Hi everyone, ia m looking for a good baby carrier. I found the baby k’tan that has good reviews. Has anyone used this? Any other recommendations? I want something that I can wear often and keep my hands free, and the baby safe and comfortable. Thanks so much!
I can’t recommend Ergo carrier enough, we used it every day with 3 of our children, it is very versatile and would accommodate baby from birth ( with infant heart to heart insert) to about 4 years old ( not that 4 year old needs to be carried, but it is good to have that option on a long hike for instance)
We own Moby wrap as well ( my hubby loves it for very new born ones, I found it a bit bulky, but very comfy for baby as well, especially for newborn), sleepy wrap is similar to Moby, but a bit more stretchy, so it would not work best for bigger babies
From ring slings ( if that is your style) I would say Maya wrap and SBP ( sleepy baby production) are the best, but it is a bit less versatile, and you need to really learn how to wear them safely, when you have it down, it is a breeze. However wraps always give me back pain, while Ergo I was able to wear for ours under quite challenging conditions. We also were able o nurse in it, which is plus.
There is no one answer, what works for me might not be the ideal for you, but that is my recommendation.
I second the Ergo. I just got mine 2 months ago and it is amazing. Research a bit because there are quite a few counterfeits out there. And only the real ergo is safe.
I also used a Cuddleywrap for the newborn stage.
I also have an original Ergobaby carrier and we love it. When my little girl was small, we used the infant insert. She is almost 17 months old now and we still use it if she needs to nap when I need to go to the shops.
I’m very happy with mine but if you can afford $20 extra, I’d recommend the Performance model. I borrowed my friend’s the other day and it’s lighter and less bulky material. It is easier to fold up for travelling too. I see there is a travel version now too.
The main selling point is that it supports the baby’s hips correctly. (Baby doesn’t hang). The only draw back is that baby can’t face out wards. Only towards you, on your hip or back. This was part of the design because the baby can’t turn away from too much stimulation. I think that’s a factor when they are small but might not be such a big thing when they are older.
My little one sleeps nicely in it and it is a real win in airports where they don’t bring the stroller to the gate. I also used it to help get her to sleep on board.
I love my Storchenwiege and I use it 95% of the time I baby wear, (ie, the other 5% is when stirchenwiege is dirty!). You can use it from infant up to your grade schooler. I also have an ergo. With the newborn insert it was too hot and cumbersome. Maybe I just need to spend some more time getting to know it, but I don’t like it as much as the Storchenwiege. I also have a mobs sling that is ergonomic for baby, but not as comfortable for me. I don’t like ring slings as much because the weight is all on one side. I also have a homemade wrap, but it was too stretchy. I don’t recommend getting a stretchy wrap, because once they weigh more than 10 pounds, they start to sag and by the time you leave the grocery store, you are carrying them anyway.
I got my wrap here: http://www.childrensneeds.com/
I also love her article on what to look for in an ergonomic wrap:
http://www.babywearingschool.com/babycarriers101.htm
Don’t get a forward-facing carrier. It’s not good for your back, and it’s especially not good for the baby.
“Thanks everyone. Tamsyn, the storchenweige looks difficult to put on. Does it take some time to figure out? The ergo sounds good, but my baby will be born in the summer with 100+ degree heat so I think the insert will be too hot. But, I will keep it in mind for when she gets older.”
Yes, for the summer insert would be too hot 
We used the insert during winter months with our last baby and it worked out beautifully. With other two, we started Ergo from 4 months). For that very reason, I have not used Moby or sleepy wrap for the first month after our summer baby was born, I was way too hot, bundled in it :rolleyes: So I ended up using a breathy ring sling, which was not the best for my back , but it worked for that hot time of year. After trying a few different ones we went with Sleeping Baby Production ( google them) in custom light, slightly stretchy weaven fabric.
I never tried storchenweige, so would not be able to answer anything about it. I wish I would have a chance to try it out though! Tamsyn, you always give me these great ideas :yes: :yes: BTWm Tamsyn, totally off the topic, we got our herbs and are about to make our own herbal tooth powder, according to Dr Christopher’s recipe!!
I LOVED my Cuddle Wrap! Hands down it was the best gift I got! I wore mine right through summer - it’s made of a strong jersey knit - so it’s just like wearing a t-shirt. It looks complicated, but it’s not really - you’d get the hang of it by the second time you tried 
Hi
We use stokke baby carrier for our 9 month old and it’s really comfortable and easy to use. At newborn stage, we loved the moby wrap.
Regards
BT
After a couple of tries you get the hang of it, and before long you’ll become a pro. I wrap my baby up in less than a minute, start to finish. I actually think it’s easier to get comfy in the storchenwiege than the ergo which is why I haven’t used the ergo as much as I thought I would. I’m planning on giving it another chance this summer though because the big reason I bought the ergo was because I thought it would be easier to breastfeed in.
Is it hot? Not really. I’ve worn my babies all day outside with it and people thought I would be baking but it really wasn’t that bad. My babies seemed to be comfortable too. It breathes really well- it’s a fabric specifically designed for baby wearing, which is part of why they are expensive. It’s sturdy fabric. I’ve constantly worn 3 babies in it now, and it still comes out of the wash looking like new. If you aren’t planning on using it with multiple children, they have a high resale value. (as does the moby slings and ergo).
“I never tried storchenweige, so would not be able to answer anything about it. I wish I would have a chance to try it out though! Tamsyn, you always give me these great ideas BTWm Tamsyn, totally off the topic, we got our herbs and are about to make our own herbal tooth powder, according to Dr Christopher’s recipe!!”
Another vote for Ergo carrier. We had the sports version as my husband is tall and it had longer straps. It was very comfortable and we used it for hours at a time. It was handy for naps when out and about
I tried a Hug a bub (long piece of fabric) but I couldn’t really get the hang of it, especially when the Ergo was so easy.
Thanks again everyone. I am looking forward to using a baby carrier this time around. With Ian, I think I didn’t have a good one and he hated it. I figure now that I am going to have two it is going to be impossible to function in life without one. lol So thank you.
I have a BabyBjorn Miracle. Love it so much. We go everywhere with it with my daughther . Can’t imagine going out without one! It is so convenient and easy to use. Can put the baby in the carrier without help. (Need to practice a few times first). Baby insert is not required too. Can be used facing front or towards you. It is also convenient for transiting too compared to a push chair .
Can be used from birth, max weight 13kg. Bought it when my daugther was 3 months old. Had a different carrier before and within a week, I lost the waist strap, and it was not easy to adjust the length of the strap when me and my hubby swap over, we have to help each other (With the BabyBjorn Miracle, it is so easy, you can adjust it yourself).
I also have a home made sling. Agree that it only distributes weight on one side. I do use it at home just before nap times mainly.
Hope this helps.
I would be careful with BabyBjorn, as it does not offer optimal positioning for the baby (even if it might feel great for mom, sadly), and can cause hip problems… I would say look for natural positioning
One consideration is whether you want to buy just one carrier that will last you through toddlerhood or if you are ok with using different kinds of carriers at different stages. If you want one that will last through toddlerhood, then you should look for one that supports a comfortable back carry.
I started off with ring slings (a SBP one - it comes with a nice instructional DVD as well as printed instructions as well as one from another work-at-home mom that was ok, but I liked the SBP one better). It was nice to have two so that when one is in the wash the other could be used. I also tended to keep one of them in the car. It took a few tries to feel like I had the sling on right. I even went to a local store that sold ring slings for help. I liked it for the newborn stage and it was easy to go grocery shopping and run other errands with the baby. The DVD from SBP shows lots of carries including side and back positions. You can get them in lightweight fabrics for the summer. The one thing that I wasn’t wild about was tucking the feet in. In the newborn stage, I wasn’t so concerned about that, but as the baby grew, I was less comfortable with that. I think newer recommendations are to keep the baby’s feet out (not bound by the ring sling), but I couldn’t figure out how to do that comfortably. Recently I’ve tried the ring sling again with a hip carry and found that it was uncomfortable with the weight of the baby (now heavier) being supported on just one shoulder. So, I wouldn’t recommend this as a long term solution, but it was nice in the beginning.
A few months in I started using the Close Parent Caboo DX carrier (available from/in the UK). This is similar to a Maya Wrap in concept, but instead of having to tie the fabric yourself, there are buckles. It also has lumbar/back support. This has been a very comfortable and easy-to-use carrier for me. I don’t use the safety strap anymore (but watch carefully that baby is secure in the carrier and won’t fall out backwards), but did when I started. I’m a small person and the safety strap seemed to slip on me a lot, which did not affect it’s safety efficacy but made it a less than ideal head support (which I wanted it to be although the instructions were to support the baby’s head using the main straps instead). Although DS is close to 18lbs now, I still find it comfortable to carry him in this and we take walks around the neighborhood in it. The drawback is that it only supports a front carry, which is less than ideal for preparing dinner at the same time (now that he’s bigger). The next time around, I’d probably use this from birth. I don’t know if it would be warm or not in the summer since it was fall before I started using it. It feels like a medium-weight slightly stretchy fabric.
We also have a Manduca carrier for Dad (bought when we were in Canada). He used it when DS was a newborn for neighborhood walks and found it comfortable. Since winter, he hasn’t used it since he doesn’t have a coat that can wrap around DS as well. I had gotten it since it was supposed to fit both small and large people fairly well. I found that I was not able to cinch it small enough to fit me for the newborn front carry position. I just tried out the hip carry the other day, and it seemed to fit me and was comfortable and DS was happy in it. What I really want is a back carrier, but I haven’t tried out that position yet, so can’t comment on how that is. Our main concern right now is that DS can’t straddle my back yet, so would he be comfortable in a back carry? I’ve been meaning to go to a store to try out an Ergo to see how the back carry works there, but haven’t found the time yet.
Would love to try out the Storchenwiege, but finding it hard to justify getting another carrier right now!
BTW, if you are flying with your baby, having a carrier that doesn’t have metal in it is helpful if the airport will let you wear your baby through the screener. Some will and some won’t. Unfortunately, I only had ring slings when I had to fly so I had to take off the baby and let the people behind me in line hold him since I couldn’t manage everything myself.
Here is the link to FAQ regarding Babybjorn including carrier and hip dysplasia (I am not affliated to Babybjorn ).
http://www.babybjorn.com/customer-service/faq/baby-carriers/
I have copied and pasted the section as below:
[i]I read on a web forum that baby carriers can cause hip dysplasia. Is that correct?
No, that is not correct. Your child cannot develop hip dysplasia or hip luxation by being carried in a baby carrier. Hip dysplasia, or hip luxation, is a congenital condition diagnosed through a medical examination. The notion that baby carriers can cause hip dysplasia is a misunderstanding and has no scientific foundation. This is confirmed by leading child orthopedists. [/i]
I would say go for what the majority have suggested.
Baby carrier is the best option to wear baby comfortably. There are a variety of baby slings or carriers are available in different sizes and colors, so you can buy it from online stores at a cheaper rate. We can say that baby carrier is the best friend of parents to keep baby always with them.
The big corporation sellers are so smart and sneaky in the way they present their products, sadly…of course one would not be able to develop congenital condition, that is a no brainer. But there is a variety of other problems that can be caused by incorrect positioning. Tamsyn had a great link for positioning, which I recommend to anyone considering baby carrier.
Baby wearing has so many benefits, if done correctly.