Baby carrier recommendation please

[tiba]

Our baby is 5 weeks and starting to look for a structured carrier for short walls in the woods and on the beach when we can't use the pram.
He's 5.5kg and have tried a stretchy wrap sling but didn't get on with it.

Currently looking at ones such as the baby bjorn or manduca (itl be worn mostly by dp and me occasionally )

[GreenGoblin0]

ergo baby or boba 4G as structured carrier.

what stretchy wrap have you got ? I have close caboo which is a stretchy wrap but also has rings and I find if easier to use than other stretchy ones. might be worth a try if you have a sling library nearby

[Goodnightsweetheart1]

We have a manduca. I would highly recommend it's very comfy!

I have also had a close caboo and that was great for little babies but not great when they get bigger.

[Misspilly88]

Become Gemini. Fantastic. Manduca and ergo also good options but I prefer the become because you don't have to do up a clip behind your shoulder blades which I found too tricky.

[Misspilly88]

Sorry that should say Beco Gemini!

[QueenRefusenik]

Big fan of our baby Bjorn and still use it now ds is 18 months, but everyone (parents and babies!) has different preferences. I'd try looking for a sling library somewhere local to you - they are fountains of knowledge about all the different kinds of carriers and for a small deposit you can hire one for a month or so to try it out. Saves any expensive mistakes!

[MrsBadger]

Manduca / Ergo much better than Bjorn, for your back and cd.

(on the manduca / ergo you can cross the straps behind you like on the Beco rather than using the little extra buckle bit, I found this much comfier and easier to put on)

[Spanneroo]

We love our mei tai. Used it for DD1 for over a year and DD2 is now 11 weeks and I still love it. Have tried a number of stretchy wraps/slings/caboo and didn't like any of them as much as my mei tai. It's a cheap MNS designs one but is doing really well and only cost £30 new! (If you do go with this one go with classic cut)

[SolomanDaisy]

We have a beco Gemini and it's fab!

[Orangebird69]

Try a Connecta at a sling library. They're soft structured buckled carriers which I personally think are better for little ones.

[Madonna9]

I liked the K'tan carrier and the Connecta Baby Carrier. Both very different though.
It's so personal to you and your baby. See if you can try a few different ones.

[PollyDolly88]

We've just bought the Ergo baby which seems good for walks out. Comfort and well supported, there is a newborn insert too. Look on eBay - we got ours with newborn for £50. Shame about the fabric sling, I couldn't for the life of me work it out with my boy at that age and nearly chucked it out but weirdly now he's bigger (10 wks) it's a lot easier to get on and him in snug. I've got funky flamingo - £20 off amazon. :)

[Changerofname987654321]

I love my Manduca but it is bulkier that a connecta. I would avoid baby Bjorne as it does not follow the TICKS guidelines.

Definitely try some out at a sling library as it is personal preference.

[Purpleball]

Lillebaby or ergo360 (both v similar) are good for newborns up to toddlers

[allisbright]

Tula! Such lovely prints and amazingly comfortable carriers.

Ergos are nice, but there are so many Chinese fakes around that may not be entirely safe that I would be very careful about where you buy them from.

[PopsicleToes]

Another vote for Manduca here, DS is a chunk of a lad - now pushing 12kg at 9m - and it's very sturdy and supportive but also comfortable. Have been able to breastfeed in it as straps are super-adjustable, this has been a godsend lately when out and about. Agree with a PP that it's bulkier than others. I have heard good things about Connecta for something a bit lighter.

[OokSaidTheLibrarian]

We had a boba 3g from when dd was about 6 months and then switched to a tula, which I absolutely love

[MoHunter]

Lillebaby is really great, I used to get back aches when I used a cheaper Mothercare carrier, with this one I can carry DS2 (nearly 9 months) for much longer with ease. I looked at this one and the Ergo360, what put me off the Ergo was the Velcro belt, otherwise they're really similar.

[TheLegendOfBeans]

I really like the Baby Bjorn Miracle but I've heard excellent things about the Ergobaby.

[eurochick]

I loved our ergo 360.

[theclockticksslowly]

Another vote for Tula!

[user1496587010]

Tula is great. Really comfortable & easy to use. Quite liked the connecta too but the Tula edges it for me as it is padded around where the babies legs emerge. Connecta would sometimes leave a small temporary mark. Which never seemed to bother the baby. It did bother me though!

[minipie]

Beco Gemini here too. Brilliantly comfy even with a heavy nearly 2 yr old in it.

A lot of them (eg ergo) don't have an outwards facing option, I wanted this option as have very nosy DC, and the Beco Gemini does have it. Bjorns have it too but the position is not so good for baby's hips.