When I had Olly, one of the things I made sure to get was a baby carrier. I'm definitely into the kangaroo baby carrying and it allows me to do things around the house. Having free hands is essential when you don't have help with the baby or around the house. I started trying ALL the different baby carriers util I found the one that fits me and my baby. So let's go through the ones I've bought & tried.
Reference: I am 5'1" and 150 lbs with Baby 3 months old, 13.5 lbs and 23 inches
Requirements for a carrier:
Ease of use
Easy to clean
Comfort
Easy for Hubby to use
Photo courtesy of boba.com
Boba Wrap
This was the first carrier I bought. After reading extensive reviews on amazon and over pinterest, I decided to try this first. I loved it initially. It allows your newborn to rest on your chest and let's them sleep pretty soundly since mama's chest is one of the safest places for your baby. However reality slowly started to settle. The Boba wrap was great around the house, but it was be a pain when travelling with it. It takes a while to master wrapping it around your body properly and can get very annoying very quickly when your baby is screaming next to you as you try to figure the wrap. One side of the wrap was also a fuzzy lined making it very comfortable for the baby but since we live in Florida, it was a no go. Baby got hot really quick and caused fussiness.
Pros:
Available everywhere (target, walmart, amazon)
Easy to wash
Great starting from newborns
Fits any body shape + size
Cons:
Gets hot pretty quickly (even more in this Florida heat)
Pain in the @s% to tie. When you mess up, or when it is not tight enough, you have to restart.
Very very long piece of fabric.
Rating:
3.5/5
Photo courtesy of babyktan.com
Baby K'Tan
Since my biggest beef about the boba was my inability to properly tie the wrap, I thought I'd give the baby K'tan a try. It is very similar to the boba minus the wrapping part and requires less fabric. It does come in different sizes, and not a one size fits all. Which can be hard with a growing baby and when losing pregnancy weight. I bought the medium and fit me and my baby perfectly but I find that he slowly starts to slip/sag with prolong use. Which is a big no-no as it is a safety concern. I loved that it was easy to put on. When baby would start getting fussy in the stroller if we're in a place like a mall, I can just pop him in there.
Pros:
No need to tie/wrap
Easy to put on,
Easy to wash
Great starting from newborns
Doesn't get hot because of a linen blend fabric
Cons:
Not easily available in major retailers
Sizing may be difficult
Baby started to slip/sag after prolong use which could be a result from bad sizing
Rating:
3.5/5 (Where it did great in ease of use, it lacked in the sizing hassle)
Photo courtesy of babybjorn.com
Baby Bjorn
After being tired of all this fabric wrapping my body, I decided to give an actual carrier a try. I bought the babybjorn original since I figured it was a great place to start. It was a good carrier as it kept my baby close to me and I can just pop him in there pretty quickly and easily. I find this very essential because once they get into the scream-your-ear-off mode, you want to dilute that as quickly as possible. However without thinking, I bought it in black and since we live in Florida, it got pretty hot pretty quickly. I loved that it had a neck support for newborns and the explore carry (front view) is pretty fun for the baby as well.
Pros:
Available almost at any major retailers
Super duper easy to use
Dad's can use it too
Lightweight
Cons:
Not great for preemies. Baby has to be at least 8lbs and 21 inches long.
Hard to wash since they do not go in the dryer. Lays flat to dry. Therefore if you happen to have a leak, it can take at least a day to wait for it to dry.
Got hot pretty fast from the dark fabric. (Again I live in the hellheat of Florida. This may not be an issue for others)
Pricey (But can be easily found second hand in stores like Once Upon A Child)
Rating:
4/5
Photo courtesy of amazon.com
Baby Bjorn Mesh
Since I loved the Babybjorn Original so much (minus heat issues), I read up on the babybjorn mesh and decided to give it a try. Results? baby loved it! the ease of use was still there, and we loved that it was completely breathable! I didn't get sweaty, hubby didn't get sweaty and baby did not get hot either. A true test? We loved going on mini hikes on trails to tire out the baby during the witching hour and we absolutely loved it.
Pros:
Easier to wash than the babybjorn original since it was a lighter weight material and dries much faster
Super lightweight
Easy to use
Great for dads
Cons:
Not great for preemies
Longer wait time after washing than other carriers
Pricey (But can be easily found second hand in stores like Once Upon A Child)
Rating:
4.5/5
Photo courtesy of infantino.com
Mei Tei Sash
This carrier was gifted to me by one of my friends. I've never even heard it until it was given to me. It is great for the older babies since it allows you to back carry as well. Comes with padded shoulder straps to take some of the pressure/weight off. I cannot fully do a review on this product as my son is still too small to try all the different positions it allows. However I do not recommend this for smaller babies since the straps doesn't cover much of the sides.
Pros:
Available in a lot of major retailers
Easy to wash
More carrying positions than the others
Cons:
Size restricted. Not made for women/men of a large build.
Not made for most babies from birth.
Rating: ??/5 (tune back for full review)
Final favorite? BabyBjorn Mesh!
Hubby even went fishing!
