A mother holds a baby in a baby wrap.
Baby wraps like this one take a lot of practice to get just right. No worries, there are plenty of other options. (For Spectrum Health Beat)

We recently talked about the reasons to “wear your baby.”

So, this time, we will discuss how to find the best carrier for you.

There are many baby carriers on the market. How do you know what to look for?

Ideally babies should be in an upright position. This position helps prevent their chins from falling to their chests and making it difficult for them to breathe. Some of the carriers out there include the following: ring slings, pouch slings, Mei Tais, soft-structure carriers and wraps.

I used a ring sling with my last two babies and really liked it. I made mine, but you can purchase them at many stores.

This type of carrier is essentially a rectangle piece of cloth with two metal rings. You use the rings to feed the cloth through to make a pouch for the baby. You can use this on your front or hip.

This type of carrier provides ideal newborn positioning. This sling makes it easy to nurse the baby while they’re in it.

When considering which carrier to purchase, think about how you want to use it. Often or occasionally? Some, like the sling I used, went over one shoulder. If you plan to wear your baby a lot, a two-shouldered wrap might be a better option for you.

The pouch sling is also material usually fitted more specifically to the one carrying the baby. This makes it difficult for both parents to use. This sling is not the best option for a newborn. This sling is small, which can be an advantage as it’s easy to carry with mom. However, you need to make sure this sling fits the baby correctly.

A Mei Tai is a piece of cloth with four straps that are tied around the wearer. This is one carrier that can be worn on the front or back. This carrier can be used from birth to toddlerhood.

Soft-structure carriers have buckles. These are used by many parents, but they are not the most comfortable choice.

Wraps are a simple piece of cloth, usually square or rectangle in shape. I have friends who have used these successfully. They tie the wrap around them to secure the baby. This allows fit for the carriers no matter the size of the baby. You have to get good at this, and I knew it wasn’t what would be easiest for me.

If you’ve used a carrier, I’d like to know which one you used, and what you thought of it. Feel free to comment below.