Baby Carriers
Before I get into baby carriers, I wanted to give you a little background information on hip dysplasia. If you’re not interested, keep scrolling.
Please note that this information was taken from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute*. Link: https://hipdysplasia.org/developmental-dysplasia-of-the-hip/prevention/baby-carriers-seats-and-other-equipment/
It takes several months for your baby’s joints to stretch out naturally and, depending on what position your baby was in while in the womb, it can also affect the length of time it will take your baby’s joints to stretch.
The hip joint is a ball and socket joint. Usually in the firstfew months of life, the ball is likely to be loose within the socket due to the baby’s natural flexibility. According to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, “if the hips are flexed into a stretched-out position too early, the ball is at risk of permanently deforming the edges of the cup shaped socket (hip dysplasia) or gradually slipping out of the socket altogether (hip dislocation).” Usually both hip dysplasia and dislocation go undetected because they are not painful.
That being said, baby carriers vary in terms of the positioning that they will provide for your child. For this reason, I was personally most comfortable with utilizing different carriers during different periods of Anthony’s life.
The carriers below are listed in the order that I used them for Anthony chronologically.
Solly Wrap ($65)
This was the first wrap that I ever put Anthony in. It was my favorite and has remained my favorite to this day. This wrap made me feel so much closer to Anthony than other carriers.
I felt confident that I wasn’t putting his hips in a compromising position.
This wrap provides a snug, “womb-like” environment for your baby.
I would put him in this wrap when he was inconsolable and honestly, within minutes, he would calm down.
I literally took it with me wherever I went because I knew that if he had a breakdown, this would be my ONLY saving grace. Family dinners, the mall, restaurants, walks - you name it, I had this wrap with me. I even accidentally left my first one at Disney World and then bought another one.
The fabric is lightweight, so you aren’t completely sweating and don’t have to worry about your baby overheating. It also has a nice “stretch” to it, without making you feel that it’s not secure.
The wrap is not bulky at all, and it folds up nicely for easy storage and travel.
In this wrap, baby’s thighs are spread around your torso and the hips are bent so that the knees are slightly higher than the buttocks; the extra fabric that you pull over provides thigh support.
Overall, LOVED this product and recommended it to all my mama friends to add to their registries.
It is a little pricey ($65.00), but the fabric is incredibly soft and durable. You are able to machine wash it (on delicate) and you will, because there will be loads of spit-up on it every day.
Holds weight up to 25lbs.
This wrap is ONLY intended for holding your baby facing you; it is not made to hold your baby facing forward or on your back.
I will point out that once you have the baby in the wrap, you cannot adjust the tightness of it. You’ll have to start over in order to do so (this will make more sense once you see the video below).
I know that some moms are intimidated by the complexity of the wrap in the beginning stages, but I promise you that once you do it a couple of times, it will become second nature to put this wrap on. I recommend you try it with a stuffed animal to avoid major meltdowns by your infant and added stress on you. I made a short video below to demonstrate how to use this wrap.
Baby K’tan ($50)
I purchased this wrap around the time Anthony was 4 months old. Basically, I bought it because of the different carrying options. Around this point, Anthony was becoming more curious and, at certain times of the day, he was interested in seeing what was around him. His neck was stronger, and he was supporting his own head.
This wrap is “ready-to-wear.” You don’t have to fuss with wrapping. There are no buckles or rings.
There are 5 ergonomic positions – here’s a picture taken from their website: http://www.babyktan.com/about
Can be worn from newborn to 35lbs.
I used this one mostly for forward-facing and side carrying.
What I don’t like about this carrier is that after one or two uses, it does stretch out and doesn’t feel very snug like it does right out of the dryer. But it isn’t a deal breaker. I still loved it.
What I did like was that it was a very quick solution when I needed to carry my baby. It is extremely easy to put on, even my husband can do it (see what I did there). You don’t have to fuss with wrapping it a specific way and you have the option of wearing your baby facing you or facing forward with one simple wrap.
It is lightweight and easy to grab and go.
Baby Björn Carrier Original ($159)
I recently purchased this one for our trip to New York City because I knew that keeping him in a stroller for over a certain amount of time was going to be impossible. He’s very interested in being involved now and loves being carried around, especially where there is a ton of stuff to look at.
I was surprised at how much I liked this carrier. I had reservations about it when he was smaller because of the leg placement. It didn’t feel as natural as it did in the Solly Wrap. But now that he’s more sturdy, I felt better about it. I still took him out of it after an extended amount of time.
The back support was better than it was in the Baby K’tan when I had him facing forward.
I loved the fact that the front folded over and allowed for him to see better. He didn’t mind being in it and I was able to walk through the city with him in this.
I like that you can adjust the tightness when the baby is already in the carrier.
It’s easy to put him into and take him out of this carrier alone.
This carrier does allow for you to have them facing your chest as well. However, because I got this so late in the game, I didn’t use it this way. However, I still feel I would have chosen the Solly Wrap over this one because of the snugness of it.
Downside of this carrier: it is kind of bulky and harder to pack/take with you on the go in comparison to the Solly Wrap and the Baby K’tan.
It can hold 8 - 24 lbs.
ERGOBABY ADAPT CARRIER ($140)
I returned this carrier early in the game simply because it was way too bulky at the time, and I was already too attached to the Solly Wrap to give another carrier a fair shot.
Con: I was unable to get him in it myself – but to be fair, I was really cautious with him at this stage, maybe too cautious. I was a new mom and I didn’t know how durable babies really were.
The extra lumbar support strap would really come in handy now that he weighs over 25 pounds.
However, the upper back strap was really difficult for me to buckle and unbuckle on my own. If my husband wasn’t home, I couldn’t get that part latched, so I didn’t feel as secure as I thought I was supposed to with the carrier.
Compared to the other carriers this one is the largest but, that being said, it is also the best for your back and for heavier/larger children.
If we were set to travel again, I would definitely be repurchasing this carrier. It would be perfect for where Anthony is now: long AF and heavy AF. He no longer fits into the Solly Wrap or the Baby Bjorn. I can still use the side sling from the Baby K’tan for a short amount of time before it starts to give me sciatic pain.
This carrier offers you a front hold, side hold and even the ability to wear your LO on your back.
This carrier holds 7 - 45lbs, and this is the only carrier that I have personally found that supports this much weight.
As I researched it for this post, I am actually leaning toward repurchasing it. When I returned it, I didn’t think far enough into the future, or know how long he would want to be carried.
Disclaimer: I am not a baby carrier expert. This entire blog post was based solely on my experience with the products. Every baby and mommy are different.