My Experience with Babywearing

I have had 3 carriers- a sling, the moby and the ergo

The Sling

Pros- small, easy to fit in a diaper bag, great for newborns, easy to put on
Cons- I was constantly checking to make sure the baby's chin wasn't touching his neck.  You have to buy the correct size and it is hard to gauge the correct size when you are pregnant. 

I had this one for Trey, but honestly he slept so well in his car seat that I didn't use it as much as the other ones.  I was also the most worried about how he fit in, but that could be that I was new mom so everything made me more nervous.  I wore it from birth until Trey was about a year (then I didn't really wear him again because I was already pregnant!). 

Moby Wrap- I had this for baby Charlotte and Esther.

Pros- Charlotte loved it, most like being in the womb, soft and easy to wash, I put it on before I go somewhere then when I get to the store I take the baby out of the carseat and put her in the moby.  It has much more back support than the sling.  One size fits all so if you lose weight after the baby you can just tie it around you tighter and it still fits.  I wore this for walks, going to the library with the baby and even apple picking when Charlotte was about 10 months old. 


Please forgive my exhausted look, this was the baby that didn't sleep :)  This is the moby with 2 week old Charlotte.  If I needed Charlotte to take a good nap when she was a newborn I put her in the moby. 

Esther in the moby at 2 months old.  She hated having her head tucked in so I always I had to hold her head.

Cons- For the newborn carry you have to tuck the baby's head into the fabric so it is truly hands free.  Charlotte did not mind this and liked being tucked in.  Esther hated it, even when she was fast asleep in the moby if I attempted to tuck her head in the fabric she would wake up and start screaming.  Also when you are out there is a ton of fabric to wrap around you so it is hard to keep it from touching the floor while wrapping. 

Ergo- Love this!! It is by far my favorite carrier of the three.  I have only had it for Esther, but I use it all the time. 

Pros- Great back support and easy to put on by yourself.  I can see how it would still be comfortable as baby gets older.  My  husband is willing to wear it if necessary (He wouldn't come close to the sling or moby:)  Esther loves it and she is not a fan of the Moby.  I feel very comfortable bending over wearing it as it is truly hands free, where as the other two carriers I always felt the need to keep one hand on the baby when I would bend over.  It also has a shade that you can pull over a sleeping baby to keep the head completely covered.

Cons- You have to get the newborn insert to use from birth-about 3/4 months.  About 3 1/2 months I stopped using the newborn insert for Esther because she had plenty of head control.  Trey had a very floppy neck so I probably would have had to use the insert longer for him.  Most expensive carrier.  The insert can be a bit warm, but if you are wearing baby anytime other than that hot summer months outside it is fine.  Plus if you have a newborn, you usually aren't outside for extended periods of time anyways.  Inside my house or a store I didn't find the newborn insert too hot. 

Esther in the newborn insert.

If I had to choose just one carrier I would invest in the ergo with the baby insert.  It is the most expensive, but I think it has the most longevity and is very supportive for the wearer's back and hips.  I thought about the K'tan breeze, but I don't know anyone personally who has a K'tan, so I was hesitant to buy it since I already have so many carriers :)  Also for help figuring out how to use each carrier there are tons of you tube videos!  Just search for the different carrier in you tube and watch the videos that demonstrate the different holds.  I found the videos way more helpful than the owners manuals. 

I bought my Ergo carrier and newborn insert off zulilly.com so I paid half the cost of it.  I don't know how often the Ergo is sold on zulily, probably every few months, but it is worth checking into.  I found the first 2 months of life I wore the baby all the time, even at home, just because it made my baby's sleep better and it was easier than sitting on the sofa holding them all day.  Once my baby's got out of the newborn sleeping all the time phase, I mainly use the carrier when I am out and about.  It is so much easier than lugging around the car seat or having to deal with the stroller every time I get in and out of the car.