Recently I was chatting with a friend about baby carriers. After seeing my video review of the new Ergobaby 360, she reached out for advice. She has a new baby and was feeling overwhelmed with options. We talked all about wraps, slings and soft-structured carriers. Ultimately she decided to try out the Ergo 360. Gill is a great writer and shares her thoughts with us on why she chose it here in this guest post. You can follow more of her writing at True Stories with Gill and Google.com/+GillAndrews. Congratulations on your new baby boy, Gill! (I hope he is over his cold soon.) –xo, Abby
Two months ago when our baby boy was born our lives changed forever. Eight pounds of happiness. As well as sleepless nights, dirty diapers and screaming.
Like any first time parents with nobody around to ask for advice we’ve already managed to make some bad decisions.
Not moving into bigger apartment. (The baby is so small! How much space can he take?)
Not reading about breastfeeding in advance. (People have been doing it for thousands of years. How complicated can it be?)
Buying too many clothes for the first weeks that the baby grew out of without even wearing once. Getting a baby bouncer that turned out to be uncomfortable for the baby.
That’s why we quickly learned to appreciate everything that made our life even a bit easier so much.
Like the hermetic diaper bucket that keeps the air in the apartment breathable. Like his favorite mobile toy that buys mommy half an hour of peace every morning. And now the most recent item on my Blessings for New Parents list: the Ergobaby 360 carrier.
I’m typing these lines on my phone while pacing in the room with my baby sitting (hanging?) in it. He is a curious little guy who constantly needs attention when he is awake. Now he is looking on the emerging lines on the screen as if he could read.
When the eight pounds of happiness became fourteen, it was clear to me that I couldn’t bounce him in my arms any longer without ruining my back. We had to get a baby carrier.
Couple of weeks ago I saw a woman on the street carrying her baby in one of the Ergobaby carriers. It looked so comfortable for both, the mother and the baby, so I immediately set my eye on it. But I was determined not to make this decision one of the way too many bad ones on my list.
After some online research I decided to ask somebody who had more experience in it for advice. Abby was extremely helpful and wrote me a long answer listing all the categories of baby carriers along with their peculiarities. After this it was decided: Ergobaby 360 will be moving in with us.
Four things led me to this decision.
1. Comfort for the baby
This nowadays so popular word “ergonomic” did its trick on me again, the way the label “organic” does it in regards of food. And as far as I can judge, Ergobaby 360 keeps its promise. Although made of textile, it consists of multiple pieces sewn together. This way the shape of the carrier is flexible and will adjust to the shape of the baby.
2. Comfort for the parents
I could not believe that wearing 14 pounds of baby on me can feel so good.
Before, while bouncing him on my arms, my back started to hurt after a couple of minutes, and soon I would stop feeling my arms. Now, because of the wide and robust supporting belt, my back doesn’t feel anything, and my hands are free.
Of course, I can’t run a marathon or jump on a trampoline like this, but I assure you my body feels as comfortable as possible in this situation.
3. Easy handling
I don’t know about babies in general, but my baby has zero patience. If he wants something it has to be now, better 5 minutes ago.
So the only way to get him into a baby carrier would be if the adjustment phase – back and leg fitting as well as fitting of the cords – is as short as possible. Otherwise he’ll have a melt down.
I tried tying him with a baby sling I bought, fooled by videos of smiling relaxed mothers and calm cooperating babies. Unfortunately, it never worked out, no matter how hard and how often I tried.
With Ergobaby, it’s a completely different story. First time the baby tried his screaming-kicking scheme again, but as the whole fitting procedure took half a minute, he calmed down quickly as soon as he was seated. Now it takes only couple of seconds for me to put him in and take him out, all by myself.
4. Flexibility
Why the 360 model? We are talking about a quick and curious child here who gets quickly bored. So I wanted to have as much flexibility as possible, as we are also planning a couple of trips this year.
Today, while making lunch and having him in the carrier on my chest I realized how great the hip position would be when he gets old enough for it. If I carry him on the side I could stand closer to the stove and won’t have to feel like Shaquille O’Neal on the court throwing the veggies in the frying pan!
***
I’m typing these lines after I brought one agitated and cranky baby (he is currently dealing with his first ever cold, breaking my heart into pieces with every sneeze) to bed.
We went through the changing-playing-feeding-bouncing circle multiple times, but nothing seemed to help. So I put him in the carrier, threw on a coat big enough to cover us both, and stepped out on the balcony.
Cold air made him sleep in minutes, but I stayed there longer, slightly bouncing him from side to side, watching him sucking on his little hand growling like a cute baby bear.
One of the precious moments that make it worth a hundred times all the trouble.
It’s still before midnight, and the house is already silent. It doesn’t happen too often, so I’m going to hit the hay now as well. Tomorrow everything will start over again.
But now I know it will be easier. Blessed be the inventor of the baby carriers.
***
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