Choosing a baby carrier for a newborn
We get lots of questions about how to pick just the right baby sling for a new baby.
Typically, we give the Moby Wrap to our friends as baby shower gifts.
The Moby is a very inexpensive ($35) baby carrier, cuddly soft for a newborn, super comfortable, and easy to use, once you get over the shock of wrapping 6 yards of fabric. Suprisingly, we find it the easiest carrier for most people to get the baby in and out of. Really, it is easy to use once you practice tying about 5 times. This is my favorite carrier for preemies/kangaroo care.
In this sling, you can carry your baby upright (preferred), reclining, facing in, facing out, side-sitting, or nursing - with only one tying method. There are alternate ways to tie the carrier that might work better for certain situations, but if you follow the one in the instruction book, it may be the only one you will need. The Moby Wrap supports the baby in a sitting position with their back, hips, and thighs fully supported. They are not dangling from the crotch.
Downsides to the Moby: it can be warm. Customers tell us that is is OK in the air conditioner or up to about 80 degrees. I would not wear this in the Texas heat for more than a few minutes (while running from the car to the store). The Moby gives instructions for a hip carry and a back carry, but we don't find this carrier ideal for either one.
Any of the wraparound carriers that we offer will work just fine for a newborn and will be more versatile as your baby gets older. In addition, most of the other wraps will be a bit cooler. However, the Moby is a bit easier to learn with and is certainally less expensive.
If you don't want to wrap, the other baby carriers that we recommend for newborns are the ring slings. With a ring sling, you can carry your newborn upright - chest-to-chest as recommended for Kangaroo Care as well as reclining and nursing. You can also do a forward facing carry with a baby with some head control. The Maya Wrap lightly padded sling, Taylor Made, or Ellaroo are all fine choices for a newborn.
Nursing in a carrier can be a challenge in the early weeks (but so can nursing in your favorite chair with your pillows "just so") but we find that many women have the best luck with a ring sling. You typically will position the baby with his head away from the rings and resting at (or near) the top rail (edge) of the fabric. You will probably have to take the sling off and re-position to nurse on the other side. With the Moby wrap, you can put the baby in a reclining position and latch him on - usually without removing the carrier.
Ring slings do have a bit of a learning curve, but there are great resources on line and locally. If you can't find a babywearing group in your area, try the local La Leche League, or an AP parenting group.
Hotslings baby slings are next in line. They have a short learning curve, but you are limited to carrying your newborn in a reclining position. Some babies won't tolerate laying down or having their head covered. But if you choose a Hotslings, rest assured you will use it if not in the beginning, as the baby gets bigger, you can't find a faster or more stylish hip carrier. Nursing in the Hotsling is hit-or-miss - it is not adjustable so if you're built right then it works, otherwise you may not be able to nurse your newborn in the sling.
Mei Tais are our favorite for older babies, but not for newborns. They don't provide as much back support as the other carriers and the baby will have to sit on his feet or have them crossed in front of him in the carrier. Some people do OK with this, but my baby was not comfortable until he could comfortably put his legs around me at 4-5 months. If you have a baby who has good tone and some head support then by all means try the mei tai. You may find the baby isn't too happy in it at first, but again, this is a carrier that you will get use out of as your baby gets older. We're still using ours on a daily basis at 18 months.
The Ergo Baby Carrier? With the infant insert it works just fine and 
makes good use of your Ergo (highly recommended, by the way - for older babies). Personally, we find other carriers less awakard, cooler, and more versatile for a newborn. But, don't worry - you can't go wrong with the Ergo - it is another carrier that really comes into its own when the baby hits 6 months or so. We still use ours on occassion with our 3 year old (he weighs over 40 pounds now).
