3 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Baby Carrier for Your Child
The functionality, style, and ease of mobility of baby carriers increase their demand and popularity worldwide. Mordor Intelligence reported that the global baby carrier industry is anticipated to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of over 4%, with Europe being the most significant market and the Asia Pacific as the fastest-growing market.
To satisfy market demand, manufacturers produce a variety of baby carriers with distinct aesthetics and features. This article walks you through three essential factors to consider when choosing the best baby carrier for your toddler.
Factor #1: Type of baby carrier
Some carriers may work better than others, depending on the baby and the person’s body type. The following are some types of baby carrier available in the market:
- Front carrier: This type of carrier has two shoulder straps which support the fabric seat. The carrier and babies will be worn close to the chest. Newborns will face inwards towards the person carrying them, while babies about 5 to 6 months old can face outward to look at their surroundings.
- Sling: This carrier type is a wide swath of fabric that is worn across the torso and over the shoulder. It can be padded or unpadded and may come with or without adjustment rings. For breastfeeding mothers, sling carrier type would work just great since the loose fit and fabric allow them to nurse their babies discreetly. Still, it can be quite cumbersome due to the generous material, especially for petite mothers.
- Wrap: Wrap carrier is a large fabric piece typically worn across the body and over both shoulders. This type of carrier is famous due to its versatility; people can wear the wrap in a variety of configurations and adjust it easily by pulling on the piece of fabric. It is also another great option for breastfeeding mothers. However, it does require more time to set up and can be quite confusing to take on and off.
Factor #2: Comfortability of babies
For front carriers, parents should search for padded leg holes that adequately loosen to avoid constricting the babies’ thighs. Still, it should not be too loose, or the baby might slip through it. Wide, well-padded straps with robust fabric help distribute the babies’ weight uniformly and protect the parents against the neck, shoulders, and upper back strain.
Since there is a huge possibility the babies will sleep in the carrier, parents may want to choose the best baby carrier that comes with a padded headrest to support the baby’s head and neck. Also, parents who plan to share the carrier with other people or caregivers should make sure the carrier is easily adjustable. Fortunately, there are plenty of carriers that come in both sizes, regular and extra-large, for tall and big-sized parents.
Factor #3: Ease-of-use
Unless parents are willing to spend some time learning the ropes, they need to make sure that the carriers they have chosen are easy to navigate by themselves, preferably with only one hand without external help. Some structured carriers are created to quickly unbuckle so parents can transfer their sleeping babies into a stroller.
Choose a carrier that is easy to care for and maintain. Since children are generally messy, it helps to select one with a machine-washable feature.
Baby carriers help parents to keep their babies close and safe while getting things done at the same time. But selecting the right one among the many carrier options in the market can be hard. Some key factors you need to consider when selecting a baby carrier are its types, ease-of-use, and babies’ comfortability.
