Infant Inserts

by ERGObaby

• 100% Cotton
• Soft, comfortable and adjustable, it easily fits any ergobaby Carrier; The ergobaby Infant Insert is required for babies ranging from 7 to 12 pounds or newborns to 4-5 months
• Made from 100% cotton poplin fabric, 100% cotton filling
• Machine wash cold with mild detergent on gentle cycle; Dry on delicate cycle and remove when seams are still damp
• Fabric is made with a natural/raw unbleached cotton and any flecks are a part of the fiber

Product Description

Color: Natural

Original ergobaby Infant Insert cushion works with any ergobaby carrier and must be inserted to support growing babies ranging from newborns to 4-5 months. The proprietary design keeps pressure off a baby's developing sacrum. The Infant Insert also provides the necessary head and neck support for comfortable carrying from day 1. The Infant Insert snaps around the baby, can be adjusted as needed and placed with ease inside any ergobaby carrier. Cozy and protected, your baby will be perfectly cradled and cushioned. The cushioned shell combined with the removable pillow can be used together for newborns to ensure they are seated correctly and have the head and neck support provided by cushioned outside layer (for babies from newborn to 4-5 months, and from 7 to 12 pounds). Larger newborns that still need the head and neck support can use the Heart2Heart outer shell layer, without the pillow (for babies that are under 4 months, but over 12 pounds). Smaller infants that have strong head and neck control but lack the height for correct positioning in the ergobaby carrier can use the pillow without the outer layer. CPSIA compliant. Inserts into all styles of the ergobaby carrier with ease. Provides ergonomic support for growing baby bodies. Machine wash cold with mild detergent on gentle cycle. Dry on delicate cycle and remove when seams are still damp. Air dry. The fabric is made with a natural/raw unbleached cotton and any dark flecks are a part of the fiber. This is natural and are not stains.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 79 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Mimics the way I cuddle my baby March 30, 2010

By Emmy Jo

Color Name:Natural|Amazon Verified Purchase

We purchased the Ergo Baby carrier and Heart to Heart infant insert for use with our two-month-old son. Overall, my baby and I are very happy with the product.

Pros:

1. I love that this insert holds the baby upright -- my son definitely prefers being carried this way. (The older style infant insert carries the baby in a reclining position, "sling-style.")

2. The insert positions the baby EXACTLY the way I hold him when I'm cuddling him close to my chest. The little padded seat holds him up the way I hold him with my hands, and his legs are positioned exactly the same way. This tells me that the Heart to Heart insert really does mimic the most natural way of carrying a child.

3. It doesn't put all his weight on his crotch, unlike other front carriers.

Cons:

1. It's very fluffy and padded. This is great for winter time, as you don't need coats or blankets for the baby. But if you were to carry a summer-born infant in this carrier, you and he might become uncomfortably warm.

2. It's a little tricky to position the baby in comfortably, and the directions aren't entirely clear. (At one point, the directions say it's important to put your hands under the baby's bottom and rotate the baby forward, which I'm still not quite sure I'm doing correctly.) But after a couple times, it's much easier.

3. The baby's feet are still inside the carrier and always feel a bit squished. My son seems perfectly comfortable, so I'm sure it doesn't bother him, but they do look rather squished.

Overall, I would highly recommend this product for a fall- or winter-born baby. If you live in a place with very hot weather and your baby will be a newborn during the warm months, you might need something a little more light weight.

143 of 152 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Not Necessary at All December 10, 2010

By Johnna

Color Name:Galaxy Grey|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have read a lot of reviews saying that this is absolutely necessary for newborns who can't hold their heads up but I disagree. I bought it and found it completely useless. Now, it may be that with a really tiny baby or with a different body type than mine, it could be useful, but I don't think so and I'm only guessing at that because I am trying to imagine why so many people would think this is necessary.

My daughter was 7 pounds at birth and I used the insert once before I realized I didn't need it. The baby carrier is easily adjustable and the baby doesn't need to be able to hold her head up to fit snuggly, safely, and comfortably in it. You just adjust the carrier so that she is held snug against you and she is sitting perfectly comfortable with her head exactly where you put it, with no danger of her falling out or becoming uncomfortable.

If, for some reason, the baby's head wouldn't stay where you put it (I didn't have that problem at all) then a receiving blanket could be tucked into the right position to correct the issue (without the potential of blocking an airway of course), but you definitely don't need to spend $25 to fix the problem. You could even stick a receiving blanket under baby's butt to keep her higher up on your chest if you wanted to (it would pretty much do the very same thing this does).. but I never needed to do anything like that. I just put her where I wanted her and adjusted the carrier to hold her there and it felt very secure. I had no worries at all.

Again, I don't know if this would be somehow different if she had been under 7 pounds or if I had a different body type. I am kind of average in terms of height and weight. Maybe if someone is very large or very small, or if their baby is very tiny, they might not be able to adjust the carrier with the baby in it as well I am able to, but I don't really think it would be a problem -- just suggesting that it might the reason for other reviewers saying that this is necessary.

Aside from being unnecessary, I found this to be too big, bulky, and uncomfortable for use(this is why I decided to see what would happen if I didn't use it, and ended up finding that it wasn't necessary at all). Even if it had been necessary, I probably would have just waited to use the backpack again until it wasn't.

I definitely recommend trying to use the backpack without the insert before you spend the $25 and if you need to give your infant extra support, see if you can do it using other means before you decide to buy this product. If all else fails, I would even suggest just waiting until your baby is 7 pounds. If the baby isn't 7 pounds already, it won't take more than a month before he or she reaches that milestone in most cases.. and why spend so much money for so little use.

107 of 120 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Test it with your baby before buying December 28, 2009

By ockeghem

Color Name:Natural|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the second Ergo infant insert I've bought. I bought this one hoping it would work better than the old infant insert. It doesn't. Basically, if your newborn doesn't like the Ergo carrier, it's likely neither insert is going to help. You should test the Ergo with your newborn before spending the money.

My husband and I loved the idea of the Ergo carrier, as the hip belt helps alleviate back problems and is much like our packs for backpacking, so we registered for one. But however much we like the carrier, my eight-week-old, 10.5 pound daughter hates it. I've been trying to get her into the Ergo using first the old infant insert, and now the Heart 2 Heart, repeatedly ever since she was born, but with no success. The moment I put her (in the insert) into the Ergo carrier, she starts screaming and doesn't stop until I take her out. I've watched the video for the old insert (note: there's no video for the Heart 2 Heart) and am following their technique exactly, but still she just hates the carrier.

Neither insert provides enough head support for my daughter, which is why I think she screams. The Heart 2 Heart in particular doesn't work; when she's settled into it as per the instructions, the insert doesn't come up high enough to support her head, and she's not a particularly long child. So her head flops forward when she tries to look around, which frustrates her.

Both inserts feel like a bit of an afterthought -- I'm not convinced the Ergo carrier was designed with newborns in mind. Having the baby's feet out one side in the old insert seemed like a stopgap solution, and the Heart 2 Heart doesn't quite solve the issue, either. Interestingly, I picked up a used Baby Bjorn as a last resort after having spent all this money on the Ergo and the inserts, and she likes the Bjorn, because it's stiffer and provides more support. I think she won't like the Ergo until her head's a bit steadier; we'll go back to the Ergo then.

So it's worth knowing before buying this insert that it may or may not be money well spent -- it all just depends on whether your child likes it or not, and there's a possibility she won't (as I've now seen multiple reports on various sites saying that their newborns also don't like the Ergo; wish I'd done this research before getting the Ergo and spending the money on the inserts). It's worth waiting until after your baby is born and trying out the infant inserts before buying them. Otherwise, you may want to hold off on the Ergo until 4-5 months.