Every Wednesday morning, a group of women take over a small office space inside our pediatrician’s building in Murray Hill. Our commonality: we’re all new moms navigating our first year of parenthood.
Natalie is our group leader, and for most of us, the lactation consultant who saw us through the hardest early days. In this tiny room, she’s created a real community — a space where no topic is off limits, where our “little potatoes” roll around on a mat together while all of us moms get a moment to connect and exhale. She brings us snacks — donuts, bagels or muffins, teething biscuits for the babies who are eating solids. She crochets our babies hats and gives us free samples of bottles, pacifiers and anything she can procure. It’s that kind of space. She takes care of us and she makes us laugh.
We’ve been going since Evie was about a week old. At nine months, we’re now the OGs.
One week, baby carriers came up — the way things come up in that room, organically, because enough women were thinking about it at the same time. Natalie read the room the way she always does: let’s actually dig into this. Bring whatever you have next week — your favorite, the one gathering dust, all of it — and we’ll talk about it and try them all out.
The following Wednesday, the room looked like a baby carrier sample sale. Natalie did her usual round table — share your name, baby’s name and age, neighborhood, and this week, one fact about the carrier you brought. The hour ended. Natalie said her goodbyes and headed to her next lactation consulting appointment. And everyone else stayed.
That’s where this post came from.
What the Room Was Really Talking About
Carrier conversations have a way of revealing what new parents are actually worried about. Back pain came up immediately — something everyone was already anticipating or already managing. So did the question of putting a carrier on alone, without a second pair of hands. And for the moms with the youngest babies, the questions were about safety: how early can you start, how the head is supported, and what the right position actually looks like.
What struck us was how quickly the conversation split into two groups. The moms who already had a carrier they loved were there to defend it. The moms who came in on the fence were the ones willing to try everything on, ask the hard questions, and actually change their minds. Brand loyalty in the carrier world is real — and it makes sense, because once something works and your baby is used to it, you’re not looking to switch.
What We Use: The Baby Bjorn Mini
We came in firmly in the first camp. We’ve used the Baby Bjorn Mini since Evie was a month old and we’d recommend it to every new parent without hesitation — with one honest caveat we’ll get to.
the baby bjorn mini with evie at about 2 months
The case for it is simple: it’s the easiest carrier we’ve seen anyone use. The buckle system is simplified — bottom buckles click into their labeled left and right clickers, top buckles slide into matching blue and red brackets. There is essentially no learning curve. Both of us, at 5’3″ and 5’8″, have been able to swap it without major adjustments every time. It folds small enough to live in the diaper bag or the stroller basket. When Evie was tiny, she faced inward in the newborn hold. Now at nine months she faces out, watching the city go by, which she finds deeply satisfying.
Baby Bjorn Mini Carrier
The honest caveat: the Baby Bjorn Mini was not designed to be a long-term carrier. Most parents find it starts to feel uncomfortable around 15-18 lbs or 8-9 months — which is exactly where we are right now. The weight sits primarily on your shoulders and upper back with no hip or lumbar support, and as Evie has gotten heavier and started facing outward, her legs now rest lower on my thighs and when she kicks with excitement, it can throw off my stride entirely. The jersey material has also started to pill after washing. These aren’t dealbreakers for the newborn phase. They’re just the honest arc of this carrier — and the reason we’re currently in the market for what comes next.
Baby Bjorn Mini | Images from Baby Bjorn
The One We Wanted to Love: The Wildbird Ring Sling
We also have the Wildbird Ring Sling, which I personally wanted to love and just haven’t quite gotten there yet. When Evie was a newborn, it didn’t feel secure enough to fully trust — getting the ring tension right takes practice, and we didn’t have the bandwidth for it in those early weeks. It’s still in the closet. Now that she’s sturdier, we’re considering trying again because it’s aesthetically beautiful, and the moms who figure it out tend to be fully supportive of it. The learning curve is real and extremely common — if you’ve bought one and given up, you’re not alone.
Wildbird Ring Sling | Images from wildbird
What the Mom Group Was Using
The Ergobaby Omni Deluxe — The One With Staying Power
The Ergobaby had the most passionate advocates in the room. What became clear listening to them is that the Ergobaby isn’t the right first carrier — it’s the right long-term carrier. It works from newborn through toddler, supports all carry positions, including front-facing out and back carry, has a waist belt with lumbar support, and doesn’t require an infant insert.
Ergobaby Omni Deluxe Carrier | Images from Ergobaby
The current version to look at is the Ergobaby Omni Deluxe — the updated iteration of the much-loved Omni 360, which has been renamed as the Ergobaby Omni Classic. The Deluxe carries the same versatility but with upgraded materials, six storage pockets, a sun shield, and marked strap adjustments that make switching between wearers significantly easier.
The learning curve is real. Ergobaby offers free fit consultations — and our group leader Natalie knows their representatives by name — which is either a reassuring safety net or a sign that this carrier requires more figuring out than it should, depending on your personality. My opinion leans toward the latter. If you need a scheduled call to learn how to put on a baby carrier, that’s worth factoring into your decision. That said, this one is still on our radar for purchase and the moms who had figured it out were devoted to it.
Ergobaby omni deluxe baby carrier | Images from Ergobaby
The Artepoppe Zeitgeist — The Statement Piece
Let’s be honest about what the Artepoppe Zeitgeist is and isn’t. It isn’t doing anything ergonomically that a less expensive carrier can’t do. It carries your baby safely, it has the hip-healthy certification, it’s comfortable — but so are several carriers at a quarter of the price. What it is doing is making you look extraordinarily put together while doing it, which for some people is reason enough and for others is absolutely not.
Artipoppe Zeitgeist in Denim classic and Yin Yang | Images from Artipoppe
The entry price is around $400 and goes significantly higher for artist collaborations — one colorway currently retails at $4,300. The question we keep coming back to is “Am I That Woman?” and honestly, the answer changes depending on the day…
Because, here’s the thing — we understand the people who say yes without hesitation. You only get to carry your baby for a short period of time, and unlike other things in life, that window doesn’t reopen. The brunch where she wore that little outfit, the park date, the Sunday morning walk — those moments are going to live in your mind forever exactly as they were.
Speaking personally, I’d be lying if I said Evie doesn’t have a few outrageously priced onesies from boutique Manhattan stores that she wore maybe three times… and I don’t regret a single one. There’s a version of the Artepoppe argument that has nothing to do with ergonomics or features and everything to do with why people buy designer handbags or Liberty Fabrics newborn clothes. The baby industry knows exactly what it’s doing — and honestly, sometimes we don’t mind.
Artepoppe Zeitgeist Baby Carrier
One thing worth knowing: Regardless of where you land on the price, the Artepoppe does not support outward-facing carries in its standard configuration. It does include an insert that enables it — a cinch in the back panel that adjusts the width of the material — but the tradeoff is that it leaves the baby’s arms coming out at an angle that looks and feels slightly awkward compared to a carrier designed for forward facing from the start.
Artepoppe Zeitgeist Baby Carrier | Images from Artipoppe
The Wildbird Aerial — The Artepoppe Alternative
If the Artepoppe aesthetic is what you’re after but the price isn’t something you can justify, the Wildbird Aerial Carrier came up in our group as a name worth knowing, although nobody had one to try on, so this is research rather than firsthand experience. Similar linen fabrics, stylish patterns, fits from newborn to toddler, and sits at a significantly lower price point.
Wildbird Aerial Carrier | Images from Wildbird
One notable difference from the Artepoppe: the Wildbird does not support forward-facing carries at all — no insert, no workaround. If that position matters to you, it’s a real limitation to factor in.
Wildbird Aerial Carrier | Images from Wildbird
The Solly Baby Wrap — For the Newborn Days
Nobody in the group had a bad word to say about the Solly Baby Wrap for the first few months. It’s the softest carrier option available — made from Tencel modal, which is meaningfully different from jersey or cotton, lighter and more breathable — and the way a tiny baby folds into it is genuinely beautiful. The moms who used it were devoted to it in those early weeks.
Solly Baby Wrap | Images from Solly Baby
Worth noting: Evie, at nine months, is one of the oldest babies in our group. The moms singing Solly’s praises are largely still in the newborn window where it genuinely excels — none of them have hit the stage yet where it starts to show its limits. So take the enthusiasm with that context in mind.
The honest limitations: it requires learning to tie, and that’s a skill better practiced before the baby arrives than after. There’s also the fabric situation: six feet of material that has to go somewhere while you’re figuring out the tie, which on a New York City sidewalk is its own kind of adventure. Most people transition out of it around 5-6 months. Think of it as the perfect newborn carrier with a natural expiration date, not a carrier you’ll grow with for years.
PS: the secondhand market for Sollys is excellent. Most are barely used given the limited window, so if you want one without the full price tag, it’s worth looking.
The Momcozy PureHug — The Cost Consious Option
Momcozy Purehug carrier | Images from Momcozy
One mom brought the Momcozy PureHug and was already looking for alternatives, which tells you something. It’s not a bad carrier — it has lumbar support, an ergonomic M-position seat, and retails around $60, which makes it the most accessible option in the room by a significant margin. The aesthetic is clearly inspired by the Artepoppe, which is either a feature or an annoyance depending on your perspective.
The honest consensus: it does the job. It’s not going to turn heads and the buckles take some breaking in, but for a parent who needs a functional carrier without spending $450, it’s worth knowing about.
The Nuna CUDL Clik — The Cautionary Note
One mom brought her Nuna CUDL Clik Carrier and the feedback was immediate: the clips land directly in the baby’s face in the newborn position, which no one testing it with an actual baby should have allowed through. Independent reviewers have flagged the same issue. It promises newborn through toddler but most babies won’t fit it comfortably until 6-8 weeks, and at a similar price point to the Ergobaby it offers significantly less flexibility and longevity. We’d steer you elsewhere.
nuna cudl clik carrier | Images from Bambibaby
The Tushbaby — We’ll Report Back
Rachel first heard about the Tushbaby on Shark Tank — one of those origin stories the show does well, and the kind that makes you pay attention. The concept is simple and smart: a structured hip seat that acts as a shelf for your baby, taking the weight off your arms and redistributing it across your hips. No hunching, no one-armed carry, natural posture. It holds up to 40 lbs and comes with more storage than most diaper bags — pockets, a bottle holder, the works.
Tushbaby and tushbaby with snug attachment | Images from tushbaby
We have one. We haven’t used it yet since but a close friend with an 11-month-old who weighs over 25 lbs uses hers daily and swears by it. Her one piece of advice: get it really tight around your waist. That’s apparently the difference between it working properly and feeling unstable.
She also has the Snug Attachment — a sling that connects directly to the Tushbaby and converts it into a more hands-free carrier. For a baby who wants to be up and down constantly, that combination apparently covers everything.
We’ll report back properly once Evie is firmly in Tushbaby territory. Something tells us that’s coming soon.
Worth knowing: the Tushbaby is not truly hands-free in its standard form. One hand usually needs to stay on your child for safety, which is fine for quick carries and transitions but means it’s not a replacement for a structured carrier on a long day out. Think of it as a different tool for a different job — and one that becomes more useful as your baby gets heavier and more opinionated about being carried.
What Comes Next
We’re currently at exactly the stage where the Mini is starting to show its limits — and honestly, we’re entering unfamiliar territory all over again. The newborn carrier question felt solved but the toddler carrying question is wide open. In New York, this means we’ll likely be taking a trip to Albee Baby, Bambi Baby or Nordstrom to do some more testing for what’s right for us and Evie.
We’ve got the Tushbaby that we expect to get more use out of as Evie gets heavier, but I have my reservations about its bulkiness and how easy it will be to travel with as a backup. We’re looking at the Baby Bjorn Harmony or testing out the Ergobaby Omni Deluxe for longer structured carries. The mesh style fabric that seems to have become popular is not my taste, but thankfully both brands offer cotton and linen versions of these carrier models.
Baby bjorn Harmony in cotton | Ergobaby Omni Deluxe in Linen and cotton
We’re also curious about toddler slings — the Ergobaby Upsie and the Gooseket 365 are both on our radar for the phase when she’s walking, but sometimes just needs to be off her feet quickly. Whether she’ll have any interest in being carried once she’s walking on her own is a completely separate question. This is one of those areas where we’re figuring it out in real time, trying things before committing, and asking every mom we know. Which, as it turns out, is exactly what the Wednesday group is for.
Ergo baby Upsie sling carrier | Gooseket 360 sling carrier
How to Think About All of This
This is one conversation, from one room, representing a fraction of what’s out there. The carrier market is enormous, and what works is genuinely personal — more personal than almost any other baby gear decision you’ll make.
The questions worth asking before you buy:
- How much back and shoulder support do you need, and does that change as your baby gets heavier?
- What carry positions matter to you — front facing in, front facing out, back carry — and does the carrier support all of them or just some?
- What’s the weight limit, and how long will it realistically work for your baby?
- Can you get it on alone, in under a minute, without help?
- What’s it made of — because a thick structured carrier in a New York City August is a different experience than the same carrier in February.
- And honestly — do you like how it looks? You’re going to be wearing this constantly. It’s okay for aesthetics to be part of the decision.
The most useful thing you can do before buying anything is ask the people around you. Try on a friend’s carrier. See how it feels with your baby, your body, your life. If you don’t have that community yet, find it! A mom group, a lactation consultant, a pediatrician’s office that creates space for new parents to connect. We found ours in Murray Hill and it has genuinely changed our experience of new parenthood, for us and for Evie. That’s worth more than any carrier review, including this one.
Carriers covered in this post:
- Baby Bjorn Mini
- Ergobaby Omni Deluxe
- Artipoppe Zeitgeist
- Wildbird Aerial
- Wildbird Ring Sling
- Solly Baby Wrap
- Momcozy Purehug
- Tushbaby
Also worth knowing about:
Next phase — what we’re looking at:
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