Baby carriers: advantages and disadvantages as well as important criteria when buying
A baby carrier can be a useful purchase for on the go and at home. You have your hands free and the baby feels you close and is calmer. In the following we will introduce you to what you should look out for when buying a baby carrier and what advantages and disadvantages there are.
Benefits of a baby carrier
- With the baby carrier you have your hands free on the go and are more mobile. Climbing stairs and strolling around town are easier without a bulky stroller.
- Babies who are carried in a baby carrier are calmer and cry less. The closeness calms them down and wearing it encourages bonding.
- A baby carrier meets the need for security. Babies are happier and feel safe.
- A baby carrier prevents hip damage and can also be used for therapy. The prerequisite for this is that your child sits in the baby carrier with legs apart in the so-called “squat-spread position” and that your child’s posture is properly supported by the carrier.
Disadvantages of a baby carrier
- Unlike the stroller, you don’t have any storage space in the baby carrier for the diaper bag or other practical things for on the go.
- Many parents get hot very quickly when wearing them.
- If you want to try something on while strolling or need more freedom of movement, you have to put the child down more often and then pick it up again. In the pram, it can simply continue to sleep peacefully.
- Carrying must be learned: Proper carrying requires good advice and instruction. If you do not use the baby carrier correctly, this can have health consequences for you and your child.
By the way: Baby carriers do not damage the spine if your child has a firm hold in it. And your baby gets enough air to breathe, even if it cuddles deep in your chest. So you don’t need to worry.
Criteria when buying a baby carrier
- Baby carrier or sling? First you have to decide between two ways of carrying it. The sling is very versatile and can be used in different carrying positions. However, it requires good instruction as part of a carrying consultation. It is more complex to use and more error-prone. If you want to use a sling, a carrying course is definitely advisable.
- From when to carry the child? Some baby carriers are only suitable from the third or fourth month of life. It is therefore important to pay attention to the age from which and up to which you want to use them.
- Does the baby carrier support the spread-squat position and does it support the baby properly? A stretcher should support the correct sitting position (squat-spread position) and properly support the head and back.
- Material and ingredients? When buying a baby carrier, make sure that the shoulder straps are as wide and padded as possible. It is good if the back is supported by additional straps. A sling should be elastically woven and sufficiently long. There are many different lengths available on the market due to the many different wearing techniques and different body and clothing sizes of the wearers. So make sure you buy the right length.
Baby carriers – product tips
Manduca baby carrier
The Manduca baby carrieradvertisementcan be used individually – depending on requirements, it can be used on the front, back or hips. It grows with an integrated back extension up to a child’s weight of 20 kg. It is suitable for all clothing sizes, has three-way adjustable shoulder straps and an adjustable hip belt. All straps and leg openings are padded for your baby.
Bondolino baby carrier
According to the manufacturer, the Bondolino is a baby carrieradvertisementcan be used with a child’s weight of approx. 3 to 15 kg or an age of 0 to 3 years. The Bondolino can be carried on the front or on the back. The headrest has a practical drawstring that makes it easier to adjust the headrest when carrying the child on your back. The Bondolino’s straps are wide, padded and long and can easily be tied. The leg openings are also padded to prevent cutting into the child’s skin. A wide bar ensures the correct squat spread posture and can be widened for small children.
Marsupi Plus baby carrier
The Marsupi Plus baby carrieradvertisementcan be put on quickly thanks to a Velcro system and is recommended for children from birth up to a body weight of 15 kg. With the Marsupi, the child can be carried in front of the stomach or on the hip if you have to put on the baby carrier yourself. Carrying on the back is only possible if a second person helps to put it on, since the Velcro fasteners are closed on the child’s back. Here, too, a wide bridge ensures the correct squat-spread posture and a height-adjustable headrest ensures that your child can also be carried while it sleeps.
Ergobaby baby carrier adapt
Three carrying positions are possible with the Ergobaby baby carrier Adaptadvertisementpossible: the model can be worn on the back, in front of the stomach or on the hips. The size of the child can be optimally adjusted using the adjustable bridge – it can be used from birth up to a weight of 20 kg. Also practical is the hip belt, which is very stable and thus supports the lower back and relieves the shoulders.
Would you like to find out about the current test winners in the baby carrier category? Then you will find the baby carrier winners from Stiftung Warentest here .
I now have a baby carrier – now what?
It is important that your child sits correctly in the baby carrier, which means:
- Your child is turned to you
- your child’s legs are spread, knees bent at bottom level,
- the baby carrier firmly encloses the back of your child,
- the head is supported (especially in the first months of life and when your child is sleeping),
- the fabric should not cut into the thighs,
- Your child is tight against your body.
Important: It is not advisable to carry your child face forward. Because he lacks support in this position. This can lead to health problems, such as a sprain of the spine.
If you want your child to see more than when it is carried in front of your stomach, you can also carry it on your hips or on your back in a practical backpack carrier . A baby also needs a lot of accessories. Our clear checklist gives you an orientation of everything that belongs to the baby equipment.