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baby carriers for newborns during summer?

JulieA

Shiny_Rock
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Jun 24, 2007
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104
I plan to do a lot of walking with my newborn in a carrier during the summer. We got an Ergo with the infant insert... but that insert just looks too hot! I plan to transition to the Ergo without the insert when the baby gets bigger.

So what should we use in the beginning? I know people love Moby wraps... but still look hot. Seems like a lot of material to wrap around and would be a hot sweaty mess if walking around the neighborhood in the heat. (trying to loose that baby weight!) I heard the baby k'tan can get stretched out and if you don't have the right size- not that great.

I don't care about having 100 different ways to carry or back support for a 30 pound baby... would really only use this for first few months until we upgrade to Ergo and I think newborns like to be held close to chest.

Does anyone find a bali breeze wrap is cooler? is it harder to use because not that comfy stretchy jersey material like the moby?

other suggestions?
 

megumic

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Mar 8, 2009
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I've done a fair bit of research on carriers and we are going to get a beco. I want both the butterfly and the Gemini, but only if we can find them used (obviously just one isn't enough...). What about a ring sling?
 

Pandora II

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Aug 3, 2006
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I have an Elllaroo Mei Tei and that was great for the summer but tricky with a newborn.

Try the baby wearing forum and see what they suggest. FWIW, I preferred having a sling that didn't have preset fastenings - it's quicker and ultimately easier and more versatile to have ones you tie yourself.
 

Kunzite

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May 17, 2009
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I also have a Mei Tai (BabyHawk) and like it. Since it doesn't use an infant insert there is air flow from the sides and the top of the carrier. It can get warm, but most of the heat is body heat, so not really something you can control. I've read the Moby can get pretty warm. I would also pay attention to how much the baby is covered in the carrier since you want to keep the LO out of the sun.
 

bobbin

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Apr 28, 2008
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I think most carriers will be hot in the Summer months purely because of the body heat generated from having bubs so close to you.

We have a Manduca, which is almost exactly like an Ergo, but it comes with an inbuilt newborn insert which to me looks like it would be cooler than the Ergo's insert. However, due to trademark restrictions, you can't get the Manduca in the US unfortunately.

We also have a Sleepy wrap. I intend to use a combination of the wrap and the Manduca for our baby as a newborn, and then the Manduca only when she is older.

I can't actually comment from experience about how hot these options would be as I am still waiting for our little one to make an appearance! We are heading into an Australian winter, but as we live in a warm semi-tropical climate I think overheating could still be an issue with babywearing during Winter here. I can report back in a few months time.

A sling would probably be cooler than a wrap or soft-structured carrier. I didn't want to get a sling as they are easier to misuse in a dangerous way than a SSC or wrap as it is easier for the baby to be in an incorrect position. However, I think they are fine if you pay a lot of attention to using them properly.
 

Pandora II

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Aug 3, 2006
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If you look at women in China, Africa etc who still work in rural areas, they all have their babies strapped to them while working out in the fields and there doesn't seem to be any issues with overheating...

The African ladies round here all use cotton sarong-style wraps in the summer. I've seen light-weight mei tai as well. FWIW, I put DD in a mei tai in Sri Lanka with no problems at all and it was 89 degrees and 90% humidity most of the time.
 

bobbin

Shiny_Rock
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Apr 28, 2008
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473
Yeah, sorry, overheating is probably the wrong word. But many of the options available would still be hot in Summer I think.
 

JulieA

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Joined
Jun 24, 2007
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104
I heard that a gauze type of material is cooler than the jersey of the moby, but not as soft until you break it in and we dont' have time for that!

Since we already own the ergo... and that is what we will use when the baby gets bigger, so we dont want to buy something else similar to the ergo that is structured. I heard a ring sling is not as comfy as a wrap since wrap can be used with both shoulders support.

Someone told me they prefer the sleepy wrap material over the moby, but not cooler. We dont have any local stores around that carry the sleepy so I can feel material. I guess sleepy wrap stretches more, but is less material.
 

Haven

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Feb 15, 2007
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Is there a local chapter of a babywearing group near you? I have a friend who is really active in her local babywearing chapter, and they have a "library" of different slings, wraps, and carriers that people can borrow for a month at a time to see which one they like best. That might be a nice way to try out a particular carrier before you buy one.
 

Dreamer_D

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Dec 16, 2007
Messages
25,234
Just use the Ergo without the insert, unless your baby is teensy it will be fine! And weensy babies like being hot. Remember they were in your body, that is pretty frigging hot! :lol:
 

mayachel

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Mar 2, 2008
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I vote for drinking the kool-aid on wraps...I have two Gypsy Mama wraps that I love love love. There is a water wrap, that's great for me as a black wrap in general, but is also SPF 50, light weight, and perfect for dunks in the pool. I used it on a recent trip down to Florida and loved feeling secure taking my then 3m old into the ocean. Didn't go deep at all but still, I would have been panicked about dropping her and a wave washing over her otherwise. I also have a "Bali Breeze" wrap from the same maker, it's light weight cotton, that is super sturdy. My girl is already 15lbs+ and when she is on, feels weightless. My DH uses the Becco Gemini, which I think is less material overall then the Ergo (imho) but still seems quite warm on the front. If you compare the two, it seems like the Becco has less of a "carriage" to it, and is more open on the sides. I got mine from Quirky Baby dot com, and the owner was fantastic. She has a free survey/advice on the right carrier(s) for your body type/needs. (Mine=urban and public transport, hence the multitude of carriers going on.) She also gave me a discount for buying more than 1 at a time.

FWIW, we also have the Ka'tan which works in function like a wrap, without the miles of fabric, but is just as heavy as the typical moby. I find I can't get a tight enough fit with the stretchier fabric, and so while it was great the first two months, I hardly reach for it now. DH liked it, but loves the Becco.
 

Mannequin

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Joined
Mar 16, 2006
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Julie - Wearing baby in summer will keep you both toasty! See if you can find something in a linen or cotton gauze. Most stretchy cotton wraps like the Moby will only work until baby is about 15 to 20 lbs, but you'll be able to use the linen wraps longer. Sakura makes beautiful linen ring slings that look breezy and cool for summer. Didymos also makes linen wraps.

Your Ergo may work just fine for you without the insert - give it a try! I just purchased this Boba 3G for my son and I really like it. In this photo, he's 13 lbs. and 22 inches, almost two months old. I am not using any inserts or conversions, this is the standard carrier. It's open enough that I don't feel like we get too hot, and of course for summer we will be wearing appropriate clothing (onesies for him/tanks for me) to keep cool. This type of structured carrier works better for my hubby - he wasn't too keen on wearing a wrap, and he likes this carrier because we'll be able to use it and grow into it as our son gets bigger. I am still thinking of getting myself a lightweight wrap or ring sling in cotton or linen for summer this year as well, but I want to meet up with some local babywearing mommas at a store or gathering to try them on first.

IMG_4247.jpg
 

janinegirly

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Sep 21, 2006
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Cute Mannequin! Is it easy to get on and does it work on older/bigger babies?
 

monarch64

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Aug 12, 2005
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I tried on a cotton ring sling yesterday and thought it felt like it would be pretty darn cool compared to the Moby and the Ergo carriers. Just adding food for thought to this thread...I haven't purchased a carrier yet but plan to soon after baby arrives and will update then.
 

Skippy123

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Nov 24, 2006
Messages
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monarch64|1337621168|3200291 said:
I tried on a cotton ring sling yesterday and thought it felt like it would be pretty darn cool compared to the Moby and the Ergo carriers. Just adding food for thought to this thread...I haven't purchased a carrier yet but plan to soon after baby arrives and will update then.
the Moby is way too hot for summer
 

monarch64

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Aug 12, 2005
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Skippy|1337621639|3200298 said:
monarch64|1337621168|3200291 said:
I tried on a cotton ring sling yesterday and thought it felt like it would be pretty darn cool compared to the Moby and the Ergo carriers. Just adding food for thought to this thread...I haven't purchased a carrier yet but plan to soon after baby arrives and will update then.
the Moby is way too hot for summer

Well, that's what I was saying...that the ring sling was cooler than the Moby. I wouldn't want a swath of cotton jersey enveloping me and baby while it's terribly hot, but I would definitely try the ring sling in the light woven cotton fabric instead. So pretty sure we're on the same page. Or maybe I posted something redundant or stupid. :confused:
 
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