Baby carrying devices

[Twilkes]

Am split between getting a buckle-type baby carrier that connects around your hips and then you drop the baby into it and strap it in, or a lightweight sling thing that just wraps around both of you but probably has all the weight sitting on one shoulder.

Any good/bad experiences with these things?

[smifffymoto]

Carry the little darling in your arms or chuck in a pushchair.Forget anything else as you're not doing a route march or toiling in the fields.

[SystemParanoia]

i agree, carrying baby on your body gets uncomfortable quickly, and baby will just have a great time wiping all their snot onto you

[JC29]

Hey mate, we had the same questions and this is what we eventually did (worked really well)

- bought an ergo baby carrier, clips on really easily and supports the baby's legs properly (should be all the way to the back of the knee)
- Do Not buy a baby bjorn, these are not good for the baby as all of their weight is between the legs - if you have ever used a climbing harness imagine dangling from this for hours on end
- best one we had by far is called a Lui Mai (its swiss so in german but google translate works http://www.tragebaby.ch/0332be9e9a0fe7006/index.ht... this is one you tie at the waist then again over the shoulders, sounds like a pain in the ass but it worked the best for the baby and does not hurt your back (Ergo baby will kill your back after half an hour). You can also personalise the design as they are all made to order

[anonymous-user]

When ours were little the Baby Bjorn sling thing was a godsend. You have both hands free, they can face you and snooze or if they are wide awake they face outwards and enjoy the view. Babies really aren't very heavy.

Once they got too big for that we used a backpack/child carrier thing. The key here is to buy the lightest and simplest one you can find. With a padded belt - the weight should sit on your hips rather than your shoulders.

Pushchairs and prays are for suckers. Unwieldy things that just encourage you to load up on crap.

[JC29]

also I should add that one of the main reasons we got a carrier was that my son hated the stroller

its also way easier to do things when you have them on you rather than pushing them around

[Al Murphy]

I'm interested in responses to this one as I'll be in the same boat shortly. JC29 your link doesn't appear to work, any chance you could fix it please? What you've described sounds interesting!

Ta, Al

[welshjon81]

Greg66 said:

Pushchairs and prams are for suckers.

This. Carrying a baby on your person has lots of benefits. Mainly, better communication, learning and development for the baby.

We had one and never once bothered with a pram or a buggy. By the time the little guy was able to walk confidently, he walked.

[JC29]

Hi Al,

No worries - hope this works...

http://www.tragebaby.ch/

Any other questions let me know - highly recommend them, even great for getting the little ones to sleep. We got ours done in a fabric with racing cars

For a new born we had a softer sling - this is the one we got, its called a manduca, but anything similar would work https://www.baby-walz.ch/group/0/product/291465666...

It is cheap (so can find out if the baby likes being carried - they can be very picky...), but only really good for the first 3 months

[Some Gump]

Op,
Baby Bjorn is great when they're small. Onv
Ceheavier, I found it caned my back.

Hippie sling thing was much better - can tie it in multiple ways so you can shift about on longer walks. Its really just a big scarf, in slightly stretchy not that warm material.

IMO getting a 2nd hand Bjorn for 15 quid is a good idea when they're really small. Our both hated being pout in the bouncer and let us know big time - the Bjorn let us get on with normal housework etc and is much quicker to load / unload than a hippy sling.

[JC29]

main thing is to get one that holds their weight across the whole back of the legs down to the knee

Honestly it is not great for the baby to be suspended only between the legs

Appreciate the BBjorn chaps may disagree with me - but i figure if it looks uncomfortable, the baby is not going to enjoy it either

[JC29]

and a huge second on the sling letting you get on with cooking, housework, dinner, etc. so much easier

[768]

My wife's a physio, she reckoned the Baby Bjorn thing was fine for short periods, but you wouldn't want their hips forcibly splayed for longer periods. Half hour country walk fine, keeping them on you all day walking round the house, not so smart.

Unless you have cupboards full of lentils and write "attachment parenting" down on official forms in the box for religion, I wouldn't bother with a sling.

[austinsmirk]

we tried a few and the children hated them. fortunately they'd been handed to us for free.

maybe try them out and see whether you can even use them.

personally a pram is the best baby carrying device plus you can carry all the junk that babies need !

[I-A]

We used a Baby Bjorn - was fine for me, no back ache if you maintain a good posture.

Have a look at the little life rucksacks, we have one but not used it too much.

[Twilkes]

Thanks for the ideas. There'll probably be a buggy involved when they get older, but it's always useful to have your hands free and the baby up near you rather than way in front of you down at peoples knees.

Will be careful with the hip-friendly thing, the climbing harness analogy is a good one. The best ones look like the child sits in them rather than hangs from them.

[Twilkes]

JC29 said:

Hey mate, we had the same questions and this is what we eventually did (worked really well)

- bought an ergo baby carrier, clips on really easily and supports the baby's legs properly (should be all the way to the back of the knee)
- Do Not buy a baby bjorn, these are not good for the baby as all of their weight is between the legs - if you have ever used a climbing harness imagine dangling from this for hours on end
- best one we had by far is called a Lui Mai (its swiss so in german but google translate works http://www.tragebaby.ch/0332be9e9a0fe7006/index.ht... this is one you tie at the waist then again over the shoulders, sounds like a pain in the ass but it worked the best for the baby and does not hurt your back (Ergo baby will kill your back after half an hour). You can also personalise the design as they are all made to order

So don't buy an Ergo?

[andy-xr]

My wife uses an Amawrap for holding the little one while doing stuff round the house
http://www.amawrap.com/

They're really good. For times where she'll be held for lnger we have a front carrier thing, kind of like a rucksack you put on backwards and she has a fleece with a kangaroo pouch to keep them both warm when they go out. I think it's a fairly generic one, maybe a Karrimor. But it's actually for a baby. That can be used on her/my back when our girl gets a bit older.

[gibbo37]

Twilkes said:

So don't buy an Ergo?

As far as I know Ergobaby are the best of that type of carrier (buckle).
They've won multiple awards and are recommended by the hip dysplasia institute - All information is on their website.

[Corpulent Tosser]

Couldn't you adapt one of these ?