Today Rachel turns 3 months old, marking the end of the 4th trimester. As she leaves the newborn period behind, these were my favourite carriers to use with her during her newborn phase;
1. Hana Baby stretchy wrap - I just love stretchy wraps for those early days. Super soft, easy to tie, easy to pop baby in and out of, and perfect fit for parent and baby every time. Perfect for round the home as well as out and about... David and I would both wear her for hours on end in a Hana. See previous posts for more on the Hana and other stretchy wrap brands.
2. Mid-Length woven wraps - namely my size 4 Didymos Prima Severn Sky and my size 3 Firespiral Brimstone Kaleidoscope. These were great to grab for when Rachel was unsettled and needed a quick calm. The shorter length compared to 1. and 3. meant I could very quickly throw them on and be quickly rocking her without needing to worry about oodles of fabric. Mainly I'd use a kangaroo carry although sometimes also a front wrap cross carry tied under bum or at shoulder. Useful for quick ups around the home and short trips out... although the reduced support would mean I'd choose something else for further afield or if I knew she'd be in there a while.
3. Long woven wraps - namely my size 7 Didymos Lisca Achat, size 6 Girasol Earthy Rainbow, and my size 6 Didymos Rosalinde Doubleface. All three are beautifully thin and super soft and just feel perfect around a little baby. While I used these from the beginning as well, I probably reached most for 1. and 2. during the first few weeks, while as Rachel grew, I started preferring long wovens more and more. The extra support provided by the woven fabric compared to stretchy and by the extra length when compared to mid-length wraps meant these were absolutely great for long trips out, for around the home as she started to have longer more defined naps. And as she started to want to stretch and flex more in a sling. My most used carries were the front double hammock, front wrap cross carry and reinforced kangaroo carry. Front double hammock in particular is my favourite for this age.
4. The Connecta Baby and the Izmi Baby. While I generally preferred the perfect fit, comfort and closeness afforded by wrap style slings for this 4th trimester phase... there were days where the simplicity of a buckle carrier was really useful. I.e. on days we were going to the doctors or health visitors and I knew I'd need to get her in and out of the carrier quickly and probably in a confined space. Or on days when it was raining heavily and I was likely to need to retie while outside... On these occasions I loved the Connecta and the Izmi. Both are very light and can be easily sized down to give a lovely snugly fit for a little baby. Which one I choose simply depended which one wasn't on hire. I marginally preferred the Izmi, but as it was out on hire so much I didn't get to use it as often! Please see previous post if you'd like to see how both of these sized down for a newborn compared to other buckle carriers.
Please note that these were my personal favourites. Carrying your baby is a really personal thing and different people prefer different things. Its always always worth learning about different carrier types, trying a few different brands and finding out what fits you best. Both in terms of physical fit and fits your needs. Its worth noting that both the Caboo and Ring Slings are really popular choices for newborns and ones I've seen work many many times with many parents. I personally preferred stretchy wraps to the Caboo as these fit my body better, but I've met so many parents who've found the ease of simply slipping the Caboo over their head has meant that this is the best fit for them. Likewise I often compare ring sling to marmite... you love them or you hate them. They just aren't my jam, but I've had so many clients for whom the ring sling is the perfect newborn and beyond carrier.
Ultimately its all about finding your personal favourite or favourites!
-Madeleine
(Photo of Didymos Rosalinde by the talented Alex Cetera)