Updated August, 2021
Hands down, I swear by wraps and carriers. Sure, I might use a stroller here and there, but overall, my greatest preference is for carriers. Fussy baby that needs to be held all the time but you need to get things done? Carrier. Sick baby? Sleeping baby. Carrier all the way. Depending on your style, you are going to want one of these in your baby’s first years.
Carriers are a great way to hold your baby and be able to do work. I also used them at a lot of events, or for travel (Link to blog post for travel coming Spring, 2022), when I wasn’t sure how crowded or accessible a space would be. I’ve even used a carrier to run (walk… shuffle?) a 5k instead of pushing a stroller.
So how do you decide which carrier is right for you and your needs? I’ve ranked my top 3, in order of preference, below.
If I had to pick one and only one carrier, I would, 110%, get the Boba Wrap. I seriously cannot recommend it enough. It is a long stretch of fabric to be tied around you and baby to hold your little one close.
I took my kids everywhere using our Boba. They were along for the ride all the time and it was easy for them to fall asleep when they needed to. For this fast paced mom who is looking to do it all, this was the perfect accessory.
It did take some time for me to master how to tie it. Definitely two sets of hands for us in the beginning, though now I’m a regular and it’s easy. There are two ways to tie it as well: the newborn, for your little ones that don’t have head control yet, and another one for your older kids. There are also a lot of tutorials (not approved by the Boba company) on how to wrap them in different ways as well, including your hip, back, and outward facing. It fits kids up to 35 pounds, so plenty of room for growing.
Summary
Pros
- Hands Free – carry your little one and get stuff done around the house.
- Grows with you and baby – fits baby up to 35 pounds. Plus it’s a really long piece of fabric so it fits lots of bodies.
- Washable – it’s just fabric, nothing fancy to it. So toss it in the washer anytime you need to.
- Skin to skin – When my kids are sick, my favorite is to take their clothes off and my shirt off and I can wear them around the house with direct skin to skin. It has great coverage so I’ve even attended zoom meetings without a shirt and no one was the wiser (just don’t tell my boss!).
- Compact – It folds up well and fits nicely in my to go backpack.
- Affordable – I thought the cost of this was in the pretty affordable range, considering how expensive baby stuff can be.
Cons
Gotta learn it – You have to take the time to learn how to tie it correctly. If you don’t, it can actually be dangerous for your baby.
Verdict
If you don’t have one, get one. Seriously, my absolute favorite carrier and maybe even my favorite piece of baby equipment overall. 10/10.
Summary
Pros
- Easy to wear – very simple to follow directions and won’t require a video to figure out the first 10 times you are trying to wear it.
- Multiple wearing options – The Omni baby is approved for wearing baby outward facing, inward facing, on your back, and on your hip. This diversity helps as your child grows and wants and needs different things.
- No insert required – unlike many previous iterations of the Ergo Baby, you do not need to purchase an infant insert to make it safe for your tiny human.
Cons
- Cost – This particular model of the Ergo Baby is a little steep for my pocketbook
- 7 Pound Minimum – As someone whose first kid was 6 pounds and second kid was 2 pounds, the 7 pound minimum was a pretty significant drawback.
- Warm – I know it has breathable mesh, but man this thing gets hot still!
Verdict
If you have a Boba Wrap already, this redundancy really isn’t necessary. But if wraps aren’t your thing, the Ergo baby is comfortable, easy to use, and lasts a long time. 8/10.
I recently started to warm up to the Chicco brand and really like their stuff. So when I was looking for a backpack, I found their Chicco SmartSupport Backpack and decided to give it a try. I had a very old backpack carrier that we had received from the kid’s grandmother and I will say, get one with padding!
I want to be clear that the backpack carrier isn’t really your everyday carrier. Think of it as more of a stroller alternative. It’s great for festivals, hiking, and long walks. I wouldn’t wear it at a convention or to go to the store.
Again, you really want to take the time to learn how to wear this one. If you are busty, it can be a little awkward around the breasts. I found the kid’s dad used it way more often than I did.
Summary
Pros
- Folds flat – While not completely flat, it gets reasonably thin which makes it great for storing.
- Adjustable – Fits a lot of body types and sizes. Adjustable for both your body and your child’s.
- Perfect for hiking – the backpack is my go to for hiking and places like the Renaissance Fair.
- Kickstand feature – Need a seat on the go for your kid? Just take the backpack off and put out the kickstand and your child has a place to sit next to you.
Cons
- Older kids only – Your child has to be 17 pounds to go in this carrier. That means it really isn’t for infants or babies.
- Not really a day-to-day carrier – I would use a Boba or the Ergo Baby for things like around the house or the grocery store. The backpack is a little more bulky than everything else.
- Kind of heavy – 6.5 pounds is the weight of the pack. Plus your child has to be 17 pounds to go in it. So at a minimum, you are lugging around an extea 23 pounds. Not a deal breaker for some, but neither would I categorize this as super light weight.
- Can be awkward – Adjusting this is pretty important, but I felt like it was always awkward to put my kids into. And then once they were in, I’d have to figure out a way to maneuver it onto my shoulders and stand up. Much easier when there were two of us.
- Minimal storage – weirdly this bag doesn’t have a whole lot of pockets and storage stuff. So that’s less than ideal for me.
Verdict
If you do a lot of hiking and your kids aren’t up for it yet AND you have a second person to help you situate your child, then I would say 8/10. If you never hike or you don’t really want to carry your older children around in general, it drops to a 5/10. Honestly, get one if it is your jam, but don’t feel like this is a must have piece of equipment.
