Babywearing can be overwhelming for someone who has just stumbled upon it. I have tried to summarise the best carrier for each age group in a table so that it’s easier to see how the different types of babycarriers fares against each other. You can find it here:
http://SNUGGbaby.com/faq click on ‘Which carrier is best for my baby’s age?’
Generally I like to put the babywearing gears into 3 major types:
1. Simple piece of cloth (SPOC) e.g. batik sarong, woven wrap, stretchy wrap, pashmina, towel, bedsheets even LOL’
As the name suggest this is any piece of cloth you can find. short or long.. the minimum length is something you can wrap around your body and make a secure knot with your baby in it and maximum length is maybe around 5-6m or until you find there are too much excess and it’s annoying LOL
If we take a simple pashmina as an example, you can tie the ends with a double knot, sling it over your shoulder and just spread the fabric a bit and voila, a pouch where you can have your baby sit, or lie in. There are so many ways of wrapping a piece of cloth to carry your baby and you can learn them from the youtube which is the best tool to learn wrapping and slinging with a simple piece of cloth next to having someone experience showing you how hands on.
An important type of carrier that plays a major part in babywearing world is the woven wrap. The woven wrap is hand or machine loomed piece of fabric made specifically for babywearing. Woven wraps almost always made with natural fibres or a blend of them like cotton+linen, hemp, 100% cotton, silk+cotton, giving each and every type of woven wrap different characteristics that appeals usually to babywearing enthusiasts. Different weaves (e.g. diagonal or diamond weave) that constructs a woven wrap too gives unique distinguishing features to the woven wraps. These properties influence the stretchiness, bounciness, grippyness and squishiness of each wrap.
You can imagine stretchy wraps just by feeling a 100% cotton t-shirt. Stretchy wraps IMO is one of the best for newborns and smaller babies because they are so soft and it’s easy to pop in little fragile babies.
2. Single shouldered carrier e.g. pouch sling, ringsling
The major difference between these two is adjustability.
Pouch sling is sewn in different sizes, so you get one according to the manufacturers suggestion on what size you’re suppose to get usually by measuring the distance between your shoulder tip and opposite hipbone. Then from newborn, you carry your baby in cradle position, and as baby grow bigger and chunkier, baby’s positioning will be switched to modified cradle (baby sit’s up partially), tummy to tummy, facing forward then until up to 3yo, they can sit in hip carry position.
Since pouch sling is not adjustable, it is less versatile, and incorrect sizing can make babywearing a bit uncomfortable for both wearer and wearee. Also the size would be specific to you, you are unable to share it with your partner unless both of you are of the same size.
The other one, ringsling, is adjustable made possible with the double rings. Because of this adjustability, ringsling is more versatile, for example, a newborn can be carried in cradle position, then with further adjustments, like tightening the fabric, she can also be carried in tummy to tummy position snugly.
The thing is some wearer may require a lot of practice to get the snug fit. Sometimes especially when we lack in confidence or if our baby is not very coorperative or fussing, you can panic a bit and may not get it right and snug on the first try. Some may require a lot of practise and we recommend that it’s done when both wearer and wearee are calm.
3. Two shouldered carrier e.g. asian inspired carriers like Mei Tai, Podaegi, Onbu, and Soft-structured Carrier.
As the name suggests, these carriers are made with shoulder straps to place on both shoulders which also means that the weight distribution is central. The most common carries would be tummy to tummy (or front carry) and back carry (like backpack!)
The designs of most 2 shouldered carriers revolves around a rectangular panel which is called ‘body panel’ where baby sits in, with straps protruding from it.
We take a Mei Tai for example, a Mei Tai has a rectangular body panel and 2 shorter straps at the base (waist straps) and 2 longer straps at the top of the body panel (shoulder straps). Waist straps are tied around the waist, baby sits in body panel and the shoulder straps goes over your shoulders and wrapped around your body and baby’s and secured around the waist. It will be better if you watch the demo video to see how this is worn:
watch?v=iliS764dRpc
Soft-structured carrier like Stork, Ergo, Beco (these are brand/carrier names) are adaptations of this simple concept of baby carrier but they are designed to give the most optimal support and ease of use especially for those who doesn’t like to deal with so much fabric. So basically you can see the rectangular body panel, and straps coming out of the body panel.
The panel comes in specific size therefore some research is required when you plan to get one. Most makers will have the body panel to fit most size of babies and wearers, but if you have specific needs, for example if you want to use your carrier solely to carry a 3yo, then perhaps you will be better off with one specifically made for pre-schoolers.
Because the weight is better distributed, this type of baby carrier is usually the prefered choice when carrier the heavier, chunkier babies/toddlers for long long hours.
I would say that this is just babywearing and its gears in a nutshell so you can get a general idea and perhaps you it can give you the rough idea on which gear you would prefer to start with. I highly recommend that you read up and join Malaysian Babywearers as it’s a great outlet where you can meet babywearing enthusiasts, try out babywearing gears from all over the world, and get one that suits you and baby most.
If you want to get carriers and just be done with it, my suggestion would be 1 from the sling type and 1 from the 2 shouldered carrier type or maybe get a wrap too. Many parents I know just get the soft-structured carrier and that’s it LOL.
If you really want to make the best out of your babywearing experience, and would love to try and even master all the types available out there, you will be better off to get something that is best and most ideal for your baby’s age and weight. Then perhaps you can trade or sell to upgrade or change your baby carrier to a different type when the time comes, or you can even keep them for your next.. next next next? baby and even grandchild!
Hope this helps! Drop a line if you have any questions at all 
Liza Yaakup
CEO of SNUGGbaby
Self-appointed Babywearing Consultant (LOL!)
Note: Meet me this weekend 10am-12noon, 11th-13th May, at BuggyBabyBoogie.com’s Booty at Mom and Baby Expo, Midvalley KL
Check out the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/343795779013930/
