• Don’t buy a baby carrier that doesn’t have wide, padded shoulder straps. While thin, narrow straps might be easy to adjust and fold up to put away, they’ll also likely break, especially as baby gets bigger and starts to put more weight on the carrier. Thin straps will also dig into your shoulders, counteracting one of the biggest advantages of buying a baby carrier – for comfort!
• Don’t use hip carriers for anything more than a brisk walk. While these carriers can be heaven-sent, especially for parents who have become accustomed to hip-carrying their child, they are not as sturdy or protected as other carriers. Should you engage in sporting activities, or even a rigorous hike, a hip carrier could become dangerous.
• Don’t use a carrier that breaks in any way until it has been fully repaired by the manufacturer. While a small tear or crack might not seem like a huge deal to you at the time, it could seriously compromise the safety of the baby carrier and put baby at risk.
• Don’t buy a carrier that doesn’t come fully apart and cannot be easily cleaned. You’ll find that even with one use, after baby has snacked and drooled all over the baby carrier, just how easy they can become dirty and bacteria-ridden – and think about the germs once they’ve gone on dozens of trips in one! To make it easy on yourself, always buy one that can be taken apart, thrown in the washing machine, and be easily put back together.

The Weight. Although baby back carriers will definitely take a load off of you, you’ll still be carrying that load on your back. In order to make sure that you love your baby back carrier as much as you should, make sure that the carrier itself weighs 2.5 kilograms or less. This will ensure that you also make the trip in ultimate comfort!

Weight Load. Baby back carriers can be quite expensive, so you want to make sure that you can use your investment for as long as possible. Look for one that can be used up to 15 kilograms, or when your child is 4 years old. This way you’ll know that you’ll be able to take full advantage of the carrier that you’re investing quite a bit of money in!

Comfort. Also make sure that both you and baby will be comfortable, or you probably won’t end up using your baby back carrier at all. Look for things like an adjustable waist belt for both you and baby, cushioned seats, a soft pad for baby’s face, and a baby seat that’s anatomically shaped for baby.

Safety. Safety is always foremost on parent’s minds, isn’t it? Make sure that your baby back carrier can sit on the ground unsupported and that it has stability points when you are loading your child into and out of the carrier. Reflective tape or fabric is also never a bad thing, especially if you know you’ll be out at night or in the early mornings.

Storage. Having extra storage compartments means that you’ll be able to bring along lots of extras, such as toys and snacks for the little one. This is another very handy helper in a baby back carrier and there are so many that come with them that there’s no reason to get one that doesn’t!

Traveling with baby will definitely be an experience that is different from anything you’ve experienced before. While you could let this become a difficult and dreaded task, there are many things you can do to create a pleasant environment for yourself and your baby. After a few times, it’ll become comfortable, like an old slipper. You might even find that you’ll meet people you never would have met before, just because you have a bouncing baby in your arms or on your lap. Doors will be opened, bags carried, and seats given up in crowded lobbies and airport waiting areas. These, along with a lot of other baby travel tips should help make your trip a pleasant one.

Whether you’re headed to the shops or out of the country to visit family or friends, by plane, bus or boat, the most important thing is to have all of the things you need for your and baby to be comfortable, while leaving the unnecessary, luxury items at home. Don’t carry 10 nappies with you when you’ll only need two, but don’t forget the wet wipes, in case there’s no water around when you need it. Whenever feasible, use a hands free carrier or sling for the tiny ones.

Other baby travel tips include the following: If you’re nursing, don’t forget to take along a small blanket or towel, for modesty. (You may not, but others may be offended by the sight of a nursing baby.) You’ll also want to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer close by. There are so many germs that can get on your hands from door handles and seat arms. You don’t want to transfer these to baby, so use a little sanitizer before touching baby or any of baby’s things.

If you’re headed out on a flight, a bottle of water is a good thing to have along. Keep baby swallowing during the ascent and descent to avoid plugged ear problems. Buses and ships may cause baby a bit of discomfort, until they get used to the motion. A bit of peppermint water will help settle baby’s tummy.

If you’re taking toys along, make sure they can be attached to something so they won’t fall on the floor. You don’t want baby playing with a toy that fell on the street or the floor, or into a puddle. It’s much easier to somehow attach or tie the item to the baby, pin it to your shirt, or tie it to the handle of the stroller or buggy, to keep it clean and safe for baby.

Finally, one of the most important baby travel tips you need to remember is that when baby is along, nothing can be written in stone. You must be flexible and willing to adjust your plans to fit in with babies needs and you can avoid some interruptions by planning various trip events around baby’s feeding schedule.

What you need to do first is take a look at the options and learn more about each product. Maybe you have some friends who have used a sling and maybe you have some who prefer the baby carrier.

The sling

Baby Sling

One of the most important questions use can ask yourself is who is going to be using the sling. Maybe both parents wil share or even a caregiver. Whoever it is will need to be comfortable using one. You also have to consider their size and what kind of position you put them when carrying your baby in the sling. Using one can take a lot of time and practice to get used to.

If you chose to use a sling try practicing before having your baby to see how well you cope. Some poeple may use slings when they go on short trips outdoors, maybe popping to the shops. However around the house is a big attraction for many to wear a sling.

Benefits
Using a sling can also be a nice bonding experience. Having your infant with you at all times, close to your chest & sharing warmth is a big benefit.

Caution – As your baby grows consider using a carrier – you will know when the weight is too much. Also it is easy to become complacent & there are reports where a parent has been busy forgot the little one is there so be careful!

The Carrier

Ergo Baby Carrier

Baby carriers come in 3 main variations,

- Front facing (When your baby rests on you front.
- Back facing (Often named a backpack carrier).
- Front & back (Where the carrier can be used both ways).

Benefits
Baby carriers make outings, shopping or even going a holiday a whole lot easier. They are similar to using a sling except that with a carrier you may be a little more restricted in movement.
Your baby usually will stay in place when it comes to a carrier but you may have reasjust baby’s head a couple of times.

Conclusions
Slings ave come into fashion as many celebrities have begun using them. You really need to take the time to research which option would be best for you. Many will start out in a sling and move to carrier gradually as they grow. Either way you get tons of great protection for you little one, but using the one that fits you best is the way to go.