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I am really wanting to get into wearing our new baby, and I was after some advice on which type of carrier is going to be best. I am a bit concerned that being a summer baby it (and I ) might get hot using the HAB.
I am after pros and cons of both the HAB and Ergo, which is best for a little baby etc?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Ali,
The HAB DVD will show you how you can make adjustments to your HAB in hot weather - the inventor lives in Byron Bay, so they have to think about these things! I found it fine on hot days (we had a hot summer and it started early, so I got to use it a lot before I got my Ergo at the start of Dec).
For a new baby, an Ergo will not be any cooler to use, as a newborn requires the insert to cushion them better in the sling. If you had all the money in the world, I would say to get both, HAB for when baby is up to about 4 or 5 months old and then the Ergo for the extra versatility of positions. If you're only going to get one, I would say the Ergo - it will take you further (therefore, longer) and it is completely adjustable, so you don't have to buy a certain size to fit both you and DH. I had the luxury of borrowing a HAB until I got my Ergo, so if you know someone who has one, that's the way to go!
As you know, my HAB served me extremely well. Not having used the Ergo for a newborn, all I can go off is my Booby Club friends who used it for newborns and they loved it.
But, back to the hot weather thing - both are very doable, have loads of scope for air circulation for you and the cherub :)
ROFL Shannon if I can work out a HAB then you could!
I tried on an ergo in baby bunting last week and it didn't feel right. The lady helping me didn't know much about them though so we made a funny couple ;)
I thought I might try again at the next baby expo and get the experts to help me out.
I guess the ergo will cost more because you need to buy the newborn insert if cost is an issue for you then it's something to consider. I like the fact that you can use the ergo on your back.
I leave the HAB on if I'm driving between places so I like that it is no more intrusive than an extra top. It washes up very easily, just chuck it in the machine if bub chucks on it.
I had trouble with the HAB too Shannon, and I'm a 16. I eventually got it on, and did love it, but Milo was not the biggest fan.
I think if I got another one someday (I sold mine) I would get the larger size. The lady in the DVD must be tiny to have all that leftover fabric at the end!!!
If you buy the Ergo from the Mothers Direct site you should find that they sell it for a lot less than other websites (haven't seen it in other shops, though) - $140 odd at Mothers Direct, I've seen it other places online for about $170 odd.
Also, Ergo does wipe clean easily (I've got a black one, too!!) and you shouldn't wash it in the machine too often, but it keeps clean otherwise.
it should feel like you have a utility belt to use - strap it around your waist, get kid in frog-legged, bring armstraps up, do up the neck strap and you're done. The back position seems tricky at first, but is surprisingly easy to get the hang of after not very long at all! If you get it and can't find the instruction PDF, let me know and I'll email it to you, Ali :)
The only thing that bugs me about the Ergo is that it looks awkward if you want to wear anything over it because of the shoulder straps. With teh HAB you can wear a jacket or cardi over it and everything sits flat. Not an issue in hot weather, though.
I can still feed Oscar while he's inside the Ergo - something I couldn't do with the HAB because my boobs were too big. I just let out the arm straps but keep the neck strap done up. It's also far less daunting for a grandparent to use - my parents are both anxiety and stress-ridden - and they use it no probs!
I definately suggest the ERGO. I used it with my son and loved it.
You can watch the instuctional DVD on their website
www.ergobaby.com
I would get both!! I did!
I got a HAB when my daughter was a newborn - it was complicated at first but I got used to it. However by the time she was about 4 months old she was just getting too heavy for it. So I got an Ergo and sold my HAB on ebay for th esame price I brought it for off Ebay! (it was 2nd hand).
I now have an Ergo and I LOVE IT!!! Its so easy to use, my baby loves it (well doesn't mind too much!) and its very comfortable to use. :)
I second Percy! They are both great, I just found that as I got back into life a bit more and DS got bigger, the Ergo came into its own. Just LOVED the HAB for settling a little baby - and being winter here when DS was born, I could easily slip a jacket over the HAB and zip DS up inside it! The Ergo straps are a little thick to wear nicely under a jacket or cardi.
I have a HAB and love it. Especially on the really cold mornings when I take my other two to school. Nic snuggles right in and goes to sleep straight away. I have lower back problems and I have found the HAB really comfortable to wear, and I also love that I can put it on at home and wear it in the car and just pop Nic into it when we get to where we're going.