Baby Front Carriers - Are They Any Good?

Having had six daughters and owned a child care center for six years, I have used a lot of equipment and accessories intended to make dealing with babies just a little better. If I had to do it all over again and was told I could only have one piece of child equipment, without wavering, I would select a baby sling. I did not have a sling for my first two youngsters. I had never heard of them before, I had seen other parents using them but never made the association with myself. I always believed they looked so awkward to use and to be honest they didn't look to safe! It was only after reading reviews in the popular baby magazines and on the Net that I decided perhaps I should give one a try.

There are other hands free ways to hold your baby that I had attempted; mainly front baby carriers and baby backpacks. Many people really like these choices, and they may be perfect for you, so let's take a look at some of their features.

There are numerous makes of Baby Front Carrier with slightly unique features. Graco and Baby Bjorn are two of the more favorite makes. With these baby carriers, two padded shoulder straps go over your shoulders and criss-cross your back. The straps adapt to accommodate different sizes and shapes that men and women tend to be. The baby is then slid into a supportive pouch with leg holes. The baby's final position is against the chest with the feet dangling. As the baby grows and gets stronger, many carriers allow the baby face outward. The things I did not like about the front carrier is that it seemed uncomfortable to me. If the baby fell asleep while in the carrier, it was challenging to gently remove her to lay her down in the crib. Also, as your baby is in front of you it can be more difficult to get on with your normal daily activities like filling the washing machine, doing the dishes and looking after any other babies you may have.

Another option is a baby backpack, which is stood on the frame in order to insert the child. Then the frame is raised and slid onto the back of the father. I discovered that the baby got heavy rapidly with this method. Also, I didn't like the fact that I had no visual contact with the baby while she was on my back. Another problem that I had was that I couldn't simply sit down and take a rest without having to first take off the backpack. I personally didn't like the functionality of the backpack for times when the baby fell asleep. To Boot, it was rather bulky and took up quite a bit of space when it was not in use.

A sling unlike the other types of baby carrier does demand some persistence to master. Some people find them awkward to use at first and give up to easily. With practice a baby sling can be mastered, just stick with it. It can be helpful to see how other mothers use them and get some ideas from them.

As you can see, I am a bit biased toward slings, but the other hands free baby carriers might be absolutely perfect for your needs. Look at all options and try a few out. Whichever you choose, you will be a happier, more productive new parent as you learn to incorporate the pleasure of nurturing your newborn with the other long list of tasks that you have.