The 8 Most Common Questions Before Buying a Baby Carrier
The following questions are from an interview with Stella Stamoulaki (babywearing consultant) in the “Galoucho” magazine of the La Leche League, published here.
What should I pay attention to when choosing a baby carrier?
The goal of a baby carrier is to make our life easier. For it to be practical and comfortable, we need to choose it with a few key points in mind.
- It should adjust exactly how I want it to. We often say: “The carrier must adjust to the baby. Not the baby to the carrier.” I should be able to place my baby a little higher or lower, a bit tighter or looser, with the head more in or more out, exactly the way I like it. And I should be able to do this while wearing the carrier, without taking it off. The carrier is our hug—it should replicate the way we hold the baby in our arms.
- I should be able to wear it without help. If I needed someone to help me put it on, I’d just say “hold the baby so I can do what I need to do”! That’s why I want a carrier—to not need help. It must be easy to wear and not take too much time. When the baby is crying, I need to offer my hug immediately to soothe them. When I need to get my older child ready or prepare the family meal, I must be able to free my hands right away.
- It should suit me. Choosing a baby carrier is a very personal matter. What worked for my friend may not work for me. Some people prefer tying, others prefer buckling. Some feel safer with clips, others want just fabric. Some feel unbalanced if the carrier goes over only one shoulder, others feel suffocated if it covers both.
- It should be high-quality and ergonomic. I need peace of mind that my baby is definitely safe and in the correct position. I must know that the materials used are safe, tested, baby-appropriate, and that it has been made by trained professionals (not just someone who “knows how to sew”). We already have enough worries in this journey—the baby carrier should be the solution, not one more thing to stress us out!
What do we mean by “ergonomic baby carrier”?
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An ergonomic baby carrier allows the baby to maintain their natural posture, just like in our arms. The carrier adjusts to the baby—we don’t want the baby to adapt to the carrier! In the correct posture, the baby’s knees are apart (about 90° angle between them), knees are high (always higher than the bottom in small babies), and the lower back is curved (pelvis tilted forward, toward the parent). This is the same position we hold a baby in our arms, and the same one they choose when lying down (with open and bent knees).
In an ergonomic carrier, the baby does NOT hang from the crotch, as happens in carriers with a narrow base. We don’t want the baby to be forced into a straight back (or worse, a reverse tilt), we don’t want closed knees, we don’t want legs hanging downward. And neither does the baby!
An easy way to recognize the ergonomic position is by visualizing two letters: M when viewed from the front, and J from the side.
| M from the front | J from the side | Non-ergonomic posture |
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Read more here: What does ergonomic baby carrier mean?
From what age can I “wear” my baby?
In theory, since a baby carrier is a hug, the answer should be “from day one“. And for some carriers, this is indeed true. With a wrap (woven or stretchy), with a ring sling, or with some mei tais, we can wear our baby from the very first day. After all, the baby is positioned just like they would be in our arms.
However, there are carriers—usually clip carriers—that are pre-adjusted for the baby, and in these cases we must follow the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding age or weight limits. Typically, the restriction has to do with how much the carrier can be downsized (e.g., if the base cannot be narrowed enough to fit between the baby’s legs, or if the height of the panel cannot be shortened to avoid covering the baby’s head with fabric, we need to wait until the baby reaches a minimum weight/height, depending on the carrier).
Can I carry my baby facing out in an ergonomic carrier?
The answer here is similar to that of car seats: With the right carrier and at the appropriate age, yes. You can carry the baby facing outward if the carrier supports that position. With the proper carrier, this position can be done correctly: the baby has the proper spinal curve (rounded), the pelvis is tilted forward, and the legs are supported from knee to knee.
We do not want the baby hanging by the crotch, we do not want the legs dangling, we do not want a lordotic spine, and we do not want the baby’s weight shifting forward.
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That said, there are several reasons why the forward-facing position is not recommended, even with ergonomic carriers. There are much better positions for babies to observe. With a good carrier, the baby is not “closed in” like in conventional carriers—they can easily see and participate in whatever we’re doing, even when facing inward.
More info here: Baby facing out: Not forbidden, but not recommended.
Up to what age can I carry my child?
The general answer is: “as long as I can handle it and as long as we both want it.”
Again, it depends on the carrier and its specifications. In most cases, the limits set by each manufacturer refer not to the carrier’s strength, but to the wearer’s physical limits. When it says “up to 20 kg,” it doesn’t mean the carrier will break at 21 kg. It just means it’s not advisable for us to carry that much weight for long periods. (For reference, just under 20 kg is the average weight of a 5-year-old in Greece.)
Generally, a child may still want to be held long after they start walking. Most ergonomic carriers support this. But in the end, it depends on our own endurance.
Read more here: Carrier weight limits.
How long can I keep my baby in the carrier?
In an ergonomic baby carrier, the baby is in a perfect position. So there is no time limit for the baby. Consider that there are babies who wear orthopedic harnesses or braces in this exact position (and wear them all day!).
The only limit is ours—our own stamina. In practice, we rarely hold the baby in our arms for long stretches without sitting down. I tell parents who say, “What do you mean? I hold my baby all day long!”—and I reply, “Yes, I believe you’re tending to your baby all day and can’t do anything else. But you’re not standing all day.”
When holding them in arms, you’ll sit down eventually, set the baby down and pick them up again, sit again, etc. We say “I hold them all day,” and it really feels that way, because we can’t do anything else. But in reality, holding continuously without sitting lasts five to ten minutes at most.
With a good carrier, we might “lose track” of time—it’s so comfortable we wear it for much longer, doing other tasks simultaneously. But only we know our personal limits.
Read more here: Carrier use and back/neck issues.
Can a mother who had a C-section wear her baby? Is there anything she should be cautious about?
Yes, absolutely. If she can hold her baby in her arms, she can certainly wear them in a good baby carrier. Especially in the early days, the baby sits high on the body, nowhere near the incision. The only thing she should watch for is her stamina, just as with any mom postpartum.
Are there situations where babywearing helped with breastfeeding challenges (re-lactation, reflux, etc)?
Yes—but to be precise, what really helps is the hug itself. Holding our baby helps—with our hormones, with baby’s development, with brain connections, with everything. A baby carrier makes holding the baby easier and more frequent, and that’s what gives us all those magical benefits.
It helps mothers overcome postpartum “blues,” stimulates oxytocin (which directly affects breastfeeding), strengthens bonding, reduces stress—everything. With a baby carrier, all of this becomes easier. It’s more practical to offer the breast when the baby is already in your arms, when you can stand up, when you feel empowered, when you can pour yourself a glass of water.
In twin nursing or tandem nursing (simultaneous breastfeeding of baby and toddler), the carrier is a lifesaver. Some breastfeeding positions are also easier. It’s important to not need ten pillows to feed your baby upright in reflux cases! It’s important to be able to nurse in the position that helps with mastitis relief, even if it hits at the worst time!
And don’t forget other scenarios, like nursing with nipple shields or using a supplemental nursing system—where the carrier helps the mother keep her hands free to manage the tools without stressing about holding the baby.
