Baby Carriers 101

With all different types of baby carriers out there, it can be very hard to decide which one is the best one for you and your baby! So, let's dive in and talk about all the options. But, first let's address one of the main things to look out for when choosing the baby carrier that works best for you and your baby.  

Regardless of the carrier you choose, you want to make sure your baby is resting in the M position or a frog position. This position will help support your baby’s hips and decrease risk of them developing hip dysplasia. According to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, “Hip dysplasia occurs when the socket is misshapen or when the hip is dislocated. Dislocation in babies is almost never painful similar to bending your ear, so this may go undetected until walking age and may also result in painful arthritis during adulthood. The risk of hip dysplasia or dislocation is greatest in the first few months of life. By six months of age, most babies have nearly doubled in size, the hips are more developed and the ligaments are stronger, so hip dysplasia is less likely to develop in infants after six months of age.” 

To achieve this M position or frog position, have your baby’s thighs spread out on your toso with the hips bent, so your baby’s knees are slightly higher than their buttocks with their thighs supported. Below is an image from the International Hip Dysplasia Institute. 

Wrap: This is a long piece of sturdy fabric you can wrap your baby in to be snug to your chest. Using a wrap can offer a variety of fabrics from breathable cotton to wool type fabrics depending on the season. Using a wrap can be easily adjustable along with comfortability. Wearing the wrap around your body to hold your baby can decrease the stress and strain on your shoulders compared to other carriers. However, using the wrap can take a lot of practice to wrap it correctly to hold your baby secure and in the M position. Photo from https://www.oschaslings.com/blog/types-of-baby-carrier/ 

There is another type of fabric used called a ring sling. This is similar with the wrap being a fabric, but this type of fabric is not stretchy compared to the wrap. The sling is made to keep your baby in the front of you and it does not involve learning how to secure it with the wrap. The weight of the baby keeps the sling in place and secure. The sling is easily adjustable and great for beginners. The sling also allows you to have the possibility to breastfeed while they are in the sling. These can be great for newborns. However, a setback to the ring sling is that it can increase stress or strain on one shoulder and cause uneven weight distribution that can cause more pain in ones upper and lower back while carrying your baby for a long period of time. Photo from amazon ring sling

Soft Structured Carrier: These carriers are like wearing a backpack in the front, back or even on your hip while the baby sits in a soft pouch instead of a rigid frame. These types of carriers are more ideal for babies around 4 months because they have more head and neck control. However, some soft carriers include a backing making them “newborn ready” and will support their head. This soft style backpack usually has padded shoulder straps and a waistband and allows your baby’s weight to be evenly distributed across your body. Having these types of straps can help decrease the stress and pressure off your shoulders! The style of these also make sure that your baby is in the M position while you are carrying them. Other perks to this type of carrier is that it can be used long term as the baby grows with the straps and buckles to adjust its size! However, these types of carriers can also be expensive. Photo from amazon ergobaby

Backpack Carriers: These types of carriers have rigid frames. These backpack carriers include shoulder straps and a waist strap that are all very easily adjustable. This helps to distribute your baby’s weight more evenly and decrease strain on your shoulders and back. These types of carriers though are appropriate for babies that have good head and neck control and are able to sit without assistance. They are great for long walks, hikes! They also can provide storage pockets to fill up with snacks or whatever else you need to bring for yourself and your baby. However, these types of carriers can be big and heavy to carry making transportation of these possibly difficult. Even though it does great at distributing the weight evenly for you, with the overall weight, it could be too much for your back and cause pain. Photo from kidadl.com 

All these types of carriers are great and can allow versatility and be fashionable! Hopefully, this blog can help you choose the right carrier for you and your baby or maybe purchase a couple different ones! I would also check for the baby carrier with the European standard EN 13209-2:2005. Europe does have baby carrier standards that have to meet certain requirements when being made here in Europe!  

Sources:

https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/safety/equipment-furniture/baby-carrier-sling-safety

https://hipdysplasia.org/baby-carriers-other-equipment/

https://www.littlebabygear.com/types-baby-carriers/