So, you want to start babywearing?
The world of babywearing is incredibly vast, and there are several different kinds of carriers, which can fulfill different purposes. This post will primary be about the different carriers, although a few will link away to other posts about specific carriers that I’ve tried. This will also be highly peppered with my own personal opinions and preferences, but they are just my opinions. A few of these carriers will link away to more in-depth posts, too.
Let’s start with a little briefing though:
With any baby carriers, you want baby to be completely supported knee-to-knee—not just supported by the crotch—with their head close enough to kiss (with airways free). Though a very few carriers allow an okay setup for outward facing, it’s best for baby to face the wearer.
So what kinds of carriers are there?
Soft Structured Carriers/Buckle Carriers (SSC): When people think about wearing their babies, they often think about these. In general, these are the kinds of carriers you saw growing up, and that you’ll see most often out and about. The way you adjust them can vary from brand to brand, but you almost always have an adjustable waist strap, back strap, and straps under the arms, to get that perfect fit.
Pros:
-The seat (where baby’s bum is) is already made for you, and baby won’t be able to get out of it
-These are probably the easiest carriers to learn how to use
Cons:
-Can look a bit clunky. Not all brands have a bulky look, but with the shoulder padding, and suck pads, and other padding, they can have a lot going on
-There are so many SSC out there. if you don’t know what to look for, you can end up with a pretty mediocre carrier
-If you and your partner vary quite a bit in side, like me and my husband do, switching who carries baby can be a nuisance adjusting all the buckles
What to look for:
-Good knee-to-knee support, as there are tons that are not really appropriate
-Shoulder straps that fit you well (different brands work better for narrower or broader shoulders)
-A carrier that adjust well to your body type (I’ve used one that fit my husband super well, and it worked okay for me with a front carry, but was far too large for me with a back carry)
SSC brands:
-Happy Baby. These are, in my opinion, the best looking SSC out there right now. They aren’t at all bulky, and are make of linen, so they are super breathable. And they’d work great in winter, because they aren’t overly padded themselves, which would work great with heavier clothing.
-Kinderpack. I’ve modeled a bit for Kinderpack, and they have very comfortable shoulder pads. They do border on a bit bit for me in the shoulders, but I’ve super narrow. They have a large variety of prints, too.
These next two, I’ve not had any experience with, but I’m very curious, and they’re similar to SSC, so I thought I’d include them here.
Sakura Bloom Scout: This is just like a SSC, but the waistband is like a ring sling. I feel like this could be easier when switching between partners, but I’m also just sort of anti-buckle.
Pros:
-Just like SSC, the seat is made, and it has a waist belt
-The waist band might be easier to adjust between partners
-Sleeker look than a regular SSC
Cons:
-The waist band’s tail is longer
Onbuhimo: Like a SSC, these have a seat ready for you to put your baby in, and have two shoulder straps, but they don’t have a waist belt. This could be more or less comfortable for you depending on your preferences. My husband likes waist belts, where I don’t. These are also great for anyone with anything going on in the tummy areas (such as pregnancy), as there is nothing there to get in the way on this type of carrier.
Pros:
-Less parts to deal with when putting on/easier to adjust
-Mostly-made seat
Cons:
-All weight on shoulders
-figuring out the seat take s a little work
Onbuhimo brands:
-Sakura Bloom. Theirs were what initially turned me onto this type of carrier. They are beautiful, but come with a less beautiful price tag.
-Lenny Lamb. When I hear about Onbuhimos online, I always hear commendations for Lenny Lamb, so they must be doing something right.
Meh Dai: This is exactly like a SSC, but with woven wrap style tails for the waist belt and shoulder straps. Personally, I love these, and this is my hiking carrier of choice. There are so many ways you an tie off the shoulder straps—you get the flexibility of a woven wrap, but with the seat of a SSC. This is very helpful for trips where baby might throw a fit, but you need their seat to not pop.
Pros:
-Pre-made seat
-Wrap tails for shoulder straps and waist strap, allowing you to make it as secure as you need it, as well as doing different finished (tie offs)
-Straps require no adjusting when switching between partners!
Cons:
-Wrap tails are long, and will drag the ground when you tie them
-You will have to learn at least one way to tie the shoulders (though it’s not hard)
Meh Dai Brands:
-Fidella (Fly Tai). This is the one I’ve used the most, and it’s very comfortable, and even has some padding in the shoulders.
Woven wraps: Here comes my favourite! Woven wraps absolutely the most flexible carrier out there. They come in a huge variety of lengths, and fabrics. Women all over the world (up until the stupid Victoria Era) carried their babies like this. This type of carrier has the steepest learning curve, but it is so worth it. It’s not that hard—you don’t have to be super fancy! If you’re looking for a baby-related hobby/art this will also help you out there. A good wrap job means practice, and it’s definitely more impressive than just throwing on a SSC. There are tons of youtube tutorials for different carriers, as well (check out Wrap You in Love).
Pros:
-Huge room for flexibility. Short wraps are easy to travel with, but long ones allow for super supportive/unpoppable carrier
-They are made of all sorts of things: 100% cotton, tri-blends, you name it! Plus, a wide variety of patterns means you’ll probably find something you love
-There’s
-You get to connect to generations of mothers before you, carrying your baby the same way
-Woven wraps can also be made into ring slings, onbuhimos, meh dais, etc. So you can get the carrier you prefer in the colorway/fabric blend you like best
Cons:
-Steeper learning curve
-The information (about sizing, materials, brands) can seem overwhelming at first
-You may still want another carrier, if your partner doesn’t want/have the time to learn
-If baby is really wanting down, they may “pop” their seat, and you’ll have to re-wrap, or take them out
What to look for:
-Here is my own post, a digest for this information, featuring the links where I learned my stuff
Woven Wrap Brands:
-Didymos. A classic. Established, and with a variety of colorways, blends, and prices, you’re sure to find something you love from them; and they’re great quality
-Pavo. Also has some reasonably-priced, nice quality wraps.
There are SO MANY woven wrap brands, I can’t list all the ones that have beautiful wraps. Each brand has it’s own style, and, if you get into it, you’ll find something you love!
Ring Slings: These have honestly been my go-to with my baby (even though I think wraps are the best). Like an Onbuhimo, they may only be comfortable for so long, depending on how heavy your baby is. But they are also the most convenient carrier. If you don’t just have a woven wrap converted into a ring sling, you can get your ring sling from a brand that focuses on those. Usually those companies have chambray (linen or linen/cotton where the threads are dyed before being woven. That’s all it means), linen (dyed after, and somehow slightly thicker/less slippy?), double chambray or linen (made from two thinner pieces of fabric), or 1.5 (made form one thicker piece of fabric). Some have Matka silk, and Dupioni silk, too. Plus, most companies do extra long length slings, if regular don’t leave you with enough tail, or if you’d like to back carry.
Pros:
-Can wear it around, even without baby in it
-Easy to use
-Great for long trips where you don’t have room to use a long woven comfortably
-Perfect for days with lots of putting baby up and down, because it’s so quick
-Looks very minimal and clean
-Can back, side, and, of course, front carry in them
-Can be used newborn to 35 lbs! Great if you don't want very many carriers!
Cons:
-A little learning curve to figure out the rings, and the seat (the seat is just like in wovens)
-Only one shoulder, so can strain it if you’ve got a heavy baby/wear all day
-Can hurt shoulder if you don’t cap it right.
Ring Sling Brands:
-Proverbs31Heart. Maranda, the owner, is amazing, and so sweet. He slings are the very softest I’ve ever used, and she is an amazing communicator. I also hear her packaging now has wildflower seeds in it, so that’s also awesome.
There’s a million others: Sakura Bloom, True North, Vienna Springs, Hope & Plum, to name a few.
Stretchy Wraps: These are things like Solly, Moby, etc. They are super stretchy, so more forgiving that wovens, but worn similarly to wovens. This is what I used for my baby, because I was a bit intimidated by wovens.
Pros:
-Good if you want to use wovens, but want to start with something more forgiving (though that's totally unnecessary, as plenty of wovens are easy to use, and have some stretch)
-Easy to get, as they are all one size
Cons:
-Not really necessary if you want to use wovens
-Only truly work well up to about 12 lbs
-can only be used for one carry safely
Stretchy Brands:
-Moby, or Solly. They are established, but, again, there are better, more cost-effective options, and I personally don't feel like these offer enough to bother much with.
There’s the basic rundown on carriers. I’ll be editing/adding the aside pages soon! I hope this helps! Happy babywearing!
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