The Dear Dr.MOZ Baby Blog

Hello GoodFather,

My wife and I are researching baby carriers for our baby registry, but we’re having a hard time choosing from the various styles. Do you have any advice for new parents trying to choose a baby carrier?

Thanks,
Tyler

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Hello Tyler,

Congratulations with the expecting baby! For a good “baby carrier 101“, I recommend spending a few minutes on the following baby carrier websites to help

weed out the designs that won’t work for your needs. You’ll quickly be able to create a “wants list” after learning about the strengths of each design, and can then find a few contenders based on their descriptions of each brand. A few of the most popular baby carrier resources include:

• Pittsburgh Babywearers: You’ll find many links to the Pittsburgh Babywearers because they have an easy to understand “Pros and Cons” page describing the 4 main types of babycarriers. This is a great place to start because it will help you pinpoint your favorite design type (pouch, ring sling, mei tai, or wrap).

• TheBabyWearer.com: Quite possibly the most comprehensive baby wearing resources out there, it covers everything you’ll need to know. Sections of particular interest include: Benefits of Babywearing, Babywearing Positions Chart, and their Products Directory for the ultimate list of international carriers.

• WearYourBaby.com: This is a great baby wearing resource, although it focuses on sling-style baby carrying which may or may not be of interest. You’ll begin in the “start here” section, and then learn more about specific carrier types based on position (front carrier, side, back, etc.), and the baby’s age. They even have a great online video section showing different wrap styles.

Once you have shaved your list down to a few baby carriers, I recommend visiting a small baby boutique because they tend to carry quality products and go the extra mile to ensure that it will fit your needs. Employees in smaller boutiques are usually very well informed, and most are happy to let you and your wife try out their products for comfort while in the store.

Do you have any advice for our soon-to-be GoodFather Tyler? If so, please click on the comments bubble above to share your tips. Thanks for the great question Tyler, and don’t forget to check this post again in the near future to see what our readers recommend!

Your favorite family man,

The GoodFather

(meet the GoodFather at DrMOZ.com)