I'd be lost without my ERGO

I love my baby... and I love making her happy. Problem is, she is 17 months old, 28 pounds and wants to be held 24/7. I do not mind this but my arms begin to feel like Jell-o by 10 am and I knew I needed something to help.

I had gotton a Baby Bjorn carrier when she was an infant but not only did her big thighs turn a horrific shade of red but I had read in numerous places that they put a lot of stress on baby's spine since their weight is concentrated on the base of their spine (or crotch area). The ERGO however has an ergonomic design that is not stressful on their spine since the weight is distributed to the spine, hips, and thighs.

I had also noticed that when my 15 pound (at the time) daughter was in the Baby Bjorn that my back was tired after a very short time. With the ERGO I can walk (or hike) for long periods of time with very little stress on my back. If I wear her on my front I do feel the workout in my legs.



What IS the Ergo Baby Carrier

The ERGO is a soft, non-frame carrier that goes from infant (with optional insert for head support) till 60 pounds. (yes I have put my 5 year old that weighs 48 pounds in it as well... but only for short periods of time.. shes 45 inches, I do feel a bit silly!!). It is very similar to a backpack. It has two padded straps that go on your shoulders, one padded belt-like strap that goes around your waist, and one chest clip that clips across your chest so the straps cannot slip off of your shoulders.

The ERGO itself is very lightweight and because there is no hard frame, it folds up small and fits into the included cloth travel bag. The ERGO is made of a cotton canvas on the outside and a brushed cotton inside. (This is great because it is machine washable!)



Features of the ERGO

~VERY easy to use! I was immediatly able to get my child in and out of the carrier easily and quickly. The only feat is getting the chest clip buckled when you are carrying your child on your front side, because the clip in on your back. Another thing I needed to learn was to just keep the head flap out of it's pocket for ease of using it if needed. Bukles are also very easy to use and adjustment for proper fit is also similar to adjusting the straps on your backpack.

~Head Flap for sleeping baby. This flap pulls up and goes over baby's head where it velcros to loops on the chest clip. It provides support while your child is sleeping in the carrier.

~Can be worn front or back with very little effort switching it around

~Newborn through young childhood. The price may seem steep, but if you think about it, products like the Baby Bjorn are similar in pricing and only last a few months, while the ERGO lasts several YEARS.

~Movement. Wearing your baby in the ERGO feels natural. There is no limitation in movement or funny walking (unless you are only 5'7" wearing a 45" child! lol).

~No backaches! That is a big deal for me

~Bonding. Wearing your baby promotes closeness and strong bonds. It also can assist in quicker response to their needs.

~Breastfeeding. You can breastfeed your child and have the additional privacy. For me, I do find it a little diificult but have only tried once or twice.

~Apperance. This is a carrier that can be worn my mom, dad, uncle, grandpa, grandma... it looks very similar to a backpack in the front and there are no frilly additions or flowered straps. Mine is black and tan, but it also comes in denim or terracotta (aka pink).

~Infant Insert. The infant insert helps to make the ERGO the only carrier you will ever need by offering head and body support for newborns and younger infants. It is padded and can only be used with the ERGO on your chest (not back). The insert is easily put in and removed from the carrier and you can use it to lay your baby down as well. (this has different instructions that I am not too familar with as well. I know the baby's legs do not go out both sides, etc...)

~WASHABLE! Machine washable (delicate cycle, cold water) and Machine dry-able as well!


Fitting and Costs

I purchased my ERGO from www.tentoes.com . They currently sell it for $85.00.

The ERGO as it comes has an adjustable waist that goes from 27" to 45". You can purchase a waist extender ($5 at tentoes.com, $8 at ergobabycarrier.com ) that will give you 8 more inches. For smaller sizes, you can actually get a carrier retrofitted through www.ergobabycarrier.com for $10 additional dollars.


The Infant Insert is $26.00. You can get a pouch that fits the belt to carry stuff for $17.00, a "back sack" to fit on the back of the carrier for $29.00 and a matching tote bag for $32.00.

We are happy with the plain ol' Ergo how it comes :o)


And the JURY says.....

The harshest critic... Katerina... LOVES the ERGO. I was a bit worried as she never tolerated her sling or the Baby Bjorn well at all. I have hiked at Muir Woods, shopped, ran, walked, worked, etc... all in the ERGO with no complaints for her thus far... which is a HUGE deal for a 17 month old ;o)


I know that the Ergo has been one of our best investments and I would HIGHLY reccomend it to other parents. It has allowed me to get things done and saved my arms from feeling wobbly after 20 minutes of getting up!