The Ergo Baby Carrier - a Review

I've never really written a review before (except under duress at school), so I thought I'd start with something I actually liked as my first go.

Up front, I'm saying I LOVE my Ergo baby carrier. For the first six months or so, we were using the Baby Bjorn that we inherited off Kel & Jason. It had its merits, but I couldn't really tell you them, because I physically couldn't use it. John was fine with it. Alex loved being in it. However, carrying 9.5kg all on your shoulders did not work for me. I used it once when Alex was 6 months old (and 9.5kg) to run into the shops for 10 minutes. It took me 3 days, constant headaches, and intense shoulder massages before I felt normal again.

I first saw the Ergo baby carrier while shopping with Mum and the sisters, and Kel tried it on. When we got home, I did a little research and I couldn't find anything negative about it. Everyone loved their Ergo. So, having convinced John it would be awesome to have one, we ended up having to drive to the 'Fd to actually purchase one. They are quite in demand.

We ended up going with the maroon standard model. Personally I would have preferred the canvas colour, but John wasn't a fan. The colour would be my first picking point. If I had my time again, I definitely wouldn't get the maroon colour. It fades like anything. I spoke to a lady wearing a maroon Ergo in David Jones a few weeks ago, and while hers was about 6 months older than mine, it looked worn. I think the canvas colour would probably hide that level of wear and tear a little better.

Anyway, the thing that works best about the Ergo is the bit that wraps around your waist. This is where the weight is carried. The first time I tried it on with my little 10kg Beef Cake in it, I could barely feel his weight on my shoulders.

There are three carry positions, two of which do require watching the instructional video to get the hang of, but you have the option of front, side or back. It took a few days to get used to putting him in to the front carry position, but it was intuitive enough. To be honest, I still find putting him on my back a little challenging, but I can do it fairly easily at home. I haven't really attempted it when out by myself though. I haven't felt a need to use the side position, but maybe as he gets older, this might be of use.

One of the few negatives is that there isn't an option to have bub facing forward with the Ergo, and Alex loves facing forwards. He isn't unhappy facing me the whole time though, and I guess when bub is on your back, they probably have more of a chance to look around.

I have also found that Alex gets very hot if he falls asleep in the Ergo. There is a hood you can place over bub's head when he or she falls asleep, which looks a little odd at first, but it is effective, and the baby really can breathe... It does require you to dislocate your shoulders just a little if bub falls asleep on your back and you want to put the hood over his head (highly recommended). Alex hates waking up with the hood over his head, but hey, who wouldn't. He also tends to have a sweaty head after he wakes up also. However, I don't think would change if he fell asleep in any other baby carrier. Body heat is body heat.

The Ergo has absolutely made a world of difference to my every day life. Alex used to hate being in the pram, which made shopping crap. He would scream for the entire time, but as he was so heavy, I couldn't carry him, and then had to endure strangers informing me that my son must be hungry and that I should feed him. I can now easily chuck him in the Ergo as soon as he starts fussing, which also leads to the fun shopping game of "poke mummy in the face".

I can also pop Alex on my back while I cook dinner in the afternoon, which is normally the time when he is at his fussiest, and saves me having to put Go Diego Go on to entertain him.

To carry a newborn, you also require the extra Infant Support, which is an extra $35 or so, but as we get got ours when Alex was well past the infant stage, I couldn't tell you how this works. We do intend on using it for our next bub, so we'll see how it goes then.

So to summarise:

The Good Stuff

• Can carry up to a 4 year old without causing permanent internal damage
• Choice of carry positions
• Reasonably intuitive to use in the front-carry position
• Very comfortable to wear
• Has an in-built pocket if you only wanted to carry your mobile and some money around
• Has a hook at the top of the shoulder should you wish to hang a toy for bub to play with
• Can breastfeed bub discreetly on the go in the front-carry position (as long as you have an appropriate outfit)

The Bad Stuff

• Can be a little hot
• Using the hood when bub is on your back requires the flexibility of Romanian gymnast
• Our colour (maroon) tends to show wear and tear
• A little more expensive than other baby carriers

I still can't understand how the Baby Bjorn is as popular as it is, when it distinctly blows.

Another good thing about the Ergo is that it's a great conversation starter. It seems to be the rule that if you see someone else wearing an Ergo, you must then stop and discuss how fabulous it is. Or even a delighted "oh, snap!" at the other person as you pass to show your Ergo pride.

So don't get sucked into the Baby Bjorn farce. The Ergo is worth absolutely every cent. On my brand new (somewhat arbitrary) rating scale, I give it a 9.5/10.