Our Top Five Baby Carriers (With Demonstrations)

I once pitied blokes walking around with baby carriers strapped to them. They looked uncool and uncomfortable. What was wrong with a pram?

Then, I became a dad myself.

For Edie’s first few weeks I managed to avoid donning the Björn but as it became clear that my daughter wasn’t always going to settle in the cot or pram, and my sleep-deprived partner needed some downtime, I had no choice.

So baby and Björn were thrust into my arms and I was pushed out the door.

Five minutes later, with the contraption in a tangled heap on the ground and with Edie wailing, I gingerly knocked on the door again:  I had no idea how to put it on…

Even six months later I struggled with the damn thing – it was just so easy to get wrong! – but eventually, I found a relatively pain-free formula that carried across the first 18 months of each of my girls.

I grew to love the Björn. It was a win-on-all-counts scenario: an efficient way to get out and about; it lessened my partner’s load; and, most importantly, it was perfect for bonding with my child. No, I didn’t have milk-filled breasts, but I did have a reassuring heartbeat and a familiar scent; it was their safe place and they all slept for hours on my chest.

“Carrying a newborn close to your heart is like being in seventh heaven,” said BabyBjörn’s founder Björn Jakobson in 1973.

How right he was. With my youngest – and last – now three, the days of carriers are long behind me, and I have to say, sometimes I even pine for ‘the days of Björn’.

Here are five of The Dad Website’s top-rated baby carriers.

BabyBjörn Baby Carrier Original

The original classic. Easily adjustable and you needn’t wake baby to take it off;  just unfasten the side buckles to open up the front part. Durable, too. In grey or black. Retails at around $100. Here’s a demonstration.

BabyBjörn Baby Carrier One Outdoors

For the adventurous parent wanting to instil adventure in their child, this one is the complete package; water and moisture-repellent with a pocket and loops for instant access to mobile, water bottle and cuddly toy. Has multiple adjustment options, and is sturdy and comfortable; ideal for long walks.  Expect to pay $200 to $250. Here’s a demonstration.

Ergobaby Four Position 360 Carrier

With four carrying positions – front facing in, front facing out, hip, and back – this health practitioner-backed carrier holds your child in an ergonomically-sound position, from newborn to toddler-aged. Winner of US website BabyCenter’s ‘Moms’ Picks’ award for best carrier of 2016. Retails at about $200. Here’s a demonstration.

Baby K’tan Original Baby Carrier

Warm, cozy and 100 per cent natural cotton, this ergonomic, fuss-free number will suit dads who despise complication (like me).  It’s basically a super-stretchy (and, at around $50, wallet-friendly) second t-shirt. Here’s a demonstration.

Minimonkey 4-in-1 Baby Carrier

There’s no risk of dead shoulders with this adaptable and smartly-designed carrier; you carry their weight on your midriff. Can carry babies and toddlers up to 15 kilograms, and, as the name suggests, in four different ways. You’ll pay around $130. Here’s a demonstration.

Ring Slings

You may also like to consider a ring sling baby carrier. There’s a great selection out there that offer parents a safe and comfortable option for when carrying their child around the house or when they’re out and about.