Baby carrier - minefield!!!

[Twobecomingthreeplusthedog]

Any recommendations on baby carriers?

I bought a second hand baby Bjorn one for £10 however I don’t think it will be any good for a newborn as it’s so big.

I bought a second hand fabric wrap which is fine and my neighbour then gave me an 8 year old close caboo but it’s missing the front.

I’ve just seen an ergo baby embrace that looks good for a new born but not that sturdy for an older baby.

I’ve got some John Lewis vouchers so would like to buy a nice secure one my partner can also wear (fabric one is a no no for him!).

Can you see if you have a sling library near you where you can hire and try them out. Some slings are expensive and there’s always the possibility you or baby might not get on with them

Stretchy fabric for newborns is best imo. Then see if you can get to a sling library to try a few out. What works for one person might not work another.

Personally, I don't like Bjorn's as they have crap support for hips, don't sit high enough and encourage parents to forward face which is really bad for young babies

Agree with comments about hip position on the baby bjorn - it’s not great!
We have an ergobaby 360 and it’s fab. Used it with a newborn support from a couple of weeks old and my 4 year old can just about squeeze in it for a ride now and then!
But look at a sling library and you can try them out and see what you like.
Fabric is meant to be great - but I couldn’t work out how to tie them securely etc. I feel more secure with straps like the ergo!

Another vote for ergobaby :) we bought the omni 360 and although baby isn’t here yet we’ve been testing it out and we’re really happy with our decision.

The close caboo is amazing for newborns. We had the lite version which is cooler for summer - it's one of the few baby carriers that can be used from 5lbs instead of 7-8 like most of them! Magic and have converted all our friends who had babies after us

When you say the close caboo is missing the front, do you mean the extra bit with the pocket? If so, I never used that but anyway as couldn’t see the point in it. I really love that sling

Ergo baby omni 360 is great. I’ve just bought a stretchy moby wrap as well for my next baby when it’s newborn. For my last child I used the ergo everyday pretty much from a month old till he was about 18 months when I got a toddler one because I couldn’t squeeze him into the ergo baby anymore!

With the close caboo the front bit that you’re missing doesn’t offer much as far as I can tell.

Ergobaby 360 for me too! I also like a cloth sling for the newborn phase, I use it a lot in the house.

Hi, I'm a babywearing consultant and would really recommend seeing if you have a local sling library, if not there are lots doing postal hire and online help.
The caboo will need the outer layer to be safe (otherwise there is a risk of baby falling) but you can use a sturdy scarf instead.
The baby bjorn one is their newer ergonomic one but you're right in thinking it's hard to get a good fit with newborns.
The ergo embrace is lovely but is quickly outgrown - I'd look at the mamaruga zensling instead.
Slings are like jeans, everyone has their own best fit.

I bought a second hand Ergobaby Embrace for DC2 and it was the best thing I've ever bought for either DC so far. It was cheap because of some marks that I never notice but would have been worth more to me because I use it so much for my DD who is six months. Until recently she had almost all her naps in it from a newborn, and I think she will have some time left in it.

I will say though that it doesn't seem suitable for her for outwards facing, although perhaps it might as she gets bigger but seems unlikely as it's not very structured. She still looks around inwards facing, but I'd put her in a 360 for world facing.

The newer Baby Bjorn One is better ergonomically than the original, although I think Ergo 360 may still be better.

Thanks all, this is all so helpful. Our current sling library has been shut due to covid but will hopefully open soon.

I will look at the 360.

I might ditch the BB and the caboo and keep the fabric wrap for the first couple weeks and then go for the ergo

I loved the Beco Gemini. It has good lumbar support too

Use the stretchy wrap for now, then go to the sling library when it opens.

Lots of people like the Ergo, I found it quite uncomfortable and ended up with a Manduca (which was also cheaper). Still using it occasionally, and DS is 4 (mostly use it when he is tired after a long day out - much more comfortable than carrying him in my arms).

I actually found the baby bjorn one best for the first 3 months (for outside) and used a stretchy wrap indoors. Then switched to an ergo baby 360 when baby got a bit bigger. But would definitely recommend the sling library (if they’re open atm!) as you can see different carriers suit different people better.

We have the Ergo 360 too which is fab but I preferred the Boba wrap for the newborn stage.

I’ve an ergo 360 and didn’t find it good for newborns either time but after that it’s brilliant. Ds liked to be on my front facing out and dd prefers my back. I used it until ds was 2.5. Dd is only 8 months.
I used a stretchy fabric one when dd was very tiny.
I do have the new born inserts for my ergo 360. It’s very comfortable to wear

Honestly OP the thing with slings is that it’s good to have a range, as I swapped in time with the baby! It’s also hard to predict in advance what they’ll like. For me; I’d a fabric wrap for the early days, then an old model baby Bjorne (that my little one loved!) till 9 months plus, bought an ergo 360 to replace it and hated it! I have a non branded carrier now for her (she’s 16 months) from the sling library but with bump (in 37 weeks) and pgp she hasn’t been it in too much. The sling library and NCT preloved/Facebook marketplace were great.

Thanks all! Been in touch with my sling library and am going to borrow an izmi and then an omni 360. What a fab idea :)

@EmergencyHydrangea

I loved the Beco Gemini. It has good lumbar support too

Me too. And amazing value as I used it from 8 weeks to 3.5 years for two children.