Baby Life

Choosing a Baby Carrier

2008-03-11 03:57:03

Baby carriers come in several different styles, from simple cloth slings and wraps to more elaborate backpack-style carriers with aluminum frames for hiking with older kids. The most popular styles, however, allow the baby to ride on either the parent's chest or hip, facing inwards (for smaller babies) or outwards (for older babies who are better able to support their heads). As some baby carriers are made for babies and toddlers of different ages and weights, be sure that the one you choose is right for your child.

 

Why Carry Your Baby in a Sling, Baby Wrap or Baby Carrier?

There are a lot of reasons, from the emotional to the practical to the fashionable! First, the warm fuzzies: "Wearing" your baby is comforting, allowing the baby to feel your warmth, hear your heartbeat and smell your scent. A 1986 article in the journal Pediatrics found that babies who received "supplemental carrying" cried and fussed 43% less overall and 51% less at night. Many mothers have had good results using baby slings or other cloth baby carriers to help relieve colic.

Practically speaking, carrying your baby in a carrier, sling or wrap instead of a stroller allows you more mobility. If you've gone shopping with your baby in a stroller, you probably noticed how difficult it was to navigate crowded stores, open doors and find elevators. Wearing your baby eliminates those problems.

And as baby slings come in more colors, styles and designs than ever, they become a beautiful fashion accessory as well as a practical and loving way to spend time with your child!

Which Baby Carrier to Choose?

Baby carriers - especially fabric slings - are more popular than ever. Here are a few types to consider:

The Baby Bjorn or Snugli-type carrier: These are more structured carriers that allow the baby to ride vertically on the mother's or father's chest. Younger babies face inward, while older babies with better head support face outward. These carriers do a fair job of distributing the baby's weight but can be a little complex to use with their system of adjustable straps, and some studies have suggested that they may not be healthy for the baby's spine. A variation of this type of carrier is the side carrier or hip carrier, which allows the baby to ride on its mother's hip.

The "backpack" carrier: Exclusively for hiking, aluminum-frame backpack carriers can accommodate babies and toddlers for the long haul, as well as extra food and water. Backpack carriers often come with a canopy to shield the baby from the sun and a kickstand so that Mum or Dad can take the carrier off without removing the baby.

Baby Wraps and Baby Slings

Wraps and slings are the most popular carriers today, both because of their simplicity and the beautiful fabrics available. They are a lot alike, but there are some important differences.

Because you tie them yourself, wrap carriers (like the Moby Wrap and Moby D Wrap) are easy to adjust to your size - so they can be worn by fathers, larger-size mothers and mothers with a large bust. Non-adjustable slings like the New Native Baby Carrier, while easy to use, require you to buy a certain size - so they usually can't be used by fathers as well as mothers. Both wraps and slings are good for babies and toddlers, and especially useful for giving preemies "kangaroo care."

Wrap carriers distribute the baby's weight evenly across both shoulders, while sling carriers usually drape over one shoulder but still do a fairly good job of distributing baby's weight across the parent's back. And baby wraps can be tied in a variety of ways to hold your baby or toddler in different positions, while slings also offer a few different options for positioning the baby.

Any all-fabric baby carrier offers the advantage of being easily washable - because with babies, accidents can (and do) happen.

Whichever type of baby carrier you choose, your baby will feel secure and loved just from spending time with you while you work, play, shop, clean house, take a brisk walk - or just relax!

 

Choosing a Baby Carrier