It’s been one week since I purchased an Ergo baby carrier. I had fully intended on wearing my baby as much as I could, and I also had fully intended on solely using my Moby for that purpose. For the first five months, my intentions were golden. And then Nika hit the 18-pound mark, and things began to change a bit. I love my Moby wrap, especially for its versatility in positions and affordable price. That aside, I had to admit when I started spending more time with other mamas…I had Ergo envy.
After about a month of consideration and self-justification, I succumbed. I finally decided on the Sienna Sunset Organic cotton with Organic cotton teething pads for the straps, which cost me about $160 combined. The first time I put it on I almost thought something was wrong because I couldn’t feel Nika’s weight. My aching back sighed with relief.
The next test was whether or not Nika would like it, and I believe she has been in the Ergo for no less than three times per day since we got it. I call it her ‘apartment’ because it’s her little space to hang out in and she can choose her interaction level by looking around or snuggling under her “roof” hood. I was even so impressed with myself to figure out that “C” clips that came with her play mat to suspend toys above her could attach to the Ergo straps and hold toys onboard for her, until five minutes later when she figured out how to unhook the clip! Nevertheless, putting an extra ring and moving the clip near my shoulder seemed to do the trick. I’m also going to try a pacifier clip to the same effect.
Saturday we strapped her in, walked to a café (without even a diaper bag!) and stayed for over two hours without complaint from her, and I believe we only took her out once for a short time to stretch her legs. The next day we looked at houses for five hours and zipped her in and out of the Ergo at each house from her carseat unless she was napping. I really can’t imagine how much longer it would’ve taken to have to drag out the stroller or adjust the Moby at each stop. To beat, Monday morning I wasn’t aching a bit. I’m so in love…
Pros
- User-friendly – quick and easy to get on and off by yourself and without having to learn how to wrap or drag trailing material on the floor
- Baby-friendly – Baby is not pressed against my chest or suspended from crotch and so is close without being cramped
- Storage pocket for small toy/pacifier/burp cloth
- Hood for sleeping/rain
- Cute colors and patterns
- BACK SUPPORT!!
Cons
- Expensive
- For use at four months old without separate insert
- Can’t face forward
A Note on Selection
The Ergo-nomics made sense to me, and I already can’t imagine life without it. The Moby worked well for us in the early months and I salute it, especially since I have heard mixed reviews about the infant insert for the Ergo. Originally I had the Galaxy Gray on my baby shower registry, but when I started noticing the Ergos in person, some of them looked like baby-backpacks to me. They have new super stylish Petunia Pickle bottom prints but they are pricier.
I liked the organic prints best. The black was probably my style but I didn’t choose it because it lacked a hood pocket and I was worried it would be too hot. At first it didn’t seem to matter, but now I realize that I can hook my cell phone clip really easily onto the hood flap when we just go out for a walk in the park or around the block, so I do like the hood pocket. Also, the Sienna has a really nice embroidery that just made it fell more accessorized. Considering I have worn it more than any single article of clothing, I prefer it to have some style, although it’s not neutral enough to match all of my clothes and I’m sure that will be a consideration sometimes. As far as the teething pads go, I purchased them because Nika is quite the teether and I hoped to limit the washings of the Ergo itself, but I don’t think they are an absolute necessity. She tends to still like to teeth on the parts of exposed strap she can find, although I noticed she likes to rest her head on the pads.
Born Green 