Another baby carrier option... Beco v. Ergo

When we discussed babywearing about a month ago, a few of you mentioned the Beco baby carrier. Since then, several of my friends have raved to me about them and I have been eager to try it out. I am a die-hard Ergo fan, but I recently sold a couple of slings and carriers that I didn't use as much or found cheaply at a consignment sale and I purchased the Beco Butterfly 2. The one I got was $119, about the same as an Ergo carrier. I had heard so many good things about it and I wear my baby constantly so I knew I would get a lot of use out of it. When you have three little ones and need to have your hands free, a good baby carrier is absolutely priceless! Also, my husband can still wear my 2-year old in the Ergo so I knew it would be nice to have the Ergo for him (and Karlie) and the Beco for me (and Abbi) when we go on long hikes, shopping trips, sight-seeing, or other walking adventures.

And... drumroll please... I absolutely love my Beco! I'm not sure that I can say that it is better than the Ergo because they both have their pros and cons, but the Beco is definitely an awesome baby carrier that I would recommend to anyone! I thought I'd compare the 2 in this post for those of you who are still trying to decide:

Note: Even though I love my Ergo and Beco, I first have to say that I still think that a sling or moby-style wrap is best for a newborn. It is just better for the baby to be snuggled up so close and tight in the natural cradle position. I mean, look at this little sweetie: she just couldn't be any more cozy!

Abbi in my hotsling at 2 1/2 months

However, if you need to have both hands free, both the Ergo and the Beco have an infant insert. The Beco insert comes with the carrier and worked perfectly for my 13 pound baby, but I still like the idea of the Ergo insert better for newborns, which keeps the baby's legs together and mimics the cradle position more. The design encourages healthy development of the spine by supporting the pelvis, hip joint, and leg position rather than putting a baby in a compromising sitting position before the spine is ready. (see Hollie's post for pics of the infant insert.) Unfortunately, the Ergo infant insert has to be bought separately and will cost around $25. Abbi and I both loved wearing the Beco with the infant insert and were extremely comfortable and happy, but I still plan to mainly use my sling until my baby is a bit older.

Now for the comparison: When it comes to how comfortable I felt and how happy my baby was, the Ergo and the Beco are completely equal in my book. (I know others might disagree, but I just love them both!) Without a doubt, the Beco wins hands down in the fashion arena because there are so many cute prints to choose from and it is slightly less bulky to wear. The attached Y-insert in the Beco makes it easy to put your baby in it ahead of time and sling her up on your shoulders already in place. Very cool! However, I got used to putting my baby in the Ergo while on the go and all the extra bells and whistles on the Beco slow me down a bit. So right now the Ergo wins for me in regards to ease of use. But I'm sure that with time I'll get used to the Beco, just as I did the Ergo. The safety straps on the Beco are both a pro and a con... I love the fact that they are so secure, but they are much more difficult to unbuckle than my Ergo straps because it takes both hands to do it, leaving my baby without a hand to support her as I undo the strap, thus making it less safe. (But once again, I'm sure I'll get used to it in time.) I actually like the hood on the Ergo better because it is always there in place, ready to pull over my baby at the first sign of rain or a nap, whereas the Beco hood is stored in the pouch around my waist and I have to take the (minor) effort and time to attach it on both ends.

Karis in my Ergo at 6 months

In conclusion, I have to say that they are both fabulous baby carriers that only differ in slight ways and I highly recommend them both. You are probably more likely to get a good deal on a good-condition, used Ergo carrier on Craigslist or Ebay because it has been around longer. (The original Beco was recalled, so the only ones I could find were the new, expensive ones).

Abbi in my Beco at 2 1/2 months -- she is normally more snuggled tightly against my chest, but she was pushing back to get a better view of her Daddy taking the picture :)