Ergo Baby Carrier Black with Camel Lining
by Ergo Baby
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Our Price: $104.95 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $93.51 (click here) Category: Baby Product See more product details |
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Baby Products Reviews of Ergo Baby Carrier Black with Camel Lining
Customer Review: best. carrier. ever.
Summary: 5 Stars
I got this when our daughter was about 5 months old (3 years ago), and my only regret is not buying it sooner. It has been well worth every penny of the $95 + shipping that I spent on it at the time, and I have recommended it to many friends and family members since then. It would be a great shower gift!
I have worn ours for hours at a time while gardening, cooking, even geocacheing, without getting a sore neck, back or hips. I love that it can be worn on the front or back and the baby faces your body in a very natural hug or piggyback position instead of just dangling out front like in a baby bjorn which seems like it would be hard on their back and legs. The Ergo also has an attached shade for protecting baby's head from getting too much sun while outdoors. Dress your baby very lightly so you won't sweat too much while wearing them outside on a hot day. In the winter, baby stays nice & warm bundled next to your body (try wearing them on your front, then putting your coat on and zipping it as usual).
It can be awkward at first to put it on your back and take it off without help, but an older baby or toddler can help by holding on to your shoulders a bit until they are fully buckled in. Also, a little practice using a doll, or while leaning over a bed or couch, or with another adult handy will help a lot to help you feel comfortable with the on & off process. I have never used the infant insert, but if we have another baby I will definitely buy one as an add-on to our carrier.
The Ergo is very comfortable and super convenient for wearing your baby while grocery shopping or taking older kids for a walk. It holds about 35 pounds, so it is great even for toddlers or smaller preschoolers on long hikes or in crowds when a stroller isn't practical. We have a double stroller for our girls but 95% of the time, I opt to push one kid in the single stroller and use the ergo because it's so much easier than pushing the giant double stroller. It also takes up far less space in the car than any stroller, so it's great for travel.
The carrier is machine washable on gentle cycle in case of spit-up or a leaky diaper. I've used a large lingerie bag for washing it so the straps and buckles don't get damaged in the washer.
Customer Review: Must Have!
Summary: 5 Stars
Purchase the Ergo if you want pure comfort, for both you and your baby. I didn't find this carrier until my daughter was 4 months, otherwise I would have purchased the infant insert. I put my daughter in here and she falls asleep within minutes. Then I can wear her for hours while I work and have my hands completely free. We've also taken her to Space Center Houston for the day with no need for a stroller. We even took a 90 minute tour with stairs, and in and out of a tram. No problems and completely hassle free. I originally purchased a sling after reading millions of reviews. It was not comfortable and my little one didn't like it either. The Ergo is instant comfort no matter how long you wear it. I am overweight and I don't have any problems with it at all. It may not be as "hip and stylish" as a sling, but it is extremely functional. I can't believe the reviewers that claim this carrier is complicated! Snap the carrier around your waist, pull the straps over your arms and snap in the back. It is that easy. Much easier than any slings. I was hesitant to purchase a carrier that was tummy/tummy because my daughter loves facing out and looking at everything, but she loves it. She can easily turn her head from side to side to see. Plus, this carrier can easily be used as a backpack carrier. So far, I haven't even tried it because she is only 6 months old and likes the front hold. This carrier is so well constructed, you know you will have it for years with no problems. Oh...and did I mention how comfortable it is! A carrier isn't any good if you can only wear your baby for a few minutes. You could easily tour an entire city and not get tired from wearing your baby. They say that you can breastfeed while in the carrier, but that's not my thing so I've never tried it. Oh..and my manly husband loves it too! He wears her everywhere with no complaints.
The sun shade is an awesome feature too. When it's sunny, bright lights, windy or any other reason, we just snap it up. I can't say enough good things about this carrier. And for any of you that have worn your baby for any length of time, you will realize the cushioned straps are a GOOD thing, not a negative!
Customer Review: Good for the back, hard to use
Summary: 4 Stars
I agree with the other reviews that this carrier is much easier on the back - I had to ditch the Bjorn because it hurt my lower back with our second kid. The Ergo has caused no problems, though my shoulder gets sore with enough of the hip carrying.
But, man, this thing is hard to use. The instructions are terrible - my wife, our nanny and I all had troubles figuring it out. Our nanny finally gave up and just doesn't use it. I've had to go back to the instructions several times to get a refresher, and we've only done front and hip carry. Definitely plan to practice with it (with a spotter) before you really want to use it. The Bjorn is much easier to use.
Also, adjusting the carrier or putting it on or taking it off can be very difficult and requires a lot of flexibility - for example, adjusting the strap for the hip holder (carrying the baby on the left hip) requires you to hold your baby up by her bottom with your right hand (on your left hip, so reaching across your body) and then reach over, across and behind your body with your left hand to pull a strap located on your right shoulder blade down and to the left. It makes me feel like my dog when he chases his tail...
I haven't noticed any reviews on the hip carry - it's good and easier on your back, and does let the kid see out some by turning her head to the left (but her nose is basically in my armpit if she looks straight ahead). It also is better than front carry because it lets you use your hands more, since you don't have to reach around the kid (with her very grabby hands) to reach stuff in front of you, so unlike with the Bjorn, I can do tasks pretty easily with her in this carrier. She is pretty wobbly if I loosen it enough to be comfortable, but the straps hold her in well, so it's more a matter of her flopping around a bit, I don't worry about her falling out. I think this might be because, like others have said, she's used to the Bjorn and wants to turn around to the front.
The little hood is also nice - in addition to providing head support, you can put it on loosely to provide shade, which is nice if she falls asleep while in the carrier.
Customer Review: So overrated
Summary: 2 Stars
I am very disappointed with this carrier. Can't understand all the ravishing reviews. We chose it after doing a careful research on the web. We went to great lengths to get it as it is not delivered in the country where we live... Well, I hate it.
First, it is quite hard to put on, basically in all positions. I actually haven't tried the back position yet because my baby is too young but from the instructional DVD, it seems the hardest. If you are not flexible and able to do all kinds of stretches, this is the first reason to choose another carrier.
Second, the infant insert is not only too pricey for what it is but it is also very inconvenient for both the baby and the parent. It basically squashes the baby in, leaving him very little air and it is only good for a very short period of time (the first month in our case, when the baby anyway mostly lies down) - the moment your baby gets just a little longer, his legs start hanging down on one side awkwardly and his back is all twisted. My baby actually screams every time I try to place it inside ever since he grew by 10 cm.
Third, my baby can hold its head steadily, so I thought, well, maybe it's time to get rid of the infant insert and try the front position. That proved a mistake. The problem was not in the head, but in the legs. For the front position to work, the baby's legs need to be wrapped around your body - sth that a toddler may be able to do but not a 3-month old baby. So the attempt to place the baby in the carrier like this only resulted in overstraining the baby's legs and again in screaming. Every time I try to put the baby in the carrier, I have to then spend half an hour consoling him.
Forth, this baby carrier does not have a front facing position - one that babies love!
Fifth, the carrier is quite bulky.
The only reason I am giving this carrier two instead of one star is because it might be good for toddlers and also because of the possibility to carry the baby on one's back - sth I haven't tried yet but that again might be good for older children. But this carrier is certainly not suitable for young children and not convenient to put on.
It was a mistake.
Customer Review: ergo best as baby gets heavier
Summary: 5 Stars
I have owned and used a good portion of the baby carriers on the market over the course of 3 kids. Baby Bjorn is fine for a limited time of 6 weeks to 4 months. After that the baby is carried too high on your chest for your back to be comfortable. The sling-- well, it seems like a good idea, but the baby ends up curved around your body and it just looks totally uncomfortable. And it does nothing for Mom. I love the hip carriers but they are unstable and the child must be at least 6 months. The backpack frame carriers are useful only for hiking in my opinion. You can't see the baby, you can't feel the baby, and the carrier is fairly difficult to get in place just because of the combined weight-- and I am not a lightweight. And you are never going to be able to bring it along at the bottom of a stroller. My latest carrier is the Baby K'tan, and I love it. It was absolutely amazing-- but now that baby is 7 months I miss my ergo. (I gave it away after baby 2.) The K'tan is great because it really is comfortable for baby from day 1, and the carrier is not bulky, so it is very easy to store in a diaper bag. And you can actually nurse discreetly-- the only carrier that I have ever used that this claim was actually born out. But, it is beginning to tire my back, and you need 2 people to get the child in the back position. The ergo is bulky. That was my main complaint-- I never wanted to bring it along unless I was wearing it. And the hip position is pretty dumb because the straps just don't quite work. But to be able to carry a child on your back so easily is just priceless. I literally carried my 2 year old on my back while I was 9 months pregnant. The ergo is that adjustable and comfortable. I did use the infant insert and I agree with some reviewers that baby does not look very comfortable but she never cried so...
If you can afford 2 carriers I would get the KTan and the Ergo. But if only one carrier is what you are looking for, the Ergo is the best you can do, even though no carrier can be perfect in all situations. The Ergo will take you from day 1 through 2 years and up.