Addicted to Baby Carriers!

[{sarah}]

I haven't tried one so can't say yet!

[Nelle]

Sarah - try justifying a BabyHawk when you already own a different Mei Tai!

Suse is spot on though - why does your dh need 3 power tools/game consoles/car accessories? Because they all do different things! Same purpose - building things/providing entertainment/making car better - but they all do different things. Same with carriers - same purpose - to carry bub, but they all do it differently!
Your pouch is excellent for quick hip carries, and if bub likes being held in cradle position - great for discreet breastfeeding too.
Your HAB is great for upright close carrying, with weight distributed really evenly - so carrying bub for longer trips.
A Mei Tai can do back carries also, and can carry quite a large weight range! Riv loves the Mei Tai and falls asleep in it quite a bit - a high back carry also means he can see over my shoulder when shopping, so isn't grumbling in the pram, and I get lots of kisses on the hair and cheek.

Right, so now we've justified your 3 carriers...

Ok so who's addicted???
I am seriously getting there (some might say already there, but I'm in denial til I actually HAVE them.

What have you got?
I've got a Baby Bjorn (which is getting sold any day now, to fund the BabyHawk)
I've got a Bear Hug Baby Pouch and a Bear Hug Baby Mei Tai (they don't make these anymore, just ring slings!)
I'm like...a heartbeat away from ordering a Catbirdbaby Pikkolo.
And trying to justify a BabyHawk Mei Tai from WriggleBots...purely on the basis that it's gorgeous - people buy themselves shoes and perfume for a treat for similar prices, so I figure I can buy myself a different sort of accessory...

Which do you like best?
I would have said the Mei Tai 8 months ago.
But right now, with my pregnancy and belly, the pouch - just because I can't hold Riv in a hip carry for more than 2 mins without getting tired, and it saves my arms while I'm standing chatting to people, or carrying him from the car to somewhere.
Just like tools though, I like them all (mostly) for different reasons!

Which don't you like?
The Bjorn - now. When Riv was little, it was great for shopping trips - especially when he could face outwards! But he got to about 8kg and it just hurt my shoulders too much to wear for too long, all Riv's weight seemed to be borne by my shoulders. So really, 4.2kg - 8kg isn't getting very good wear from a carrier. The Pikkolo will replace the Bjorn, since bub can face outward in that too (with a better supported butt), and goes from newborn to I think about 18kg? That's a much better lifespan. Plus the Pikkolo does back carries.

Do you have any suggestions for a new baby wearing mum?
If you get a chance, try the carrier before buying - your body shape will differ from another's and your bub's preferences will too. Read up on people's opinions and reviews too - you might see a trend, like some carriers aren't loved by short people or really slim people or whatever.
And as Suse said, make a list of what you want your carrier to do, and consider who'll be using it in what situations. That should help narrow your choices down. (for example, your dh might not be thrilled at the prospect of wearing your Mei Tai with a floral panel Although - if you got a BabyHawk, you could just choose the reversible option and have a manly panel on the other side! Easy)

Jessey, I already have a Mei Tai (though not a BabyHawk, though I'd love to change that ). And I am a super unco. Super.
There's a slight learning curve, but it's not too bad. My tips are - practice! When bub's in a good mood, right after a feed or whatever, have a go. You can kneel on the bed if you need to feel a bit safer - I've never dropped bub though!
DON'T let anyone who's not convinced watch you - your confidence will divebomb with comments from your mum, inlaws or dh like 'he doesn't really look that comfy' or 'are you sure that's safe?' (by the way, the time I got the comfy comment, he was asleep 10mins later - victory!)
And here's the one that I wish I'd known heaps earlier - YouTube!! The visuals have helped me so much, just seeing people do that little bounce here, or tie a certain way - and it just clicks! Many carriers come with dvd instructions now anyway instead of written - seeing someone else do it is really really helpful!

Okay...can we pleeease put this long rambling down to late pregnancy and NOT Baby Carrier addiction?

[melbel]

The babyhawk is no more complicated than an ergo, in fact the structure is very similar. It is just that you tie the straps on a babyhawk instead of of clip them like you do in an ergo or a beco carrier. In fact they are easier to do than a Hug a Bub with all its crossing over and under and around stuff. Mind you I love the Hug a Bub too. ah if only I could afford to stock all the great baby carriers... hey maybe I shoukld be a baby carrier store nstead of a nappy store? hmm which addiction to choose?........

[Blixie]

Nelle - Glad to hear i'm not the only unco one They look really comfy (for mumma and bubs) so might try talk DF into buying one Thanks

[Rouge]

The babyhawk is almost identical to the original slings warn by women in asia. They look awesome!

We had a HAB and we loved it, I have now lent it to a friend who loves it also. Soooo handy with trips too and from Kinder (Sarah I would often tie the HAB on before I went out and just tighten and readjust when I got out of the car, so I'd drive with it on.)

[~Saram~]

I think I'm addicted :-)

With DS we had a ring sling which I loved at the time but by 6mths he was too heavy so we got a structured backpack with was AWESOME even DH loved it. I also had a kapoochi which I liked but found it difficult to get him out of when sleeping

With DD I started off with a HAB, then made my own in a lighter cotton as the jersey was just too hot here. then she went into the backpack but due to DS use it was worn out so now we have an Ergo which is devine and by far my fav as it does all three things (wish I had discovered it earlier) I would love to hear how others found the ergo for little babies?

My babies are always being carried and they love it and I love it

[{sarah}]

people buy themselves shoes and perfume for a treat for similar prices, so I figure I can buy myself a different sort of accessory...

Love that justification Nelle

And Cailin, ahh yep I remember now that you put the HAB on before we went out when you visited. Just had a moment of temporary insanity where I forgot LOL!

[Juliette]

Ok...I'm putting my hand up here. I'm an incorrigible, incurable baby carrier addict.

At the moment I have a HAB and an Ergo. I love both of them for different reasons. The HAB is just so lovely and snuggly and supportive to wear with a newborn - although I have been using the newborn insert with the Ergo a fair bit. The Ergo is definately easier to put on when you're out and about, and easier (for me) for breastfeeding. I can wear the Ergo for longer periods of time. On the days that I go into town, I can be wearing Sammy around for 4-5 hours or so - on these occasions I find that the HAB stretches a bit too much and becomes less supportive over time. This is easy fixed by taking him out and re-tying it - but most of the time I couldn't be bothered.

I would LOVE a babyhawk after reading all your posts and looking it up on the 'net! They are sooooo pretty. I like your justification Nelle - I am planning to use it with DH! I never buy nice things for myself (too depressed to buy new clothes with the extra baby kilos!). Watch this space. Maybe next payday! The pouch slings look nice and easy to use too - though I'm not convinced they'd be as good for your back as some of the other options.

[~Belinda~]

I find the Baby Bjorn to be the best for us

I bought a Bubba and Moe Sling and Madeleine really disliked it so I sold it recently on ebay. It's funny how some Bubs love those slings and others don't! Each baby is so different!!!

[QueenMab]

*cough* I'm an addict, but DD isn't!! I have a HAb & a baby bjorn with a baba sling on it's way to me right now & a keen eye on those babyhawks... omg how cool are they...?! I am not that financial however... not only that but Scally has just not co-operated with the baby wearing!! Liked the HAB once, never again, liked the baby bjorn once then never again... hoping this new sling will be THE one!! (& if it isn't I'll just have to sell them all & get some more! )

[~Belinda~]

Nelle, it's my DP that uses Baby Bjorn more than me anyway and he loves it but thanks for your advice all the same...

[Nelle]

Hiya Juliette, you're among friends here, haha.

The pouch style slings are great, but you're right, they're not a great option for long stretches. I love ours for situations where I'd normally do a hip carry, but it gives my arms a break and frees up my hands - so nicking into a post office, standing and chatting with people. It folds up really nice and small, so it just gets kept in the nappy bag.

Ooer, what BabyHawk combinations are you looking at? If anyone's interested and feels like having an opinion, I've got some of the fabrics I like on my blog (link in sig) - just skip all my ramble and see what you like! It's such a hard decision!!

Speaking of Mei Tais, dh decided he wanted to have a shot at the BHB Mei Tai just before. Unfortunately, we were working with a hot tired teething kid. Who accidentally got poked in the face by dh. I thought it was going to be disaster and the end of dh's babywearing, but I put Riv on after to show dh, and then Riv decided to pull out his rare trick of actually calling dh 'dada', and the day was saved! Phewf! So dh has decided he'll try again on a morning when Riv is fresh.
(And I might wear Riv for a short while every day, so he is back in the practice of being worn and works with us, not against us. It's so much easier when bub knows what's happening.)
SO - there's a moral in all of this - if you're trying something new, or getting your partner to try babywearing - pick your moment carefully! Do it with a fresh baby!!

Saram, I know there are people up in Qland who like meshy kind of slings, I think the material is called Solarveil? Cos it's breathable but protects bub from UV rays or something?

I erm...might have ordered my Pikkolo... Very excited, I think dh will really like it too, when new bub comes, he can wear Riv and Riv won't feel left out.

ETA: Hiya Bindy! I know with little'uns there's a knack to using ring slings - I borrowed an aunt's sling, but it had a padded shoulder and I could never get it tight enough - could never get bub close enough to me! We liked the Baby Bjorn too, when Riv was little - I just found that its lifespan was limited, in that it wasn't long before he felt too heavy for it and it hurt my shoulders. On the plus side, if that ever happens for you, they're not too hard to onsell and find something else!

[Mollygirl]

I initially bought a HAB and loved it! DD fell asleep in it every time, especially as a newborn and at a recent friends 30th fell asleep in the middle of the party in it. I can wear it for longer (it is really comfortable) but find it harder with breastfeeding because you really have to undo the whole thing to tighten it and I don't like the idea of it on the floor of the shops.

I bought the airflow babybjorn, particularly for summer as the HAB was a bit hot, and it was great for the 2-6mth period but now I cannot wear it for long as she is too heavy at about 8kg. It is easy to get on and off and she can face outward if we are just popping into the shops to pick up something quickly. Babybjorn are not suitable until 3.5kg according to the packaging.

I love wearing my daughter and having my hands free to hold DS's hand or just rocking her to sleep if we are out.

[~Kim~]

You girls are seriously evil....I'm not pregnant (that I know about) and my bub's too big to carry, but I've already talked DH into a Babyhawk from Mel lol. And scarily I had a look at your blog Nelle and everyone of your picked out fabrics except 1 is what I had written down to show DH......
I agree with the baby bjorn being only good until 8 kilos - but that got us 9 months and since I got it on ebay for cheap I didn't really mind.

I've also heard heaps of good and bad about the pouches and ring slings so I'm going to get some fabric and have a go at making them....can't hurt to have a few....

[suse]

Nelle - the cocoa sakura is yummo. That and the red sakura are in my fave list. I'm also partial to the pink cherry blossom and the natural echino birds and the red dragonflies.

I'm in a quandary - not sure whether to get a Beco, a Pikkolo, a Baby Hawk or a CatBirdBaby MT. I'm almost leaning towards a mei tai, the CBB is a lighter fabric without padding in the body and would be better suited to our hotter climate, but the BH looks comfier (and they are much much spunkier!).

What to do?...

[Nelle]

Muahaha...if I'm going to be addicted, I'm making sure you all stay hooked and go down with me.

Willow, maybe try YouTube for some ring sling observation? I know YouTube's helped me a bit with using Mei Tais - it really helps to see someone else do it.
I've yet to find the ring sling love, but that's cos the one I initially borrowed had a hugely padded shoulder so not very adjustable, and it was too big for me.
If you like the Bjorn (like we did before Riv got heavy way too quickly), how about another SSC (soft structured carrier), like the Ergo, Patapum, Pikkolo (oooh I'm so excited about getting mine!), umm Beco? I'm missing some...

So what are you going to do then Molly? Stick with the HAB? If you've got the knack of wrapping, I know there are more supportive wraps (a bit less stretchy) you can get - doesn't help you with the b/fing thing though.

Suse, think about what you want from a carrier - that will help you narrow it down. For example - who's going to use it? You? Your dh? Will he be cool with learning how to tie Mei Tai straps? Will you be cool adjusting buckle-able straps? Will you need to get something gender neutral? What kind of carries do you want to do? Does it need to be funky/pretty? Do you want a headrest/sleeping hood? Who will you be carrying, a newborn or toddler? And so on...

Seriously, all the people getting BabyHawks - share your fabric selections once you decide!! And any other features you decide to get!!
So far, my thinking is -
Charcoal,
reversible (so far, Boho Blossom Black one side, other side undecided BUT I saw a picture of a teal panel with charcoal and it looked ace - and teal's that bit more conservative if I want to babywear at a wedding/function),
no pocket,
toyring (for dummy or keys/phone/little purse, which I think would be too hard for a pocket, plus I back carry a lot).

Lol at us people with similar tastes! We'll either be stylish or daggy together!

Wish I could sleep...but since I can't, I'll go and think some more about BH panels... (after a glass of milk, frikkin heartburn!)