This time of year, is perfect for baby wearing so I am going to share why I love it and talk about the different styles of carriers I have and love.
There are a few main reasons I love baby wearing. I love to be able to have my baby close so I can more easily read her hunger cues and respond sooner. I also love the ability to be hands free and get some things done without leaving my baby in some swing or something. Another reason I love to baby wear is because it is convenient for when you're out and about like at church or grocery shopping. It helps keep people out of your baby's face and thus protects them from unwanted germs as well as any strangers who might want to just simply get too close for comfort. You can do it skin to skin which helps promote bonding and has many health benefits for both mom and baby. For me with my second it also protects her for my energetic and not self-aware dog as well as my toddler who just wants to hug and kiss her nonstop and also doesn't realize her own strength most of the time.
I have 3 different carrier styles and they are all handy for various reasons. I have a Moby wrap, a ring sling, and a hybrid style carrier. I will go into what I like about each and how to use them below.
1) The Moby wrap
The Moby wrap is a wrap styler carrier where you have one long stretchy piece of fabric that you wrap around your body in a certain way that creates a secure seat for your baby and holds them close to your body. Here is a link to a video that explains how to tie the wrap and properly secure your baby in it. I like the Moby for little babies and also if I plan to wear it for an extended amount of time. This helps evenly distribute the weight of your baby across your shoulders and back so no single part of your body is taking on all the weight of your little baby. The con to this carrier is that it has a little bit of a learning curve to get used to tying it and everything but after you master that it's a really great carrier.
2) The ring sling
A ring sling is a great option for quick and easy. You pretty much just throw it over your head and across your shoulder, spread out they should strap and seat, plop your baby in and tighten it and your good to go. There are a few things you will want to make sure you do with this carrier style though to make sure you and your baby are comfortable. The first thing is when you put the carrier on you'll want to make sure you start with the rings almost on top of your shoulder and after tightening they should be in the boutonniere position on your chest. The second thing you want to pay attention to is, that before and while you tighten it that the bottom rail (the part that goes under baby's bum and legs) puts your baby's legs in the M shape. What I mean by that is their knees should be bent and the edge of the fabric should make a line that connects the underside of each knee and their belly button. Your child's knees will make the top humps to the M while their 2 feet and bum will make the bottom 3 points. This positioning will keep baby from falling out as well as ensure healthy hip positioning. I prefer to use this style when my babies get a little bigger, but you can also use it with a newborn and take the tail end of the carrier and roll it behind baby's head to help stabilize their head and neck. You can also use the tail to wrap around the rings if your concerned about them hitting their head or resting their face on them.
The only downside to a ring sling style carrier is that it puts all of the baby's weight on one shoulder which after a while can cause some pain on that side especially when they get bigger.
3) Hybrid or half buckle carrier
I like this style carrier for when baby is bigger as a backpack style however it is very fixable. I made this one that's pictured here inspired by the Lenny Lamb hybrid carriers with the intentions of using it with my toddler so I could wear both my babies at once, but this will also be handy for when my second gets a little older I'll be able to wear her for longer which I'm excited about. You can also wear this style carrier on the front if you like and it's pretty quick and easy to throw on. You just tie or buckle it at the waist (depending on the style you have) place your baby on your body where you plan to wear them, and then pull the carrier up and over. You then take the straps and wrap them around your arms and under the baby's butt and the again around your waist to tie it. Pretty simple and really adaptable for many different ways of wearing. To make it more stable when you're wearing it with just one child on your body you can cross the straps after pulling them over your shoulders and before going under baby's bum this will help support the weight of your child more as well as support your body more. The biggest downside to this style is that they are pretty expensive to buy new and I had a very hard time finding any second hand so be prepared to spend a few hundred dollars here.
I just recently stumbled cross a youtuber, mom of 5 under 7 (or maybe 6 now), who recommends this one which is only around $150 (at the time of updating this post), which would be a much more affordable option in this style.
| Carrier style | What I like | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Wrap style (Moby, Solly, etc.) | Comfortable, can be worn with another carrier on the back, great for newborns, supportive for your whole body, great for longer periods of wearing. | Can be a little difficult to figure out how to tie especially for first time baby wearers |
| Ring sling | Quick, easy, affordable, great for times when baby will be in and out of the carrier. | After long periods of wearing it can cause sore shoulders especially with older babies. |
| Hybrid/Half-buckle | Great option for moms of twins or 2 under 2 where there may be a need to wear 2 babies at once, great for older babies, comfortable and supportive, versatile positioning for multiple wearing options. | These tend to be pretty expensive, and hard to find second hand if you want to try to save money so you will proably have to spend quit a bit of money for this style. |
If you're looking to try baby wearing this time of year is perfect because it will keep baby warm in this cold weather and also keep them safe at family gatherings from people you have trouble with the concept of personal space or want to kiss your baby. People are less likely to ask to hold your baby if you're wearing them so if you don't want certain people touching or holding them this will help with that too. This is also a great way to protect them from little cousins who might try passing germs to your baby or climbing on them if they're on the floor or in a car seat. Leave a comment if you baby wear, what type of carrier you love best, or a way that baby wearing makes your life easier.
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