Kiddipedia
Nikki Wilkins is a Certified Baby Carrier Consultant and founder of Australia’s largest and longest running baby carrier store, Nurture Nest
Many parents or parents-to-be are aware of the incredible benefits of babywearing and that a safe, comfortable and easy to use baby carrier is a must-have for their parenting tool-kit. With a large range of options available that tick all of these boxes, choosing a baby carrier for your family can seem overwhelming.
The easiest way to select the one that’s right for you is to begin with the type of baby carrier you think you’d be most confident to use.
Below is a summary of the 5 main types of baby carriers to make the process much easier for you
Stretchy Wraps
Stretchy wraps are a popular choice for parents of newborns who are open to purchasing more than one baby carrier.
Once you get the hang of tying them, they are really easy to use. The most loved feature is that once you’ve put it on, you can take the baby in and out without re-tying it.
The limitation with stretchy wraps is that due to the nature of the fabric, they can become uncomfortable when babies weigh around 8-10kg. If your budget only allows for one baby carrier or your baby is already older than 5 months, we suggest skipping the stretchy wrap and purchasing something with a longer lifespan.
If you’d love to start your babywearing journey with the popular stretchy wrap, you can’t go past a Lillebaby ‘Tie the knot’ wrap.
Woven Wraps
If you want something really versatile, super snuggly, and very supportive for a newborn through to toddlerhood and beyond, woven wraps are a great choice. Learning to wrap does involve a bigger learning curve than most of the other options, however once you learn how to do one carry confidently, you’ll be able to use it with ease.
Woven wraps are long (the most popular sizes vary from about 3.6 metres to 4.6 metres) but you’ll be surprised how quickly you can use up this length when tying. It can be a little cumbersome if you’re wrapping/unwrapping when stepping out of the car in the rain, and if you feel like you need something really quick and easy to use you may like to consider a mei tai or a buckle carrier instead.
Our top pick for newborn woven wraps is the Pure Baby Love woven wrap as they incredibly soft straight away and are perfect against delicate newborn skin.
Mei Tai’s
Mei Tai’s are semi structured carriers which have a panel and have 4 long straps coming from it which form the waistbelt and shoulder straps. You simply tie it around you and your baby each time.
Many Mei Tai’s on the market have an adjustable panel that grows with your baby, so infant inserts are not necessary.
Our favourite mei tai is the Fidella Fly Tai. The panel is very adjustable to suit from birth to toddlerhood (the ‘baby’ size), or from 3 months through to toddlerhood (the ‘standard’ size, which extends to be even bigger than the very generous ‘baby’ size)
Ring Slings
Ring slings are great for newborns as they’re quite quick to put on, although they do have a bit of a learning curve. Their limitation is that they only carry across one shoulder so if you have back problems or are planning on purchasing only one baby carrier, we suggest considering something that distributes the weight across two shoulders like all of the other options mentioned above. If you’re wanting an extra carrier to use for quick trips to the shop or folds up really small in your bag as a ‘just-in-case’ then they are a great option.
We love Girasol ring slings or Little Frog ring slings
Buckle Carriers
Buckle carriers are the most popular baby carrier type available, mostly due to their ease of use. They are incredibly quick to put on, and there isn’t much of a learning curve at all. They also tend to be a favourite with most males who are looking for something quick and simple to put on.
It’s important to select a buckle carrier that has the option for a wide base (where the baby sits), to ensure adequate support for the baby’s hips and spine as they grow.
Newborns generally need either a carrier that can fold down to have a narrower base or an infant insert until they are tall enough to fit into a carrier with a wide base (usually around 5 months, but it varies)
Our suggestion for newborns is the Lillebaby Carrier which doesn’t require an infant insert.
Many people agree that it’s worth having at least one buckle carrier in your house as your baby/toddler grows. If you’re looking for something to last from birth through to toddlerhood and beyond that your whole household will be happy to use, a buckle carrier really is a wonderful option.
So there you have it – choosing a baby carrier made simple!
If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Nurture Nest
You might also like to read:
Safety Considerations When Using (and Choosing) Your Baby Carrier
