Is the Ergobaby baby carrier worth it??? I guess it depends on which model you get! Here is my honest review of the Ergobaby Original baby carrier (sometimes called the “old Ergobaby carrier”) which is now (sadly!) discontinued by the manufacturer but still in circulation (perhaps they will at some point resurrect the model…?). This Ergobaby Original baby carrier review is NOT sponsored by Ergobaby in any way, shape, or form. I hope that sharing my experience with this baby carrier helps you on your quest to find the best baby carrier if you happen to come across it and wonder if it’s any good…
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Ergobaby Original Baby Carrier review
Comfort level
Your baby needs to feel comfortable in a baby carrier, or else forget babywearing, right? Ergobaby Original makes babies (and toddlers, and even kids past toddlerhood… we’ll get to that…) super cozy and comfortable. I’ve always had a harder time getting my kids out rather than putting them in. This is because Ergobaby carriers are based on ergonomic babywearing.
Ergonomic babywearing mimics the way a baby is carried or held in arms. It supports the most natural posture for infants, which is having the hips relaxed and spread apart (VS. dangling by the crotch – the way standard baby carriers work). The International Hip Dysplasia Institute agrees that this is the best position for healthy infant hip development.
For what it’s worth, I had tried two other baby carriers before I got the Ergobaby Original, both of which were standard forward-facing front-carry baby carriers. I wasn’t a fan of how my baby’s head bounced back and forth and flopped around every time I moved or leaned forward in either of those carriers, and I can’t imagine this position is comfortable for babies either. In an ergonomic baby carrier like Ergobaby, your baby is comfy, snug, and safely secured.
(Many brands sell ergonomic baby carriers today, but let’s just say that Ergobaby was one of the first companies to come out with this concept, so they’ve had a head start in perfecting their baby carriers.)
This Ergobaby carrier is made equally comfortable for the wearer as well: the ergonomic design of Ergobaby puts the weight of your child on your HIPS, instead of your back. This makes babywearing comfortable – even for extended periods of time. For increased comfort, the shoulder straps and the waist belt are padded, and all straps are adjustable.
Over the years I’ve done plenty of hiking with the Ergobaby on top of everyday babywearing. We love the outdoors and never pass up a good hike. Hiking with kids, however, has its challenges. Ergobaby Original was a total sanity saver – even on some of the more strenuous hikes we’ve done with the kids, babywearing felt no different than carrying a backpack filled with supplies (even as I wore my kids when they were past toddlerhood!). It became a talking backpack, really, front or back… 🙂
Impressively, I was able to STILL comfortably wear my kids when they were around the age of 4 (and about 35 lbs).
…In case you wonder… around the age of 5 was the cut-off age for us. It was on an 8-mile fairly strenuous hike in Great Basin National Park where I have come to the bittersweet realization that my babies were finally too old for babywearing and it was time to retire our Ergobaby carrier. But, make no mistake, even though we were nearing the weight limit at that point, the baby carrier held up no problem still!
Ergobaby Original grows with your child
Ergobaby Original weight range: 7-45 lbs (3.2-20 kg)
With such a generous weight range, there is no need to switch to a different baby carrier as your child grows. Ergobaby Original can easily be the only baby carrier you’ll ever need!
Breastfeeding while babywearing
One of the selling points of the Ergobaby Original carrier for me personally was the ability to make nursing on-the-go happen! Before you know it, you’ll be strolling around the store, waiting at the checkout lane, or boarding a plane AND nursing your baby without a single soul noticing!
After trying two other baby carriers beforehand that weren’t made with nursing in mind, being able to nurse my baby in a baby carrier was a total game changer for me.
Tips for breastfeeding in the Ergobaby Original carrier:
- Loosen the shoulder straps as needed in order to lower your baby down a bit to make nursing possible. You can easily do this while wearing your baby.
- For a sense of privacy and to limit distractions for a nursing baby, clip the carrier’s hood on. If you’re wearing the right clothes for nursing that don’t require you to bare your torso (a nursing top, a stretchy top with an undershirt on, a zip-up sweatshirt or a jacket as a last layer – over the carrier, etc.), no one will see a thing.
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Made with natural breathable fabric
One of the things I loved about Ergobaby Original was that these baby carriers were made of cotton. That was an important feature for me. Cotton is soft, breathable, it feels good to the touch and doesn’t hold onto odors.
Both the shell and lining of Ergobaby Original is 100% cotton. Some Ergobaby Original baby carriers are made with organic cotton which is known for being softer than conventional cotton. The fabric is thick yet soft (mind you, we have the organic version which might perhaps be a tad softer than conventional cotton).
Many Ergobaby carriers sold today are made with polyester. Personally, I’m not a fan of polyester in baby care – polyester is a synthetic fabric, it doesn’t breathe well and can contain various processing chemicals that can seep out of the fabric over time (although in all fairness, conventional and non-certified organic cotton is not immune to chemical leaching either…).
Ergobaby Original features
Here are some of the additional features that easily made Ergobaby the best baby carrier for me:
- Hood: incredibly helpful for when you nurse in the public as well as for shielding your baby from the elements in general. The hood also helps keep baby’s head contained when asleep. Ergobaby’s hood is lightweight and breathable, yet thick enough to keep the sun or light out. (FYI: If you need to support baby’s head when asleep and the hood straps of Ergobaby still seem too long on the shortest setting to create a functional head support, cross the hood straps and snap them on the opposing sides. Another way to shorten the hood straps is to twist them several times before snapping them close.)
- Pockets: Ergobaby Original has 2 pockets. The larger pocket is a zipper pocket that’s actually impressively large for a baby carrier. This pocket can easily hold a number of personal items like your keys, your wallet, a pack of tissues, things like that. (I wouldn’t recommend keeping your cell phone in the pocket, this close to your baby’s head.) The smaller pocket is essentially what contains the hood when not in use, but it can also accommodate small items (like a pacifier). This second one is an open pocket, no zipper.
- Size: Ergobaby Original folds down to an impressively compact size that will easily fit inside the diaper bag.
Ergobaby Original carry positions
Ergobaby Original baby carrier features 3 carry positions – front, back, side.
- Front carry
I carried my kids in the front exclusively when they were little (for my piece of mind and their safety), and occasionally when they were older when it seemed more practical (like in a crowd of people, for example).
Per the manufacturer, wearing babies in the carrier that are 7-12 lbs (3.2-5.5 kg) and 0-4 months REQUIRES the use of the Ergobaby infant insert. (Even though Ergobaby has valid reasons for this recommendation, I used an alternative.)
Babies weighing 12 lbs (5.5 kg) & up can be worn in the front carry position without the infant insert.
Ergobaby Original ONLY offers inward (facing in) front carry as opposed to outward (facing out) front carry that some other Ergobaby models feature, such as the 360 All-Position Baby Carrier and Omni 360 All Carry Positions. Some people assume that babies must get bored when all they face is the babywearer’s chest, but let me dispel that myth – not only babies can and do look around in the inward-facing front carry position, their sense of curiosity is backed by the feeling of safety by being snuggled up to you.
Front-carry outward-facing babywearing (baby facing out) will also always be less comfortable due to baby’s weight distribution than wearing your baby facing inward (facing your chest) which will be even more pronounced as your baby grows. It’s just simple laws of physics. From my own anecdotal experience, not once have I missed the front-outward carry position while babywearing. In fact, I wouldn’t have worn my babies that way even if I had the option to.
Front wearing is pretty straightforward with Ergobaby. Buckle up in the front, turn the carrier around so that the buckle stays in the back, baby on your chest, straps on, adjust the straps, boom, you’re good to go!
- Back carry
Your baby must be at least 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) for the Ergobaby Original back carry position.
Back carrying with Ergobaby Original has been amazing for hiking or longer walks, especially as the kids have gotten older and heavier.
Ergobaby back wearing, while not being difficult, should be practiced at home a few times unless you have someone with you that can help you put your baby in safely. It’s not hard to do, but you’ll want to get the hang of it before you use the carrier that way in the public.
There are a few ways to tackle Ergobaby back wearing. I found tossing my kids straight onto my back easier (while leaning forward a bit) as opposed to starting on my hip and shuffling the carrier together with my baby to the back, as recommended by Ergobaby. But then again, I didn’t start back wearing until much later on which essentially made back-tossing a whole lot easier. (A soft raised surface (sofa, bed, etc.) is ideal for practicing getting baby in/out for back babywearing.)
- Side carry
The weight limit for Ergobaby Original side carry is the same as for back wearing – baby must weigh at least 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg).
Honestly, I can’t speak for the side (hip) carry position because I haven’t really used it. I tried it a few times, but carrying any amount of extra weight on one side of my body just wasn’t for me. It didn’t feel right. I always felt off-balance, so for me it was either front or back.
Related:
Can you sit while wearing Ergobaby?
Absolutely! And this is so helpful! Unless you place the carrier way too low on your hips for some reason, you can still sit down while wearing your baby. No need to adjust any straps to sit down while wearing your baby. Just make sure that your baby isn’t squeezed or pinched by the carrier as you sit down and while seated.
Ease of cleaning
According to Ergobaby, spot cleaning is recommended, but the Ergobaby Original baby carrier IS machine-washable. I wouldn’t, however, recommend excessive washing, at least not with bright colors.
I have washed ours quite a number of times over the years and noticed that the color eventually started fading a bit after each wash. It’s not a huge deal by any means as this only affects the esthetics of the product, just something to keep in mind I guess. Other than that, Ergobaby Original will hold up just fine if you throw it in the wash once in a while which is something every busy mom will surely appreciate.
Wash on cold (warm if needed), and line dry.
Durability
After 7 years of frequent use and after multiple washings, not one buckle or a piece of an elastic has failed on the carrier, and there are no rips in the fabric or unraveled seems. Clearly, this baby carrier was made to last!
Are there any negatives about Ergobaby Original?
Truth be told, I had to think HARD about what I don’t like about the carrier. Real hard. This is what I came up with:
- When using the carrier in hot temperatures (think 88+°F), I’d get really hot. But this comes with the babywearing territory and isn’t a fault of the carrier’s fabric or design. The air temperature is hot, you’re wearing another human being that’s generating heat, do the math, right? (For the record, Ergobaby does offer a baby carrier made with mesh fabric that might be more suitable for someone living in a warmer climate. Perhaps. I haven’t tried that one.)
- Ergobaby Original generally doesn’t come with a bag to carry or store the carrier in (although some models do). There is an easy fix for this though – keep the carrier in a lightweight tote bag which you then place in the carrier’s zipper pocket when in use.
Final thoughts for this Ergobaby Original baby carrier review:
Ergobaby Original is a jack of all trades and an excellent option for all kinds of daily tasks and outdoor adventures for any mom that wants to wear her baby.
I’ve found the baby carrier to be practical and easy to use. The ONLY REGRET I have is that I didn’t get Ergobaby right away and wasted time and money on other baby carriers that didn’t come anywhere close to this one!!!
If you have any questions that haven’t been answered in this Ergobaby Original review, please leave a comment or send me a message and I’ll do my best to help you find answers!
