Best baby carrier for parks

[FIREFLY01]

We are going to disney for our daughters first visit in October she will be 2 1/2 months old. we are looking at the carriers for the parks so we can take her on some of the rides. we have been looking at the baby bjorn and infantino carrier what is the easy and better one to get? also if we bring the stroller how easy is it to put her in & out of carrier??

another question -what do most people bring for baby supplies while in the park and is it easier to put in diaper bag and tote it or place loose in bottom of stroller (which leads to is it safe to leave supplies in stroller or do u cart it on rides with u?)

since she is still in the carrier/carseat (we have chicco cortino stroller) is it safe to leave carseat in stroller while on rides or do we just put her in stroller without it.
I know too many questions i'm a first time mom sorry.......
any other baby advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

 

[dhardawa]

Max was six weeks the first time I took him and he spent all day every day in the Baby Bjorn. It worked great.

 

[California Jenn]

We took our DS when he was three months old and used the Baby Bjorn, which was fine. You might also want to look at the Ergo carrier -- while it is overkill for an infant, if you plan on carrying your baby when she gets older and is over 15 pounds, the Ergo is a lifesaver for your back; just something to consider as we ended up buying two carriers when DS got to big for the Baby Bjorn which was frustrating.

Most of the time, though, we left DS in the car seat in the stroller and just carried him into any atractions, since the lines weren't very long while we were there. As for the diaper bag, we took an inexpensive one and attached it to the back of the stroller, so we didn't have to carry it. We took the risk of leaving stuff with the stroller, but made sure not to leave anything valuable that we would be upset about losing in the bag.

The biggest piece of advice I would give, though, is to plan to go A LOT slower than you've normally travelled. Likely your little one will still be waking up in the middle of the night, so you'll be more tired and everything takes longer with an infant. We also ended up renting a car so that we could get back to the room quickly before DS got to tired or overstimulated.

 

[Redheaded Sunshine]

I carried my daughter all over Disney in a Baby Bjorn. Several times. You can even leave your little one in the carrier for some of the rides. You'll still want a stroller though. For formula, the powder measuring cups are a godsend. They have 3 little compartments and are about the size of a cup of soup maybe? You can pre-measure your formula into it and it's much easier to take than a whole can...let me see I can find a picture.

http://www.consumer.philips.com/c/avent-baby-breastfeeding/3-doses-scf135_06/prd/us/

There it is....also, when you're in the parks, plan your day around the Baby care centers. They are THE BEST. A nice cool, quiet environment to feed and change your little one and relax a little bit.

 

[LisaAP]

We just returned from a trip with our 3 month old son and also brought our daughter a few times as an infant. Both of my children spent a great deal of time in the Baby Bjorn carrier. I would make my decision about bringing the baby car seat to the park or just the carriage each day based upon what we planned to do that day. It can be a pain to have the car seat when you have to fold up the strollers for trams and things. We always bring a backpack with all of our diapering and feeding supplies. Whoever is not holding the baby is usually holding the backpack. We have also had great experiences using diapers.com to deliver all of our diapers and formula and baby food to the resort before we get there. We also utilize the grocery store, but I like to sit down before I go and order all of the baby products so that I don't have to worry about them when I get there. It also sure beats packing everything if you are flying in. My only other piece of advice for travelling to Disney with an infant is to take full advantage of the baby care stations. They are clean and convenient and very pleasant. So much better than changing diapers in the bathrooms or finding a bench to sit on for a feeding (at least in the hot weather!).

Enjoy!

 

[DentalDana]

I was also wondering about this one. I'll have an older infant than you when we go and I hate the Bjorn b/c it has zero lumbar support and I have a big guy. We're going 12/25-1/1 and he'll be almost 8mo old. At his 4mo check up last week, he was already 27" and over 15lbs. I like my Moby wrap, but I highly doubt that DH would wear it. One of my friends offered me her Ergo for the trip and I know DH would be fine wearing that one. My only hesitation with the Ergo, is that it's not a "facing out" carrier.

I'm thinking that either way, I'll need some Motrin for my back

 

[FIREFLY01]

thank u all so much, fortunatly we are driving so we don't have to deal with flying, we are stayin at WL so i can get to MK by boat then to epcot by monorail so i dont have to deal w buses and folding strollers. I appreciate everything any more advice is always welcome

 

[Belle72]

I used a hotsling for my 5 mo old, and the ergo when he was 17 mos.

 

[msmama]

Like someone else said, I used a bag that I didn't really care about to keep stuff that we needed, but I wouldn't be sad if we lost and left it in the bottom of the stroller.

I nursed so didn't need formula stuff, but we kept sunscreen, diapers, an extra change of clothes, etc there. For all of the "more important stuff" (camera, snacks, etc) were in a backpack that we took on the rides.

If at all possible I would try to use the stroller without the carseat. Maybe try her in it a few times around home before heading out to see how she likes it. I just think it would be one less thing to carry without it.

As for the carriers, I don't know anything about either of those. I do have a Mei Tei that I LOVE. Used it to carry my guy when he was teeny and could still use it now (if he ever let me - he insists on walking these days).

I was also wondering about this one. I'll have an older infant than you when we go and I hate the Bjorn b/c it has zero lumbar support and I have a big guy. We're going 12/25-1/1 and he'll be almost 8mo old. At his 4mo check up last week, he was already 27" and over 15lbs. I like my Moby wrap, but I highly doubt that DH would wear it. One of my friends offered me her Ergo for the trip and I know DH would be fine wearing that one. My only hesitation with the Ergo, is that it's not a "facing out" carrier.

I'm thinking that either way, I'll need some Motrin for my back

My husband wore the Moby all around Disney.

 

[reducereuserecycle]

it is less stressfull for the baby if they face towards you so they are not overwhelmed by the crowd and they can see you. also, they can sleep easier cause they head just naturally can lay on your chest when they are facing towards you.

 

[natnelliesmom]

The Infantino is a piece junk. I used it with my first child and hated it! The baby never seemed to settle down and I couldn't get it comfy on my shoulders. The clips were cheap and the straps were not well made.

I am a baby wearer! I think my kids are happiest when I am wearing them. SO much easier when you need to get things done- or walk around WDW!

I highly prefer slings over a carrier where their legs hang down. Especially with a baby as young as yours- you won't be able to face them forward anyway. In a sling they can sleep comfortably, or look out at the world when they are awake. There are many ways you can adjust a sling to give you more comfort when wearing it for extended periods of time- like at WDW!

If a ring style sling intimidates you (some people think they are hard to adjust) Then look at the Hotslings line. These are pouch slings that you buy in your size. I LOVE mine and will be using it everyday on our trip with an 8 week old next month. Right now- at the company's website they have many patterns on sale. Sale prices are around $40.00.

As far as ring slings go- I love my Maya wrap. It's great since you can wear the baby against your chest or in a traditional side lay. For older babies there is no end to the ways you can wear them!

If you are still set on a carrier like the Bjorn... get the Ergo carrier. Well worth every penny. I am a nature educator and spend many hours on the trail with my little ones. The Ergo carrier is weightless even with a 30 lb child. My back and shoulders never get sore. I don't know if this one is worth the investment if you don't plan on using it past your WDW trip. It's better for larger children in my opinion and a 2 1/2 month old will be better off in a sling style.

I hope this helps,
Sarah

 

[patchchild]

I loved using a simple sling at that age. I didn't like what I'd read about Baby Bjorn putting too much stress on the pelvis and hips, as well as compacting the spine. Scary!

I also adore my MeiTai. If I'd had the money, I'd absolutely spring for an Ergo. You'll get the longest use out of that compared to anything else. It's also cooler and way more comfortable than a Baby Bjorn.

 

[phillmolly]

Don't waste your money on a Bjorn or that other carrier unless you are only going to use it for this trip!!! I would also reccomend a sling at this age or a Beco, the Beco Butterfly is very similar to the Ergo but it comes with a built in infant seat. It is as easy to use as a bjorn. I used a bjorn untill my son was about 5 months old and then I got my Beco and fell in love with it! William does have to face in but it's not like he can't look around, belive me, he can see everything that is going on! He also loves to nap in it, I can move him out of the carseat, into the Beco, and back into the carseat without waking him. I also use a ring sling which we both also love. I usally put him in a hip carry or a front carry if he sleeping. If it were me going to WDW with an infant, I think I would take a ring sling with me. As the baby get bigger though a Beco would be nice to have for longer outings. FWIW my little man is 11 months old and just over 20lbs. I can see carrying him untill at least 2 1/2 or so. I had my almost 3 yr old niece in the sling the other day and she loved it! Good luck to you and have a great trip!

 

[whys_of_ma]

Hi there, baby wearer here.

Whatever you decide to use, use it alot BEFORE disney. Babies need to get use to being worn and you need to practice tying them. Good luck!

 

[Keri]

it is less stressfull for the baby if they face towards you so they are not overwhelmed by the crowd and they can see you. also, they can sleep easier cause they head just naturally can lay on your chest when they are facing towards you.

Yes, totally, especially at that age.

I took DD at 7 months last year and the Ergo saved my life. It was great, plus, soooo easy on the rides to sit down with her legs wrapped around me rather than facing out & making sure she was comfortable, I knew she was safe, and if she got scared about anything, I was right there. And YES on the sleeping, man that was great because we didn't stop for naps -- she just slept on me!

I've heard good things about the Beco too, similar style.

 

[tjlovespooh]

Personally, when my baby was under 4mo I preferred to use a sling or a wrap (DD absolutely LOVED the wrap, this one: http://www.wrapnwear.com/ )
For a baby 4mo or older I like the Becco Butterfly.
Now that my youngest is over a year I've fallen in love with the Scootababy Hip Carrier (so easy/comfy to use - but not for young babies).

Maybe you'll find some great suggestions at thebabywearer forum ( http://www.thebabywearer.com/ )

Have fun on your trip!

 

[gwtw428]

Baby Bjorn...Hands down!!! Took our then 4 mth old daughter to Disney and she spent alot of the time in the carrier. So easy to get on all rides with her in it. She even fell asleep in it! Baby Bjorn is so comfy! You can even unsnap it when baby is sleeping..the carrier part separates completely from the shoulder straps making it easy to lay baby down for nap!

 

[Bigkid4disney]

My wife and I going to Disney world in dec '09 with my 4 month old and we have the jeep 2 in 1 carrier. We received it as a gift for a baby shower, however we haven't tested it out yet as far as long periods of time is concerned. I hope its as good as the mentioned ergo products. I guess we'll find out though.

 

[lbuzz52]

I love my moby. It's so comfy! And at that age he slept in it all the time. Plus you just throw it in the washer.

 

[Erica09M]

I absolutely would not go with a Bjorn or Snuggly type carrier. Not only are they extremely harmful to the baby's spine and hips, but they also allow the baby to "dangle" off of you. You want to trick your body into thinking that the extra weight is part of you, not an attachment.

I suggest you visit thebabywearer.com/forum to learn about more options that are healthier for your baby and for you.