What kind of baby carrier should I buy?

The number one question that I'm asked, in person or through this blog, is "What carrier should I buy?" And it's a great question! There are so many options and even some you may not have heard about.  So here are my two cents on the pros and cons to the most typical carriers that many families will add to their baby registry, as well as a few more that you may want to consider.

Stretchy Wrap (Moby wrap, Boba wrap, Baby K'Tan, etc) 

• Cost: $40-60 
  
• Weight/Age limit: Generally good for newborn up to 15-20 lbs, although rated for use to 30ish lbs
  
• Carry style: Primarily front carries, can also do a hip carry. NOT SAFE FOR BACK CARRIES
  
• Pros: Snuggly and fairly easy to use. Able to pre-tie the wrap before putting baby in the carrier and leave wrap tied on after taking baby out. Great for a winter squish! If you are interested, try to find one used (lots of people get one at their baby shower and only use it once or twice) on craigslist or a babywearing swap page.
  
• Cons: The Moby and Boba are approximately 800 feet long. Just kidding, but they are equivalent to a size 8 woven wrap (which are sized based on length from 2-8) which can be a lot of fabric to handle when you are just starting out. If you have a summer baby, the length of the fabric and the multiple passes over baby can be oppressively hot.  
  

Ergonomic Buckle Carrier (Ergo, Boba, Beco, Tula, Kinderpack) 

• Cost: $80-175 for retail carriers, also custom-made carriers made of wrap fabric that retail $250-500+
  
• Weight/Age limit: 7lbs (most require a separate infant insert) - 35lbs, Tula and Kinderpack make toddler and preschool sized carriers as well (larger body dimensions, but same weight limits)
  
• Carry style: Front and back carries, hip carry possible with some, but most say it's very uncomfortable and awkward
  
• Pros: Ergonomic positioning for baby (knee to knee support) and weight distribution for wearer (padded waist belt) means less stress on both bodies and comfortable wear for longer periods of time. Some have a forward facing option (although this position is not considered ergonomic for baby - the Ergo 360 is currently the only carrier which has an ergonomic forward-facing option). Variety of patterns and fabrics, some carriers even have pockets or add-on packs to carry your stuff! Very popular and easy to find. Buckles are very simple, often considered a "daddy-friendly" carrier. Check out this post for a limited comparison of brands.
  
• Cons: Can be bulky for daily wear in or around the house. Infant inserts can be frustrating and tough to figure out (my daughter hated the infant insert so we didn't use our Ergo until she was about 5 or 6 months old). 

Ring Sling (Maya wrap, Sleeping Baby Productions, Sakura Bloom) 

• Cost: $50-150 (although Sakura Bloom sells hand-dyed silk slings for $460 if you're interested! And they are stunning!)
  
• Weight/Age limit: Newborn to approximately 35 lbs (depending on brand), I still use my ring sling for quick up and down with my 25 lb toddler, but wouldn't recommend it for more than 30 minutes at that weight
  
• Carry style: Front and hip carries, can be worn in a back carry but should only be attempted by an experienced wearer
  
• Pros: Easy to use (with a little practice), quick ups and downs, fits multiple sizes of children (newborn through toddler) and caregivers with one carrier, easy to breastfeed in, "tail" doubles as a nursing cover, burp cloth, sun shield, nap hood, etc. I love our ring slings for my newborn and for my toddler. It's a small and compact carrier that fits nicely in your diaper bag. It's also fairly simple to put on while holding your baby, which is great when you're chasing your toddler around the playground and would rather not lie your baby in the wood chips while you put on your carrier. The range of styles and fabrics is nearly endless. There are even mesh style slings to wear in the water! When looking at ring slings, look for aluminum rings that are one continuous piece, not welded shut. There are also many, many small shops on Etsy that make ring slings, be sure you are ordering a sling made from an appropriate woven fabric (no quilting cotton) and from a seller who is familiar with making baby carriers (triple stitching on the shoulder with weight bearing in mind).
  
• Cons: One shoulder carrier can become uncomfortable as baby gets bigger, especially when wearing for longer periods of time. Slightly higher learning curve than a buckle carrier, it's really helpful to get some hands on help when first figuring out the ring sling. (Or check out our video tutorial here!)
  

Woven Wrap

• Cost: $75-$200 is typical, but hard to find patterns, handwovens, or wraps made from rare fibers can run $300-$2000
  
• Weight/Age limit: All ages and sizes 
  
• Carry style: Endless options for front, hip, and back carries
  
• Pros: The most versatile carrier out there, can be worn in endless ways, by multiple wearers, and from newborn to toddler. Fits perfectly to the baby and wearer without bulky padding, rings, or buckles. Can be worn exactly as a stretchy wrap, but with the option to expand to new carries as baby gets bigger. Once you master a few basic skills (creating a good "seat", spreading passes, tying a slipknot), it's relatively easy to learn new ways to carry.
  
• Cons: Definitely seems more intimidating than other carriers to a novice wearer. Sizes can be confusing. A great option is to find a local babywearing group with a lending library so you can "try before you buy" and find the size and material that works best for you.

Hybrid Ergonomic/Wrap-style Carrier

• Cost: $150-245
  
• Weight/Age limit: Standard size fits up to 35 lbs, Plus size fits toddler and preschoolers
  
• Carry style: Front and back carries
  
• This is a carrier that I just discovered and is my new favorite recommendation for a starter carrier! It's called the Emeibaby Carrier and is a hybrid of a woven wrap and a soft-structured carrier like the Ergo. The carrier has a buckle waist and buckle straps, just like an ergonomic carrier, but has a panel of woven fabric across baby's body which is adjusted with two sets of small rings, creating a perfectly sized seat, no matter how small the baby. This gets rid of the need for an infant insert (hallelujah!). It comes in several colors/patterns and either a semi-wrap or full-wrap style (semi has just the wrap panel with coordinating canvas fabric, full carriers are made entirely from woven wrap fabric).