I'm a mama on the go. I have 3 kids, the youngest is 9 months. I've been fortunate to have experience with a lot of baby carriers and I'll tell you which ones are my favorites. Some of the carriers I purchased or borrowed and some were given to me as gifts, but NONE were given by the manufacturer in exchange for review! This is 100% my honest opinion.
NEWBORN 0-3 months ish: (I have average size babies, around 7 lbs at birth.) My two favorite carriers for the newborn stage are BABY BJORN CLASSIC and the BABY K'TAN BREEZE
1-The Bjorn is simple to take on and off compared to the Ergo style carriers. And the baby is so little at this age that I don't need the extra support those carriers offer.
2- It's very minimal, no bulk.
The BABY K'TAN BREEZE: my favorite of the wrap style carriers, like MOBY & etc
1-It's half mesh! Sounds weird, but it helps vent air to avoid getting hot. Which I always am, even without a baby strapped to me!
2-It's also very easy to put on. It's perfect for newborn cuddles and keeps the baby cozy and warm. The final fab feature is that I was able to easily breastfeed my baby in the BABY K'TAN!
INFANT 3 months-12 months: I tried the BOBA ($128) and the ERGO ($115). Both had really cute prints but my baby had other ideas, he wanted to face out! Also, my husband wasn't excited about wearing the cute prints so I was off on a quest for a great forward facing carrier. After much research, I discovered the winner and my favorite carrier: LILLEBABY ($110)
1-Great Ergonomic Design.
2-Fun colors that my husband could live with.
3-Forward Facing Feature that my baby loves! When he needs a nap, I still carry him facing me. Since I had the luxury of time, I signed up for their emails and was able to get one on sale!
12 Months Plus: The baby is getting heavier at this stage and I mostly use the carriers for hiking or longer adventures. I still love my LILLEBABY but often use the KELTY $99. We love the Kelty for it's kick stand feature!
Please remember to each his own. What worked for me, may or may not work for you.
Here are some favorite carriers of some of our favorite customers!
Morgan from @livingratefully with the Sakura Bloom carrier
Whit from @whitjxoxo and Jenn from @jenntrumbo both using Lîllébaby carriers