Our New Carrier

I recently bought a Baby Bjorn carrier from a children's consignment store. I love going to this particular consignment store called Once Upon a Child. They are a chain, and I had a couple that I went to in Cleveland. When we moved here to Toledo, one of the first things I did was find out if there was one near us. Lucky for me it is only a five minute drive! All of the items they sell are like new. They are really picky about the items that they accept, and since infants only wear clothes for one or two months before they outgrow them it is so nice to be able to find name brand in-style clothing at a price that fits our budget.

The last time I made a stop to this store, I noticed that they had a huge intake of baby carriers. There were several different types, and because Jonah was sitting in the cart I was able to try them all on. I must have looked like the biggest dork, as I stood in the middle of the aisle trying to figure out each strap and buckle. I wanted to make sure that I bought one that fit right, and was easy to put on by myself.

The reason I was looking for a new baby carrier, is because Daryl has informed me that my slings are too feminine. I do agree, they are pretty feminine. I want Daryl to be able to wear Jonah when we go out this summer, to places like the park and the zoo. I want him to see what a convenience it is! I also have noticed that the sling is killing my posture. Women have worn babies in slings and been perfectly comfortable and had no ill effects, but for whatever reasons the sling is not being very gentle on my back. And so I wanted a carrier with straps that distribute the weight evenly and would be comfortable for long periods of time. I had ideally wanted a carrier that could be worn as a backpack style, but they did not have one.

I finally settled on a Baby Bjorn carrier. Just to make sure that it was the right carrier for us, I finished the shopping trip while wearing Jonah in it. Oh what the cashiers had thought of me, I can only guess, but if I'm coughing up $20 for something I'd better make sure it will work!

It's nice enough, and the more that I practice using it, the faster it is to put on. At first it took me forever to figure out where the straps go, how to get Jonah in, how to position the straps. It is a bit complicated. Because of this, I still prefer my sling when I need something that I can just slip Jonah into quickly.

It also took me a couple times of wearing it to figure out where the straps are the most comfortable on my back. At first, it seemed like Jonah was too low to my belly, causing me to lean forward and my back to ache. After some help from Daryl and my mom, I have figured out how to adjust the straps between my shoulder blades and get Jonah up where he belongs.

I wore Jonah in it when we went to the zoo with my mom (that trip is for another post.) It was great. Jonah could look out and talk to everyone. He loved his new view! The only complaint that I have about it is that the flap kept popping up into his face. The front flap folds up so that the baby can be carried belly to belly and have his head supported. This is great for younger babies, or sleeping babies. The flap folds down and snaps on the sides so that the baby can be turned to face out. The side snaps just don't do the trick, and I think that I will be adding a snap or some velcro there myself.