Travelling with childrenBaby carriers

With both hands free and without having to manage a pram or pushchair, you’ll have more freedom to undertake such delights as the shopping, negotiating public transport and loading up the car. If you have a toddler as well as a baby, you can go out with the baby carrier and the buggy, avoiding – or at least postponing – the need to buy a double pushchair.

Soft carriers

These are the simplest and most widely available carriers. Most are two-way carriers that will let you carry your baby both facing you – most suited to very young babies – or facing outwards to view the world.

For babies who cannot support their heads, the carrier should have a padded headrest that can normally be folded down for an older baby. These carriers are generally suitable for babies up to about nine months. Soft carriers should be marked with BS EN 13209 Part 2:2005 to show they comply with safety standards.

• Pros Tend to be cheaper than the alternatives, two positions are sufficient for most parents and younger babies
• Cons Not as versatile as other carriers

Multi-way carriers

Many models offer just three positions – usually to carry your baby on your front, back or in a 'nursing' position. Four-way carriers let your baby go on your front or back, or in the nursing or hip position.

Most multi-way carriers are of a similar design to the soft carrier and have a ‘harness’-style appearance. Others are more like traditional slings. Multi-way carriers tend to be designed for babies from birth to either 12 months, 18 months or to a 14kg (31lb) toddler.

• Pros More versatile than two-way carriers, longer lifespan, those offering a nursing position can be handy for breast-feeding
• Cons Tend to be more expensive than soft carriers, can take a bit of practice to use correctly

Framed carriers

These are generally aimed at babies from six months, because they need to be able to support themselves sitting up. The carriers have a rucksack-style appearance: your baby sits in a harness, supported either by a lightweight metal frame or rigid rucksack-style padding, and the carrier is put on using padded shoulder straps and a waist belt.

Those models at the top end of the market are made by outdoor clothing and equipment specialists. Some have a fair amount of storage space, for clothing and food, for example, and with some models you can buy extras such as sun and rain covers.

As long as your child is willing, and your back can take it, you can use most models until the age of two-and-a-half or three.

• Pros Babies and toddlers are high enough to get a grown-up view of the world, some come with special features, carriers with a metal frame are usually designed so you can stand the carrier upright on its own – making it easier to get your child in and out
• Cons You may need another person to help you put it on and take it off, the most expensive type of carrier available, need to allow extra head space when going through doorways etc, some babies will never tire of pulling your hair and ears

Buying tips

A baby carrier can be a really useful purchase, but it needs to be right for everyone who’ll use it – wearers and baby. These points will help:

• You need to feel secure and comfortable with your baby in the carrier. If you can, try out a selection of carriers with your baby in them to see which feels most comfortable for you.
• Even if you can’t try out carriers with your baby inside, try a selection on anyway to see how you get on with fastening devices and position adjustments. If anything seems over-fiddly to you or if you think you’ll have trouble putting a carrier on properly, move on to another one (although some types simply need a bit of practice to get right).
• Look for shoulder straps that are wide and well-padded.
• If there are leg holes, check these are well-padded and that there is good support and padding for your baby’s back and – for younger babies in particular – head.
• Think about whether you need a carrier with added ‘bits and bobs’, such as a ‘soother pouch’ or a ‘dribble bib’ – some models have these and you may find them useful.
• Check whether the carrier is machine-washable. It is bound to get dribbled or vomited on at some point, so anything that is sponge-clean only won’t stay as fresh as one that you can simply throw in the washing machine.
• If you intend to spend a lot of time outdoors with your baby in a carrier, choose one that has a canopy to protect his or her head from the sun.
• Metal parts (as in framed carriers) can get uncomfortably hot or cold depending on the weather.