The Top 3 Best Baby Carriers to Make Your Life Easier

Written by Megan Howarth

Megan has been writing about her experiences as a mother and doula since 2011. People love her hilarious, refreshing and honest views on parenting and life in general. P.S She wrote this bio so this is all completely biased. Read at your own risk.

I’m not lying when I say babywearing saved my parenting life. Having a baby carrier on-hand when my kids were newborns was probably one of the best purchases I made as a new mom.

Yes, we had a stroller too and I, like most people, spent a ridiculous amount of time researching which one to get and what features it needed, but what I didn’t realize was how important the baby carrier would be. I went through many carriers over the years, and have tried them all. Over time I even became a short lived babywearing blogger and finally, a certified babywearing educator.

So, here’s to you saving time because I spent years doing the research for you. My top 3 best baby carriers for new parents!

Number 1 best baby carrier goes to… hands down the Boba Wrap.

I think I have advised hundreds of parents to get this carrier. It is quite possibly the most important item you’ll own for your newborn other than the car seat and bassinet. Because when your baby isn’t in one of those items, they’ll be here. Wrapped into your arms like a snuggle bug! I prefer light grey. Goes with everything and doesn’t show stains like the black one!

Pros: Perfect for newborns, keeps them close and comfortable. You can leave the carrier on and slide the baby in and out making it the easiest for feeding and transferring to the car seat or bassinet if they’re asleep or you need to go out. Fits almost anyone (it is extremely long!)

Cons: It is an extremely long piece of fabric and this scares people. It’s okay. Check out the Boba Wrap 101 YouTube video of how to tie it, and you’ll figure it out quickly. It can be very hot on summer days in the heat. Bring it as a stroller back-up or you will sweat! It can only really be used to about 20 lbs despite the box stating higher.

Number 2 is the Ergo Embrace baby carrier.

My best friend has this carrier and it is an absolute dream of a hybrid carrier. Soft straps that wrap and clip, with a more structured body and waist/hips area for comfort. I would say this is the most versatile carrier because it can be rolled up and brought along for times when your baby just needs to be in arms (think: a party, a day spent outside, etc)

Pros: Looks great, not too bulky, easy to put on quickly so you don’t feel like people are staring. Classic carrier style.

Cons: You have to take it off to feed the baby or take them out of the carrier, which can be annoying. It won’t fit everyone, though they do sell waist extenders if you need. People with very narrow shoulders might not find it stays on as well.

Number 3 is the Ergo 360 baby carrier.

Now, when it first came out I wasn’t a huge fan. However, so many parents want the flexibility of being able to face their baby towards them or as they get older, face them out and this baby carrier does just that. It’s adjustable for different ages and sizes and I think suits men and women’s tastes. (For some reason many men don’t like the idea of using a baby carrier, which is weird because I’m sure there is an entire fan group for babywearing dads online somewhere. Hot, hot, hot I tell ya!)

Pros: Great for all ages of babies, both sexes, easy for the average friend or babysitter to use. Very versatile.

Cons: Bulky. Not classy if you want to wear your baby at an event. Can be annoying to adjust the straps back and forth for two different people to use the same carrier.

There are so many more carriers that I love, but these are the ones I suggest to get started. When you’ve become a more adept babywearing aficionado then I would urge you to look into fun things like woven wraps, and ring slings. There’s a whole fun world of baby carriers out there for you to explore!