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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to wonder why baby Björn baby carriers are so popular?

58 replies

froken · 08/10/2013 19:02

My ds is 9 months old and pretty average in terms of weight (10.5kg/23ish pounds.) We have a rose and rebellion sling and we also used a moby wrap when he was tiny.

I have left my carrier at my mums, she has posted it back to us but it isn't here yet.

Today me and a friend who has a ds the same as as my ds went for a walk, my ds was fussing in his pram and my friend kindly suggested I borrowed her baby Björn carrier.

I have seen the reveiws saying that that sort of carrier can make hip problems worse and facing forward stesses the baby but I am a little sceptical as to how "dangerous" they are so I wasn't worried about ds using the baby Björn carrier, especially as it was for such a short time.

It was so uncomfortable! Because ds was facing forward it was like his weight was tipping me over where as in our usual carrier his legs are wrapped around me so the weight seems to push down rather than forward. His weight was almost all on my shoulders. Ds kept trying to twist his head around to look at me (although this may well be because he is used to looking at me.)

It really felt like an unnatural way to carry a baby, it sort of felt like a baby had been stuck to me rather than having support to carry a baby in the way I would naturally hold a baby, it felt like harder work than just carrying him on my hip or on my shoulders.

I must say ds was happy but no more than in his usual carrier.

Maybe I was using it wrong?

If it is the case that I was using it right I don't understand why 90% of the people I see using carriers are using a baby Björn type carrier. Is there an advantage to these sort of carrier that I havn't thought of?

OP posts:

flowersinavase · 08/10/2013 19:28

Ergos all the way!!

I thought BB weren't recommended, since they didn't adequately support the baby and so didn't allow proper hip development...

Mckayz · 08/10/2013 19:30

Forward facing is really bad for babies hips. You should really only use carriers that make sure that the baby is sat knee to knee.

Wish Baby Bjorns would bugger off. Terrible for babies.

I love my wraps and my Manduca. I have big boobs and they are never a problem.

DontmindifIdo · 08/10/2013 19:31

Oh and another thought, I've used wrap slings and the bb, for a long journey I'd put the wrap sling on, but compared to the bb, it's a lot of faff getting it tied right (dh only had dcs on wrap sling if I tied it on him, he just couldn't get it). Compared to that, a bb is very quick and easy to put on, once you've adjusted the straps to fit your body once, it's seconds to put on next time, so is attractive that way, most people have only experienced wrap or bb slings, to the uninitiated, bb looks easier to use and much harder to get wrong.

Hopefully as slings get more mainstream shops like John Lewis will start stocking more options. (I think last time I looked, the one near me could sell me nearly 30 different prams/pushchairs, but only 3 slings, but granted last time I looked was when I was newly pregnant with 4 month old dd, so that's a year ago)

Katiepoes · 08/10/2013 19:33

I carried my daughter in a BB until 14 months, always facing in. It was one of the best things we bought and has since been used by two more babies. We had the one with the back support in your lower back, it was great and easily adjusted for either of us to use. The soft slings did not suit me at all and my husband refused to even try - they were too earth mama for him. The Rose & Rebellion one I bought when we stopped using the BB was not a success, I never mastered getting her into
it and she did not like the fuss.

noblegiraffe · 08/10/2013 19:34

Has anyone ever heard of a baby whose hips were damaged in a baby bjorn? Whenever they're mentioned people always tut, but I've looked at the hip dysplasia stuff and it's all theoretical. The baby bjorn website itself is full of experts saying the concerns about baby bjorns are bollocks.

YoniBottsBumgina · 08/10/2013 19:35

YY the baby bjorn is less uncomfortable if you have good upper body strength, because the weight hangs on your shoulders. If you are male or female with strong muscles in that area then this won't bother you very much. If you are female and not strong in that area, you will find a carrier which distributes weight to your thighs and hips much more comfortable, because this generally speaking is the strongest part of a woman's body (you exercise it naturally by walking, climbing stairs etc.) Babies aren't actually that heavy in the scheme of heavy things, so even if you're pretty unfit you probably won't notice much of a strain on your thighs if you carry using an ergonomic carrier, and hips are bone of course (and wider in women).

YoniBottsBumgina · 08/10/2013 19:35

Lol, noble, well of course it is

Mckayz · 08/10/2013 19:38

Of course "experts" paid by Bjorn are going to say it is rubbish.

Zara1984 · 08/10/2013 19:38

They're brilliant for tiny babies. Way faster to get on than other slings. I took DS in a borrowed Baby Bjorn long haul at 4 weeks old and it was fantastic.

He got too big for it at 4 months. Now I use Ergo.

noblegiraffe · 08/10/2013 19:39

See, Yoni, if baby bjorn actually was bad for baby's hips, they'd acknowledge the evidence, and redesign them, no? But instead they've managed to find loads of baby experts who don't think it's a problem.

Where's the evidence that it is a problem? Real evidence, not theoretical? Like the link between swaddling babies to boards with hip dysplasia is shown through increased instances in countries that swaddle like that.

Katiepoes · 08/10/2013 19:40

Yoni my BB spread the weight on my hips. There are different models, I'm not especially strong and had the weight been on my shoulders I would not have made it past 3 months. We got to 14 months as I said, all those writing them off as 'crap' don't reflect my experience.

Mckayz · 08/10/2013 19:41

ruckingmarvellous.com/?page_id=217 Stuff about hips there. I refuse to put my child at any risk of hip problems. Plus it can't be comfy hanging like that.

thebestlaidplans · 08/10/2013 19:43

I used one for 9 months carrying my first baby. Within 6 months I was in hospital having surgery on a slipped disc. The surgeon said it was no coincidence.
I'll be using a Moby Wrap with my second baby.

moustachio · 08/10/2013 19:43

YABU. My DP wouldn't be seen dead carrying DS is a cloth or moby type wrap! He carried DS for hours in his non-branded bjorn type carrier. I u se a baby sling and he wouldn't wear that either.

Original poster

froken · 08/10/2013 19:45

As I said in the op I am scepticle about him problems especially in a 9 month old, my ds can walk around furniture so legs down is a pretty natural position for him now. When I pick him up in my arms it is always legs wrapped around me. When I carried ds today in the bb his feet were hitting my knees! But I am shorter than average and ds is a longer than average baby.

I find the rose and rebellion sling really easy to put on, by chance me and dp have use the same strap setting, it is after all just 2 straps.

My little sister who is 10 (pretty strong for a 10 year old but still just 10) carried ds in the rose and rebellion for 5 km, she did ask to carry him and I checked every 10 mins if she wanted me to carry him but she said "nope he just feels like a school rucksack" I think it's pretty amazing that a sling can make it so easy for even a child to carry a baby!

OP posts:

noblegiraffe · 08/10/2013 19:46

Yeah, I read all that, mckay but a picture with a cross next to it isn't evidence of something actually causing a problem, is it?

Mckayz · 08/10/2013 19:49

I doubt the International Hip Dysplasia Insitute would create that article if it didn't cause problems. www.hipdysplasia.org/developmental-dysplasia-of-the-hip/prevention/baby-carriers-seats-and-other-equipment/ more here.

It's not paid by a company unlike the Bjorn "experts" that spout shit.

HorryIsUpduffed · 08/10/2013 19:51

They're cheap and easily found, and easy to use. And most people don't know why they're crap. Any sling you can't use for more than an hour at a time is a false economy IMHO.

I have a fleece hammock thing, two Mei Tais and a new Moby wrap. I carried each of my DSs until over age two and heavy, only giving up when the next bump precluded safe knotting.

The sheer quantity of "barely used" BBs at nearly new sales and in charity shops should give you a hint that they aren't much good.

That said, I know BBs can save the sanity of mothers with refluxy babies.

Oriunda · 08/10/2013 19:51

We got a BB when DS was born simply because we only ever saw marketing/ads for that type. I found it fine, both forward and outward facing but I'm pretty strong. It's also very very easy to put a newborn into. However, I got a Moby because DS had reflux and would only sleep on me, and the Moby was great for wearing around the house. Got more use out of it too. I had to stop using BB after about 7mths as I found the armhole wasn't wide enough and was cutting off circulation to DS arms.

Use an Ergo now and with hindsight wished I'd known about it at the start.

WonderWomanInAOnesie · 08/10/2013 19:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

noblegiraffe · 08/10/2013 19:52

"Summary Statement: The Medical Advisory Board of the IHDI does not endorse nor advise against any particular baby carrier or other equipment."

On their page they also show wrap-type slings being problematic, but you never hear people on sling discussions warning against those. Why not?

Original poster

froken · 08/10/2013 19:59

The Dr who does our baby checks advised us against leaving our ds in his bugaboo cupped seat for too long, he asked what sort or pram we had and said that recently there have been some problems with babies not wanting to put their legs in a straightened position because they are so used to spending hours in their cupped seated pushchair. I guess too much time in any position be it in a fabric sling, a pushchair or a baby Björn type sling is not a good idea (I just don't think you could use the baby björn type sling for enough hours so that is caused a problem for the baby.)

OP posts:

MiauMau · 08/10/2013 20:01

I used mine from birth until my DS was just below the maximum weight, in both position walked everywhere and never had any issues with it. Hated the stokke carrier though, it was uncomfortable and difficult to put my LO by myself.
I think that it's a matter of whatever you feel more comfortable with.

cogitosum · 08/10/2013 20:01

I carry ds 10 weeks in a wrap sling a lot. Tried the bb inward facing but didn't think there was enough head supper.

I found the wrap tricky to start with but now find it quick and easy to put on - no more difficult than the bb

ifyourehoppyandyouknowit · 08/10/2013 20:10

I was under the impression that baby bjorn style carriers only exacerbated hip problems, in babies that were prone to or were going to develop hip problems. They aren't the cause of the problem.

As is stands, I think they're fine if you're comfortable. And babies are pretty good at letting you know when they aren't comfortable. I preferred my Moby, mei tai and wraps, and now I have a toddler size Tula and it is the fucking dog's bollocks. Worth every penny.

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