So you have decided to wear your baby, AWESOME! This is going to be the beginning to a whole new world for you and your baby, however you must jump the first hurdle and that is... CHOOSING an appropriate carrier for you and your precious cargo.
Here are the 4 main types of wraps:
(Even though nowadays there are a plethora of evolved hybrids.) :
#1. The "Wrap" - is a "mile" long continuous piece of fabric that you wrap in various ways to carry your baby close to your body. It obviously isn't a mile, but it feels like it the first time you tackle this beast. They are typically between 4-6 meters (12-18 feet) of material on average. This is by far the most common, versatile, and favored carrier among the baby wearing community. (
http://wrapyourbaby.com/blog/2012/09/comparing-woven-wraps-to-other-carriers/)
The options of materials and colors are never ending! If you find yourself as a "wrap" person you might easily start to become a collector of wraps (even a little of a hoarder). The top reasons that people love the wrap is because you can have many different hold positions, it is comfortable for both baby and mom, and you can share it between people easily. Obviously the material you choose will play a role in the wrap's strength and durability. Most wraps can accommodate newborns and infants/toddlers up to 40 pounds, and others can hold older children... Prices on these can go usually between $40-$200 or more depending on brand and materials. Here are some examples of wraps:
#2 . The "Sling" - is a derivative of the wrap that is more user friendly, quicker to put on, and uses less material than a wrap. A sling is a long piece of material with two metal rings sewn to one end to give you a sort of belt buckle lock between them. You wear the sling as you would a sash with the rings in front or in back of your shoulder. However you are limited to positions on the hip with a sling. In my opinion this kind of carrier can start to wear you down since it pulls down on only one shoulder, which doesn't evenly distribute the baby's weight on your back. However they are really pretty and stylish and get the job done, as long as the job is not too long :) . The one really nice thing about slings is that once the baby falls asleep, you can transition the baby to a bed more fluently than with a wrap.
Options and pricing are similar to that of wraps. Here are a few examples of slings:
#3 . The "Mei Tai" - is an Asian baby carrier which was adopted from a Chinese culture hundreds of years ago. It looks like a square or rectangular piece of fabric with straps coming out of each corner. I have yet to try one of these out but I am itching to buy one... the dilemma I am having is which one and $$$. I definitely want to get one of these beauties because of its versatility of front and back carries. I have failed miserably at trying to put my baby in a back carry with a wrap...to the point of frustration. I think the Mei Tai aids in accomplishing a back carry with ease. This will come in handy as my butterball keeps packing on the poundage. Also since each strap is shorter than a full wrap in length, you don't find yourself dragging it on the floor so much, which is nice especially when on the road.
Once again there are many options out there, and I am noticing a lot of customizing for these. Price ranges are the same as with wraps and slings. However there are some custom ones out there for a much higher price tag. Here are a few examples of Mei Tais:
#4 - The "Soft Structured Carrier" - is a carrier that looks like a backpack with adjustable belts and buckles and is what you typically see in your baby depot type stores. They are typically commercialized under big name brands such as Ergo, Baby Bjorn, Eventflo, Infantino, Snugli, Stokke...and the list can go on and on... seems like everyone has jumped on the ban wagon with baby carriers. Hard core, real baby-wearing mommas tend to not go in this direction as much. I find a lot of them put babies in poor positions that can possibly cause hip dysplasia, so do your research! Also they tend to be more complicated because of all the snaps, buckles and adjustments, especially when trading off to someone else! Some are good and sturdy for specific tasks like hiking, and there are some that help give more support to mom's back. They also tend to be more bulkier and feel unnatural to babies. I have a hand me down Baby Bjorn that I used a total of 3 times and I honestly don't care much for it.
 |
| From http://www.ergobaby.com |
 |
| From www.babybjorn.com |
So there you have it... the for major types of carriers. The sky's the limit... and now a days there are many hybrids out there between these types. The best advice I can give is to do your homework and research what you want. Check out reviews and read what the mothers out there have to say about it.
There are many things to consider other than type when looking for a carrier, which includes price range, materials, custom/pre-made, and colors (since we all have different tastes).
Also some people choose to have a couple options at home so don't get stuck on one type. As your baby grows you might notice you need a different wrap...be open to change!
UPCOMING BLOGS:
I am currently working on some reviews on the more popular carriers so you can have an honest-down-to-earth opinion on some of these products.
Also be on the look put for some of my DIY carriers. Since most of us can not afford to buy several carriers, I have come up with real inexpensive ways to get the job done!
No comments:
Post a Comment