I wear my babies from the first day they are born. Okay maybe not that early, but they are skin on skin immediately and I try to hold them as much as I can. When I need both my hands, and with older children to care for I definitely need my hands, I end up wearing my babies. Not all newborn baby carriers are the same. I feel it is really important to give your newborn the support they need. I think every mom needs three carriers. One for the newborn stage (day 1 to about 3-4 months), one for the little baby stage, pre sitting up (3-7 months) and one for baby to toddler stage (sitting to the weight limit of the carrier). Once baby is a toddler and has outgrown the baby carrier but still wants to be carried you would need a toddler carrier. But not everyone gets to that stage so we will focus on the first three carriers today. Click here to see a full review of Nesting Days and VIJA Designs.
For the newborn stage I strongly feel one should not use a soft structured carrier with a newborn insert such as Tula, Lilebaby, Ergo and so forth. Baby is super tiny and needs specific support. While infant inserts offer some support, there are better options. I highly suggest the Nesting Days Carrier or VIJA Design Skin-to-Skin Kangaroo Care T-Shirt. Vija Designs is a t shirt that is also a baby carrier and comes in many different sizes, colors and shapes. There are shirts designed for men to baby wear. There are long sleeve, short sleeve or no sleeve. This allows you to wear baby next to your skin. I loved to wear my diapered baby around the house skin to skin in this shirt. When we were out and about it was a great way to keep my clothed baby next to me. With a winter baby this was great to keep baby extra warm. I found my Vija Designs shirt lasted until my baby was about 3 months old. She was born at 10 pounds, so a smaller baby might last longer in this shirt. The Nesting Days carrier is something you can wear alone or on top of clothing. I was able to use this carrier until 4 or so months. Again, the size of your baby may allow for longer use. With Nesting Days I could wear baby skin on skin or clothed.
(left to rightVIJA Designs and Nesting Days)
Once baby outgrows these carriers I highly recommend using a sling or wrap. If a wrap is intimidating, Baby K’tan ORIGINAL Baby Carrier is a great carrier. It is similar to a wrap but takes less practice to get used to it. You can also use a sling, wrap or K’tan from birth. This would eliminate the need for a newborn carrier but if you have the money to buy one of the newborn carries mentioned above I highly suggest it. It is money well spent and you will not regret it! These carriers give baby the extra support they need without using an infant insert. These carriers allow baby to be in the perfect position to support their spine, neck and head comfortably. Some of the wraps I have used and reviewed are the Happy Wrap and the ACK Wrap. Click on the names to see the full review. Purchase your Baby K’tan ORIGINAL Baby Carrier here, your ACK Wrap here and your Happy Wrap Organic Baby Carrier here. All wraps seem to be similar, the difference being length and texture.
(Left to right Baby K’tan ORIGINAL Baby Carrier ,ACK Wrap, Happy Wrap Organic Baby Carrier)
If you still plan on using a soft structured carrier (ssc) with a newborn insert, here are some tips. Please NEVER use a ssc with a newborn WITHOUT using some kind of newborn support for them.
Once baby can sit up on their own you are now able to use a soft structured carrier without a newborn insert. Please do NOT use a ssc without a newborn insert until baby can fully support their head and sit up on their own. There are many different baby carriers on the market. I personally do not think one is better than the other. I love many aspects of each carrier and wish I could combine these aspects to make the perfect carrier. Some of the carriers I have reviewed are Olives and Applesauce, Tula and Lillebaby. Find the carrier that fits your baby and your body. Purchase LILLEbaby here and Tula here.
(Left to right LILLEbaby, Tula, Olives and Applesauce)
I highly suggest checking out your local baby wearing group on Facebook. To do this search on Facebook “Babywearing International” and your closest major city. Search under groups and you should find one. Babywearing groups have a large variety of baby carriers, slings and wraps. You can try them on and even rent them for a week or two to see if it is the right carrier for you. My main advice is, do not fall into the trap of THIS is the best carrier. Everyone has an opinion. Find which carrier works for YOU. The goal of babywearing is for both mom and baby to be comfortable. If you are most comfortable in a brand nobody has heard of, go for it! Do not let a brand be the reason you buy the carrier.
These look really nice! My cousin recently had a baby and keeps him close to her in a wrap. It looks comfy for the baby!
I loved wearing my babies! They are so comfortable and snuggled up it’s wonderful. I never mastered the back carries though, I think you do need a variety of carriers to see you through.
I used 2 different carriers. I used a moby for my baby when she was tiny. When she got bigger, I used the ergo.
I love babywearing. I have a couple carriers for the babies. These look like great options.
Love the Olives and Applesauce!
These all look nice. I personally didn’t babywear because I felt a tad stifled. I’m all about personal space, but I know lots of people love it!
Man, this takes me back. My oldest daughter was pretty independent right from the beginning and didn’t need all that much holding. Of course, I held her all the time, but she was cool with laying alone in a swing or bouncy seat whenever I needed my hands or my space. My youngest, however, was very clingy (at seven, she still is) and loved being carried in a sling all the way up until she was around three. Some days I think she’d still try it if she thought it would work.
I wish these were around when my boys were babies. That shirt one would have helped my oldest son who had to be held all the time.
This is so helpful!! I’m looking to start a family soon and sometimes all the info out there gets overwhelming. Great post.
II am worried about the breathing of the babies. Anyways, it looks great carrying the baby without hurting your arms and you can be able to carry them outdoor all the time.
‘Wearing your baby’ like you say is soooo handy. I did it with mine and it frees up your hands so you can do other things too. I also found that it calms a baby to be close to the mom or dad.
Wow! Baby wear has come a long way since I had babies!! I love those infant carrier designs. Wish they’d been around back in my day!
I am beyond the baby-bearing age but found your post very informative. Will share with my daughter who had a baby a couple years ago but who knows what she plans for the future.
These look like great carriers. Neither of my children were fans of carriers when they were babies. The best one that we could find that they liked was a backpack where they sat up quite high! Was hard to wear but it kept them quiet!
I loved using a soft carrier with my son.
With my twins I was able to use a carrier for my son but, my daughter… nope, just nope, she hated them. She stayed in her car seat when we went places. My youngest son I just carried, it was easier in the end. I wish they had the wrap around one when I had them. Everyone says such wonderful things about them. Ah the memories 🙂
This was a very helpful post. We are expecting in late March so we will need to be looking for those different kinds.
Thank you for sharing these great tips. I don’t have any kids but suddenly a ton of my friends are pregnant! I have been studying up on baby gear in preparation for their baby showers!
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All of these look amazing!! But I remember thinking how does the baby breathe in these.
I was never a huge baby wearer when my kids were small. All of these look like they would be awesome!
I do a lot of baby showers (cakes, cupcakes, cake pops, etc) and I always like to bring a little gift. Your guide was so helpful in helping me decide on gift ideas! I had never even heard of the Kangaroo Care T-Shirt (and I definitely didn’t know there was one for men also)! How neat!?!
I wish these things were available when my children were babies. It would have been so convenient. I believe my daughter has two carriers. She also believes skin to skin contact is soothing for the baby.
My friend had a soft wrap. I always loved watching her put it on, it looked so confusing but she made it look easy!
I only had the structured carrier. I really wish that I had gotten the Nesting Days one because I love the idea of the skin to skin. My girls were such big babies and they grew so fast, I couldn’t wear them for long before my back was acting up. Love all the information.
I wish I knew more about wraps when mine were little. I totally would have worn them.
I wish they had wraps when my babies were little. My oldest son (now 14) was a really fussy baby. If I only knew then what I know now!! Love the “wearing baby” idea!
I never had a kangaroo shirt, but dang it I wish I would have had it! We had a regular stretch boba and then a lillie baby. I loved my lillie baby until I put my back out one day. Then I didn’t like any carrier 😛
We used a Baby Bjorn for both of our kids. Best baby purchase ever and the most comfortable of all the carriers we tried.
I’ve never had a baby so these are all something new to me, but I find them all super cool especially that of Vija Designs. The skin-to-skin kangaroo care shirt must be super durable for it to be able to carry a baby. I also like that it still looks super fashionable.
i have a friend who wrote a book and sell about baby wraps, they have a big group back in malaysia who wraps their babies and totallly adorable. wish it was that easy for me to know this before when my daughter was still a baby
I see my friends with these cool baby carriers. They make it look very easy (though I know nothing about it is easy haha). Your baby looks so adorable 🙂
Not yet reached this stage in my life but I do want to do baby wearing when my time comes. Great informative post
I had so much trouble with my sons baby carrier. I know I will be going in store next time to try on different ones. As the one I had di not fit comfortably what so ever.
I’ve never heard of the T-Shirt that allows you to ‘wear’ your baby. I do like the idea of having that skin to skin contact though!
I never used a carrier when mine was little, infact i dont think there was that well known back then. My friends daughter came round not so long ago and she had one and they do like really good. It would of helped me loads through the screaming when ever i put them down stage!
I wish I could remember the name of the one I had. It was such an awesome carrier!
I’ve been an avid baby wearer with our last little. I have 3 carriers, including one for water that I use at the beach and pool.
I never had a baby carrier for my first 4 children (years ago) but the last one I did and it was nothing like these! There are so many awesome options for parents nowadays for ultimate flexibility.
I really love the wrap ones with the baby in front. They look more comfy then the back pack ones I used to use.
Those baby carriers look pretty convenient. Some of my friends and family use the cloth wraps to carry their babies but it kind of seems like a lot of workj so I reckon these would be easier.
These are all sounds great, My sister was have a new baby and she’s finding for a good arrier. I will tell this to her
What a good post and idea to find a good carrier for babies. I will recommend this to my big sis
These look fab and so practical too
It was so convenient to have carriers when the twins were born! I think these are all awesome! They’re definitely perfect!
Making me miss my little babies. Loved carrying them, wish I could’ve tried that shirt one!!
So many options now, it’s great! I didn’t do any carrying at all. Not because I didn’t want to! Because I have twins and I wasn’t sure how I could LOL