Verified answer

Ergo.

I'm overweight, and have some back problems (especially during and after pregnancies) and yet I didn't have any issues using the Ergo 10days on after my last (and it was a c-section...) I had used some other carriers, but I did not like the thin straps and I hated how it hung the baby by their crotch. The Ergo doesn't, it has them sit in a natural 'frog' position, and the straps are huge. I also wanted something that I could use for longer than a few months, or if my son grew faster than my daughter I wanted to still use it. The Ergo goes to like 40lbs, and has been tested at something like 80+lbs. After about 9 months or so, on our walks my daughter (3 by then and close to 30lbs) would want to ride on my back in the Ergo while my son wanted to ride in the stroller. And I could walk a mile like that without having back pain.

Also, the Baby Bjorn with it's crotch carrying design may not be good for a baby. The first link talks about hip dysplasia in babies and how one of the causes is a carrier that dangles them from the crotch. Second link is a longer but very interesting read about how babies spines develop and how carriers like the Ergo aid that, but a carrier that faces out and dangles the baby (like the Bjorn) can hurt. Some (like the third link) have gone so far as to say that carrying a baby forwards is so stressful and terrifying to babies that it can be called cruel (I don't agree btw, but he's got research to back him up.) There are studies showing that in a stroller, having the baby face the pusher means that the baby will be talked to, smiled at, and will sleep better than if they are facing out, and I can tell you that when the baby is in a carrier facing you then you're constantly talking to them (their face is within 6 inches so they can see you), kissing their head, etc. So I definitely believe that it's better for a baby to face inward at least until they start asking to turn around (at that point I put my son on my hip hold, or he would simply turn around and look around while riding. He still does at 2 years old.)

I have to say that for the first year I couldn't have done without the Ergo, or if I had it would have been difficult. That's not to say there aren't baby carriers that are just as good, but Ergo is what we had. My son would cry and the best thing for me to do was to put him in the carrier and bounce on my exercise ball. If we were at a social function and he needed a nap, he wouldn't sleep on beds by himself, but he WOULD sleep in the Ergo on me. The result was that I got in the habit of putting him in the Ergo if we were out and about and he needed a nap. At church, at family parties, at anything you can imagine, and he would fall asleep. :) He hated the car seat until he was almost a year old and would scream bloody murder when in it, so he never slept in it as a baby and the Ergo was a way to put him to sleep on those harder nights.

As far as entertainment things, wait until your baby is here. My daughter hated the bouncer, liked the swing, but preferred stable toys (like the Little Einsteins play thing we had, or this play-quilt we found at a secondhand store.) My son loved the bouncer, loved swings, and loved moving toys, trying to put things together when he wasn't yet a year. He hated walker type toys that held him in place, he wanted to explore. One loved the Johnny Jump-Up, the other hated it. One loved puppets, one loved things to take apart more (like a box with toys in it.) I'd wait until your baby is showing what they're interested in, and until then just try things out rather than buy them.

baby bjorns have zero back support. between the two, ergo is the way to go!

I've got a beco gemini, which is a lot like the ergo, but also lets you face the baby out (with out letting them dangle by their crotch). I love the carrier! It feels great on my back, and puts all the weight on my hips. I also have a moby, which I love as well. Again, it dispurses the weight, and doesn't pull on my shoulders.

I had a baby bjorn, but I ended up giving it to a friend. It pulled horribly on my shoulders, and didn't work for my babies past their first 6 weeks.

good luck! I love baby carriers! I never used an infant carrier seat with my daughter, or a stroller - just carriers

Side question: for entertainment for a 3+ month old baby, I love jump-a-roos

i bought a baby bjorn and promptly returned it a day later. My boy was only 12 lbs at the time and it killed my back in 15 minutes. I did some research and decided on the Beco Gemini and my son, hubby and I love it! I can wear him for long periods of time with it. It has four different carry positions - though I haven't tried it as a back pack yet - good from 8 lbs to 35 and its not a crotch dangler like the baby bjorn. The gemini has a fold down head rest that you can use to support a new born's head with; or a sleepy 10 month old.

The Ergo for longer carries and for longevity in general. With an infant insert, you can use it from birth. I was carrying around my 2 year old in it just fine till I was well into my pregnancy with his sister ( And he was a big 2 year old). I tried the baby Bjorn and the Infanto brand one when my first was an infant and I couldn't carry him very long in that style of carrier. The Bjorn straps dug into my shoulders and my son was uncomfortable the whole time.

Never used infant car seats, they injure thousands of babies and parents are not warned of the rate if injuries in those things. Plus, they are heavy to carry and bad for your back! I used a ring sling and a pouch sling at first from newborn on up in the cradle carry. He moved to the hip, and now he is on my back in an Ergo at age 2. This is the one 'baby' product I swear by. As for entertainment, the older two could not live without those plastic keys. The youngest liked this bird that when you pulled the legs the bird wiggled. Both were small enough for the diaper bag.

I particularly have heard stable issues approximately the two the maya wrap and the bjorn provider. I want my ring sling, it is versatile and straight forward to apply, plus that's a delicate fabrics that isn't get us all warm and sweaty because of the fact we live in FL. My daughter is 11 months previous and it nonetheless works basically nice for us. in the process the less warm months I favourite to apply my own hand-crafted wrap out of basically a dash jersey cotton that measured 5 yards long and that i decrease right into a strip approximately 20" extensive. it is likewise very versatile, and does not placed extremely some rigidity on your shoulders, even nevertheless it is basically too heat for the summer season right here in FL. i could say the two of those is stable from delivery and up.

Personally, I like to use FedEx they deliver overnight and use air holes.