Hype has made it more popular than it is practical
Written: Jun 03 '05
Product Rating:
Durability:
Ease of Use:
Pros: Aesthetically pleasing; very secure clipping hardware
Cons: Shoulder/back/neck pain, hard to put baby in/out, fixed carrying position, limits use of hands
The Bottom Line: Would not recommend due to shoulder, upper back, and neck pain caused from weight hanging entirely on shoulder straps, and limited usefulness when trying to perform manual tasks.
alorac's Full Review: Babybjörn Original Baby Carrier
I received the Baby Bjorn 2004 Original model in City Black for my baby shower. If I didn't receive it, my husband and I were planning on buying it since it seemed to be the "best baby carrier" available and surely for the price tag of almost $90, we thought it had to be.
Features:
- This Baby Bjorn model can be adjusted for the length of your baby by sliding a clip near the crotch area up and down on the padded fabric. It is only held there by tension. This is done without the baby in the carrier.
- You can also adjust the carrier to fit snugly on your torso while it is on (preferably with the baby) by pulling on the ends of the straps on either side of your hips. This is a very easy adjustment and ensures that the baby is hanging at the right level on your body. Higher is of course more comfortable.
- There are two little leg straps that can be attached for small babies that go across their thigh area to ensure they are secure. I believe this feature was prompted by a recall on earlier models that suggested a safety failure could occur allowing the baby to slip out of the leg hole. Frankly, I didn't see how this was possible if the baby is at least 8lbs and 21" long. I didn't use the straps because they seemed unnecessary and a bit constricting on my baby's legs.
- On the upper sides of the carrier where it clips onto the straps, there is also another adjustment that can be made by pulling on the small straps to bring the babies head closer to your body. This could be useful for babies that have not yet developed some degree of head control. I also didn't find this to be usefull for my baby.
Putting Your Baby In
1). To use the carrier, you put it on like a shirt, so you have straps across your back and in the front like an unbuttoned shirt. The actual section that the baby sits on can be completely detached from the straps and it attaches to the straps on three locations on each side.
2). First, you want to clip in the two clips at the bottom around the crotch of the carrier. These clips just slide in.
3). Then you sit your baby in the crotch part, but you must continue to hold the baby supporting their full weight with one hand while with the other hand you pull the carrier body up against their back and attempt to clip in the two sides. These clips slide in top-down and can be rather hard to maneuver with a floppy baby and then again with a baby that is just heavier.
4). Finally, you clip in the last two clips at the very top which simply press right in.
The process is essentially the same whether placing your baby front facing or in. If front facing, then you can fold the top of the carrier body down before clipping the last two clips in.
My Experience with the Baby Bjorn
We anxiously waited until our baby met the minimum requirements for usage - 8 lbs and 21" in length and started using it a few weeks after she was born.
The first time trying to get it on was a bit of a let down. Although now it doesn't seem as complicated, at the time, it felt like we were putting a puzzle together as we tried to follow the diagram on the inside of the carrier body. It took both of us to do it. My husband put it on while I helped him maneuver the baby into it. To put it simply - it was hard. It's hard to put a floppy baby in there with two people and significantly harder to do it by yourself.
When she was finally in, I was constantly concerned that her head was wobbling around too much even though she had a decent amount of head control at the time. I didn't want to smother her by cinching up the straps on either side of her head. This didn't seem like a good solution to me, so I placed a rolled up cotton burp cloth on either the back of her neck or in front, depending on which way she and I were leaning to help support her head better.
Getting her out, was just as difficult as getting her in. And if she fell asleep in it, there was absolutely no way to get her out without waking her.
Another thing that maybe could use some redesign is the front section of the carrier when the baby is facing out and the fabric is folded over. My baby had quite the spiting up and drooling problem, so I always had to cover the fabric with a burp cloth and fold it in under the fold to keep it from getting soaking wet.
On nursing - I never even tried it, it seemed like it would be way to difficult with the straps around your chest and the baby tight up against you in a completely upright position.
- Doing Housework With the Baby Bjorn:
Being able to free your arms while carrying your baby is certainly among the top reasons if not the number one reason to get an infant carrier. Well, as soon as I set out to get some stuff done around the house, I realized I couldn't see a damn thing in front of me with the carrier on. I could use my hands, I just couldn't see them. This can be fairly dangerous at the kitchen counter if you're trying to cook and cut things up. I guess, you can always tilt your head to the side and look around your baby - yeah, this is yet another way to ensure that you get a good pain in your neck a couple hours later. This was very disappointing to me as there really wasn't a lot I could really do while carrying her.
- Comfort:
The carrier was relatively comfortable in the beginning. However, as she got heavier, the fact that all her weight was hanging on the top of my shoulders became more and more noticeable. I could only wear the carrier for short periods of time and my upper back would often be sore afterwards. This was all before she was even 3 months old (she was in the 50th percentile for height and weight - so I'm not talking about a huge baby here). Later, when she got heavier still, my shoulders and back would start to hurt almost immediately and then I started getting pain going up my neck. At this point I just stopped using it unless I was desperate or had not used it long enough to decide to give it another chance. I think the last time I used it, she was probably around 5 months old and about 16 1/2 lbs., well before the suggested weight limit of 25lbs.
Just to make sure it wasn't just a problem with me, maybe I was just too wimpy, I asked my husband what he thought and he agreed that it hurt his back as well (although not his neck like me) and it wasn't worth it to use it.
In conclusion, I would not recommend the Baby Bjorn. It was much too uncomfortable to wear, didn't allow me to do things with my hands while carrying her, and was not easy enough to get her in and out. And of course the price tag is much too high for something that leaves you wanting a lot more. I don't know if the new "Sporty" model with the added lower back support addresses the upper back pain issue, but I suspect it is still not enough to take care of the problem completely as the shoulder straps is where most of the weight simply hangs. As with most baby products, the ideal thing to do is try it out before you buy, and not just once for 5 minutes. Try it as you would expect to use it. Although the Baby Bjorn is probably slightly better than other similar brands, that doesn't mean that it is actually good. I think the Baby Bjorn has benefited from a lot of hype, yet when it comes down to it, I don't really see hardly anyone using them.
Side Note: My baby is now 7 months (18 1/2 lbs), and carrying her on my hip for more than 5 minutes is not a lot of fun, so I have gone to the other end of the infant carrier spectrum and decided to try the EllaRoo Rebozo length Wrap (http://www.ellaroo.com/wraparound-carrier.html), a highly versatile carrier and no back pain! I'll review this later when I've had more experience with it.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 89.99
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
Fantastic prices with ease & c...(Stock status: N/A)
The classic original from Baby Bjorn. In our famous Baby Bjorn Original Baby Carrier your child is safe and close to you, while your hands are free. T...More at Amazon Marketplace
Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier Original - City BlueThe classic original from BabyBj???rn.In the famous BABYBJ???RN Baby Carrier Original your child is safe a...More at Diapers.com
A Björn is born. This original BabyBjörn baby carrier inspired a craze. Now listed at "celebrity" status, it's no question that this is the most cov...More at Kohl's
The classic BABYBJʆN® Baby Carrier Original keeps your baby close and secure while you go about your daily activities. The BABYBJʆN® Baby Carrie...More at Albee Baby
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.