Baby Bjorn

The Baby Bjorn baby carrier is one of the most popular baby carriers on the market today, and in my opinion is one of the worst ones out there. The biggest problem with the Baby Bjorn is that it is unsuitable for newborn babies ages 0-4 months, but many people still use it for this age group. Doctors and chiropractors are starting to agree that placing baby into that suspended-crotch position with all their weight coming down on the base of their spine is not very healthy for their growing vertebra. It simple does not give the baby enough support and puts undue weight on their little bodies. Also, by the time they can hold more of their own weight (around 3-4 months), the Baby Bjorn becomes very uncomfortable for the wearer. The Baby Bjorn baby carrier has thin straps that place all of the weight on your shoulders, and even with the newer models that have “lumbar support” you are still carrying most of your heavy child's weight with your shoulders.

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Ergo Baby Carrier

The Ergo Baby Carrier is ergonomically designed to distribute your baby's weight across your hips, with very little weight on your shoulders. It is made out of a thicker canvas-like material, with thick padded shoulder straps and a thick strap around your hips. This carrier is ideally suited for children over six months of age who want to be worn close to your body and can be carried on your back. You can also carry your baby facing you in front, but I think the Snugglewrap is less cumbersome and less bulky and can fit beneath your jacket. The Ergo Baby Carrier people have just started selling an extra piece of material that you put in your Ergo to make it safe to carry newborns. I do think this is a wonderful carrier for later on down the road with your 6 month-2 year old, but it is less ideal for the early months.

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New Native Sling

The New Native Sling is a simple piece of fabric with no buckles or fasteners. You can throw it into your purse easily and slip it on over your shoulder and carry your baby in a variety of ways. My biggest issue with the New Native Sling is that it is not one size fits all. If you and your husband and grandma and the babysitter all want to carry the baby in this sling, you would all need to buy your own individual size. Also, if you need to carry your baby for long periods of time, the sling is not the most ergonomically comfortable. You carry the baby on one shoulder and the opposite hip, which in the long run throws your body out of balance.

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Moby Wrap

The Moby Wrap is a long piece of fabric that you wrap around your body and use to carry the baby in a variety of positions. This wrap, while similar to the Snugglewrap in style and type of carrier, has several big differences. The Moby Wrap is much wider, longer and heavier than the Snugglewrap. The Moby wrap has finished edges and is generally much more bulky to gather up and stuff in your diaper bag. Also, the Moby wrap is made from 100% cotton and therefore has no stretch to it. People often say that once they put it on, they don't have very much wiggle room if they have tied it too tight or too loose. Also, The Moby wrap does not easily stretch over your baby's head and you end up needing to keep your hand there to hold it, instead of being hands free.

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Maya Wrap

The Maya Wrap is a sling style wrap. It is a rectangular piece of material that you loop through a ring at your shoulder, and there is a little pouch that your baby sits in. These slings come in many different interesting colors and patterns and they are adjustable so anyone can wear them. If you need to carry your baby for long periods of time, the sling is not the most ergonomically comfortable. You carry the baby on one shoulder and the opposite hip, which in the long run throws your body out of balance.

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The Ultimate Baby Wrap

The Ultimate Baby Wrap is a long piece of fabric that you wrap around your body and use to carry your baby in a variety of positions. Like the Snugglewrap, the Ultimate Baby Wrap is made from 90% cotton 10% lycra to give the fabric some extra stretch. The biggest difference between the Ultimate Baby wrap and the Snugglewrap is that the Ultimate baby wrap has a ring at the end that you use to tie off the wrap. The feedback I have been getting is that this ring is uncomfortable and digs into your skin. The Snugglewrap has no fasteners, you just tie the ends of the material together.

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Kelty Baby Carrier

The Kelty Baby Carrier is a backpack style carrier. It has an external metal frame, thick padded shoulder straps and a portion that clips around your hips for weight distribution. The Kelty Baby Carrier is very bulky and much heavier than any of the other carriers mentioned. It may be ideal for big long hikes, but is not versatile or easily toted around like some of the other baby carriers. Also, my big fear with this one, is that people begin putting their babies in this hanging/suspended position before their spines are developed and they put undo pressure on their babies growing spines.

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Evenflo Baby Carrier

The Evenflo Baby Carrier comes in several different styles of varying costs. All of them are backpack style carriers that can either wear the baby in the front or the back. Again, my problem with this backpack style carrier is that baby is sitting suspended in a seat with all of their weight coming down on the base of their spine. These carriers are often designed for bigger babies, so if you put your little on in there, their hips are often splayed out uncomfortably. Some of their styles are designed with no ergonomic support for the wearer and some are designed to fit the wearer comfortably.

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*Baby Bjorn, Ergo Baby Carrier, New Native Sling, Moby Wrap, Maya Wrap, Ultimate Baby Wrap,Kelty, Evenflo are copyright and/or trademarked by their respective owners.