Once your baby is older and has good head control you will find that a different range of baby carriers appeal to you. Now past the newborn stage, baby is bigger, more active and wants to look around more. Baby is also heavier, and that puts more strain on your back, neck and shoulders.
Our quick picks for babies 6-18 months are: pouch, ring sling, mei tai, structured carrier or woven wrap
Shop carriers for babies 6-18 months or read on for more info!
Pouches are still a great option. You can now start using a pouch in the hip carry position. Some people find that pouches are uncomfortable as baby gets heavier, due to being only one-shouldered. Pouches are limited in that do not offer a very secure forward facing carry or a back carry.
• Like a pouch, ring sling baby carriers are quick and easy to use, and offer the benefit of a coverup for nursing or the sun. They are also only one-shouldered, which may be less comfortable for the wearer over time.
• Ring slings can be used for a secure forward-facing carry, which many kids enjoy at this age.
• Ring slings are great for a secure hip carry, which is an easy and natural way to carry your baby at this age. It’s also great for kids who want to get up and down a lot, as ring slings are super quick and easy to get on/off.
Mei tais and Buckle Carriers offer two-shouldered carries and are a good idea for longer carries with your baby, especially you have any back/shoulder injuries or weakness.
• In addition to back and front-facing in carries, Mei tais can be worn in a front facing out position or in a high back carry, which allows kids at this curious age to get their fill of seeing the world.
• Soft structured buckle carriers like the Tula, Ergobaby, Beco, Boba and Pikkolo are great choices as your baby gets older and heavier: they distribute the weight to your hips, much like a back pack carrier does and they do not have knots or dragging straps like a mei tai does.
Wrap Baby Carriers Many babywearers continue to love wraps for their older babies. Wraps offer a wide variety of supportive carries that are comfortable for both of you. They also distribute weight well as baby gets heavier. For babies 6-18 months, we recommend the Wrapsody Stretch-Hybrid wrap or a woven wrap. Very stretchy wraps like the Moby are not as effective as baby gets heavier.
