My love of baby carriers

I love baby carriers.  I think I have eight or nine in my closet right now and have passed on or sold countless others.  My favorite changes with each baby and often with each developmental stage.


My first experience was a New Native pouch sling that was entirely too large but I loved wearing my little charge in it and she was so happy. (I did daycare for a neighbor baby before I had kids).  After I had my first baby and realized that these little people have their own agenda which didn't necessarily coordinate with mine.  I began my search for an ideal carrier so that my baby was happy and I was able to move through my day as I needed.

My first sling was so ugly and hugely bulky.  But it was super soft and the baby was very content when in it.  I invested in a Baby Bjorn so that I was able to take long walks with my little as she craved constant movement and circling around the butcher block in the kitchen became rather dull after the 100th time.  When she became too big for the Bjorn, I purchased a Kelty frame backpack.  This also served its purpose but was bulky and hard to travel with.

By the arrival of the second child, I was thoroughly educated and in love with attachment parenting (didn't have a clue with the first but boy did she educate me!).  I invested in a Maya wrap sling and an Ergo backpack.  I found the Maya wrap convenient, portable and good for discreet nursing.  The Ergo is my workhorse of carriers.  The last three babes have spent many contented hours in it hiking, walking, at the park, grocery store, outings, etc.

I have also loved my wrap carriers - a Moby wrap and a Ellaroo  especially with when my third and fourth babies were new.  This allowed me to hold them all day and run around with the older ones.  The down side of these carriers for me is wrapping them.  While not difficult, it does take some practice.  They are definitely super comfy for many, many hours of baby holding.

My last type of carrier style which I use frequently these days is a pouch sling by Slinglings.  I bought one of these when I had number 3 and found it to be the most convenient of carriers especially in the childhood phase of wanting to held but needing to be put down to walk constantly.

I finally took the plunge and made my first pouch sling just recently.  It was so easy.   I used a combination of two patterns - one from Parkbird Patterns and the other from Amanda Soule Blake's Handmade Home .  Last week, I  finished a pouch sling for a baby gift.  So pretty.  I don't know if it will get used much.  But I feel good that I am passing on something that I found to be vital in my parenting.

I loved being so close to my babies.  It has helped meet their needs more easily.  It has also allowed me to meet my needs.  None of this would have been possible without all my baby carriers.  They have saved my sanity many times over and made me a better parent as well.

There is tons of information out there on wearing your baby.  If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you are missing!

Have a great day!