The Best Baby Carriers for 0-24 Months

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Baby carriers! A.K.A. the only reason this busy mom of 3 managed to survive the early years with my kids. I am a HUGE fan of baby carriers and today I am sharing my top 5 favorite baby carriers for 0-24 months.

Babywearing is so wonderful when your kids are young. It helps give your baby a lot of support and comfort as well as allowing mom to still run around and tackle the tasks of daily life.

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I first started using baby carriers when I had my second child and was running a home daycare. I needed to be able to comfort my baby while still taking care of 5 other kids.

My third child though… That’s when I became a true convert of babywearing. My son wanted to be held upright ALL. THE. TIME. Putting him in the carrier was the only way I could get him to nap up until he was 10 months old.

Even now at 2 years old I still put him in one whenever he wants to be held and I need to run errands, get a quick workout in, or just do the dishes. He gets snuggles, I still get to be productive, and everyone’s stress levels stay a lot lower.

First I will share my favorite baby carriers that have gotten a lot of love over the last two years, and then I will share a few safety tips for babywearing.

Moby Wrap: 0-6 months

So the Moby Wrap Classic was my very first introduction to baby carriers. I used this one with my 2nd child until she was about 5 months old and she was no longer a big fan of being in the carrier. With my 3rd child, I used it until he was about 4 months old.

I couldn’t use it any longer with my 3rd baby because he was honestly just too heavy. He was 20lbs by 6 months old. My back just couldn’t deal with the strain of holding him in the carrier for more than 10 minutes.

I really liked this carrier for the first few months though, because it allows your baby to be in a very comfortable, swaddled position up against your chest. It has great head support for your baby and the material is super soft for their skin.

The wrap is machine washable which is great for those early days to deal with any messes that come along. My kids would spit up at the drop of a hat, so I really liked this feature.

Pros of the Moby Wrap Classic

• Soft material
• Machine washable
• Comfortable to wear
• Great support and positioning for newborns
• Very easy to switch between different users
• Easy to adjust to your body for a secure fit
• Held up well to through  multiple children

Cons of the Moby Wrap Classic

• Thicker material. It can be hot to wear in the summer
• There is a definite learning curve to putting it on correctly
• You can only use it in the front carry facing inward position
• Won’t last as long for a heavier baby
• The long material makes it difficult to put the baby in when you’re out in public without touching the ground.

Here are a few pictures of me using the Moby Wrap Classic.

Sling Ring: 0-18 months

The next baby carrier for 0-24 months I would recommend is the Sling Ring. The one featured above is the one I bought because I liked the colors and it was affordable.

I tried using it when my son was around 4 months or so, but I had trouble with it. I watched countless videos on YouTube, but I still struggled to get my son seated properly in it. My son was pretty chunky at that age, and he was a bit stiff, so I had trouble getting his legs positioned correctly.

I tried again a month later, and I had a lot more success. He was also sitting up on his own by that age. I think that may have helped him be more familiar with the seated position you typically aim for with sling ring carriers.

I like the Sling Ring because they are small and compact and easy to put on when you’re out and about. They are also easy to clean.

Because my son was so heavy, (20 lbs at 6 months!) I could only carry him in this carrier for a short period of time. It would put too much strain on my back or shoulder.

Pros of the Sling Ring

• Light and compact so great to take on the go
• Easily adjustable for different people
• Lots of beautiful patterns and styles to choose from
• Works for newborns through toddlers
• Easy to take your baby in and out of
• Affordable

Cons of the Sling Ring

• May take some practice getting the baby in a good position
• May not work as well for bigger babies or toddlers

Here are a few pictures of me using the Sling Ring.

Mesh Ring Sling: 0-18 Months

I bought a Mesh Ring Sling around the same time I bought the regular Ring Sling, and I wish I had gotten it sooner. I bought it so I could hold my son while taking a shower.

Taking him into the shower was the easiest way I could find to actually bathe my own body each day. (The shower struggle is real during that stage!) I used to get super paranoid about dropping him though whenever I would try to wash him up while standing.

This carrier made everything a lot easier. I could hold my son while washing both of us up and not have to worry about dropping him. The Mesh Ring Sling also works great for trips to the pool, water park, or the beach. The mesh is super breathable so it’s also nice if you live in a hot climate as I do.

I didn’t have any issues getting my son seated in this sling ring as I did with the other one. The fabric was a bit thinner and slid through the rings a little easier. It was just a little easier to manipulate in general.

Pros of the Mesh Sling Ring

• Mesh fabric that can get wet
• Easy to get baby in and out of
• Breathable fabric so baby doesn’t get hot
• Easy to adjust for different wearers
• Easy to adjust for different sized children
• Good for newborns through toddlers
• Great for water activities
• Lightweight and compact, so easy to take on the go

Cons of the Mesh Sling Ring

• May not be able to use it very long for bigger babies

Here is a picture of the Mesh Sling Ring in action during our beach vacation.

Mei Tai: 0-24 Months

My next pick for the best baby carriers for 0-24 months is the Mei Tai baby carrier. After my son started growing out of his Moby Wrap and was finally big enough to be back carried, I started researching different carriers.

I stumbled upon the Mei Tai and decided to give it a try. It’s definitely one of my favorite carriers. You can use it for a front carry, hip carry, and back carry. The material conforms to your body and the baby, so you don’t have any fit issues that you might with more structured carriers.

My son is always very supported and comfortable in this carrier. He still fits in it at 2 years old and he wears a 3T, so it’s great for bigger babies and toddlers. The design of this carrier is very comfortable for back carries, even for longer periods of time. (I have worn him for up to 3-4 hours with no problems.)

I still use it any time I need to work out, do the dishes, or generally just get things done around the house and he is wanting to be held. It’s a lifesaver whenever he gets sick because he can still get his cuddles in and I can still be somewhat productive.

Pros of the Mei Tai

• Comfortable for bigger babies and toddlers
• Easy to adjust to different sized children
• Easy to adjust for different wearers
• 3 different carry positions
• Comfortable to hold your baby for long periods of time
• Machine washable
• Affordable
• Good for newborns up to toddlers without any major adjustments

Cons of the Mei Tai

• Long straps can make it tricky putting your baby in the carrier without getting the straps dirty when out and about
• There is a slight learning curve to using the back carry position

Here are some pictures of me using the Mei Tai baby carrier.

Tula Baby Carrier: 6-24 Months

My last pick for baby carriers for 0-24 months is the Tula baby carrier. This baby carrier combines the comfort of a soft carrier with the ease of a buckle and strap carrier. I keep my Tula in my car at all times, so I can easily carry my son around for any outings that we go on.

It’s been perfect for running errands, trips to the park, family events, or anytime he needs to nap in public. He loves to be carried, so 99% of the time he is happy to hop in and check out the world from the comfort of my back.

It’s also been really nice whenever we are somewhere I need to keep him contained while still having my hands free. (Like soccer games or after-school activities.)

I like this carrier to be our out and about carrier, because it’s super easy to strap on myself and then put my son in. A few clicks and he is comfortably seated and ready to go.

Because of how big he is, I usually carry him on my back. The straps are very comfortable, so I’m able to carry him for hours if I need to. (We like to go hiking, so he usually just gets to ride along.)

One possible downside to the Tula is that it only safely fits babies from 15-45 lbs. That means if you want to use the carrier with a smaller baby, you need to buy a separate infant insert. I didn’t get my Tula until my son was over a year, so it wasn’t an issue for me.

Pros of Tula Baby Carrier

• Easy and quick to put your baby in the carrier when out and about
• Very comfortable design, even for long periods of time
• Lots of cute colors and designs
• The quality holds really well, so people often resell them (I bought mine on eBay.)
• Fits larger babies and toddlers
• Works for front carry and back carry positions

Cons of Tula Baby Carrier

• You have to manually adjust the straps to fit different wearers
• They can be a bit more expensive than other carriers
• Your baby needs to be at least 15 lbs to safely ride in one without a separate infant insert

Here are some pictures of me using the Tula Baby Carrier.

Babywearing Safety Tips

1. Fully read over the safety requirements and instructions that come with your carrier. Different carriers have different instructions or requirements, so make sure you understand them clearly.
2. When your baby is fully seated in the carrier, they should be high up on your body so that you can easily bend your head and give them a kiss.
3. When seated properly in the carrier, your baby’s knees should be at their hip level or higher. This is called getting a “deep seat” for the baby. This helps prevent hip dysplasia.
4. Use the front carry facing inward position until your baby has strong head and neck control.
5. The back carry position is used only when your baby can sit unassisted.
6. Use the hip carry position when your baby can sit unassisted.
7. Keep your baby’s face clear and visible when seated in the carrier.
8. Keep your baby’s body vertical while in the carrier. You want to ensure their chin doesn’t tuck into their chest too closely and compromise their airway.

You can also check out this video to see what some of those safety tips look like when holding the baby.

Conclusion

So those are my picks for the best baby carriers for 0-24 months. I hope you found that helpful in deciding what type of baby carrier would be best for you.

I would love to know which one is your favorite, or if you have a baby carrier you love that isn’t on my list. Go ahead and comment below or email me at admin@atouchofhomeschooling.com. Follow me on Pinterest for more parenting tips and advice.

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