Baby carriers seemed super intimidating to me as a first time mom. Some looked super complicated. I worried about how I would put baby in them alone on maternity leave. I worried that my baby would not like any and we would just be wasting money! It was an unnecessarily stressful thing to purchase.
The truth is – as with all baby items, like baby swings or seats (I should probably do a post on that too), each baby will react differently to each type of carrier. And some baby’s may love being in any type, while others hate all of them. This knowledge comes with trial and error and you just won’t know until you try, unfortunately. So I do recommend starting with 1 type of carrier (maybe put your ideal one – for you – onto your registry) or two if you’re lucky enough to do so (like a structured and a wrap, for example). Once you get a better feel for your baby you will know which type of carrier(s) they prefer, and also what you prefer. Because it matters what you like mama! You’re the one wearing the damn thing!
With that being said – I will share the ones I have loved. I’ll let you know that both my babies have had different preferences so far too, so they’re not one size fits all.
Disclaimer: this is not a post about proper baby wearing technique, just a discussion of carriers that I have enjoyed. It is important that you follow the directions with each carrier to make sure you are wearing your baby safely and supportively. Please also consult with a pelvic physiotherapist or your healthcare provider if you have diastasis recti or other concerns about carrying. Please note that I do use affiliate links in this post, so I may earn from your purchases. If you are ever looking for my affiliate links or codes, they can be found on this page.
FYI – no affiliate links in here. Please be aware that I was gifted the Beluga Baby wrap but my review is not impacted by that and is honest and complete. This blog post is not associated directly with any of the brands. The other carriers were not gifted.
My Favourite Baby Carriers
Beluga Baby Wrap
So I am not a professional product reviewer – but I’ll do my best to capture what I like about each of these carriers and any potential issues.
The Beluga Baby wrap is awesome. Soft wraps like this are great for the newborn days and beyond (they actually make a structured carrier now too, the Beluga Buckle, for a good price!). Beluga Baby is a Canadian brand so that already checks a big box for me – I like to try and support Canadian where I can, as you’ll see from my Instagram.
The wrap is good up to 25 lbs – so for some kids, that is quite a big stretch of time. We technically could have carried Maggie in it until she was almost 18 months! I will say that this style of wrap in general is not as supportive as baby gets bigger – I preferred a structured wrap with Maggie if we were doing long walks or exercise for example, but this style was/is great for around the house. However, that could be preference – I know tons of people who use this style until they max out the weight capacity.
What I like about the BB wrap specifically is that it’s super soft and it’s easy to put on. Some wraps like this are super complicated, but on the other side of the spectrum some are really easy but then *I feel* not as supportive. The tying of the wrap does help to make it more secure, but I found the online tutorial for BB to be really helpful to guide me and I only had to watch it once to get the hang of it.
I have the Joplin and the Sawyer for colours (Rust and Black essentially). They are bamboo so that accounts for the softness of the material. It causes no irritation – I’ve worn it with long sleeves or tank tops. It also is light on your skin so you’re not sweating up a storm (some wraps feel hot!).
The wraps are also easy to wash! Put them in the washer and hang them or lie flat to dry. You can even throw them into the dryer on low but it may impact the colour or fabric integrity.
I don’t really have any complaints – my only “issue” per se is that James isn’t a huge fan of wraps! I had to take a break because he just wasn’t enjoying it after those early weeks, but we will revisit it now that he has better head control.
So my rating for this one is an A+ – because I don’t have anything negative to say about it, but like I said -each baby has their own preferences too! So you might have to combat with that.
Baby Björn Mini Carrier
We were gifted this carrier from our registry with our first baby. We actually attended the Baby Show in Toronto when I was pregnant with Maggie and tried it out at their booth. I wanted to get a carrier that both my husband and I could/would use.
The mini is good for children 0-12 months or up to 24 lbs in weight. Baby Bjorn has a selection of other carriers that go much beyond these restrictions – such as the Harmony and others.
You can see the tip of ours here haha!! I don’t take many photos with it on, but I do use it a lot.
Easy to wash – wash on warm and hang to dry. No tumble drying for this bad boy. We have the 3D Jersey style in dark grey – but the 3D mesh you’re not supposed to use fabric softeners with, notably.
Again – I am a terrible reviewer, because I have nothing negative to say about this one either. I use this and the BB for different days/purposes, but I like them both.
My only qualm with this one is that it only lasts to 24 lbs – which is the same as the Beluga Baby. So what do you do once you hit 24 lbs?
Ergo Baby Carrier
You get an Ergo Baby Carrier! They have a lot of options to choose from – but they also have an amazing quiz on their site that can help you decide which one works best for you! I think that’s super helpful.
They have carriers that will fit a newborn to a toddler, where you can in and out face and even back carry!
I have the Original Carrier, which lasts into toddlerhood if you so choose (*from 12lbs forward). It can support all carries – front, back and even hip.
What I really like about this one – when compared to the Baby Bjorn – is the thickness of the straps. It’s definitely a bit more heavy duty in that area, which is important for comfort if you’re wearing it for awhile. There is also a nice thick lumbar support strap – another plus. There is also a storage pocket! This is a great carrier for outdoor carrying – but also indoor/day to day. I like that it lasts for so long (if you want it to) and the extra support is a huge plus.
I’d say the only downfall to this one is that you can’t use it until baby is about 12 lbs – for my babies, this isn’t really an issue. But for smaller babies, you might have to wait a bit to get use out of this one – but then at least it lasts awhile!
Psst – I also noticed they have a preloved carriers section on their website! You can shop and sell!
Happy baby wearing!
elephantinthewomb.ca 
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