Carriers

Soft-sided carriers are an excellent way to peruse the sales rack at your favorite boutique.  I found one necessary for peace of mind, and for pushing a grocery cart as with a car seat on top I couldn't see very well and found myself feeling even more of a petite mama.  But finding a carrier was no easy feat.  I knew that I wanted something that would allow baby to grow and prevent the need to buy a new one, and something that would also fit my husband. It had to be functional, cute, but not so cute that my husband would refuse to wear it.  Finally, there is just over a foot height difference between us, so it had to work for both.

In the beginning I loved my organic Maya Wrap .  It let me feel baby snuggle up against me and I felt like I was keeping her safe.  I found myself using it to keep her calm and close even when I was doing household chores.  But as she got more wiggly and wanted to see more of the world, and I was ready to try something else, the Beco Butterfly II became our new carrier of choice.

We picked the Beco up as recommended in Baby Bargains as being a great carrier for petite mamas.  I had originally tried the Ergo as I loved the design and had seen them in stores, but when I tried it on it felt bulky and too long for my torso.  The Beco was perfect and didn't give me any of the back pain the Bjorn is so famous for causing.

There is an excellent chart over at The Portable Baby that compares various carriers and their features.