Customer Reviews

Ergo Baby Carrier Black with Camel Lining

5 star:		(278)
4 star:		(59)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(19)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

We have a Baby Bjorn (Original) as well as an Ergo baby carrier. I think both have their advantages and disadvantages, which I will try to explain below.

We purchased the Ergo carrier before our daughter was born based on the recommendation of a friend. However, we found that she could not sit in it comfortably at first. Before your baby can straddle your torso (until about 4 months/15 lbs), you have to put both legs on one side. I watched the instructional DVD several times and tried to place her into the carrier as comfortably as possible, but she did not like it at all. It didn't look comfortable either with her back twisted and body squished. This is when we decided to try the original Baby Bjorn carrier.

Our daughter loved being in the Bjorn (facing in or out). This carrier is easy to put on and take off and quite compact. However, it was not very comfortable for me (especially as she got heavier) since it put a lot of pressure on my back and shoulders. The fact that there is no waist belt and little padding on the shoulder straps probably contributes to this. The newer Baby Bjorn Active carrier with lumbar support may alleviate some of these problems. I haven't tried this product though, so I'm not speaking from personal experience). We used the Bjorn until she turned 4 months (about 15 lbs).

I was so relieved when she could finally fit into the Ergo properly (with one leg on each side). It is so much easier on my back and shoulders. With the Bjorn, I could maybe last 15 minutes (at 15 lbs). With the Ergo, I can comfortably go for an hour or two (at almost 20 lbs now). I go grocery shopping and on longer walks this way. She seems very comfortable in it now. She's happy whenever I put her in it and will even go to sleep in it. Sometimes, this is the only way I can get her to sleep). It looks a lot more comfortable than the Bjorn since she's sitting in it as opposed to being suspended from her crotch. I also don't have any trouble nursing discretely in the Ergo.

Around 6 months I also began carrying her on my back in the Ergo, which was even easier on my back. I have found this to be really convenient when doing things around the house such as vacuuming, doing laundry, cooking etc. It's also nice for outdoor activities like apple picking, strawberry picking, hiking etc. I find these activities somewhat more difficult when carrying a baby in front. While it is easy to put your baby in the front carrying position by yourself, it takes some practice to wear your baby on your back. At first, I needed somebody to help me get her situated on my back, but now I can easily do it by myself. Some may not like the fact that you cannot face your baby outward in the Ergo (and some babies may not like facing inward). This has not been a problem for us. While our daughter loved facing outward in the Bjorn, she did not object to facing inward in the Ergo. Rather than being pressed up against me, she's sitting in it, so she can still look at things to the sides. One more thing about the Ergo - I would recommend purchasing the sucking pads (ERGO Sucking Pads - Cream). Our daughter loves sucking on the straps and it's just much more convenient to wash the sucking pads rather than the whole carrier.

In summary, I think that both, the Bjorn as well as the Ergo, are good carriers, each with some drawbacks. The Bjorn is wonderful for a newborn up to about 12-15 lbs. Being able to have your baby facing in or out is a nice feature. Because of the strain on your back however, I would not recommend using this carrier with older/heavier babies. The Ergo is great for babies starting at around 15 lbs or when they are able to wrap their legs around you. It is much easier on your back and being able to carry your baby on your back can be convenient. For us, the Ergo was not very useful before our daughter turned 4 months as she was not comfortable with her legs on one side, but this probably depends on the baby.

I would rate the Bjorn 3 stars (because it's so hard on your back and we could only use it for a few months) and the Ergo 4 stars (because we couldn't use it with our newborn). My recommendation would be to get one of each if you can. We bought a gently used Bjorn for less than $10, and I have seen a lot of these on Ebay as well as Craigslist. Maybe you could even borrow one from a friend. It just seems like a lot of money to spend on something you aren't going to use for very long. However, I loved carrying my newborn around in it, so I wouldn't have wanted to do without it.

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UPDATE July 2011:
We went on a trip overseas and I was able to carry my 25 lb toddler on my back at 6 months pregnant for about an hour at a time if she got tired.

and so do I! I started out with the Moby wrap and that worked fairly well for us, but it was a hot to wear, inconvenient to wrap when out and about, and tricky (but possible) to nurse in. I knew I wanted something else, but baby carriers are expensive and one could easily spend a fortune trying out all the variations.

We decided on the Ergo and we couldn't be happier. We've had it for six months now and it is the number one thing I could not live without as far as all baby gear is concerned. I too was worried about her only facing inwards, but she has never minded and she seems to prefer it. She holds on like a little koala bear as we go about our daily business. Unlike the Moby, she isn't flat against my chest, she's sitting, so that she can easily check out the scenery by looking to the sides.

When she was big enough--probably in the neighborhood of 5.5 or 6 months, I started wearing her on my back and that is great! Now when I do those glorious household tasks like cleaning toilets and baseboards, she isn't dangling off the front of me. We get a lot more cleaning done now that she can ride on my back. :-) At first, I needed help to put her on my back. However, now that she's 9 months and can hold on a bit, I can get her on easily--I even trust our abilities over concrete these days (when I started getting her into the back carry position on my own, I would practice over the couch. It *was* tricky at first (we made some mistakes), but once we got the hang of it, it wasn't a problem at all.

My husband can wear her too and it's simple to readjust the straps so that they fit both of us.

Like any of the carriers, this one takes some practice (though the front carry is about as easy as it can get). Breastfeeding in this for me is difficult, but I can do it in a pinch. I can carry her long distances and after a long while (probably 4-5 miles), my neck will hurt a bit, but my back is fine.

My daughter loves her Ergo in the way some kids take to a lovey. She'll stop by and give it a visit when she's crawling around exploring the house. When I see her chewing on the straps (they second as a favorite teething toy) or playing peek-a-boo with them, I'll put it on and she gets all excited (we compare it to the way a dog gets excited when his owner gets out the leash to take him for a walk). It is very sweet and funny. When she went for her first trip to our friend's house to be babysat, the only thing that would calm her when she was sad was being carried in her Ergo. If she has a meltdown when she's home with daddy, the Ergo saves the day (she just needs to play with it--not even ride in it).

I love the time my daughter and I spend walking our neighborhood with her in the Ergo. Sometimes we're quiet and other times she'll make happy bounces and that's my cue to do some hops and bounces for her. Our family members wonder why we never need a stroller. "Isn't she heavy?" they ask. They think we're a little weird. I don't know any parents out there who will look back on their child's life and wish that perhaps they had carried him/her less. We don't carry her all the time, but we do carry her more. The forward-facing position allows for optimal baby head-kissing...now who wouldn't want more of that? (except maybe the baby :-))--but a few more here and there are always nice, especially if you can sneak them in when they're asleep or not looking.

Hug your baby, carry your baby, dance with your baby...the Ergo will let you have more time to do those things *and* maybe get the dishes done too :-).

Okay- like almost all other new moms, I got a Baby Bjorn, and it was fine, until my daughter hit about 12 lbs. Then my shoulders started to hurt when I walked with her and I read that it wasn't very good for baby's spine to be held by their crotch. So a friend of mine had an Ergo, and I tried it.
Wow, all of the weight was on my hips- not my back, and baby was actually sitting in a little pouch, not in a harness. I love this carrier!!! Now that she is older, my daughter loves the hip carry and back pack carry of this carrier. It has been so valuable when we travel or go to stores or anywear...

This really is the best carrier for saving Mom and Dad's back. When I first opened it I thought it was way too big for me (I'm a 5'5" woman, 140 lbs) but after putting it on and having the hubby do some strap adjustments, we got it to fit right. I would say it is the best choice for a 3 month or older baby. Before 3 months it was just too big for my son. We didn't have the infant insert, which probably would have made a difference, but I wouldn't guarantee that because it really just seemed like there was too much going on for a newborn.

After 3 months of age, I LOVE the Ergo for hiking and any time I want to "wear" my son for longer than 20 minutes. It is so comfortable...I hardly feel the weight of my 18 lb 6 month old. Also love the fact that It converts into a back carrier so we will be able to use it for years to come. Made the price tag a little easier to swallow.

We have also had (and used) the Baby Bjorn, the Moby wrap, and a sling. The Bjorn was better for when my son was 1-3 months because it is smaller than the Ergo, and now that he is 6 months old it is better for when he really wants to face forward. (Note: I don't like keeping my son in the Bjorn longer than 20 minutes because it is not as good for him ergonomically. It starts to become uncomfortable on his thighs and his crotch.)

My boy really doesn't mind facing me and I think inward facing works better for when he is sleepy...he can just fall asleep on my chest and I can go about my business. The Moby wrap was my favorite for facing him forward when he was younger. You can't face your baby forward in the Bjorn until they can support their heads really well. My son hated the sling, but lots of moms I've talked to say that was the best for their newborns.

So in a nutshell:
Sling-great for newborns
Moby Wrap-also great for newborns and slightly older infants who can't support their own heads well yet. BUT...it's complicated to put on.
Bjorn-great for newborns/young infants and less complicated to put on than a Moby. Also great for older infants who want to face outward.
Ergo-best for infants over 3 months and for parents who "wear" their babies for longer periods of time. REALLY great if you have any back issues.

This carrier definitely is easy on the back and shoulders!! I felt like I could carry my son around for hours, unlike the Bjorn where after 15 minutes I was dieing. HOWEVER, my son is too used to the Bjorn where he faces out and did not like the Ergo AT ALL - he tried turning around the whole time. And there was NO WAY I could put him on my back alone - I needed the help from my husband to put him on my back - and unfortunately, I am alone with my son most of the time so I could never put him on alone. This is an awesome carrier if you have a newborn or a child that is already used to facing inwards.

Before purchasing this carrier, i researched and researched and researched and- oh yes, researched some more. Why? Because 100 bucks is a heck of a lot to put down on a baby backpack... Sheesh.

Ergo consistently gets great reviews- from Moms, Baby Boards, BabyWearers, etc etc etc. There is a REASON for this. If you frequently wear your baby (errands, travel, exercise) it is worth the investment. I tried cheaper carriers (Baby Bjorn, Infantino, and such) which all caused me discomfort, pain, and frustration (not to mention the howling infant who hated the difficult enter/exit process of these). I stopped enjoying my time out with baby, and hated dragging our huge stroller around. SEVERAL carriers later, I broke down and finally bought the Ergo in Galaxy Grey-

First, it's SO pretty! SO PRETTY! I am happy to wear it anywhere, and me and baby feel so stylin' when we go out! The material is comfortable and DURABLE, the design is GORGEOUS (especially the swirlys on the sleep hood). Also- it's gender neutral enough for any baby. It somehow manages to look feminine on me and masculine on my husband.

The moment it came in the mail, baby and I put it on and got going! WE HAVEN'T STOPPED SINCE! My Ergo hangs on a hook by the front door, and we rarely leave it there! This was almost as good as buying a gym membership- we walk everywhere! The straps are thickly padded and never dig into my shoulders, no matter how long we are out. My baby's weight is distributed evenly and well, she feels much lighter in this carrier- and the fabric breathes, which is great during the sweltering hot summers we have here. The instructions for carry are simple, i never worry that she isn't secure enough and I can EASILY get her in and out of this, even when she is sleeping!

If I had made this incredible investment to begin with, I would have saved myself the $80 I spent on 4 cheaper carriers, and avoided all the aggravation!

ERGO! ERGO! ERGO! Hollaaaaaa!

I am a babywearer, mostly for the convenience of having my baby on my person instead of lugging a stroller around, but the bonding time is a great benefit! I suffered with the Bjorn all through my first child's infancy, but found the back strain progressed to intolerable by the time she 12-15 lbs. I discovered the ergo during my second child's infancy and used it with the insert. It's certainly been the most comfortable carrier for me and my DD. Liked it too that my husb could quickly adjust it to fit himself as well. Yet I found it bulky both to wear under a coat and when just carrying it around (esp traveling). I ended up using the Hotsling when DD was old enough to sit up on my hip (early- like 3months); even got my husb his own. Sling folds up easily into diaper bag; can work under a coat; quick on/off; doesn't emphasize my "mommy-pooch" like the ergo's waist strap does! Now DD is 1yo and I'm back to the ergo for my back's sake. I'm revisiting all the old feelings as well...bulky to carry, hard to wear UNDER a coat, hate the muffin-top the strap creates around my hips and belly. Am finding it difficult to quickly adjust from front/back to side-carry as well. Ah, the sacrifices...

I bought the ergo baby carrier when my son was 8 months old as I'd seen it listed in Parenting magazine as a "best buy." I will admit it took me a little bit of time to comfortably figure out how to shift my son onto my back and make sure he was properly in, but with a bit of practice, I figured it out. I have back problems and was concerned that carrying my son would be difficult, but this carrier puts all the weight on my hips and I can carry my son for HOURS. It has held up well and I now use it for my daughter who is 13 months. It holds up to a 40lb child (I think). I could still easily use it with my son who is 2.5 years and it would be like giving him a piggy back, only it wouldn't pull on my back so much. The carrier is designed to having the baby on the front/side/or back. I don't like it on the side as it pulls on my neck, but I do wear my daughter on my front if I'm going to be riding in a taxi or need to jiggle her to sleep on an airplane. I prefer it on my back as I find it more comfortable for me. I love that this carrier is so portable and light, unlike most backpacks.
Some babies who are use to sitting up high in a backpack may not like that they can't see over your head, but if your child isn't use to a backpack then they don't know any better and will be happy just riding on your back.
The backpack has a pocket were I can stash some diapers and wipes and/or my wallet, so I don't need a diaper bag if I'm dashing out for a bit. I do own the diaper bag that goes with this carrier (it will hook on) and I use that all the time, but I haven't actually hooked it on to the back of the backpack.
If your baby is under 5 months, then there is an insert needed to carry the baby. I used my baby bjorn when my kids were little and even though we got the one with extra back support, I always felt their weight pulling on me. When I switched to the ergo carrier, I didn't feel all that pull in my shoulders anymore. I would still recommend something like the baby bjorn for the tiny babies (so borrow one from a friend and then buy this one to use from the age of 5/6 months until whenever!)
Again, it took some PRACTICE to get use to putting my son on my back, but practice with a friend to make sure the child is safe and soon you'll be slinging him on your back and trekking around in no time.

I have this carrier and the baby bjorn active. My son was born in May in 90 degree weather so this carrier was way to hot to use outdoors, at least with the infant insert. Once he was old enough to do without the infant insert, he wanted to face outwards so I used the baby bjorn- even though it killed mey back. So the 2 major shortcomings of this product are that 1)it is very hot with the infant insert and 2)the baby cannot face outwards. Now that my son is 18 lbs and the baby bjorn puts too much strain on my back I am useing the ergo carrier in the hip carry position, which I LOVE! My son loves it too. I tried the back carry position but it was very hard to put him in that positon- he always cries. Also I have no access to him on my back. Even though this product is supposed to be versatile, I have only able to use it in the hip carry position and indoors with the infant insert. It does have great back support.

We have a Baby Bjorn, a Snugli and an Ergo Baby. The Ergo Baby is the one we use, the other two we donated to the salvation army. We also had 2 slings.

The big advantage the Ergo has is the waist strap. This shifts a significant amount of weight to your hips. Otherwise the entire weight is held on your shoulders, which gets to be quite uncomfortable after a while.

By putting the weight on your hips, the Ergo Baby makes it possible to carry a child who weighs more and for a longer period of time. I wish we'd found this with our first child, as it would have saved us money (for the other ones we bought) and our aching backs!!!!

There's also a couple of pockets - one with a zipper. Good place to put your cell phone, wallet, etc. The Snugli had a pocket with snap, while the Bjorn had none. The Ergo is not as sleek and attractive as our navy blue Bjorn. Our Ergo was a gift and it came in a pale turquoise. I think the black Ergo looks better, but it's still not as sleek and stylish as the Baby Bjorn. Frankly, after a few weeks of a newborn crying at all hours, looking hip comes way down the list after comfort, convenience and sleep.... Just saying...

The only complaint would be that it takes some practice to use the side carry and rear carry positions. The DVD does show how it's done, but it really helps to have someone who is familiar with the process or have someone spotting you the first time you use it in these positions.

If you've found this review helpful, please let me know!