What's the best baby carrier to buy for an 8 month old baby that's easy on the spine!?

[MillyMoop]

All advice welcome

I could never get one that suited me tbh - i'm quite small and was ill after having DS1 and he was huge. I used to gaze in wonder and envy at mother's nipping around the shopping centre with babies sitting chirpily on their backs or snuggling to their front. And as for those i'd meet halfway up steep hills with babies in backpacks .

I just got a lightweight buggy in the end.

Sorry no help but if you have a bad spine don't make it worse.

I have a bad back and find the Ergo extremely comfortable. The way the carrier works is that a lot of the weight is held on the hips rather than purely round your shoulders, back, and the straps are really padded and comfy

I've heard the woven slings are also supposed to be very comfy. I've used a stretch sling, and have found this to be the case, but you'd need a woven one for an 8mo

For some reason I find the mei tei makes me ache. Think it's because it takes quite a lot of the weight on the shoulders. I have a really lovely one though and am reluctant to get rid of it, even though I don't use it!

mondaymonday, I have experienced the same - have you tried doing a "lexi twist" of the straps under baby's bum? helps a lot.

OP, I completely concur with Loopymumsy but it probably doesn't help you narrow it down!

What kind of things do you want to do with the sling, and what do you already like the look of?

FWIW I find sling wearing has given me excellent core stability and therefore a better back than I've had for years. I know quite a lot of people who've given themselves severe backache from pushing a buggy as that in itself is not very ergonomic and sometimes requires you to do sudden awkward lifts of child and buggy, which are a far bigger injury risk than a controlled carry in a good carrier.

The keys to not hurting your back with a baby carrier are

1. get the right carrier for you - at 8 mo the baby should feel practically weightless when you first put it on.

2. Build up muscles gradually. The best thing you can do is to walk fairly briskly with the carrier on as that is better for your muscles than, say, standing around, or moseying round the shops, which is too slow and full of stop start movements and turning of corners.

I'd recommend the Ergo Baby Carrier too, I've used it for two children now and love it. I agree with mrsgboring that a good carrier is better for your back than pushing a pram. I used to have terribel problems with my back but am much stronger now, my osteopath thoroughly approves too and actually gave me the leaflet for Baby Bean slings in the first place.

mrsgboring - no, what's that?
I love the ergo tbh and find it much quicker to get on as well, so probably won't use the mei tei again

Thank you everyone for your advice, I want to be able to get back to using the single buggy again for trips to school and back rather than my monster double.

I have been looking on the net and like the look of the papatum (I think that's the spelling) it looks quite similar to the Ergo. Just thought a bit of advice from people who have used them might be best!

MillyMoop, I think the Patapum is so similar to the Ergo that everything we've said about Ergo applies to Patapum too. I've not used a Patapum personally, though.

mondaymonday, lexi twist is where you take the straps back over your shoulders, round behind the baby's waist, then twist them over to cross them, then pull them back under the baby's legs and tie at the front. You end up with a cross of straps just over baby's bum that gives a bit of additional support - you can probably see it explained far better on The Babywearer or watch a vid of it on YouTube if you fancy trying it.

i have one of these

its great. comfy as an ergo, but a bit different too!

i carried my 4yo in it, and she did feel heavy, but still very comfortable. my 2 yo still loves going in it too....has done since he was small.

Ergo

I still occasionally carry by 3 yr old round in it (when it is too snowy for him to walk)

Loopsy - which woven wrap do you use?
Do you do a back carry with the woven, and how easy/difficult is it to do?

ERGO. You will not regret it I was asking this very question last week and my Ergo was delivered at the weekend (from Free Range Kids, 'only' £72 but the cheapest I could find). I love it. I have used it every single day, it puts no pressure at all on my back and I can use it comfortably on my fronat and back. Ds is 9 mo and about 20lb. I worried about how secure it would feel but it is amazing, even when he's on my back with his arms happily waving about outside the carrier there is no danger of him falling out. I will be sad when I sell our wrap as I loved having him snuggled in in the early days but actually I really enjoy using the ergo (I have to say that ds seems to as well as people smile and talk to him all day!)

Thanks Loopsy - I might buy a storch (DH thinks I'm nuts, can't stop buying slings!)