Before I had Wyatt, I read a ton of parenting articles and books. Most of that has been forgotten or gone out the window for one reason or another, but the one thing that has stuck has been the idea of baby wearing. I am not a big person. My baby is actually not very big either, but put him in a car seat and carry him around for ten minutes and he feels like a giant. Lugging him around in his car seat/carrier is for the birds. It's a struggle to lift and cart him around in it, and when I have to rely on that method I seriously consider whether or not I really need to leave the house that badly. It is also spectacular for having your hands free, for things like coffee and keys. I like to travel fast and light, and it is tough to go somewhere and push Wyatt around in a stroller at times, like in large crowds at street fairs, or even push him while holding a coffee! You end up pushing the stroller one handed and that just makes you push all crazy. Billy and I have even each pushed with one hand, leaving our other hand free for our coffees. Lol. So the convenience of babywearing is amazing as well.
So far, I have tried four different babywearing wraps or carriers. We have the Moby, a Boba Wrap, a Boba 4G, and a Jeep 2-in-1 carrier. We were lucky enough to have friends donate their gently used Moby and Jeep carriers to us, we got the Boba Wrap as a shower gift, and then we bought the 4G ourselves. Wyatt's OT recently told us to start carrying him around facing forward in one of these carriers about an hour a day, to help him out a bit with strengthening some of his muscles.
We have had Wyatt in them all, with various success rates.
The Moby and the Boba Wrap: My favorites for the comfort level for myself, but Wyatt's least favorite so far. I am confused by this because he loves being swaddled and he loves being snuggled. It could be user error on my part. As for the ease of wearing around the house, this one is perfect!
Boba 4G: I love this one for long hauls. We love to hike, and go on "urban adventures" like Eastern Market in Detroit, nature zoos, etc. and this works amazingly for these types of situations. It was also perfect for Ikea shopping. Wyatt also loves this carrier.
Jeep 2-in-1 Carrier: We used this for the first time last weekend on a hike, and it was so awesome to see Wyatt's expressions at experiencing the world like that. He was not just stuck looking around and over the carrier, he could see far into the distance, and be part of the his world and environment. My husband also felt the most comfortable wearing this one.
I've got my eyes peeled for a gently used Ergobaby,and a Tula Carrier as well - I would love to try them out and add them to our collection. In addition I would love a Lille Carrier! Since we use all of them depending on the event we are going to, I don't feel like it would be a useless purchase.
Overall, my opinion is that no matter which carrier you use, your baby will benefit. Every baby is different and will have their own preferences, so it's important to try a few out. If you're lucky enough to have friends who pass their baby gear on to you, even better. If you are only able to buy one carrier, I would suggest finding a store or babywearing group that will allow you to try different kinds out before you decide on one and buy it. Safety is also an issue as well - you need to make sure to wear the baby safely, so make sure to follow all the safety checks.
Babywearing, like everything baby related, has a million different opinions and viewpoints on what is the best way to do it. My solution is to read all I can and make an informed decision based on what I have read, along with my pediatrician's recommendations. I also really liked this website for information on babywearing.
What about you? Is there one that worked better for you than another?
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