You are pregnant and thinking about what baby carrier for newborns would be best?
Checkpoints
Let me guess, you priorities are lying in buying from a safe brand (well-known, well-established), buying as cheap as possible, and buying a carrier that lasts long (from newborn to wide into toddlerhood). Today I would like to talk about what is really important when looking for a baby carrier (your thoughts are already good, I just would like to bring a bit more into the discussion).
Good Baby Carrier for newborns
Of course, you need a good and safe carrier and buying from a well-known brand is giving you some safety. Nothing against this to say! However, these carriers aren‘t very cheap so being able to use the carrier as long as possible is very reasonable. As a babywearing professional, I am looking at this topic from a slightly different point of view. For me, a good fit, especially for the newborn, is most important after safety.
Why is a fitting baby carrier for newborns so important?
Our babies are so helpless when they are born. Screaming and giving small signs is all they can manage. They can‘t turn around by themselves, they can‘t sit up, they can‘t walk, they can‘t talk. They are completely dependent. When putting them in a baby carrier, the carrier needs to support their little bodies as best as it can to provide safety and comfort. As older a baby grows, the more s/he is moving, the more s/he is active and the less s/he needs a supportive baby carrier. Starting from this, I would always recommend to search for a baby carrier that can fulfill the needs of a newborn: fitting well in width and height and being snugly while supportive.
The carrier industry‘s point of view
Most baby carriers from well-known brands try to make their carriers fitting a wide range of sizes. They are promising a carrier for newborns and toddlers alike. Why is that so? Because the market is demanding it! But let me tell you, that size-wise, this is not possible. How should a carrier fit a size 50 baby and a size 100 baby alike?
The Example
Try to make a romper in size 100 fitting your newborn: shortening the arms and legs with a thread-technique. Shortening the back and the belly area in the same way. You will find that there is still too much excess fabric to make the romper fit your newborn well. The same is happening with baby carriers. From newborn to toddler is always coming with compromises and usually, the carriers aren’t really fitting newborns but only older babies from 2 months or so.
Solution
But the babies that really need a fitting carrier are newborns!
Did you know that babies in their first weeks of life are at highest risk to die in a carrier? We can reduce this (low!) risk by having a fitting carrier and following the T.I.C.K.S rules of safe babywearing.
These rules will also help you to find a carrier that fits!
In a not fitting carrier, you won’t be able to follow these rules!
If you want to learn even more about babywearing basics and safe babywearing, maybe my Basics Course is for you!
Courses
Some of the newborn carriers will also fit the whole first year or even a little bit longer!
Later, when your baby grew older, there are many, many more carriers available. Also used ones for around 1000 Yen which are fitting your baby in a way, that you can use them without worrying. When a baby is older and can sit by herself, the focus is shifting from support and safety to comfort and safety.
If you need help to find baby carriers that support your newborn well, I am here for you to give advice!
A variety of newborn-approved carriers is shown in one of my Instagram highlights.
Please also share this post with your pregnant friends!
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