Ergo Baby Carrier - The Best Baby Wearing Compared

The Ergo baby carrier is hailed by many attachment parenting mamas as the best of baby carriers on the market. There are so many though, you might feel dizzy trying to sort through them to make the choice!

You would probably agree that any baby wearing product promotes bonding with baby. This is great for kids mental health. However, in my history of baby wearing I have found my Ergo baby carrier to be the best of all baby carriers!

From the time I had my daughter till now with my two and a half year old son I am an avid baby wearer and attachment parenting mama. I have bought and tried many carriers of different kinds and brands in order to find the 'perfect one'. My ninth and current carrier is the Ergo baby carrier, and I can't say enough good things about it. It is fabulous!

Baby wearing has been employed for many years all over the world, with Africa and Asia being the forerunners.

A great advantage is that babies are "humanized" at a younger age when they are carried because they develop socially. By being close to you they can study facial expressions, learn language more quickly and become familiar with body language.

Did you know, not all baby carriers are equal! If you enjoy baby wearing or want to start, let me share with you what I have learned in my search leading up to the Ergo Baby Carrier.

Please remember though, the 'best' baby sling, or the 'best' baby backpack carrier is subjective to how it feels on you..

Some of the factors involved are size of wearer, temperament of baby, what kind of activity you are using the carrier for and for how long - for example if you use it to breastfeed or for long walks. And, in the end it comes down to personal preference.

1 Soft structured carriers support your baby in the upright position while lending support to her head. They are equipped with padded shoulder straps and are fastened with buckles for relatively quick on and off. However, of this category I have owned and worn five different ones, and although they all look somewhat similar at first glance the comfort level can differ dramatically.

The Baby Trekker was my third carrier. It was a vast improvement on the previous two. Read about the comparisons.

I really enjoyed using the baby bjorn active carrier for a time. It was very easy to put on, with just two buckles to fasten each time you put it on - one around your waist and one after the baby is in. It also has a very streamlined, classy look which I missed with the Baby Trekker. We were comfortable with it till my son was almost a year old. After that, my son was just too big and heavy for it, and it was starting to put too much pressure on my neck and shoulders! Not so with my Ergo baby carrier.

The Beco Baby Carrier is very well liked by many moms and dads according to reviews - maybe the closest rival to the Ergo baby carrier. It looks like a mei tai but is considered to be a soft structured carrier because it has buckles to fasten (some refer to it as a hybrid mei tai).

This was my second carrier, my first soft structured carrier. It is more affordable than many popular carriers.

The Pikkolo is also a hybrid mei tai carrier as it looks like a mei tai but has buckles to fasten for quick on and off. It is the only mei tai or hybrid that boasts an extra position the baby can sit in comfortably - forward facing out. This is due to an extra 'cinching' feature where the fabric in the crotch area can be gathered.

2 The Mei tai carrier and other Asian carriers like the BabyHawk Mei Tai are the forerunners to soft structured carriers. They are fastened with long fabric bands that are tied together. These carriers, too, can be worn on your front, back or side.

The baby hawk company also makes a ToddlerHawk Mei Tai . It is 3 inches longer than the regular BabyHawk and more comfortable for wearing big kids.

The Kozy Carrier is also a mei tai carrier but is reported to have a wider and higher band than others, and stiffer fabric. There are many good reviews for the Kozy Carrier and it is the only one with no weight restriction.

The Onbuhimo is an Asian carrier that has a similar look to others with the rectangular piece of cloth to hold the baby and long pieces of cloth to tie together. The Onbuhimo differs in that the waist has a set of sling rings on each side that the fabric ties work through.

The Podaegi (Podegi) is an Asian torso carrier. It can be used with attached straps or without for a front or back carry.

3 Slings refer to long, rectangular pieces of fabric that either fasten with sling rings or that tie together or are sewn into an open tube to form a pouch. Many moms are die-hard sling fans - loving the cost effective versatility and comfort to carry from infancy and through the toddler years. They work well for breastfeeding while carrying also.

Maya wraps have been voted "Top Favorite by Mothering Magazine" and is touted as the best baby sling by many moms. It is a ring sling that has gained popularity for it's comfort, versatility and beautiful fabrics.

This very cool ring sling is a warm weather product made from a special mesh that blocks 80% of harmful UVA/UVB rays. The Solarveil Sling is breathable and continues to block the sun even when wet.

You may be a mama that looks at ring slings and decides you would like to save some money and make one yourself. If that is your preference then it's vital to buy the right kind of sling rings for the safety of your baby.

Slings and wraps are similar but the big difference between them is that a wrap uses both shoulders, as well as your back, to distribute the weight of your baby. Slings are worn diagonally across one shoulder placing the weight of the baby on that shoulder.

The great thing about Moby Wraps is that the long span of cloth is a stretchy jersey material which is very comfortable for both mom and baby. This style of sling wraps around distributing baby's weight across your whole back.

The only wrap around sling that I used for my son made from stretchy jersey. Many report the ultimate baby wrap to be too stretchy which doesn't lend enough support. Maybe that's why I returned it.

5 The New Native Carrier is the only pouch style sling I have used for my son and I found it worked okay except that my son hated laying down in it. I was only moderately comfortable when I wore it properly and when my baby was small enough for it.

6 Hip carriers allow you to carry your toddler in the typical fashion but instead of tiring your arms doing all the holding - the carrier does it for you. Many of the soft structured carriers including the ergo baby carrier offer this option.

7 A Baby Backpack Carrier generally refers to a hard-framed child carrier using metal or plastic. This kind of carrier is often used for longer walks or hiking. I have also noticed, though, that many soft structured carriers like the Ergo baby carrier are referred to as baby backpacks because you can carry a child comfortably on your back in the same manner.

This is a hard-framed baby backpack carrier that has the most positive reviews. It is hailed as lightweight, high-quality, and very comfortable - putting the weight on the hips and legs rather than the back.

You will be happy you spent the time to make an informed decision on which one (or two) of the baby carriers you will buy. Go to a store and try them on to see how they fit you. After all, the one you decide on has to be comfortable for you, the baby wearer.

Parenting Magazine selected the ergo baby carrier as "1 of the 20 best products in the last 20 years". Pretty impressive! For this attachment parenting baby wearer and her babe, the Ergo Baby Carrier is the best. Maybe it will be for you too!

What do You Love About the Ergo or other Sling or Carrier?

Have you tried the Ergo - or do you love another sling or carrier? We would love to hear what you love about it and why?

What Other Visitors Have Said About their Favorite Carrier or Sling

Click below to see more great reviews from other visitors to this page who are babywearers and love a sling or carrier. See why they love it!

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Hi, a vote for Baby Bjorn.

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I have been using the Ergo baby carrier extensively ever since I got it for walking, shopping and doing chores.

Unlike some other carriers I have ...

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Our baby was 14 months before we used a stroller. We didn't want to miss one moment of watching his little face discover the world, so we went thru a few ...