The Best Baby Carriers, Wraps, & Slings

Baby Carriers, wraps, and slings are a win-win mom and baby/dad and baby solution. Why? Because babies LOVE to be held. The psychological and physical benefits from touch are well documented in the medical community, and it’s just so tempting to hold your little one nearly every moment of the day. Babies simply smell wonderful and holding them is a feeling like no other. But doing so presents a problem--how does an adult still navigate life’s challenges while holding an infant? Thankfully, there’s a baby gear solution that answers that question. With a good baby carrier or wrap (many have some form of lumbar support and multiple carrying positions), you can easily keep your baby with you while keeping your hands free to explore and manipulate your world. 

Baby Carrier, Wrap, & SlingSafety

When it comes to the safety of baby carriers, wraps, and slings, they’re all remarkably safe when you follow the recommended guidelines while you are carrying your baby. If used incorrectly, they can cause injury or suffocation, so it’s just a good idea to explore the specifics about your desired item before purchasing. 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends waiting until babies are around four months of age before using a carrier, wrap, or sling, as the positions in which a baby may be held can be restrictive to airways. You also want to make sure your baby’s neck muscles are strong enough to be carried for lengths of time in a carrier-set position. Federal law demands that carriers comply with the soft infant and toddler carrier standard and with additional requirements, including those of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. By the age of about four months, most babies are good to go (pun intended) for a baby carrier. We do recommend that you simply ask your child’s physician about your baby’s readiness for a carrier, sling, or wrap at their four-month checkup. 

Choosing Your Baby Carrier or Sling

When it comes to choosing a baby carrier, sling, or a stretchy wrap, the choice should mostly be based on how it will be used. If you’re taking the little one out to walk around the pumpkin farm for the day, or you’re hitting the park with your baby’s older brothers and sisters, the idea of using a durable baby carrier and leaving your hands free is ideal. With a baby carrier, you can skip the stroller, better navigate through small spaces, and even get almost waist-high in a swimming pool.

If you’re spending more time indoors and at home with your baby, the traditional baby carrier might be a little too uncomfortable for an all-afternoon wear. In this instance, the wrap feels more like a swaddle blanket to your baby than a carrier. They can cuddle up in the softness while you go about your day. Be aware you may have slightly less mobility of your arms and hands when using a sling/wrap instead of a carrier, but not by much. 

A good way to think about this is that a carrier would be good to choose if you needed to wash dishes and hold your baby at the same time, whereas a wrap or sling would be great for situations where you were taking a walk through a beach resort.

You’ll also want to consider comfort for yourself--if you plan on using a carrier or sling for a long time, you will want to make sure that you’re using an item that works for your back and has additional padding for your shoulders. 

Our Favorite Infant Carriers and Slings

There’s not a carrier, sling, or wrap that we sell that we’re not in love with, but if we were to pick three that really stand out to us for one reason or another, they would include:

• The Diono Carus Complete is the ultimate 4-in-1 carrying system with a detachable pod for baby and a smart weatherproof backpack, both of which can be positioned on the front or back of the harness. The Carus ensures that parents have optimal back support no matter what mode the carrier is in, too.
• Because they are so widely recognized, calling a carrier a BabyBjorn is almost like calling a tissue a Kleenex. One of the major players in the baby carrier world, the BabyBjorn Baby Carrier One is an ideal and affordable solution for parents who are looking for a very well-rounded baby carrier from a very trusted name. It even comes with a sturdy waist belt and padded, form-fitting shoulder straps to make it comfortable for carrying a growing child from newborn up to the age of three.
• The Baby K'Tan Baby Carrier is a different take from the above two carriers as it’s an innovative blend of a sling, wrap and carrier all in one, providing the positions and benefits of all three. Baby K’tan ORIGINAL Baby Carrier slips on easily like a t-shirt to comfortably carry a baby from newborn to toddlerhood (8-35 lbs.). 

Baby Carrier and Baby Sling Deals at Albee Baby

As all moms and dads know, a baby’s favorite place to be is in their parent’s arms. While you may wish you could keep your infant in your embrace all the time, it’s just not possible if you have other children who need your attention, or you need to complete everyday tasks. With baby carriers, you can keep your baby close while also remaining hands-free.

Albee Baby carries each type of carrier in different styles and patterns from trusted brands that parents love. We take out the guesswork by only offering the best products on the market, always at a reasonable cost.