Hi everybody, I’m Melissa, and welcome to Cloudmom. A baby carrier is really an extension
of your own body. So you want to make sure that whatever carrier you select supports
your needs and your baby’s needs. So with that in mind here are five tips on buying
a baby carrier. The number one tip I want to give you guys is to get help. You really
want to look at a range of products and talk to someone who knows a lot about these different
carriers, how they work and how they should fit for you. Try something like Babywearing
International, or there’s a great company, metrominis.com. They loan me these carriers
for these videos and were incredibly knowledgeable about them. That will really help you in your
decision-making. Second thing: make sure that your carrier safely positions your baby. That
means that your baby is high and tight. You want to think of a pair of seventies jeans.
And there are certain safety rules when it comes to carrying your baby in the carrier
that I walk through in my videos on carriers. So check those out. When your baby’s tight,
she’s secure. And actually the majority of times when a mom and dad is wondering how
her carrier is fitting, it won’t be tight enough. Okay? There are rules about how the
baby’s knees and baby’s bum should be positioned. So you want to be aware of those.
You want to make sure the chin of the baby is off the chest. And all of that is part
of the baby being high and tight. Okay. Point number three: you want to analyze your own
needs and make sure that the carrier you choose supports your needs. Do you have other kids?
Are you in and out of the car a lot? In which case a portable carrier where you can pop
the baby in and out might be ideal, something like a ring sling. Do you travel a lot in
airports? Do you have a partner who will want to share the carrier with you? In which case
you want a carrier that’s going to support a range of body types. And you’re not going
to want to have to adjust the carrier too much. That’s like having to always pull down that toilet
seat, and we all know what that is like. How long do you think you might wear your carrier
for? Some carriers are more for newborns, such as stretchy wraps, whereas something
like a Beco Gemini or Soleil or a Mei Tai can take you through the toddler years. And
finally, how hot is it where you live? What is the climate like? Some carriers can be
hotter than others. Okay. A couple tips on when you first try on your baby carrier: make
sure your baby is well rested and well fed. Babies might tend to really cry early on when
in, when they’re put in a carrier, because it’s just new and different for them. But
don’t give up! This is a little bit like nursing. Your baby’s going to get used to
it, and you’re going to get used to it too. And as you get more confident, your baby will
feel that confidence in you and they will be more comfortable in their carrier. So make
sure your baby is well rested and well fed. And finally, in winter whereas your carrier
is going to fit nice and snugly for your baby, you’re going to want to have your coat be
a little looser to accommodate the baby underneath. So whereas you get nice and snug fit for the
baby, buy big for yourself. So those are just some tips on buying a baby carrier. We have
a whole slew of videos coming out here on Cloudmom.com about baby carriers. Please weigh
in with your experience with baby carriers and babywearing. And thank you so, so much
for watching Cloudmom.