Best for Baby- Baby Bjorn!

A few years ago I was told that should I ever have kids, the Baby Bjorn was something I should not do without. It is a fabric "front pack", made for carrying infants weighing only 8 pounds up to 25 pounds in front of you, either forward facing or "mommy facing" as I like to call it. I was told that it was worth it's weight in gold (although it does not weight too much!) and that no substitute should take its place. Here is what I have found out:

Yes, it is an invaluable carrier, especially for infants who constantly want to be held and parents who have too much to do. It provides a hands-free carrier for parents of any size and is safe even for newborns without much neck strength. Until baby has enough strength to hold its own neck, baby must face towards the parent, which for me was not a problem as my baby did not seem to mind being close nor did she mind not being able to see everything going on.

By the time baby has enough strength to hold its own head, baby will probably want to be front facing anyway. Simply turn baby facing away from you, fold down the front flap (that was previously holding the head) and voila! Instant baby appendage! Baby's arms and legs are free to move about. As soon as my daughter, Sadie was able to be front facing, she was turned around and was able to see the world in front of her. We clipped her "paci" onto the side of the carrier since she didn't always feel like keeping it in her mouth.

So why is the Baby Bjorn so priceless? Well, for starters, it gives newborns that "swaddling" feeling, being so close to a parents' warmth. You can adjust the tightness to you- for optimum use, you want it tight for a better feeling of security for both you and baby, but also for your back, to make it more comfortable. The comfort of baby is obviously very important- if baby does not like it, why bother?

The versatility of the Baby Bjorn is great too- the forward facing and body facing is important as a bit older baby will most likely want to see what's going on! The weight range, as specified by the manufacturer, is 8 to 25 pounds, so it should also last more than just a couple of months. At almost nine months, Sadie still fits comfortably into hers, and by comfortably, I mean for both of us! The adjustable straps allow for proper back positioning and although it is extra weight for my body to carry around, it feels well proportioned. Although I cannot walk fast with her, I don't feel as though I am struggling either.

"When do I use this carrier, anyway?"
Well, it is ideal for situations where a stroller just won't do. In Freeport, ME, most of the stores are not handicap accessible (shame on them!), and that also means they aren't stroller accessible. Stairs abound, there's no way I am going to lug a full stroller and baby up stairs, over curbs and around mobs of people. I feel safe with my baby right on my body. When traveling to Florida a few months ago, we decided to forgo the stroller, checked the car seat as luggage and went strictly with the Baby Bjorn. This worked out great because when it is not in use, the Baby Bjorn is not bulky and folds right up. Our hands were free to deal with carry-ons, boarding passes and the like. Very convenient. And of course, there is the odd day when Sadie wants nothing more than to be held. With household chores still needing to be done, I have found that the Baby Bjorn also works very well in our own home- vacuuming, dusting, picking up around the house, laundry- all can be done with this hands free carrier!

"My baby sometimes falls asleep in the stroller, what will she do in the Baby Bjorn?"
If baby is facing you, the padding behind the head will support baby enough so that if the head tilts slightly to the side while sleeping, there should not be any problem. If baby is facing out, the padding still comes up high enough (just below baby's collar bones) that the head may fall slightly to the side or forward, but the majority of the body weight is held still by the carrier. Sadie does not have a problem falling asleep in the carrier if she is tired enough and will stay asleep for a decent length of time.

"How safe is my baby in this carrier?"
As long as the straps are pulled tight enough, baby should be fairly secure. Obviously if you bend over, there is a possibility of baby slipping out, although usually if I do have to bend over, I naturally bend my knees and hold Sadie tight and there have been no problems. For newborn babies, or as they recommend, babies under 12 pounds, there are leg straps that make the holes for the legs a little smaller, with less room for movement. There are also two clips on each side of the carrier to secure baby in place. On each side, there is a latch clip that locks into place and has never come undone on me (but you have to make sure that latch is secure!) This latch is at about baby's torso. Just a little bit higher than the latch clip is another clip to hold the upper portion of the carrier in place- this snaps in place and again, is very secure.

I believe as long as you have a firm understanding of how the clips work, where the straps should be and how tight they should be, this is really a very easy and comfortable carrier to use. I have seen other carriers- Snuggli, specifically, and they look so flimsy and uncomfortable compared to the Baby Bjorn. The carrier is all cloth and can be washed by hand of or on the gentle cycle, air dried.

I originally bought a Baby Bjorn on Ebay for $35, but they sent me a different design and size than the one I thought I was bidding on (argh), so I went out and bought one from Babies-R-Us for a mere $92. (I was 9 months pregnant and very picky...) I ended up giving the used one to my mother for "Mima" to use with Sadie. If I haven't convinced you with my review that it's worth the money and you still want to get a front pack baby carrier, I would recommend checking out Ebay or a second hand clothing store, such as the Children's Orchard, you can probably find one for about the same price as a new Snuggli.