The Good Stuff: Got a baby on your back?

We've been in Toronto for almost 4 weeks and until Thursday, I was without a baby carrier. If you asked me 8 months ago what kind of carrier I would be using with Indio, I probably would've replied, "Carrier? Why would I use a carrier when I'll have a stroller and two perfectly functioning arms?" I registered for a Baby Bjorn anyway, more because *everyone was doing it* and because I thought all carriers were alike.

How wrong I was! Little did I know about the assortment of carriers, wraps, and slings that are on the market these days. Little did I know how much some of them cost!

At first the Bjorn was great. Teeny-tiny 6lb Indio fit snugly in the Bjorn, which we used for walks in the park with Cassius since it was easier than putting Indio in the infant seat and attaching it to the stroller, then lugging it all down the apartment stairs just to go to the park and being a new mom, I didn't trust the "two perfectly functioning arms" not to spontaneously throw Indio from them in the middle of the street. [Remember, I was sleep deprived and hormone full.]

But around the 4 month mark when Indy's weight was now in double digits, the Bjorn wasn't as comfortable and really it just felt like I was lugging around sacks of potatoes on each arm. My back wasn't happy and Indio wasn't as happy as before.

So of course, I started reading. Reviews, websites, mommy blogs, product inserts, anything I could get my hands on about the latest and greatest carriers out there. Did you know there are some women who buy these things like they buy shoes: never enough to just have one!

One carrier I kept seeing in Fort Greene on moms and dads and kept reading about online was the Ergo Baby Carrier. A fellow Brooklyn mom and friend, J lent me hers probably because she was sick of me hemming and hawing about forking out $120+ for something that might only work as long as the Bjorn.

Well, from that first walk home from J's place with the Ergo securely fastened to me, I was a convert! It was like carrying a baby cloud! So light and fluffy! Gone were the sore shoulders, aching back, and screaming baby. All Indio's weight was squarely placed on my hips, which are much more appropriate for supporting a baby! I barely felt anything on my shoulders or back. And I would be able to use it until Indio was 40lbs! [Will I really be carrying a 40lb child regularly?]

I used J's Ergo every single day until I had to give it back because we were leaving Brooklyn and she was getting ready to have baby #2 this October, so she would need it once again. And stupidly I didn't buy one before we left for Toronto.

This week, while E was back in NYC for business, and I was on my own with both Indio and Cassius I realized just how much I missed having an Ergo. The ease at which I could take Cassius out for a walk with Indio strapped to me was gone. I had to lug out the stroller just to go for a stroll. We ended up staying with my folks for most of the week just so I wouldn't have to take both boys out at the same time.

While perusing the Dear Born Baby website I noticed that they had a few of the Ergos ON SALE! This is generally unheard of so of course I couldn't pass it up! As soon as Indy was in bed, I dragged little bro to the Thornhill baby store because of course I wasn't going to wait or pay for shipping! I bought myself a black-retro Ergo and used it the minute I got back to my folks'. I took Indio and Cassius for our inaugural walk. It made my day to be able to pick up dog poop and tire Cassius out with the Chuckit all while holding Indio *hands free*.

[Not me, just an image I found online.]