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Baby carriers are essentially slings with shoulder straps that either cradle babies, like a hammock, or fit underneath babys bottom  between the legs.  They are brilliant pieces of kit.  Dad can carry baby close to the body without having to use his arms giving you a much greater freedom to carry on with your daily jobs.

TOP 10 Reasons Dads Should Use A Baby Carrier

1. Babies feel comforted by being close to you.  The movement of your walking, breathing and heartbeat will help settle baby and grow the bond between you.  I found my carrier settled all 3 of my little ones better than anything else.

2. They are just really practical!  You’re arms and hands are free to continue with your daily chores – making lunch, washing and cleaning, looking after your other children and so much more!  Prams, carriers, and buggies all take up lots of room and make traveling on public transport challenging at the best of times.  A baby carrier takes up no space at all and avoids having to hold baby while you try and fold down a push chair or buggy that requires a nothing short of an F1 pit crew to stow away.

3. Having baby close to your body encourages them to sleep.  Babies in their ‘4th trimester’ are still adjusting to life outside the womb and generally prefer to sleep on someone rather than in a cot. This is absolutely appropriate and is not a bad habit!  Babies need to feel the warmth and comfort of both parents it is biologically natural. 

4. Babies who are able to sleep in their slings are very mobile! So you can get on with your day,  get out of the house, do some shopping or go hiking in the knowledge that baby is sleeping safely.

5. Dads who wear slings will improve their body posture and core strength.  Walking with baby in a sling is an amazing way to improve your overall fitness.  We had 3 children back to back and I used a carrier for about 5 years.  I lost weight, gained enormous leg and shoulder muscles and was fitter than I’d ever been.  I continue to maintain my ‘chiseled’ ish physique through regular running.

6. A baby carrier puts your little one in an upright position and the gently rocking or walking movement will help baby with reflux or digestive problems making them more comfortable.

7. ‘Wearing’ your newborn baby greatly encourages parent and child bonding.  Many fathers who are unable to take time of work, work full-time or unpredictable hours, struggling to adjust to a new way of life as a new dad, feeling guilty about not going through child birth or battling with breast feeding suffer with the symptoms of postnatal depression.  In these cases Dads MUST seek support and help but carrying baby can ease these symptoms and improve their mental well being . Slings are also a great way for other family members to build strong, healthy bonds with your baby.

8. Being carried is calming and reassuring for both babies and toddlers when tired, teething, unwell or upset.  It can relieve the stress for baby and dad more quickly than many other techniques in my experience as a dad.

9.Carriers are also excellent support for the  cognitive and emotional development of your baby.  In a carrier your baby can experience the world around the, engage with Dad face to face, snuggle on your chest if they want a rest.  These benefits can’t be had with pushchairs or buggies.

10. Slings will regulate a newborns’ temperature and breathing particularly when your baby is carried against dad’s skin.  Skin to skin contact is the most beautiful thing a dad can experience.  It doesn’t last long so make the most of it!

 

TOP 5 BEST BABY CARRIERS  FOR DADS

When my children were babies I tried on loads of baby carriers.  Many were uncomfortable. They have a piece of soft fabric for the baby’s bottom to sit  in and straps that go over your shoulders.  Most are not designed for the larger gent who is 6ft+ and 16stone. 

Carriers are designed for mums – lots of soft colors, frilly designs and laden with flowers! As a dad I needed to share in this closeness of carrying a newborn and wanted a carrier that was less feminine and designed to fit a more masculine figure.

So, after much research and trying on with other dads and their newborns I’ve found some superb baby carriers and slings.  My top five baby carriers come recommended by myself, a dad of 3, and will be perfect for Dads of all shapes and sizes who wish to use a baby carrier.

 

My Best Picks

1. The Best Baby Carrier for Dads:  Moby Wrap Baby Carrier

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 I loved this wrap style carrier.  They are marketed primarily for mum (great for breastfeeding, say’s my wife) but are perfect for dads. Unlike a lot of baby carriers, the Moby Wrap is one long piece of really comfortable stretchy fabric that lets you wrap baby really close to Dad’s chest. It allows for real freedom of movement and flexibility.  On the go dads can use it at almost anytime.  For sure, it takes some getting used to but once you’ve figured it out – this is one time you will need to read the instructions :-), you won’t use anything else. Comes in a variety of plain, ‘manly’ dad colours as well as some more feminine designs.

 

2. Best Budget Baby Carrier for Dads:  Boba Air Baby Carrier

This carrier is extremely light weight and suitable for the taller gent or larger built man frames.  Made of nylon and easy to fold and store, the Boba Air Baby is a great carrier for dad.  All straps are fully adjustable and extra extension straps are not necessary as they are by dads for many other carriers on the market.  Many carriers I reviewed had bulky frames and could only be worn on the back.  Boba’s  Air Baby can be worn on the front or back and is  constructed from a soft, light, stretchy nylon material and is more like a wrap than a carrier.  It has more structure to it than the Moby but is easier to get on and put baby into.  This carrier is easy to clean and also has a sleeping hood to keep of the sun or rain showers and a storage pocket.  Great for short hikes.

3. Best Hiking Carrier for Dads:  Ergo Performance

This is a great carrier for dads who love hiking . It looks stylish and has a load of useful features. The Ergo carrier has a breathable mesh and is quite a bit lighter than standard walking carriers.  An adjustable temperature-regulation zip panel allows you to control the temperature and keep baby and dad cool or warm. It has well padded straps that won’t cut into your shoulders on long hikes and is really comfortable to wear.  The wide waist strap and lumbar support help spread baby’s weight on long treks to avoid lower back strain.  Perhaps it does seem expensive but a decent buggy suitable for rough ground costs well beyond this and is incredibly difficult to navigate over uneven ground.  Trust me I’ve done it!  Instead go with a decent carrier, like this one. Save the health of your back and and pocket on replacement buggies.

 

4. Best Multi-Position Carrier for Dads:  Beco Gemini Carrier

This carrier was popular with our dad reviewers.  You can carry baby on your back or front as well as the hips. Men generally don’t have hips so this position didn’t really work for us however,  it is great for mums.  The carrier will fit infants right up to toddlers so will be a long term investment.  Its strong and durable and has a removable insert to accommodate small children. There is a padded headrest for good neck support which can be clipped down as your little one grows. The shoulder straps are nice and wide, long and adjustable and fitted our tall dads too.  The wide, padded waist belt adjusts from 28″ to 57″ with a  handy pocket on the waistband.  A comfortable carrier for dad and baby which went down well with the dads.

 

5. Best Luxury Baby Carrier for Dads:  Osprey Poco AG

Wear this beat and all the other dads will have ‘carrier envy’! It is a beautifully made carrier with masses of genuinely USEFUL extras!  The price tag is high but you won’t need anything else with this carrier. It has a sunshade, rain cover, mirror, foot stirrups, child harness, head rest removable day pack, and a removable and washable drool pad.  This is the Rolls Royce of baby carriers fella’s.

The Osprey carrier has loads more storage than anything else we looked ate but surprisingly was incredibly comfortable to wear with big wide shoulder straps and a supportive waist band to spread the load. This is the best carrier for dads on longer adventures  and gives a smooth ride across all terrains.  Comes highly recommended by our dads!