Which Baby Carrier Is Best? Ergo Baby!

There are a few basics most people purchase/receive when having a child. Strollers, cribs, carriers, etc. With multiples you have at least two kids and only two hands … So, most will be a carrier. Let me tell you, not all carriers are created equal!!!!! I have tried my share. Let me tell you about each one and why I liked it or disliked it. Hopefully, it will help you to make the choice that fits your needs.

Maya Wrap
The Maya Wrap was one of my first carriers. I enjoyed having it for the tiny babies. It is important to watch the video that comes with it, or online if you did not get one. This carrier has a learning curve. I don’t know how many women I have helped when I see them walking around with their baby hanging down by their hips! You have to have it lined correctly and have the baby snug against your body.

I did use this carrier with twins when they were very small. However, it wasn’t a practical, everyday use. I think to use it more with two, you would need two carriers. The thing I liked MOST about this carrier was how instrumental it was in breastfeeding in public. When the twins were only a few months old, I walked around the mall with Z breastfeeding while I pushed B in the stroller. My husband didn’t believe me when I told him! He had to look under the wrap to actually see him! He was in awe how easy and discreet it was!

I also liked it when we traveled to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho when the twins were about 3 months old. DH and I were seated away from each other because of the air mask arrangements and having 2 infants that did not have a seat. I was able to nurse one baby on take off and landing in the very confined space without notice. In addition, it blocked the twins from being distracted.

What I disliked about this carrier is that it was short-lived. I know of some people who can use it for a longer period of time, but at about four months I could not. Having had back problems, it aggravated my back. It goes over one shoulder and around one side. This made me feel somewhat lopsided as they got heavier. I switched often, but got to a point where I couldn’t comfortably carry them. I still kept it with me for nursing until they were about a year … but as a carrier, it had long passed its usability for me.

Moby Wrap
I didn’t discover the Moby Wrap until the kids were about 10 months. Had I discovered it earlier, I think I would have chose this over the Maya. It wraps around your whole back and gives full support. My daughter also liked being able to face out. This would also be a more stable wrap for carrying newborn twins. The best thing about this one is that you can actually make it fairly cheaply without sewing! You just have to cut the fabric in half. One note, if you do make one, get about 1/2 a yard more fabric than the directions call for… as I found it just a bit short.

Again though, I did not like this as they got heavier. Perhaps with more practice I would have felt more comfortable, but it is not easy to get them on your back … and carrying a heavy baby on the front is hard on the parent. In addition, the fabric is quite long. I found it difficult to put it on without getting the fabric on the dirty ground. If you are interested in creating one here is the site: http://www.mamatoto.org/.

Kelty Hard Frame Carrier
The Kelty Child Carrier is similar to what my parents used for me. I see a lot of people use this type of carrier for hiking. To me, it felt like it put a lot of pressure on my shoulders. In addition, the kids enjoyed kicking me in the back. I know some people who LOVE this carrier. It just didn’t work for me. Your child needs to be a bit older than some of the other carriers. By that time, I felt like it pulled on my shoulders. In addition, my research shows that a child hanging with the support around their crotch is not good for hip development. It takes up a lot of room (can’t just be thrown under the stroller) and was not condusive to everyday ease of use.

Baby Björn Carrier
The Baby Björn is probably one of the most used carriers. We purchased two before the kids were born. That’s what I thought I was suppose to have! I see them everywhere. I am a member of the local babywearer group… and let me tell you, amoung us, this carrier is a joke to baby wearing!!!! Whoever created this must not have worn their baby often! What makes me sad is that many moms who use this carrier quit around six months. At that point, the baby is heavier and it pulls on your back and shoulders. It also does not help your posture. Moreso, as stated with the previous carrier, it is bad for your babies hip development. If you have received one of these or bought one, take it back!

MacLaren Quilted Baby Carrier
The Maclaren Baby Carrier is similar to the Bjorn. I got one of these from another mom… hoping it would work better than the B’jorn. While it felt a little more comfortable, I ended up having the same problems.

Ergo Baby
I saved the best for last. The Ergo Baby is by far my favorite! There are only a few things I could not live without, being a mother of twins. This is one of them!!!! It is a soft structured carrier. Its design makes the weight of your child be distributed along your hips, shoulders, back, and chest. So, there is no strain on one area. You can use it on your front, hip, or back. We didn’t purchase one of these until the kids were about 13 months old. I WISH I would have found out about this carrier sooner! It can be used from birth to about 45 lbs!!!!!!! With this carrier, you don’t need another!

We had borrowed one to try it out. I immediately fell in love! With caring for a third child while having twins, I needed all the extra help I could get! B didn’t walk until she was about 15 1/2 months. So, I would strap her to my back while I chased the other two around the park. My husband also loved this carrier! While he hardly ever used the other kinds (due to lack of comfort or complexity of use) he was drawn to this one. I found when we went out, he was always taking it, leaving me with a single stroller or carrying a baby. Within a month, we bought a second, we have NEVER regretted it!!!!!

Here are just a few ways it has made our life easier:

1. When one of the children is in a “needy, I-have-to-be-held-every-moment-I’m-awake” phase. I just put them in the Ergo. I can have one of them in it while doing housework, care for the other kids, etc. while still giving that child the comfort of being carried.
2. When shopping I put one on my back and the other in the cart. It takes away the struggle of using the multi-child carts (which my children are just now old enough for) or having to push a stroller and pull a cart.
3. Toddlers are into everything! Having multiples might make a person shy away from parties and other get togethers. Now, when we go to one, my husband and I each put a child on our backs! We can hand them a snack, walk around and socialize, while the kids are able to see everything from our point of view, and they can’t get into things!
4. Walking around a festival can be daunting when you are pushing a stroller, especially a double stroller! We put the kids on our back and are free to wonder around as we like. Last fall we walked around for three hours with the kids on our backs. Z was on mine and was 27lbs at the time. I probably could have walked around even longer. The carrier made it so comfortable and easy!
5. Some stores have eisles that are just too narrow for a double stroller. I will put one in an umbrella stroller and put one in the Ergo. Then, I can wonder around without feeling trapped by the stroller.
6. Now the kids have been walking for awhile. I can hold their hands and we can walk into a store, library, etc. However, as we all know, kids don’t always want to do what you want them to. I have found leaving an area can sometimes be a problem… I’m sure you can recall seeing a child throw themselves on the floor in a fit, not wanting to leave. With multiples, what do you do in this situation? Hold the screaming child in one arm while trying to old the hand of the other? Not take the chance and always take the stroller? I just put the Ergo around my waist when going in. If leaving becomes a problem, I just put the child in the carrier. Then, I still have two hands free for the other child. Or, to carry the other child.

I could talk all day about this carrier. I use mine almost daily. Just today I went to the mall with a friend. I put Z on my back and the other two in the stroller. I wanted to get some exercise and did a speed walk around the mall for about 40 min… probably about two miles. It was so easy… even with 30 lbs on my back. I feel no ache from carrying him! When we went to Florida for hubbys’s Ironman triathlon, I even used both carriers (one on front and one on the back) to walk back to the hotel!