Mmm... delicious relief from one-shouldered or front carriers!

*** 2007 Update: Dd is now 26 months old, and we have totally hit our stride with this carrier! Though it was a little hard learning to get her up on my back, now that she's a BIT older, we are doing it like seasoned pros! I am now 5 months pregnant (with our NEXT satisfied Ergo rider) and can still wear this - waist belt under my belly - very comfortably. Her weight is distributed over my hips NOT across my belly. I mention an issue with the chest strap in my review, but funnily enough, I totally forgot about this problem and I don't notice it at ALL anymore. Weird. I saw a friend with HER brand-new Ergo today and congratulated her - I really believe this is one of the best things you can buy for Life with Baby! ***

Now that dd is 16 months and has (finally!) hit 20 lbs, I was desperately looking to get her off my tummy and also out of the Hip Hammock for long stretches, though it's still my carrier of choice for short trips, like in and out of the car.

Knowing that the Ergo was the creme de la creme of baby carriers, I begged and pleaded (ha ha) until a relative gave in and said she'd buy me one for dd's birthday (belatedly).

Choosing an Ergo

So many to choose from! Used or new, a variety of luscious colours, from berry-red to indigo blue and an organic denim model for those who want the very best of the best.

Some of the newer ones feature a "critters" lining with bugs or lizards or something... I wasn't fussy about colour or style, but I knew I didn't want that lining. Dunno why - just personal taste. Some people love it!

I eventually chose the New Generation ergo. I got it in a luscious indigo blue colour, with a camel/tan coloured lining (this is the only choice besides the "critters" lining. The carrier is almost entirely soft, breathable cotton, except the straps and padding, which is very thick wherever it counts.

Using the Ergo:

Worn on the front, it's almost like any other carrier - easy! (except doing up the chest clip in the back, but that comes pretty quickly, too)

On the back, you're going to need help, along with the helpful video on the Ergo website, to get baby up there. If you keep at it, you will eventually be able to do it on your own. Part of the trick, I'm convinced, is getting baby used to having happy experiences on your back, so he/she will eventually cooperate in going up there willingly. We are not at that stage yet; I still need help. Luckily, I am rarely alone. :-)

To put on the ergo, front or back, you do up the waist buckle, then one shoulder strap. Then, load the baby, pull on the other shoulder strap. Do up the chest buckle (in back if baby is on the front) and away you go!).

The buckles are very solid, chunky plastic that snap together extremely securely. There's also an elastic thingy to feed the buckle through, which I assume is some type of safety measure, though mostly they get in the way - I assume it's so if a buckle DOES undo, the thing won't completely fall apart.

And though it sounds complicated, the steps are pretty simple:
- waist buckle first
- one shoulder next
- PUT BABY IN - with help or support with your hand or by leaning over (if you're putting baby on your back)
- other shoulder in
- position baby comfortably
- finally, do up chest buckle

The manufacturer does say you can use the Ergo on your hip. I'm not sure how or why. I have the Hip Hammock for that, and the Ergo way seems to involve not using one of the straps, which to me just seems silly.

If the baby falls asleep in the Ergo, there's a hood thingy that you can theoretically pull up and over baby's head so it doesn't bobble around like one of those decorations for your car. I haven't used it yet, but it looks kind of difficult to master. I will try to update this if/when we get a chance to use it.

The Ergo isn't suitable for newborns unless you buy the optional newborn insert. I think I would prefer something simple and snuggly like my Moby Wrap for a newborn. The Ergo just seems too high-tech for such a little baby!

Why the Ergo is different:

So much padding! Ahhh... blessed relief!
Thick, thick straps, plus solid buckles. Plus lovely cotton fabrics and colours.
The ample waist padding means that even though it looks like a backpack type carrier, much of the baby's weight is actually evenly distributed around your hips... meaning your shoulders aren't carrying the entire baby. What a relief!

Unlike a hard carrier... the baby isn't WAY up high where you could potentially smash his/her head going through low doorways or on chandeliers. This really does happen - ick! In the Ergo, baby is high enough to see much of what's going on, but still low enough to snuggle in close to you when the world gets overwhelming.

Also unlike a hard carrier... the Ergo squishes up small into a diaper bag when it's not in use!

The most important difference: baby isn't "hanging" by the crotch like with the Bjorn-type carrier. Instead, his/her weight is supported evenly across the bum by the bum-shaped "seat" of the Ergo. It looks the same, but apparently the effect on the spine is much gentler as baby's happily bouncing up and down those trails or city streets.

What I don't like:

Only one thing - when she's on my back in the ergo, I haven't found a comfortable place to put the chest buckle without it digging into my breastbone. I'm sure all I have to do is shift it up or down slightly, but for now, it's uncomfortable.

The BIG Question:

Is it worth the extra money over the many Snugli/Bjorn type carriers out there? I have wondered this for a couple of years now, envying mamas with their Ergos but wondering how much of it is hype.

The Answer:

YES! It really is worth the extra money. Otherwise, you're not going to be happy... you'll just end up being one of these parents who said they tried a carrier but could never get it to work for them.

Every parent I know who started out with a Snugli or Bjorn is no longer wearing their baby. Now that I have an Ergo, I feel like I just bought myself at least another year or two of closeness and intimacy as my baby and I explore this exciting, wonderful world together.

*** Edited to add:

Weight Limit

This is another Ergo advantage! While most carriers cite ridiculous weight limits that are accurate in theory, if you even approach the limit, you and your back/shoulders will regret it.

For example, I believe the Baby Bjorn says it's good to 30 lbs. Ha ha ha. We stopped using that around about 15 lbs. My Moby Wrap also says 30, I think, and it's still comfy, but does start to stretch with long wear of a 20 lb baby.

While my baby is still only 1.5 years and not even 25 lbs, I have seen the Ergo with all sizes of babies and toddlers. Your basic strength will be different from other parents', of course, but if you have carried your baby frequently from birth (building up overall strength as he/she grows), you will find using the Ergo a breeze.

The fabric, by the way, is engineered to be WAY stronger than you'll ever need. There's a website out there showing a small adult being carried on another adult's back, and I saw another review where the author carried an injured 6-year-old in it with no problem. You won't want to use it like this every day, but it is capable of much more than baby-hauling, which makes me confident of its safety.

(I tried carrying my 10yo dd1, just to test the claims, but we quit trying before somebody got hurt... :-)))

Washability

Well, you don't want to be washing your baby carrier over much, and most of the time you won't have to. But in case of one of those terrible "diaper overflow" emergencies, the Ergo is technically machine washable.

You will want to do it very gently and maybe skip the dryer step for a good hang to dry.

I have seen many used Ergos and some have undoubtedly been washed. They all look terrific, though some of the colour may be slightly faded. The older, washed and well-loved ones still work great, too, which brings me to my final point...

Resale Value:
Even the older-style Ergos (mine is the New Generation) are reselling for terrific prices all over the Internet and on specialized babywearing websites. They also have high swap value. This is because even with lots of use, the fabric and buckles are so durable, there's lots of life left.

And the old ones have different colours available, like orange and a different kind of blue, so you're guaranteed to get a beautiful, practical carrier even if yours isn't brand-new.

I have actually heard that the hood is easier to use on the older-style ergo (something to do with the new one being rounded and elasticized, more hood-shaped, while the old one was just a plain rectangle). So don't feel bad if you're in the market for an older one... you'll get a great carrier that you can turn around and resell for years to come!