[Irish_Wristwatch]

Hi, my name is Bree and im a long time lurker, I have 2 little boys Ross (18 months) and Will (3.5) months. I have a quick question about SSC. I was just wondering what the best choice in one would be. Id like one that can be used by both DH and myself, and one that could be used from a newborn (we plan on having 2 more) up to a toddler

im debating between the Beco Gemini (i like that baby can face out) or the Boba, but i would consider any others (including WAHM made) Id like something simple to use, easy to get on and off, and most importantly something comfy for everyone!

i dont really have a budget in mind, but ideally id like to keep it under 200

thanks so much

[joonzgurl]

I have a type of mei tei and I love it. It is a baby hawk. It wasn't great for newborn (my moby wrap was better) but once she was about 2-3 months the baby hawk was great! The price was reasonable as well, I think I purchased right off of their site for about 80. I find it easy to get on and off, and DH can use it as well.

There is no front carry option on it, but you can back carry. I have yet to try that. I have heard it is not good to carry kids facing forwards from your front actually.

[alwayssmile]

There is not a good SSC IMO that works for newborns and toddlers both. It's just the nature of buckles and having structure. If it's small enough to work for a newborn well, it's going to be too small for a toddler and vice versa.
There is the Ergo that has an infant insert that has to be used for the first few months. I personally think the insert is annoying and then you can't BF with the insert and such if that's important to you.
There is also an infant adjustable KinderPack which works for smaller babies (not newborns, but small babies) and can be used up to 18 months before it's outgrown.
Keep in mind most babywearing experts do not support facing out (which is why you see less and less of it with good carriers). It's not a great position for babies. They can't turn away from stimulation and in order to face out, they're not being probably positioned at the hips most of the time. Plus, it puts a lot of extra strain on the parents back - ouch!

If you want a carrier that can last from newborn through toddlerhood consider a woven wrap (BBSlen, Didymos, and such). Higher learning curve, but it will not be outgrown till probably school age. Not sure where you are in Ontario, but there are BWing groups there! They're a great resource for help!
Another carrier suggestion is the mei tai. You can manipulate the carrier to work with newborns (not as ideal as wrapping, but it works) and can use it usually to 2-3 years old depending on the body size. I find an unpadded mei tai hurts my shoulders in a back carry now that DS is older, but it's still a great front carrier. I like that I can do high back carries in it around 4 months, so DS could see over my shoulder (a good compromise to facing out). My padded mei tai (like Beanslings, Bamberoo, and KinderCarry) is still VERY comfortable in a back carry.
Ring sling is another option that is a great newborn carrier and is good for toddler ups and downs. It is just a one shoulder carry though, so I can't wear DS for hours like I can with other carriers. Usually 30 minutes is my max at his age.

Let me know if you have any more questions. I could talk alllllll day about BWing.

[Irish_Wristwatch]

thanks so much for all the info I should add that i do have a moby that i adore for newborn babies, but im finding that once baby hits 15lbs or so it doesnt seem as secure (like hes to heavy and is pulling/loosening the fabric) and not really comfortable for long. So i suppose a better question is what can i use from 3-4 months onwards

is a woven wrap similar to the moby? as far as wrapping , carrying positions, ect? does the material tend to have give to it like a moby or is it a little more secure

I should add my kids are big boys (both are in the 90-95th percentile for height and 50th - 75th for weight ), im not sure if that will make a difference in babywearing or not.

Thanks so much

[brightmommy]

I love my mei tai. We started using it when Maddie was 3 months, and now she is in it for several hours a day. I think it is really comfortable and mine is padded. I have heard that they are good for heavier kids, but we haven't quite reached the testing stage for that yet. It does have very supportive material and isn't stretchy like the moby.

Woven wraps are better for heavier/ older kids because they don't give and stretch like the moby does.

[alwayssmile]

A woven wrap is similar to the Moby in that you wrap it around you and the baby, but unlike the Moby it doesn't stretch nearly as much. Less stretch means you can do A LOT more carries with it (I'm doing a back carry in a woven wrap in my avi, which you definitely can't do with a Moby) and it stays supportive way beyond 15 pounds. I've seen pictures of women wrapping 5 year olds on their back and they claim they're still comfortable! The material is truly woven, rather than a jersey fabric like the Moby. Wovens are also not "one size fits all" like the Moby. They come in sizes, and what carries you can do (there are literally a hundred variations of different carries) depends on the length of the wrap and how big you are (like t-shirt size wise) and the baby size.

If you're not wanting a carrier to work for newborns, you can go with most good SSCs that are meant for babies (Ergo might work at 4 months for bigger kids - APLX, KinderPack infant size, and Bamberoo baby size would work well), a ring sling, or a mei tai.