Okay, I wrote earlier about the Gypsy Mama Bali Baby Breeze that I had, and how I wasn’t all that crazy about it. Well, I bought a Bali Baby Stretch a couple of months ago, and I have to say that it’s an entirely different carrier. I really, really like it. First of all, it’s absolutely beautiful. Secondly, it’s extremely comfortable. I never thought that I would find a carrier that I thought was more comfortable than my Kozy, but this definitely is. Wrapping your baby with a comfortable fabric like this makes it feel like the baby is just an additional part of your body - you don’t feel their weight in any particular place. Plus, it’s very versatile, so it can be used in a lot of ways.

The downside is that it has a much higher learning curve than the other carriers I own; it definitely takes a while to get the hang of it. I’ve gotten pretty good with the front carries (even managed to nurse in it, which was a first for me - I’ve never managed to do that with another carrier), but I’m still not great with the back carries. It definitely takes a lot longer to put on than any of the other carriers I own. Also, you’re wrapping a lot of fabric around the two of you. Right now, in the winter, that’s not a problem at all, and is actually kind of nice and cozy. We’ll see what I think about it in the middle of the summer, when it’s 110 degrees again.
So, it just reaffirms the idea that there is no one perfect carrier.  At the moment, this one seems to be the most useful for me when I am planning on wearing my baby for a long period of time, and don’t mind wearing them on my front. Once I get better with back carries that may change, but for now I still find myself picking up my Kozy for those. I’m definitely glad to have it though, and would recommend it to anyone who thinks that wearing your baby in a carrier is just too uncomfortable. And hey, they’re on sale right now .

It’s a mouthful, I know, but it is in fact the name of the last carrier that I currently own. Gypsy Mama makes several different types of carriers; the Bali Baby Breeze (BBB) is a woven wraparound carrier that comes in various lengths. Wraparound carriers are simply a long piece of cloth that can be tied in different ways depending on the carry you want to do. They are extremely versatile and easy to stuff in a diaper bag. However, they also have a steeper learning curve than most other carriers. You can in fact, make your own by getting approximately 5 yards of 60 inch wide fabric and cutting it in half width wise. Now you’ve got a carrier for yourself and one to share with a friend!

The BBB is made of a nicely batiked gauze type fabric, which I chose for a couple of reasons. First, I thought that it would be cooler in the hot Texas weather. Second, I had heard that a woven fabric would be more supportive, especially for back carries. However, what I have found is that this type of fabric is not that comfortable for me. It seems to cut into me a bit when I try to do things like the rucksack carry. Also, while the tightness of the fabric is very supportive, it makes it more difficult to get the baby in and out of the front wrap cross carry, which is what I have used it for the most thus far. I think that I may try to sell this wrap and try out the Bali Baby Stretch instead.

I’ve heard really good things about this company, which is why I went with them, but I will tell you that I have one small complaint about their products. The fabrics are all lovely, but they give them all names of mythical gods, which I’m not crazy about. Other than that, they seem to offer a nice selection of wraps at a reasonable price.

Continuing on in my ramblings about baby carriers, I’ll tell you a little about my ring slings today. The first carrier I ever got was a ring sling; it was an Over the Shoulder Baby Holder (OTSBH). It was recommended to me by another babywearing mama, so I thought I’d give it a try. It beat the heck out of the Baby Bjorn I had prior to that, and I was pretty happy with it and used it quite a bit with my oldest son. What I didn’t like about it was the heavy padding on the shoulder. I thought that the padding would make it more comfortable, but really all it did was make it bulky. I also found it difficult to get it adjusted as securely as I’d like.

With my second son, I decided to try a Maya Wrap, and that was a much better fit for me. Despite the fact that it had no padding, I found it much more comfortable than the OTSBH. Also, it has an open tail, as opposed to the closed tail of the OTSBH. What this means is the end of the fabric that hangs down out of the rings is left open rather than sewn together. Some people like a closed tail because it reduces the amount of adjusting you do - you just pull the one end and are done. But I prefer an open tail, as it does allow for greater adjustability. The top and bottom rails of the sling can be adjusted independently, which makes for a more secure fit in my opinion.

Ring slings in general are nice because they are fairly versatile; you can carry the baby/child in a number of different positions. The unpadded versions are trim enough to pack in a diaper bag pretty easily. And while they aren’t exactly one size fits all, each size will fit a pretty broad range of people, so there isn’t the sizing issue like there is with a pouch sling. My husband is a good 6 inches taller and about 80 pounds heavier than I am, and  we can both use the same sling (though if I were going to buy one just for him, I would get him a bigger size).

I can’t even remember the last time I wore my OTSBH, but my Maya Wrap is still in circulation. Prior to my Hotsling purchase, it was my carrier of choice for errand running or any time the baby was going to be in and out a lot, and it’s still good for that purpose. I have also found that I can do something with it that I haven’t been able to do with any other carrier: get the baby not only tummy to tummy as a newborn, but almost up on my shoulder. A couple of my kids have far preferred to be up on my shoulder over any other position, and the Maya comes the closet to being able to duplicate that hands free. I definitely find it to be a useful weapon in my babywearing arsenal.

Okay, as long as I’m talking about baby carriers, I’ll share my thoughts on a few others this week as well. Of all the different carriers I’ve tried, so far my all time favorite is my Kozy Carrier. It’s a mei tai, or Asian baby carrier - essentially a rectangle of fabric with straps coming out of the four corners. The Kozy comes a wide range of fabrics, from pretty to funky and even camo for dad. The straps have just the right amount of padding at the shoulders - enough to be comfy, but not so much that they are bulky. The canvas is sturdy and holds up well, but isn’t stiff or rough. For a little extra money you can get one with a pocket to carry stuff in, or get extra long straps if you’re really tall.

The Kozy has a slight learning curve to it, as you have to figure out how to tie the straps for different positions, but it’s not hard to do. It is primarily used as a front/back carrier, but it can be worn on your hip as well. Newborns ride with their legs folded up  inside the carrier, while bigger kids ride with their legs out. The top of the carrier is curved up a bit to make a headrest for sleeping children or young babies without much head control, but it can be folded down for better visibility for the child as well. The length of the body of the carrier can be shortened for small babies by folding it as well. This really is a carrier that will go the long haul, from newborn to toddlerhood and beyond. I have even carried a tired 3 year old on my back for an hour or so during a long day of shopping.
For me, the best thing about the Kozy is the back carry. It has really been a life saver for me! I feel like I have more freedom of movement of both of my arms this way, so it’s easier for me to go about my housework or chasing the bigger kids at the park. It’s the only carrier I really feel comfortable cooking with a child in, as they can’t reach out and touch things that could hurt them. And I can wear it for hours and hours comfortably; a day at the zoo with a toddler on my back is no problem. I haven’t even used a stroller at all with my last two children since I got my Kozy.

The Kozy is not the cheapest carrier around, but it is definitely worth the price. I highly recommend it for anyone, but especially for those who are active outdoors or busy with other small children.

I first discovered babywearing when my oldest son was about 3 months old, and have been on a quest for the perfect baby carrier ever since. The main thing I have learned along the way is that there is no “perfect” carrier; some are definitely better than others, and each style has its advantages and disadvantages. I have a few different ones now, and like each one for different reasons. One can never have too many carriers in my opinion, so….
I recently purchased a Hotsling, as I had never tried out a pouch style carrier. I love it! Hotslings come in a variety of fairly chic fabrics, with the option of being reversible. I went with one of their everyday fabrics, because cash is in short supply these days, and I thought it was every bit as pretty as some of the designer fabrics. Pouch slings generally require you to pick a size, because most of them aren’t adjustable. I was concerned about whether or not I would be able to choose correctly, but the sizing chart they provide is really helpful, and customer service is happy to assist if you’re still having problems. When my sling arrived it was a great fit, and extremely easy to use.

While my Hotsling don’t have the versatility of a wrap, or quite the adjustability and security of ring sling, what it excels at is convenience. It is small and lightweight, which means that it is easy to stuff in a diaper bag or just leave on even when the baby isn’t in it. It’s not hard to figure out, so it’s pretty easy to start using right away. And it’s really easy to get the baby in and out of, so it’s great for running errands when you’re going to be getting in and out of the car several times. At the same time it’s also comfortable enough to wear for longer periods of time; I wore my baby at the park for a couple of hours last week with no problems. Today she’s been hanging out in it while I worked on the computer, and has been happily napping there while I blogged.
If you’re looking for an affordable, convenient, easy to wear baby carrier, I’d definitely recommend that you check out Hotslings.