Whether you are traveling cross country or just looking to get the daily chores done, baby wearing is a great solution. We love our Ergo 360 Omni carrier. It has enabled us to start wearing our 3-week old baby without an infant insert. We share our experience on how baby wearing can make travel and daily life easier.
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John Legend & Chrissy Teigen, Gwen Stefani and Orlando Bloom wearing their babies in Ergo style
Making Travel Easier
The holiday season is officially upon us. From the Christmas decorations at the mall to the red cups at Starbucks, Christmas is right around the corner. The holiday season usually means traveling to see relatives, family vacations or going to holiday events. Whatever the destination, it is guaranteed to be a more hectic time of year and that can be intimidating especially if you haven’t traveled with a baby or as a family yet. One of the things that we found that made travel easier was baby wearing.
People thought I was crazy when I told them that I was making my first trip solo with my son who was five months at the time. They thought I was even crazier when I told them that I wasn’t bringing a stroller. By the time that he was two years old, I had made ten cross-country trips. I had help from my husband, mom or dad on a handful of the trips, but the majority of the time it was just me and my son. For me, it was easier to travel without a stroller. I had a stroller in the destinations that we were travelling to and I knew that if I could make it through the airport that we would be okay. Plus I wouldn’t have to try and fit it through the security, fold it at the gate, or try and cram it into a car/taxi filled with luggage. One of the things that made traveling easier was my Ergo. We used the carrier on a consistent basis so it made being in the carrier for the trip easier as well.
For our son, we actually had an Ergo Travel edition, which is lightweight and folds into itself. It was great because I could stash it into my carry-on once I was done using it. From going through security to walking across the city, our Ergo travel edition made baby wearing a breeze.
Tips for Using a Carrier on A Trip
- Work your way up. Before your trip, carry on a consistent basis and carry the amount of time you estimate the baby will be carried while travelling.
- Share the baby wearing responsibility if traveling with others.
- Opt for a backpack or carry-on with wheels in lieu of a purse or shoulder diaper bag. A backpack is easier to be wear with a carrier
- Select an outfit that is comfortable and you are able to use the bathroom while wearing the carrier. Leave the romper for later! I prefer leggings that I can pull up and down easily. I have had friends share that they like skirts that they can just lift and go.
Making Daily Life Easier
Now that we have baby number two, daily tasks are taking on a WHOLE new meaning. I have a new respect of parents with more than two children. I am so thankful that some girlfriends encouraged me to baby wear with our first child. Baby wearing can be intimidating at first. From not feeling like you have the carrier on correctly to wondering if the baby is too small to even be in the carrier. Many cities have baby wearing clubs where you can try out different carriers and check and see if you are wearing the carrier properly.
Color-coded tabs make it easy sizing for infant to toddler
I am thankful for our Ergo Omni 360 for baby number two. With this Ergo, no infant insert is necessary and you can carry in all the positions. It also goes from newborn to toddler (7-33 pounds), so no need to buy different carriers for different stages of life. We LOVE that! We have already taken it on a couple walks to the park and I wear her around the house while I do chores or help make sure big brother is staying out of trouble. Before receiving the Ergo 360 Omni, I was worried about how I could tell if I had it in the right position for newborn versus toddler. But all those worries were eased as soon as I opened the box. The carrier is color coded according to size and SUPER easy to use. The coding is right on the carrier so you won’t need to carry the instruction manual with you. While I love our Ergo Travel, the Omni 360 has a much better lumbar support and strap system. This is especially great when baby gets heavier.
One of the things that I loved seeing with our first born was that baby wearing enabled my husband to incorporate my son into things that he normally wouldn’t be able to do. As much as we want to hold our babies, at the end of the day there are always things that need to get done around the house. One of my favorite memories was watching my husband wear our son while he used the leaf blower and did yard work.
Tips for Incorporating a Carrier Into Your Daily Life
- Find a carrier that works for you. What works for one person and their body type might not work for you. We found this to be true even amongst husbands and wives. We recommend borrowing carriers from friends to find which one you like and then purchasing one.
- Ask a friend who is knowledgeable in baby wearing or find a baby wearing club to help you.
- Start with an easy daily task and then continue to make it part of your daily routine.
- Let others wear baby –dad, grandma, grandpa or an older sibling. Just make sure that everything is secured properly.
We were given a ErgobabyTM Omni 360 for review. All of our thoughts and opinions are our own. We use affiliate links, thank you for supporting Family Entourage.
