Give me the easiest baby carrier, the one that needs no instruction booklet, has no list of warnings, requires no specialized lingo, and I’ll give you a bazillion dollars. That’s the number my three year old says when he tells me, “Mama, I want a bazillion more jelly beans.” Oh yeah? I think to myself, Well, I want a bazillion more hours of sleep.
Three Kinds of Easy
If you’re the kind of parent who cowers at the sight of baby carriers that come with instructional DVDs, if you wince at a glimpse of an instruction manual longer than your Sudoku book, read on.
I’ll rate the best selling carriers from least to most complicated with several categories in mind:
- Easy to Put On
- Easy In and Out for Baby
- Best All-Around Grab-n-Go
Easy to Put On
Why would you want to get a carrier – sling, backpack, or wrap – that’s known for its quick on and off wearability? Think about how often you wear lace-up shoes versus slip-ons. Also, if your baby is not the first child in the family, frequent and fast costume changes are a daily part of your new role.
In the easy off and on department, a sling cannot be beat. The Balboa Baby
Easy In and Out for Baby
In this category, it seemed to me that the sling should win again. But after some not so clinical trials, I was surprised by the results.
The difficulty with slings is that a bit of situating, squirming, and tugging are often necessary to get the fabric taut and loose in the right places. Also, baby’s posture must be comfortable for him and allow him to face the way he wants to. If he can’t, he’ll twist until he can, ruining the fabric tucks and tweaks you made earlier.
Easy baby in and out for baby sets the Infantino Hip Carrier
Best All-Around Grab-n-Go
The Babybjorn original.
For example, the shapes of the lock-in-place connectors of the saddle and the shoulder straps are unmistakable, color coded, and even have a clicking sound that confirms they are safely locked.
When you want to take baby out of the quilted “saddle”, there’s a round ridge on the chest-level locks that has the shape and feel of a raised fingerprint. This makes it easy to find without looking for it, when I’d rather be keeping my eyes on my baby as I try to keep her safely balanced and upright.
The Bjorn’s back and waist tightening straps are cleverly located, easy to loosen or tighten without looking and with only one hand.
This is also my pick for best grab and go because it’s so easy to take care of. Separate the quilted saddle from the shoulder straps and wash only the saddle for less clinking in your washing machine and faster drying time.
The Bottom Line
As with all carriers, reading the instructions and noting the warnings is essential for your baby’s safety. The carriers mentioned above were chosen for their quick on-and-off, easiest in-out for baby, and best grab-n-go. Reading instructions – even for a no-brainer baby carrier – is what any parent with a brain would do. Some carriers are designed so well that it seems as if reading the instructions is optional. But that’s good design, not good advice.
