriers can be used for one or more carrying positions, such as front carry, back carry, cradle carry, hip carry, high back carry and more. What carrier will fit your needs and the needs of your baby?

This baby carrier buying guide is a basis to help you figure it all out.

Baby Carriers in Comparison

Let's start with an overview of all the main types of baby carriers available. There may be some more exotic hybrid carriers out there, but if you understand the main categories of carriers here you should be able to go from there.

Newborn Front Carrier (Baby Bjorn Style, kangaroo style)

Description:

This type of carrier is generally made of synthetic materials that fit closely to the parent's body. It can be adjusted with straps and plastic clips like you would a backpack. The baby fits into a pocket in the front with the weight of his body carried around the crotch area. His legs dangle down beneath. This carrier can only be used for a very small baby, generally under 6 months, and only in the front carry position. The baby usually faces outwards.

Plus: very easy to put on.

Minus:

The disadvantage is clearly the baby's position in the kangaroo carrier. Many pediatricians and parents are concerned that having the weight of the baby concentrated solely onto the genital area may cause the little one discomfort or even damage. It is not possible to carry a baby in the recommended “M” position with this carrier, in which the baby's knees are always higher than bum. In addition to this, it is controversial whether it is good for a newborn to be carried facing outward. These small beings have just entered our world, and have no need to look out at what is happening around them. Critics say it may over-stimulate them and confront them with sights and sounds that they are not yet ready to take in.

Parents often find this type of carrier very uncomfortable, since it places the entire weight of the child in the small of the parent's back. There are other options out there, so why not take a look at the rest before making a decision?

What we think: not recommended

Wrap, also known as Sling Wrap, German Wrap

Description:

The wrap is a long rectangular piece of cloth, often woven and sometimes elastic, which has a total length of 4 to 5 meters.

Plus:

Loved by midwives around the world, this versatile piece of cloth keeps newborn babies tucked safely inside on their mother's breast in one of the best possible front carry positions for the baby. Many parents say that the wrap is the most comfortable and most variable type of baby carrier around. It can be wrapped and tied in a myriad ways around the parent's body to create all kinds of physiologically beneficial carrying positions for the baby. Front carry, back carry, side carry, even a cradle carry is possible with a wrap.

Minus:

But all of these positions do have to be learned, and this is not always easy for all parents. There are books and even courses offered on the various wrapping techniques. Once mastered, it is possible to carry even a large toddler in a wrap for longer periods of time. But do you and your baby have time to learn all of these different positions?

Some babies just won't settle down long enough for their parents to complete the long wrapping procedure. And there is not always time in every situation to wrap and unwrap those 4 metres of cloth. Even very experienced babywearers need several minutes to get their baby safely in and settled. New parents will find that they easily need 10 minutes at a time just to put their baby in the wrap. Once in, it is wonderful, but the wrap is clearly not an option for parents who need to get the baby in and out fast and flexibly.

Just imagine yourself standing in line at the airport security gate with all of your luggage and your bags, trying to unwrap the baby for the one minute while you walk through the metal detectors....

What we think: a good choice for some parents

Sling Baby Carrier (Sling Pouch)

Description:

The sling carrier is most similar to the traditional carriers used in Africa or Central America. It is a simple tube of cloth that is worn over one shoulder. The fold in the middle creates a pouch in which a newborn can lie in a cradle carry. A larger baby can sit up in a front carry, a hip carry, a carry facing out or even a back carry. Traditional slings are simply a piece of cloth that is knotted on one end, but many parents in the west prefer the tube style.

Plus:

No tying, no knotting, no snaps, no adjusting. Just put the sling on and pop the baby in. This is the only carrier that can truly be used in less than 1 minute to put your baby in.

There are various carrying positions possible with the sling pouch. All are easy enough that you don't have to buy a book about it, and you don't need to take a course on it either! Because they are so simple and easy to use, slings are one of the most versatile baby carriers available. They look streamlined and elegant and can be worn with even the most formal of dresses or suits.

Some slings are made with stretch, and this makes them much easier to use and more comfortable for both parent and baby. Without the stretch it is nearly impossible to get a sleeping baby out of the sling without waking them up. Stretch also makes it possible to share slings between parents of different sizes, since it puts some give into the otherwise stiff form.

Keep in Mind:

Sizing is important with slings, though, and they may never fit as exactly as the traditional knotted style.

What parents think: simple and elegant

Ringslings

Description:

Similar to slings, the ringslings have a double ring on the cloth at the end. Instead of tying them, the cloth goes through the slings and can be adjusted, similar to a bra strap. Carry positions are the same as with a pouch: front carry, hip carry, cradle carry, even back carry.

Plus:

Good for situations where you need to get the baby in and out fast. Looks nice with long, flowy dresses.

Minus:

The cloth tends to relax in the ring after a time, making it necessary to retighten it. It takes longer to put a baby in this type of sling, since it always has to be adjusted and many parents find the large rings awkward to deal with. There is no clear fold in a ringsling the way there is in a sling pouch. Some babies can do without this, but many can not and tend to slip through the back. Although they probably will not actually fall out of the sling, it is best to keep one hand on your baby at all times while using a ringsling.

What we think: nice idea but impractical

Soft Pack Baby Carriers (ErgoBaby, Beko Baby)

Description:

These practical, athletic style carriers are becoming very popular. Soft pack carriers are usually made out of a sturdy, robust cotton canvass and have large adjustable synthetic straps with backpack style plastic clips. They can be adjusted for different size parents and often have a hood on them for the babies.

Plus:

A good all around choice for smaller babies and active parents. The babies can be carried in a front carry and a low back carry. They are comfortable, easy to use and promote good babywearing positions.

Minus:

Most parents find that it is easiest to wear a baby in the front with this style carrier, since it is difficult to put the a baby on the back without assistance. The back carry is so low that many parents find it causes low back pain, but the front carry is usually quite comfortable.

It is not recommended that newborns be carried in this type of baby carrier, since they do not have the support they need on the back and head. A cradle position is not possible. It is critical that parents begin their babywearing relationship with their newborns as soon possible after birth, so you made need to plan on a different carrier such as a wrap or a sling in the beginning, and move on to your soft pack carrier later.

What we think: a good choice for active parents and older babies

Mei Tai Baby Carrier

Description:

The mei tai is essentially a square piece of cloth with short straps on it for around the waist and longer straps for the shoulders. There are no snaps or clips of any kind, the mei tai is knotted in a similar way to the wrap. Tying a mei tai is a lot easier than a wrap, though, since the position for the baby's body is already made with the square. The ties are quite narrow at the bottom, so you don't have a huge mass of cloth to knot the way you do with a wrap.

Millions of Asian mothers have traditionally carried their babies in mei tais for centuries.

Plus:

The Mei Tai is the one carrier that truly does it all: front carry, newborn carry, back carry, high back carry, toddler carry. And it as easy to use as a soft pack carrier and as comfortable and as versatile as a wrap.

The streamlined appearance makes the mei tai a great urban carrier, since it will go with any kind of clothing and looks good, too. Fashion conscious parents may find that the mei tai works better for them than soft pack carriers.

And parents who want to take their babies hiking should take a good look at the mei tais, too. Unlike soft pack carriers like the Ergo Baby, the mei tai can be worn high up on the back, in what is known as the Tibetan Carry, or high back carry. Used by parents in the Himalayas for centuries, this carry puts the entire weight of the baby up on your shoulders, making the baby seem weightless. You can literally hike all day with your baby in a good mei tai worn with the high back carry. And it won't get too hot for you or your baby, since a mei tai only has cloth where you need it and not where you don't, as with a wrap.

Mei Tais are as good for newborns as they are for older babies, but a cradle carry is not possible. If it is important to you to carry your newborn in a cradle carry then you might want to get a sling as your first carrier and go from there.