I walked miles and miles in that thing. I carried her front facing, forward facing, all around our town, and up mountains. My lower back ached more and more, and then I heard that excessive use of the Bjorn might yield spinal problems for young children, due to the increased pressure on the crotch area. I never did find a substantive article or post about this, however.
After I had our second baby, I went to a party and forgot a baby carrier. I was tired of carrying her in my arms, and she had colic and needed to be carried the entire time. My friend offered me her Ergo Baby carrier. I put it on, and carried my daughter in it the entire time. She slept soundly, and it was actually comfortable.
I went out and bought it the next day (and drove FAR to our nearest baby store).
I used it throughout my youngest's babydom, and then forgot about it for awhile. Now that she's a toddler, and its summer, I've been using it again as a backpack. You might be intimidated about turning this carrier around to use this way. But don't be, it just takes a few times practicing over a bed to figure it out. Now I keep it in the car, and use it grocery shopping, during errands, or hiking. It is much smaller than frame backpacks, and it is pretty comfortable even for long distances.
I do know after visiting their site that the Ergo is now made in China (like most things). But they do describe ethical wages and working conditions there, as well as a commitment to to quality and sustainability.
If you are pregnant and considering a carrier, this is a good one. I also used Maya wrap sling, but after a certain point slings didn't work for me as well as the Ergo did. I know this is an issue of personal preference, and I wanted share my experience with you readers in case you have an aching back, and are looking for a more comfortable way to carry your baby.
(and PS- you can nurse your baby while wearing the Ergo, and it comes with a nifty DVD that shows you how to wear it in all the ways (front facing, backpack and side carry)).
Katy can be found at Non-Toxic Kids sharing helpful information about how to raise kids as naturally as possible. She is a teacher, freelance writer, and mama from the mountains of Vermont.
