How long did you use your baby carrier for?

[EllaWt]

Trying to understand whether we should go for one that goes up to 3 year olds ? They're usually a bit more expensive

I bought a second hand connecta on eBay for less than £40 which should do me until she's about that age. She's nearly 1yo now and on the small side.

Rose and Rebellion soft buckle carrier, used it from 4 months (on my front) til 18 months on my back. Absolutely loved it and sold it on for 80% what I paid for it.

If your baby isn’t here yet I’d probably wait and see - DS was absolutely massive and has always been very long/tall so I wouldn’t necessarily have known enough to get him the right sort of carrier for both of us. Have you got a sling library near you? They’re brilliant for trying different ones out. Also, bear in mind that at nearly 3 they will be pretty independent and wanting to walk most of the time.

I wouldn't get one that was supposed to go from newborn to toddler as your needs are very different at the different stages. I had a ring sling when ds was under 6 months as it was easy to feed it and very easy to use, then moved to a mei tai, then a half buckle mei tai. He was still getting carried some of the time on a long day out at 4 (and he wasn't little) as he needed a rest

Sold on my carriers when DD was 4years old (she was quite small though!). I wasn't using them regularly until then but there were times they came in useful

See if you like it first! I carried all 3 of mine until they were nearly 3 but I didn't use the same slings for each one as over time I found things that I/ baby preferred or were more suited to my life at the time. If you can see if you have a sling library near you as that'd give you chance to try things out and there's plenty of second hand FB sling groups which are worth checking out.

I should mention that this is the third sling I've had and agree with pp about changing needs. I hired my first two from a sling library for £10 a month and they were much more structured. My connecta would not have suited my newborn.

What are you using it for mainly? We go on many long dog walks - DS is 2 and he walks too or goes on my DHs shoulders if he’s tired, usually after 45 mins or so. He’s quite heavy - I don’t think I’d be able to carry him in any kind of carrier, even a specially adapted one. If you’re very keen ramblers and trekkers it’s probably a good investment, but otherwise they can walk fairly confidently for good distances by the age of 3. I used a carrier for him until he was about 15 or 16 months. 2 and 3 year olds like to explore - I don’t think mine would be too pleased if I put him in a carrier.

I used to they were 4.

Highly recommend a soft stretchy wrap for newborn -around 9months ergo wrap or kari me were what I used. I’ve never known anyone not get on with a stretchy wrap. The only risk is baby might not be a fan, some aren’t!

After 9 months I tried a few different ones, somehow my shoulders aren’t made for the Connecta but everyone I know loves them, just hung off my neck no matter who adjusted it!

I had an ergo baby structured carrier with padded straps had him on my front 9mo-15mo and then on my back up until he refused to be in one and wanted to run everywhere from 20 months.

I’d say use sling library’s or pick up a wrap on eBay for £10 to start with then see what your child is like and what fits you well by borrowing from library or friends.

I used a ring sling up to about 18 months and then swapped to doing back carries with a mei tai after that.
A friend lent me a soft structured carrier when we were staying with her when my youngest was about 2.5 and I really loved it. But it was too expensive to justify buying at that stage as he was walking most places by then and I only used the mei tai if he was tired - plus that could be squished up in a bag or pocket and produced at the crucial moment whereas a bigger carrier doesn't have that advantage. It was really comfy though and my friend had used it for years with her children from babyhood. Unfortunately however I cannot for the life of me remember what it was called....if someone mentions it I will go "oh yes, that's it" but I've been desperately trying to remember and getting nowhere. (Sorry...that's pretty useless I know.)

Up until lockdown I was still using my manduca daily for one or other of my 2 year old DT’s. I carried my 4 year old in it a couple of times last year when she was ill/knackered too but she is quite little. Agree sling library is a good shout (if they are running in these crazy times).

I carried my two until they were 4. Admittedly they weren't the heaviest, but there's not much of me either.

I used a mix of a Stokke carruer, ring sling and woven wrap.

They allowed me to have two young children and keep to a single buggy. Wth hindsight, DS1 was slow to build stamina due to dypraxia.

If you want one that will be good for heavier toddlers then go for "baby bjorn carrier one" I used this with my 2 year old (about 15kg) on 5 mile hikes with no issue. Can go on front and back. Would have carried on using it but pregnant! Can't wait to use it again with new baby.

My little girl is coming up to 1. Still sometimes use the carrier. But I doubt we'll be using it in 6 months time.