I love baby wearing! As someone who gets “touched out” on a daily basis, I didn’t think I would miss it. But there’s something very calming about feeling a little heart beat against mine. All three of my kids preferred to be worn rather than riding in a stroller. There are three styles of baby wearing I want to share with you:

Fabric Wrap

My favorite style of carrier for the newborn stage is a wrap! It keeps baby snug with no hard buckles or snaps. I find a wrap is the most supportive of baby’s head & neck. I use this style for hiking or power walking with a newborn. My favorite brand is the Solly Baby Wrap!

Pros: Lightweight & super soft fabric. Very supportive for baby & the wearer. It keeps the baby in one spot even when the wearer is moving around a lot.

Cons: Time consuming to wrap & has to be re-wrapped with each use. Expensive for how short of a time I use it. The extra fabric and how it’s wrapped can create a hot & sticky situation for baby and wearer.

Ring Sling

*This is my first time using a ring sling so I will update this review in a few months.*

I tried using the ring sling when Mila was a few weeks old and found that it wasn’t supportive enough for her wobbly head. I can see myself using it more as Mila gets bigger and I can put her on my hip. It is easier to use while I’m running errands or in a hurry. But it’s not my first choice for hiking or wearing for long periods of time. The brand I have is a hand me down Wild Bird Pattern Ring Sling.

Pros: Easy to put on & doesn’t have to be re-threaded with each use. Less fabric wrapped around the wearer. Can be used with heavier infants & toddlers. Easy to adjust the tightness and position of baby when they are in it.

Cons: Fabric isn’t as soft as the wrap (that could just be my particular sling though) It isn’t as snug or supportive for a tiny newborn. The tips that helped me use it comfortably & correctly came from a friend - not the brand website. I feel like the ring loosens and baby moves down when I’m really moving around.

Soft / Semi Structured Baby Carrier

If I could only recommend one style of carrier, this would be it! Most on the market are rated from the newborn stage through toddlerhood. I feel like this style is the most versatile and supportive. It is also the style I use & recommend for hiking with an infant or young toddler.

The Ergo Baby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh was the first soft carrier I tried and really fell in love with the style. I used the Ergobaby with Carson starting at 8 weeks old until I physically couldn’t wear him any longer without more structure (~25 lbs) However, you can still use it until the child is 45 lbs!

After my third baby was born a small business reached out asking if I wanted to try their carrier. Before trying the CO Carrier by CO Family Gear, I always recommended the Ergo to new parents. Now I would say the two carriers are tied for my favorite. They are comparable in features & cost. CO Family is a small business and has a more aesthetically pleasing style. The Ergobaby is a large corporation and the carrier is built for more extreme adventures.

Pros: Extremely supportive for baby and the most supportive carrier for the wearer’s back. The fabric is breathable and there’s no extra fabric hanging. The Ergobaby has a built in cover to protect baby’s head from the sun/rain/germs. The CO Carrier has a huge built in pocket for storage. With both brands baby can be worn on your stomach facing you, on the stomach facing outward, on your hip & on your back. They are both worth the investment because you can use it for so long.

Cons: Fabric is not as soft as the wrap or sling. There are buckles & snaps that make it feel less cozy for a newborn. It is not 100% adjustable to fit the wearer or baby.

CO Carrier on the front & Ergobaby on the back

Please please make sure your baby’s legs are in the W/M position while baby wearing. Dangling legs are not good for their developing hips. It is recommended to wait until they are 6 months before wearing them facing outward. It actually creates less back pain to wear them on your back when they get bigger instead of your stomach facing outward.