7 Things No One Tells You About Buying A Baby Carrier!

1. Wait! There are THAT many different types of carriers?

Do you want a soft structured carrier? For infants or extended use? What about slings? What the heck is a Mei Tai? A rum-based drink from Hawaii?

Ok, let’s take a deep breath. Carriers come in a variety of types. Let’s review:

• Front carriers (AKA Soft Structured Carriers or SSC) are the most well-known and popular of all the carrier types. The 800-pound gorilla in this category is the Baby Bjorn, which is Sweden’s most successful export since ABBA.

Front carriers basically are designed like a fabric pouch worn on your chest with straps connecting at the shoulders and waist with buckles or snaps. These type of carriers are made for infants up to around 30 pounds although some hybrids like the Boba 4G can carry older kids up to 45 lbs. Nowadays, soft structured carriers are more flexible, allowing baby to be carried on your back and hip as well as in front.

The Baby Bjorn One is one of the top selling soft structured front carriers.

• A sub category of front carriers is the mei tai (meh dai), or Asian carrier. Inspired by carriers used in Asia (particularly China), mei tais have an unstructured body and are tied on rather than buckled. This allows for infinite adjustment.

• Slings and pouches (which are unstructured carriers) have been around for centuries. These carriers are basically pockets of fabric that can be adjusted with a ring or velcro. Babies can recline in slings or sit upright once they’re old enough. Most slings and pouches are only rated up to 35 lbs., so they are more appropriate for infants.

• Wrap around carriers are one long piece of cloth that is twisted and folded to create a pouch for baby. Typically the fabric has some stretch to it. This type of carrier has the steepest learning curve for parents. Most designs are intended for smaller, younger babies up to 35 lbs.

• Backpack or frame carriers are designed for hiking with lightweight aluminum frames, high quality waterproof fabrics and ergonomically designed straps. Many include sunshades, lots of storage and adjustable seating as baby grows. Here's an example from Deuter:

2. Think about how long you envision using a carrier.

The most common baby carriers (Baby Bjorn Original, for example) are designed for use up 25 lbs. The average boy would reach this weight around 18 months (girls a few months after that). Other carriers aim for extended use, up to 30 or even 45 pounds (that’s a three or four old). Our advice: there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Perhaps you only envision using a carrier in baby's first year. If extended baby wearing is something you’d like to try, you’ll need to focus on brands with higher weight limits, like ERGObaby, Boba, Beco and so on.

3. Just because you love a carrier doesn’t mean you baby will.

That's right—some babies can be darn right fussy about carriers. Your baby may love carrier A but hate style B, so hang on to your receipt (or buy from a source with a good return policy). Every baby is different, so a carrier that works for your sister-in-law may induce screaming fits from your baby. Some moms actually buy a couple types of carriers to see what works, then return the ones that don’t.

4. Baby wearing looks simple, but be aware of these key safety precautions.

Back in 2010, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued these baby wearing tips:

• Premature infants and those with low birth weight (under 7 lbs., including twins or infants with breathing issues such as a cold) should not be placed in a sling.
• Make sure the infant’s face is not covered and can be seat at all times regardless of the type of carrier you’re using.
• Frequently check on your baby to make sure he is breathing.

Check the graphic to see how to correctly and incorrectly wear your baby:

5. Some carriers have a steep learning curve.

An example: wraps. These long pieces of fabric need to be wrapped surprisingly tight to keep baby in the proper position and support a parent’s back. This can take some practice.

Wraps are difficult to learn at first, so check the instructions and videos for tips and help.

Yes, slings are the easiest carrier to use, but still may require a little practice. Make sure you read the directions, watch instructional videos online and practice before you try your carrier with an actual baby. The first few times, you may want to have a second person handy to help you get all the adjustments correct.

6. Cheap carriers come with a hidden cost.

Yes, there are $15 baby carriers at discount stores. What’s the difference between this and our recommended carriers, which run about $150-$200?

A truth about carriers: a cheap carrier is no bargain if it hurts your back or is uncomfortably hot. And sadly, those $15 carriers score low on parent happiness, according to the many interviews we've done over the years with parents.

When purchasing a carrier, investing more money buys comfort and ease of use. For example, the fabric is softer when you spend more and the padding is thicker. Often hook and loop closures are industrial strength (Velcro vs. Aplix, for example) with more pricey carriers.

Deluxe slings may come with padded side rails and more expensive back pack carriers may have toddler stirrups to help older kids sit up comfortably.

7. Optional accessories are often worth the price.

Drool bibs that attach to carrier, sunshades for backpack carriers, extra long straps to fit a spouse—all worthy extras! One of our faves: teething pads for the ERGObaby carriers. Love ‘em.

Teething pads for the ERGObaby carrier run and extra $20.