Best of the front carriers? That's not saying much.
Written: May 15 '05
Product Rating:
Durability:
Ease of Use:
Pros: Very secure, better than cheap ones, cool Scandinavian design
Cons: Confining, ubiquitous, very uncomfortable once baby gets heavy
The Bottom Line: If you have considered a sling style carrier and don't think it's for you, spend the extra money and buy the Baby Bjorn Active with the lumbar support instead.
joyfulgirl91's Full Review: Babybjörn Original Baby Carrier
I received the Bjorn as a gift from another mom while I was pregnant. She raved about her experience with it, so I was excited to use it when my baby was born. Her favorite features were how easy it is to strap on and off and how much more comfortable it is to wear than less expensive front carriers she tried. I have not tried any other brands, but I have heard from many different sources that the Bjorn is worth the money because it's so comfortable compared to the competition.
I was disappointed with the carrier right away. I had looked forward to wearing my newborn all over the house while I went about my day. Unfortunately, even with practice, it was not as easy to get the baby in and out as I had hoped. I could not get her out without disturbing her if she fell asleep, and if she started one of her crying jags in the carrier it seemed to take forever to get her out. My husband, who had pictured himself carrying the baby in our Bjorn as a regular activity of fatherhood, insisted that I must be using it wrong. After he determined that I was very competent with the carrier's functions, he was also disappointed. It just isn't that easy to get a floppy little baby's arms and legs through all the holes, and opening it up completely to fasten them around her is impossible to do without help. Far from being the comforting, soothing experience many other users describe, getting the baby in was frustrating for her and for me and often upset her too much to keep using it.
That said, I did use it at least two or three times a week for about four months. I found this to be a good way to carry her when I could not or did not wish to use my travel system for an outing, but it was not the "extra pair of hands" I wanted it to be. Maybe the problem is partly that I am a very petite person. Whatever the reason, I could not accomplish anything with my baby tied right in front of me. I couldn't see the laundry I was folding or get close enough to the sink to do dishes. Also, she didn't tolerate being carried that way unless I was in fairly constant motion, so I mostly used it for shopping and walks. On the weekend, my husband would wear it at almost every time we went out with her for the first two months. My mother also liked to wear it when she was less than two months old.
What I liked about the Bjorn, and what everyone else who used it with my daughter liked, was that it's fun to go out with your baby strapped to you and getting all kinds of attention. Everybody would smile at her and she would be at a high enough level to respond to them. It really felt like we were showing her the world in a way that babies miss when they are bundled and reclining in a stroller. Once we could face her out, she really liked being carried in it as long as we were walking around and showing her new things. I also liked that it was black and not at all cutesy. I just hate it when things like diaper bags, strollers, and carriers are covered with some kind of Winnie the Pooh print. I liked being so close to her and being able to talk to her while we walked around. I learned how to nurse while wearing it and that came in handy in places where I couldn't find a comfortable place to sit. Later, I discovered sling style carriers, particularly the Maya Wrap, and felt that they solved all the problems I had with the Bjorn. But some people feel silly wearing a baby that way, or don't trust that the baby will stay in. So if you feel silly or insecure about a sling carrier, the Baby Bjorn is its polar opposite in terms of style. The baby is secure enough in there to ride a roller coaster, and the appearance is very Scandinavian mainstream cool.
The biggest problem we had with the Bjorn was that our daughter is in the seventieth percentile for height and weight, and by the time she was four months old nobody could tolerate wearing her in it for more than a half hour at a time. The company advertises the carrier as suitable for a baby up to twenty-five pounds. Maybe the carrier can withstand it, but I haven't met anyone yet whose shoulders and back can. At sixteen pounds, she was quite a burdensome load hanging off the front of your body. The shoulder straps are well padded, but heavy is heavy. I also found that facing forward just below my eye-level was a very good position for her to get into all kinds of mischief, mostly involving grabbing things and putting them in her mouth before I could notice. She grabbed a hot sample of microwaved burrito off a table at the grocery store and almost had an early introduction to solids that way. The padded nylon got very hot for both of us on warmer days. I would have a sweaty chest and she would have a sweaty back and tummy when I took it off, which really contributed to the fatigue of carrying her. While some people might really like the security of the Bjorn, it is very confining for both you and the baby.
I found a Maya Wrap in a consignment store and bought it out of curiosity. I never used my Bjorn again. It's too limited for me with only one carry position for a heavy child, and half the time she looked unhappy in it as a young baby. If you are determined that a front carrier is right for you, I would recommend the Baby Bjorn Active because it has a lumbar support strap. I see many moms and babies using them and looking very happy. I just think a lot of people would be pleasantly surprised if they considered other options.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 89.00
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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