You may have noticed a new (ish) trend on the baby carrier scene. Gone are the days of lugging baby in your arms or pushing that cumbersome stroller (unless you like the cumbersome stroller – and well, sometimes I just do.) Options have unfolded big time over the last few years in the baby carrier arena. Front carriers, wraps and slings..Oh my! (I couldn’t resist)
So, we’re going to give our version of the rundown on a few of these and you can decide if any of them are right for you. First up the front carriers. Popular models like the Baby Bjorn and Snugli are the two that come to mind. I had a Snugli with my first born. It was definitely useful, but I only ended up using it a few times before it found it’s way to the back of the closet. For me, it caused a little back pain as the position of the child in relation to my horrible posture just didn’t work out. A plus of this one is the wipeable/washable fabric and secure clips. You can grab the Snugli at Babies R Us, along with many other carriers.
Next up – wraps. This Birmingham Mommy hasn’t tried one, but oh they look so comfortable. A popular model is the Moby Wrap. Available in a variety of colors and fabric types – this one looks pretty cozy for baby. I’ve seen a few of you Birmingham mommies around town in this thing and I likey!
Finally, slings. I use a hotsling now with my second child. She’s a large 9 month old and I couldn’t be happier. She prefers nothing more than being on my hip and thankfully, the hip carry position allows her to do just that – as long as she’d like. I love its ease of use, easy storage (it’s fabric, it folds) and easy clean-up. The fabric choices alone are enough to make you drool and it also washes well with no pilling. Hotslings makes it easy to become a pro at baby wearing by including an extremely helpful DVD that will teach you about all the different posistions for wearing your baby. It’s very comforatble with no rings or buckles to hassle with. Our only advice is to make sure you get the right size for maximum comfort. You can find Hotslings locally at The Swanky Stork in Homewood or Patiently Waiting in Tuscaloosa.
The few mentioned here are only a small sample of what’s out there. Still not sure? Check out the Magic City Slingers!!
