If I were to be asked what the most valuable parenting / baby care item is in the large variety of options available in stores, I would have to say it is the baby carrier.
I’m often reading that parents start with a Moby Stretchy Wrap and by 20 lbs. are looking for the next carrier to fit their needs for more support in the lower back area and more versatility. The older your baby gets the more active he gets and the more supportive your carrier needs to be.
I used the sling for 2.5 years with my first baby, part of that time (after 14 months) I carried him and a tiny newborn interchangeably. I also used a Mei Tai and tried several wraps I made myself. When you are a fabric addict like me and you love to make things, it’s fairly easy to solve the question: which carrier can I upgrade to next?
I had two Mei Tai’s and one of them was even borrowed for a commerial and never returned, my Retro Cherries and Polka Dots Mei Tai where are YOUUUUUU… ???
In my case I’d get up and sew a new ring sling from thicker material, tried a different shoulder and tweaked until I had 12 carriers made by me in the house. You may not even know how to thread a sewing machine so here are a few resources to get affordable, gently used, pre-loved carriers:
Is it worth buying a name brand carrier or wrap through forums and swap groups?
I have to say YES! I got into these forums because after being a #madebyme carrier momma for 3 years I wanted to try some new carriers that were, well, not made by me. Top of my list was the Woven Wrap and a close second the Ergo. I have paused my search for an Ergo because I bought my first woven wrap, an Oscha Sling Shui Long Safaia, I am soooo in love with the Oscha Shui Ling series, I have to be careful because I feel the need to collect them all.
The price was steep, steeper than what my husband is used to seeing in his PayPal notifications, he asked me if I was okay in the head… $285 plus shipping and another $35 customs and import tax. To which I replied, it’s a rare high quality woven wrap which all of our kids will still use for 4 years and any other babes we have, or I can always sell it at trading value when I am ready.
Inside I am snickering, I don’t plan to sell it anytime soon.
My Experience with TheBabywearing Forum
Many of the Woven Wraps are HARD to get online, you’d have to pre-order, wait for the release date or wait for new releases and not get the weave you wanted. I love how quickly (within a week) I found a mom offering her’s for a swap on the forum. I just asked her if she’d rather sell it, and she agreed! TheBabywearer.com is a great forum for general babywearing discussions, and it also has a forum section for trading or selling carriers. Imagine it, you CAN find it. It might be fast like what happened to me, but it might also take some days or weeks.
I recommend any pasisonate babywearing mom (or dad) to join the forum on thebabywearer.com it’s a great place to find peers, and learn more about carriers!
My Experience with Babywearing SWAP on Yahoo Groups
The babywearing swap is a group on Yahoo, it’s a great place to find gently used and unused carries other parents are selling. You get daily emails on new listings by parents. From what I’ve seen many times there’s the soft-structured carriers on sale for $80 or $60 straight from the parents. Some times they list pictures, they are often doubles they got at their babyshower or that they no longer plan to use because their kids out grew or did not enjoy the carrier (it happens sometimes).
I have not successfully purchased items there yet, I’m keeping my eyes open for when my baby is 6 months old. Right now I have enough carriers AND a woven wrap to get on with my third babywearing adventure! I think it’s great to reuse carriers, especially the high quality ones, it’s also eco-friendly!
Share with me in the comments section where you got your carrier at a great price and let me know if you were happy with the purchase, I sure was!!!
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