Structured Baby Carriers - Feel the love!

If you've ever met me, you know I'm obsessed with babywearing! But not just babywearing, I am also obsessed with baby carriers and the quest for the best baby carrier. I am not by any stretch of the imagination alone in this pursuit. You can easily find a number rapidly approaching 50,000 of us worldwide on the forums at The Baby Wearer.

Not only is babywearing a way to foster a highly attached relationship with your baby, it is also practical and convenient, and those are huge draws for me. Don't get me wrong, I am an Attachment Parenting Leader and have been an AP parent since my older daughter was born over 7 years ago. I have also been teaching babywearing of all kinds of baby slings and carriers for three years and am a NINO babywearing Leader. If you live in South Florida, come to a free babywearing meeting!

Babywearing in comfort

The key thing for me when looking for a baby carrier is comfort for both me and my baby, and an ergonomically correct position for baby. To that end, I have researched all the styles of baby carriers that are out there and found that for comfort, ergonomics, and ease of use, nothing beats babywearing in a structured baby carrier.

What's so great about structured baby carriers?

Funny you should ask! Well, the best thing is that they are symmetrical and support baby's weight on both shoulders and your hips. Ask any chiropractor and she'll tell you that it's best to do things with your body that are symmetrical: the same on both sides. With this type of baby carrier, the baby's weight is supported by both shoulders so your spine stays in proper alignment. For me, this has meant an end to back and neck problems. With my first daughter, I mainly relied on pouches and other asymmetrical baby carriers and both my husband and I suffered a lot of neck and back pain. We were both thrilled to leave that behind and not have to give up babywearing entirely as so many do!

Babywearing Positions

Any of the structured baby carriers is suitable for babywearing on the front or the back. These carriers can be worn comfortably for hours because the baby's weight is supported so effectively. In addition, the Beco, Ergo and Yamo can all be used for babywearing in a hip carry (side carry), although this means that you are no longer supporting baby's weight on both your shoulders and it is asymmetrical. For that reason, I would not recommend the hip carry for extended babywearing if you are prone to back or neck issues or if you start to feel discomfort. I will say this - the hip carry saved me once. My baby was sick with a fever on a very hot day and I wasn't feeling so great myself. I couldn't put her down and she was too clingy and needy for a back carry; she needed to be close to me. But tummy to tummy was too hot! The hip carry allowed enough airflow between us that I could still hold her close but not get exhausted. Thank goodness I had a baby carrier with me that allowed me this flexibility.

Many people find it tricky to close the chest strap when doing a front carry. The truth is, when I got my Ergo, I was so freaked out because I couldn't manage it, so it sat on the back of my dining room chair and mocked me for a week until I really needed it one day. It's actually rather easy to do. The two things to remember are to loosen one or both shoulder straps so you will be able to reach behind you to close the chest strap, and also, if you are having trouble finding the two buckles to put together, close your eyes! I am not sure why this works, but it really does help when trying to do something that requires dexterity and is out of your field of vision. Another method is to close the chest strap in front of you, lift it over your head, and then put baby in and tighten the shoulder straps.

For back carries, I suggest studying the instructions on The Ergo Structured Baby Carrier Instructional DVD. Again, I was absolutely terrified to do a solo back carry. It is always wise to begin on the floor or on a bed, with mirrors and someone spotting you. If possible, attend a NINO Babywearing meeting.

Padding

Not only are the shoulder straps nicely padded, the waist belt is also made of soft padding which helps transfer the weight to your hips or waist, depending on where you chose to wear it.

Age

Newborn

Structured baby carriers can be used from newborn with an infant insert or around 4-6 months without, until your child reaches 40 pounds, or is 3-5 years old. Also, there are tricks to using them for front carries without an infant insert. For more information, check out The Ergo Lady's Tips & Tricks. Although there are slight variations in the structured baby carriers, most of the information on this page will apply to any of the structured baby carries. It's generally considered "cheating" to use a structured baby carrier with a newborn without the infant insert, but it's totally doable. And it's fine to use the infant insert with a different brand structured baby carrier. Ergo has some very cool techniques on The Ergo Structured Baby Carrier Instructional DVD which now comes free with any Ergo but can be purchased separately. If you choose to skip the infant insert, some things to try are having baby sit on his feet, froggy style, or putting both feet together and out to the side. Always take care with infants how you position the arm that is closest to you.

Baby-Toddler

Babies can be worn on the front with the legs open from around 3-4 months of age. When you find yourself holding your baby in this position, that is the time to start using the baby carrier like this. A baby carrier is meant to hold a baby in positions we naturally use, just hands free. The structured baby carriers all allow front carries at any age. Some people think babies of a certain age must be carried on the back but this has not been my experience. Properly adjusted, a front carry is still quite comfortable. My 2 1/2 year old rides on front all the time and insists on it if she is sleepy or cranky!

Nursing

It is very easy to nurse a baby in a structured baby carrier. All you have to do is loosen the shoulder straps so baby is lower and latch baby on. It really is that simple. If desired, you can lift your baby's bottom and shift him (along with the baby carrier) a bit to the side you are nursing on. When nursing with the infant insert, simply make sure your baby is slightly reclined and positioned at your breast. The Ergo Structured Baby Carrier Instructional DVD provides excellent directions for nursing newborns and all ages in a structured baby carrier.

Sleep hood

All the structured baby carriers come with a sleep hood. I must admit that this took some practice for me to learn to use but it is well worth the effort. When your baby is on your front, you simply lean back a bit when you realize your baby has fallen asleep, and then secure the sleep hood to the attachments on your shoulders. When the baby is on your back, it does require a bit of practice or help to get the sleep hood on. I could not for the life of me do this in under two minutes at first, but now it's very straightforward. When you realize your baby is falling asleep, lean forward so her head will rest on your back. You might want to wait a few more minutes to be sure she is well and truly asleep. Then you hold both straps of the sleep hood, one in each hand, and lift them simultaneously over your shoulders. If you do it correctly, you'll catch your baby's head in the hood. You can hold one strap in your teeth while you fasten the other one, then fasten the second strap. It's best to feel your baby's head to make sure it's covered or check your work in a mirror or reflection.


Structured baby carrier specifications comparison chart (DRAFT Nov 2006)

	Waist Belt	Shoulder Straps	Body	Colors	Baby Carrier Weight	Sleep hood	Notes
Ergo	Waist circumference extends from 25" up to 43" and with the additional waist extender 8" can be added. Waist belt has safety elastic.	Tighten down and towards baby. Have buckle so can be crossed or used in hip carry position.		Black, Blue, Cranberry, Camel, Organic Denim	28 oz	Secures via quiet snaps, stored with straps through D-rings or sleep hood in small pocket	Quilted body. 100% cotton canvas outside and 100% cotton poplin lining and hood.
Beco	Waist belt: 30" long padding on the biggest setting, 24" on the smallest, 4" tall, webbing is 2" wide and 16" long. Fits waist ranging from 22" to 46" without waist extender. Waist extender is available for longer waist.	Tighten by pulling up. Length: 24" long on the biggest setting, 17" on the smallest setting, padded area 13", 3.5" wide. Have buckle so can be crossed or used in hip carry position.	Body: 13" wide at the base, 15" at the widest point (shoulder straps level), 17" tall. Leg pads: 2" wide, 5" long	Various gorgeous prints		Hood: 10" wide, fold into its own pocket, fits children up to 24" tall when measured seated on the floor, from the floor to the top of the head. Secures via plastic clip.	100% cotton.
Yamo	Waist belt has safety elastic.	Tighten by pulling up or down. The strap has a buckle in the middle. Have buckle so can be crossed or used in hip carry position.		Black, Blue, Mocha, Red, Red/white print, Black/white print	15 oz		100% cotton
Patapum		Tighten by pulling down		Black, Navy, Tan		Mesh detatchable sleep hood. Attaches with snaps.	100% cotton fabrics (canvas outside, brushed twill inside).
Toddler Patapum		Extra strap clips after putting baby in to help support baby's weight.		Black, Navy, Tan		Mesh detatchable sleep hood. Attaches with snaps.	100% cotton fabrics (canvas outside, brushed twill inside).

I am thrilled with the selection of structured baby carriers we have in our store and have lots of personal experience with all of them so feel free to call with questions before ordering.

Here are more details on each of the structured baby carries.

The Ergo Structured Baby Sling Carrier

The Ergo is the workhorse of structured baby carriers and by far the most well known. If you intend to do long hikes, this would probably be the best choice. This is the most comfortable for both baby and parent. The body of the carrier is quilted and gently padded under baby's thighs.

Another feature unique to the Ergo is the two darts in the bottom of the body of the carrier. These darts help the body retain the shape of your baby's tush so he can sit nicely in the little seat and the waist strap is automatically positioned correctly against your body. In the other carriers, sometimes the waist strap isn't flush to your body and when that happens, most of the weight will be taken by your shoulders, which is exhausting. Should that happen, simply reach inside the carrier with both hands and lift your baby's tush, and position it more deeply in the body of the baby carrier.

The sleep hood secures via quiet plastic snaps. When it is not in use, simply run the straps through the D-rings at the side or stuff the hood in the small pocket at the back. The sleep hood is very adjustable so it should be long enough as long as your baby is of an age to fall asleep on you unless you have a very tall child. My daughter is 2 1/2 and we still have room on the sleep hood. We rarely use the sleep hood anymore but on occasion, it is still wonderful. We may have some class or appointment we must get to that is right at her nap time. When we get where we are going, I pop her in the Ergo and she stays asleep!

The Organic Denim Ergo comes with a navy drawstring bag. There is also a tote available. It's well worth having a bag for your baby carrier so you don't accidently squash a buckle in your car door.

The Beco Structured Baby Sling Carrier

There was quite a buzz when the Beco came out, and rightly so! This is by far the prettiest of the structured by carries, and there are so many different colors, there is definitely something for everyone.

The body of the Beco is much longer than the others. My daughter is 2 1/2 in this picture and you can see it is so high, she still keeps her arms in. This is a great feature for a child that leans back when you try babywearing. If your child is not used to babywearing, this would be a great choice because of the extra safety of the long body.

The shoulder straps on the Beco tighten by pulling up.

The Beco comes with a nifty strap that allows you to roll it into itself at your waist. This is wonderful when you are at a park and don't have any place to leave it.

Although there is an optional infant insert, it is possible to use the Beco with a newborn and even nurse hands-free without the infant insert. With guidance, you could nurse use any of the structured baby carries with a newborn without the infant insert, but probably not be able to nurse hands-free. The longer body of the Beco winds up supporting the baby's head quite well for nursing.

It comes with a matching bag. It's well worth having a bag for your baby carrier so you don't accidently squash a buckle in your car door.

The Yamo Structured Baby Sling Carrier

I was so thrilled to discover the Yamo! It is very light, like the Beco, but comes in neutral colors that my husband might be caught out alive wearing. The Beco was, ah, not to his taste! Okay, I'll fess up. I've been jonesing for a mocha baby carrier for so long now, it isn't funny. I guess it's no accident that the mocha sold out immediately. The other colors are also super nice, I promise!

The material of the Yamo is indescribably soft and yet very rugged and sturdy. I don't know what they're doing over there in Israel, but they got something right with this baby carrier.

The shoulder straps on the Yamo tighten by pulling up or down. The shoulder strap has a buckle in the middle which gives you the freedom to choose how you want to tighten it.

Although there is no infant insert sold with the Yamo, it is possible to use it with an Ergo infant insert or even no infant insert. This would fall into the "cheating" category.

It comes with a matching bag. It's well worth having a bag for your baby carrier so you don't accidently squash a buckle in your car door.

The Patapum Structured Baby Sling Carrier

The Patapum comes in an infant and toddler version. Although the infant version is not strictly intended for under the age of 6 months, most babies will be able to use it at around 3-4 months, and it is also possible to "cheat" and use it from newborn with or without an infant insert.

The Patapum is a very streamlined baby carrier. It is my experience that it is better suited to slightly smaller people than the Ergo.

The sleep hood detaches when not in use and attaches easily via snaps. It is made of light, breathable mesh.

The Toddler Patapum is intended for older and heavier babies. It has an extra strap which is designed to help support the baby's weight.