I explained a little in this post about babywearing and today i'm going to give you the basics on the different styles of carriers!
First up we have the stretchy wrap- the one above is a boba wrap (formerly sleepy wrap) but moby is also a popular brand. They are snuggly and t-shirt-like and perfect for newborns. They tend to get saggy around 15lbs though and should never ever be used in a back carry (check this video out).
Next is the Soft Structured carriers (SSC's)- the most common and easily found are the Beco (left), Ergo (right), and Boba. There are TONS of other SSC's out there- these are simply the more easily available kinds. (also please note that there are counterfeit ergos- do your homework and don't jeopardize baby's safety!) These carriers have buckles to adjust and are fairly user friendly. They aren't the best for newborns although it is possible to use them with an infant insert. They can also be used in front, back and some allow for hip carry as well although they can be confusing for hip carries.
The Mei Tai (MT) is similar to SSC's except instead of buckles you tie the staps. They can be used in front or back carries. The one above with the dinos and birds is my custom Ultimate Mama/Man Carrier from NuzzleMe Creations (they do AMAZING work!) and the green/blue MT is a Hopp tye we tried on at a playdate. Other common ones are BBtai and Babyhawk. They are easily adjustable between wearers and are easily rolled up and stowed away. For the most comfortable wear with SSC's and MT's you want baby to sit in the carrier and have it go knee to knee which distributes the weight better making them much lighter feeling and is easier on both wearer and wearee's bodies. This is part of the reason carriers like bjorn are so uncomfortable and heavy after baby gets bigger.
Ring slings are great for easy in and out making them fast and easy for quick trips or toddlers who only like to be up for short spurts. Both slings above are wrap conversion ring slings (WCRS) meaning they were made from woven wraps (BBSlen Pineapple on the left, PAXbaby exclusive Girasol double rainbow in the middle and Jillian, owner of PAXbaby, has a easycare #1 on her shoulder). Check out Sleeping Baby Productions if you find a wrap you want converted and she often has very affordable slings made in other materials- she does fabulous work and is very reputable.
Woven wraps are the most versatile and are comfy from infancy through toddlerhood (and beyond!). They can have a bit of a learning curve since there are TONS of ways to wear them but you can easily do front, back and hip carries. They come in different lengths/sizes- most recommend starting with a size 6 if you're average. Check out this handy chart for different carries and youtube. (BabywearingFaith and PAXbaby are great!) Some wrap makers are Girasol, Storchenweige, BBSlen, Dolcino, Kokadi, Didymos, and Natibaby.
(Wraps in photo above: top row: Natibaby Bamboo turquoise diamonds, Storchenweige Vicky, BBSlen Prunella. 2nd row: Ellevil Zara dyed Hot pink, Girasol Snow rainbow, Didymos Pink Punkte. 3rd row Didymos Old Standard Lago dyed Plumberry, Girasol Amitola Azafan weft, and Snow rainbow again)
This was just a little intro to the common different types of carriers and I hope it helps! If you have any questions feel free to ask!
