Babble

I am returning to the US for two weeks and would like to pick up a new sling or baby carrier while we visit grandma.  I have the New Native sling, and it works decent, but I am wondering if there is something better out there.  We live in Costa Rica, so the heat is also an issue.  Any suggestions?  My son is 21 months old, tall, and skinny.  Thanks for any and all suggestions, including advice on things to avoid.

 

Pura Vida

The Ergo Carrier is the most comfortable carrier for a bigger baby or toddler. It's way easier on your back than most other carriers. It's mostly cotton so it's breathable but there's still a lot of fabric.

http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/ 

I would highly recommend a Mei Tai (pronounced may-tie) for carrying a toddler. It is a soft carrier that is worn over both shoulders so that it distributes the weight evenly. It is great for back carries, which older children really like. It also keeps your hands free . If you'd like more information about babywearing all over the world, check out www.thebabywearer.com.

i have a 20 month old son. he wieghs 29 lbs. i used a patapum (much like an ergo) for quite a while, but i got so skinny that most of the weight rested on my shoulders and not my hips. i tried a mei tai, maybe i didnt get a great one not sure but in the end what works best for me is a wrap

Thank you for the suggestions and the wonderfull baby wearing web site y'all hooked me up with.  I did return to the states, but was unable to locate anything impressive in person.  So I will be purchasing something online soon.  I'm still sifting through all of the reviews and trying to make a choice.  I'm leaning towards the asian carriers, and the slightly altered versions.  Maybe a Kozy mai tei,or a Connecta are at the top of the list so far.  I'd love to hear more opinions, and personal experiences!  :)

 

My absolute favorite is the BabyHawk (www.babyhawk.com I think). It's a MeiTai-style carrier but IMO it's more supportive and better looking than most other carriers of its kind. You can choose the color of the stripes and either two fabric panels or one panel only. You can also choose minkee (several colors available) to line the inside.

 I'm a fashion-conscious "alternative" mom so I'm more picky than some when it comes to choosing things like carriers, and the BabyHawk is definitely my favorite. I like the way the Beco looks, too, but I've never tried one.

check out www.karmababy.com too...they have dozens of hip and stylish styles and fabrics...plus a solar mesh kind that is very light, spf material that dries extremely quickly--might be nice for hot, humid climates!  Plus, they have wonderful customer service...owned and operated by a mom.

I also have an www.becobabycarrier.com similar to the Ergo (weight on the hips) but more stylish (again)...but fabrics may be too warm for you...

good luck!

I went through several carriers before I happened upon a Baby Trekker.  It is an amazingly comfortable device with loads of padding and the way that it distributes weight makes carrying a toddler a breeze.  I'm taller than the average mom, so your experience may vary.  Each mom has a favorite and so far the Baby Trekker is mine. You can pick a used one up at a very inexpensive price on ebay  from time to time if you want to get one cheap. 

Thanks for the tip about the BabyHawk HipMom76! It looks like a really cool product. I wrote about it today on Droolicious.

For a kid over 6 months old, personnally I swear by my Kid Carry (http://www.kidcarry.com/)

It uses the most natural carrying position for that age (on the hip). Thanks to the large belt, the weight is all on your waist instead of your shoulders, and, since the toddler isn't strapped in, you can put him on and off as ofthen as you want.

A life (and back) saver!

Bianca Neon 

 

   

Hi,

 

I live in montreal and I've just read your recommandation regarding the Mei Tai carrier. I'm looking for a carrier and I read on the Mei Tai. It seems to me that it's a very effective carrier but I'm wondering if it's a good choise when you use it during winter time, especially canadian winter. Since you live in Alberta where it snows, how to you cope with it?

We live in NY and it snows quite a bit here, too (in fact it's snowing right now). I would recommend getting a Kozy carrier made out of corduroy or a BabyHawk with a minkee lining. And of course the chuild should be wearing a coat and warm clothing. But I never had a problem with my BH because of the snowy weather - in fact I'm glad to have it because I can't use the stroller with all this snow!

I went with a Snugli backpack, not too expensive. If your son is that old, you won't be carrying him for much longer, so why spend all the money? This one goes up to 40 lbs. carrier and child. It has lots of functional pockets an a nice frame with a leg rest so you can sit down and get out of it without any help. An upgrade to that would be the Kelty, which is a real backpack manufacturer, and that makes theirs more functional and ergonomic.

I checked out the website and viewed the instructions. i did not see any instruction on carrying the baby infront and facing out, is this possible?

Is it easy to use?

 

I checked out the baby hawk website and viewed the instructions. i did not see any instruction on carrying the baby infront and facing out, is this possible?

Is it easy to use?