Would you buy the Baby Bjorn original carrier?

[Barefootcontessa84]

Hi all

I'm starting to get together a list of baby equipment, and looking for the general consensus on the baby bjorn original carrier. I've read various things about it not being good for the hip position of babies, though perhaps this is only relevant after a certain age.

It does seem, though, that lots of people still have and use them (I see lots on the streets of london!).

Is this a carrier I should be avoiding altogether? I know there are other options, but this is one I have my eye on, so wondering what the wider view is / whether it's a known fact to avoid?

Many thanks!

No I wouldn't. Bad for baby hips and terrible for your shoulders and back. With one you can carry a newborn around an hour before back hurts

A soft structured carrier like boba 4g, ergo, manduca, etc should allow you to carry newborn -3/4 year olds all day if needed fine

No. I'd never buy a forward facing carrier. Look for more ergonomic supportive brands instead

We had it and DH used it with our two. We also had the moby wrap. The baby bjorn is much easier to use. I don't worry much about the hip problem as they aren't in it that much.

Is it not chest facing at least for the first few months?

Although there is nothing wrong with these carriers perhaps you might be better off with a different one depending on what you intend to use it for.

A Bjorn will start to become uncomfortable for the wearer after only a short time, because the weight is fully on their shoulders and harder to adjust once on. For longer periods of time and especially as your baby grows and gets bigger a soft structured carrier with a waistband (or a woven or stretchy wrap) would be a lot more comfortable.

Positioning wise, there has not been enough research into harm from forward facing carriers, using one that places the babies hips in an ergonomic position can help with things such as hip dysplasia.

As part of the fourth trimester newborns love to be snuggled up against someone, slightly more difficult to do in a Baby Bjorn. So you might find a wrap (pretied or stretchy) more comfortable and suitable for you both.

If possible go along to a sling library where you'll be able to have a chat to other babywearing mums and have a try of the different types of carriers available. www.slingpages.co.uk has an up to date list of libraries within the Uk and Ireland.

Best of luck

Why do you have your eye on it? What draws you to it? If we know what you like we can maybe recommend something better along those lines.

It has the option of facing out. Imagine a baby being help against you with legs and arms around you, it's comfy. Now imagine just baby back in contact with your stomach, not comfy as dangling off you

Another saying avoid like the plague! I had a few friends who either bought or were given them (and it seems there are still plenty about because they're readily available on the high street and plenty of people don't do any research they just buy the one they've heard of) and nobody was still using it longer than a few weeks. They're so unsupportive that most people I know found the baby felt too heavy and hurt their back and shoulders by about eight weeks old. I'd go for an Ergo, Boba 4g, Beco soleil or gemini, or connecta.

Never.
Baby Bjorn style carriers are known as "the crotch dangler" in my house, as that's essentially all that's happening! Baby is just dangling by their crotch with no real support. Reminds me of going rock climbing, falling off the wall, and dangling in mid-air by the harness around your fanjo
If you're planning on carrying baby a lot, then a good, ergonomic carrier or wrap is well worth spending a bit more money on

I was given one and couldn't use it past about 3/4 months, killed my back. Also not great for babies hips. Got a manducca and can still use it with my 2 1/2 year old no problem, it's honestly been the best thing I have bought. Best to try them on and something like a moby stretchy wrap is best for a newborn, planning to get one for our next baby.

I didn't even manage an hour with the one we borrowed! Your baby just sort of hangs off your shoulders making your back ache. Also you can't use it with small babies I don't think, you'd have to check but I think there's a 8.5 lb minimum weight on it- no use for my 6lb 5 and 11oz babies. I had a Caboo which I loved and a Connecta for when they got a bit bigger.

I'd definitely recommend an ergo baby. Loads of people do use the baby bjorn (I even bought one for my brother) but the positioning is awful - and loads of people complain about back ache.
Ergo is super comfy!

They don't give healthy babies hip dysplasia. That's been researched and they're quite confident about it.

They are fucking uncomfortable though. The baby just kind of dangles at stomach level and it hurts like mad after only a short while. The weight of the baby is just on such an uncomfortable place. Far too low. Really bad design.
The ergobaby ones are good, as are the soft stretchy ones especially when they are tiny.

I was advised that the ergobaby 360 was the best for hip position and you can get an insert with it so u can use it with a newborn too

As a stretchy wrap I have also bought the Nct close caboo, again recommended to me by other mums

We went through 8 carriers and the Bjorn was hands down the worst.

Not great for babies hips either.

Best we found was Moby wrap for stretchy and the Boba (like ergo but better) for structured carrier.

I used one for a day of wandering around a hilly little French town on holiday with dc1 when she was 5 months old (didn't take a buggy) and could barely walk or get up from a chair that evening and the next day, and once I could manage to walk about again we carried her in our arms for the rest of the holiday.

I used a woven wrap (Didymous) with dc2 and could carry him all day til he was 1, and he was a much bigger and heavier child.

As everyone has said or would be a no from me. We used one very briefly with ds1 and it was really uncomfortable on the shoulders and he didn't feel safe in it (though of course he was)
A baby with a wide support under their knees is much more comfy than forward facing, leaning away from their parent into the world and dangled by the crotch
A carrier doesn't have to be expensive and a sling library is great to get advice and try out one that suits you. I had a stretchy wrap with ds2 and would have loved a woven wrap but with a toddler in tow it wasn't working for me so I went for a buckle carrier which is quick and easy but very comfy like a connecta or an abc.

I'm another that had one to begin with my first. It was incredibly uncomfortable once the baby got a little bit bigger and we ended up replacing a Beco Gemini. So much better and I will be using it from birth for my second

Never used this one, but my brother had it. I had a manduca from birth which I loved, till DD decided she wanted to walk everywhere! My brother could not use his bjorn carrier for more than a few months with his DD. Just because a lot of people use it, doesn't mean it's good!
I second others advice to go to a sling library if you can, then you can try a lot, and hire one to try. You don't know what will work till you try it.

Try a Close Caboo for

I used one, it's easy to use and in my sleep deprived state I couldn't fathom a wrap one.

I then

I had one and used it for three children. Forward facing until a certain number of weeks or months, can't remember. Absolutely fine. Comfortable for me and babies all loved it. They all really enjoyed facing outwards when able. They all slept in it, all cuddled up to me or to their father.
Easily adjustable. Easy to put on and take off. Easy to lay a sleeping baby down in a crib in the back part which clipped off.