Baby Carriers

Lily does not do well just hanging out on the floor for very long. So we basically carry her most of the day. She does fine for a little bit if she can still see you, and she'll be happy for quite a while if you get down on the ground and play with her. She loves to scoot and crawl on her face and roll over again and again if you're right there. This constant need to be held can make it a bit difficult to get things done. So we've experimented with a number of carriers, 6 to be precise. I have a bit of an obsession. I love getting new gear, be it hiking, climbing, running, yoga, etc. And now I can add baby gear to that list. 


The first carrier I bought was the Mei Tai I got at a used baby stuff store in Tucson. I posted about it when I first got it. It's certainly the prettiest of the bunch. This one was great when Lily was first born. It was one of the only ways she would sleep. I like this one a lot because it can be used as front or back carrier and is fairly small. It's good for doing chores around the house, but doesn't have enough support for longer periods of time. It's also great for going out because it looks so nice and not like a big strappy/claspy/velcro-y baby tank.


Then we got a hotsling. Lily absolutely loved that for about 4 months. She would snuggle in like a little pea in a pod and be happy for long periods of time. She's too big to snuggle into it like she used to, but she's almost big enough to use it as a side carrier on my hip. I just know she's going to love it again in a couple of months. This one is great to throw in a bag because it's tiny and can easily be put on anywhere and over anything that I'm wearing. 


A friend sent me a Moby wrap/ring sling combo. This was a hit in Tucson because the light fabric was very breathable, and it covers up so much I could just wear it over a little tank top. Lily liked to snuggle down into this and even nurse in it. It has the softest, stretchiest fabric of all. I have friends who say it will be great again as she gets a little bigger. 


Another friend gave be a Baby Bjorn. Lily wasn't big enough to use it until December, but now she's pretty comfy in it. It's a great front carrier for longer trips to museums and public transportation. It's a little cumbersome so it's not great to bring "just in case". 


Then I got a super cheap Infantino carrier at Target that could be a front or back carrier. I couldn't get the Mei Tai on my back by myself, and it's hard to sweep and carry things with Lily in the Bjorn, so this seemed like a good option. The back carrier is great. It's a snap to put on, I know she's secure, and it feels so much better to have her on my back. This is my go-to-carrier for chores. We tried it at the Morton Arboretum the other day (see action shot below). Joe carried her and it worked ok. She can't see a whole lot because she's so low down and it doesn't fit Joe very well. 

Today we got a frame backpack at REI. I'm sooooo excited to use it this week when we go to Galena. This thing is humongous, but it's so comfortable and Lily thinks it's awesome. Joe and I love to hike, and this is absolutely perfect. It has a sun and rain cover, and a small pack underneath her seat so you don't have to carry a separate diaper bag. I love it so much. It'll be perfect for the Zoo, the Aquarium, the Arboretum, walking to the beach, so many things. I don't have a picture yet, but we will by the end of the week. 


After buying the frame pack, I felt the need to justify our plethora of carriers. I literally use one of them every day. And it's almost never the same one two days in a row. And I haven't gone more than two weeks without using each one at least once. I feel like each one has very specific strengths and makes it the perfect thing for certain tasks. But I agree with Joe, we probably have enough now. If you're in the Chicagoland area and are considering buying a baby carrier, let me know and we probably have one you can try for a couple of days before you decide to invest in it.