ROSE FAMILY JOURNAL

After eight months of parenting, we have had a lot of experiences with baby carriers. We use them while we are hiking, working around the house, or walking around the neighborhood. For the most part, we have had positive experiences with all four carriers we own. That said, this post will share a review of:
Why we chose it
What stands out about it
What disappointed us about it

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. All are carriers we own and have used.

Baby K’tan Baby Wrap Carrier

Why we chose it.
This was a recommendation I received from a co-worker, who really loved her Baby K’tan baby wrap carrier. With this personal recommendation, there are two reasons we chose this one over other fabric wrap carriers on the market. 1. You can buy different sizes, meaning we could buy different sizes for me and my husband instead of relying on how tight our knots were for carrying the baby. 2. It comes “ready to wear”. With the sized to fit you options, we liked these, because they looked far less complicated to put on and fit the baby into compared to others.

What stands out about it.
This was my go-to carrier when Leah was a newborn, and when we were not leaving the house often. It seemed to help sooth her to be placed in it while I was cooking, getting the mail, or, while I would sit and gently bounce on the yoga ball, listening to music or podcasts, and paint watercolors. I found it easy to put on after a few tries, and it truly kept her snug and content to be so close. I have even used it in the facing out version, which works well now that she is out of the newborn stage, but only in short periods. The other carriers work better for this if I am wearing her facing out for longer periods.

What disappointed us about it.
I’m pleased with how it worked out for me and wearing Leah around the house. My only “disappointment” with it would be that I did not wear it as much as I thought I would. That said, when I did, it worked as expected.

My husband, however, did not like to wear the Baby K’tan baby carrier. I can think of maybe two times where I saw him try to put it on with Leah as a newborn. My personal opinion is that this wrap or other fabric wraps do not work well for men’s bodies. David much preferred the next carrier we are reviewing: the Ergobaby Embrace.

Ergobaby Embrace

Why we chose it.
We chose this one, because we felt like we needed a sturdier baby carrier for the first few months of Leah’s life. We knew eventually we wanted to use the Ergobaby Omni 360 carrier, but the pictures and reviews made it seem like we needed one for the first couple of months.

What stands out about it.
The first part that stands out the most is that it is extremely soft cotton. Wow, so soft. This ended up being the carrier that David used to carry Leah around while he was in the house with Leah and wanted to do other things. The carrier is extremely easy to put on and use, it was 100% baby-approved, and it has great support for the parent’s shoulders.

What disappointed us about it.
Again, I felt like this carrier worked as well as I hoped or imagined it would work out. The crazy disappointment is how little we used it. I’m not sure if I thought I was going to be getting so much done around the house on maternity leave, or I just had no idea how short the time is with a newborn, but for the investment, I felt like we did not use it as much as we might have hoped.

Ergobaby Omni 360

Why we chose it.
This carrier seemed to truly have it all when we were comparing carriers. You could wear the baby in front facing you or facing out. Then you could wear the baby on your back. In every position, we were pleased they advertised how ergonomic for the baby and for the parent this carrier is. We decided if either of us were uncomfortable, it would not make for a pleasant experience.

What stands out about it.
I have to be honest, when this carrier arrived in the mail, we spent so much time marveling at it. We could not believe how many buttons, buckle, zippers, and padding this carrier had. My husband is extremely into gear and the different customizable features really had him on the edge of his seat. Since using it, it appears this carrier is Leah’s clear favorite. I have never heard her complain while in it, and we have taken her on 6-7 mile hikes in it.

What disappointed us about it.
We are extremely pleased with this carrier, and we still use it often. Our primary uses for it are: if we go into stores and need to push a cart, we’ll carry Leah in this one. OR if we are going on hikes. We have been transitioning to the Thule Sapling carrier for hikes, but we are in a bit of an in-between phase between the two carriers. The biggest complaint I have about the carrier is that it isn’t the easiest to put on and put the baby into alone. Especially if you want to carry the baby on your back, it is hard to do when you do not have a partner or second set of hands to help in putting it on.

Thule Sapling

Why we chose it.
We bought this one after Leah was born and we were starting to go hiking again. We wanted a carrier that had better support for the parent, a sunshade for the baby, and some space for carrying other essentials – such as water, snacks, a camera, sit pads, etc. We spent time in an REI looking at this one and the Osprey carrier. Ultimately, it came down to the fact that we liked the color and look of the Thule Sapling better.

What stands out about it.
It is very comfortable for the parent. It is beautiful looking. It has extra room for storage, and it provides a very good amount of shade for the baby. We also like how we are able to take breaks, and stand the bag up with Leah in it while we grab a drink or sit for a second.

What disappointed us about it.
I think it is too soon to say, but after about 5 miles or so, Leah starts to get very fussy in this carrier. We are convinced it is because she is just on the smaller end of who the carrier is intended to carry, and it starts to get uncomfortable after a while. I also do not love the way she looks when she falls asleep in the carrier. It looks like her neck is very strained, so we have had to be extra careful at those times. Again, we are waiting to see if these continue, and hoping we all enjoy family hikes with the Thule Sapling!

Find our review of dad approved diaper bags.
Read more about our baby tips for travel, hiking, and more.