I love this carrier. I have a bad back and hips and with my first child got the original organic Ergo and it was wonderful. The ergo distributes the weight fairly evenly, but favors the hips a little more so it doesn't break my back. This new 360 is great. The straps are comfortable, and the material good quality. Sort of a soft canvas feel--sturdy but a brushed softer feel. No strong chemical odors like with some others I've tried. I already washed it a few times and the spit up came out easily--the gray color hid it really well anyway. The buttons are easy to use and feel sturdy. You can flip the front flap up by unbuttoning it--handy! I have also easily removed the sun canopy. I stuff my keys and some tissue in the pocket it's in, and maybe a pacifier, but that's about it in terms of what will fit along with the canopy. It took a few uses to get the side straps easy to adjust/broken in, and to properly adjust the buckle behind my neck so I could do it myself. I will say now that my baby is larger it's harder to do because her head gets in the way of my chin, so I started having my husband do it.
At around 2-2.5 months she had amazing head control and was able to go forward facing (and she was quite large). She does not dangle but sits supported and seems quite comfy! I put a little cloth in front so she could drool and teethe on it. I am able to unfasten and flip her around to face me if she falls asleep. When she is forward facing there is a little more strain on my back because she is sort of projected outward from my body in a seated position, but it is still comfortable (but just not as easy on the body as when she faces inward). Forward facing you have to kind of slip them into the little bucket and make sure they are positioned properly with their hips/knees ratio but it's quite easy. She usually likes to have her hands inside when it's cold--I don't think she feels too squished. .
The velcro--yes it is loud, but I think it is what makes the fit really good and tight around your hips and distributes the weight well in order to properly support for the forward facing. There is an additonal strap which I make a little tighter in case I don't get it quite as tight as I want with the velcro.
For my back issues, this is pretty much the only carrier I've tried which works. I found ring slings put too much weight on my upper/middle back and were fiddly to adjust, the K'tan --my baby was born big and heavy and it just did not last very long and she didn't like being bunched in there. I didn't want to mess with the Moby with this baby as I did with the first, but it did work well for a few months. The mei tai I ordered smelled really badly--the Infantino one--probably full of flame retardants, but I don't know for sure. The Ergo is supposed to be free of them, supposedly, but it does have the foam in the straps so who knows for sure. But it's not smelly at all and I love it. A very good investment for me and I'm by no means rich--just want good quality products that do the job! And a good resale value, most likely !!
| Product Dimensions | 0.79 x 1 x 1 inches |
|---|---|
| Item model number | BC360GRYTAU1NL |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Target gender | Unisex |
| Minimum weight recommendation | 5.5 Kilograms |
| Maximum weight recommendation | 45 Pounds |
| Material Type | Cotton |
| Material Composition | 100% Cotton Canvas shell and 100% Cotton Poplin lining |
| Care instructions | Machine Wash |
| Batteries required | No |
| Dishwasher safe | No |
| Orientation | Front, Back |
| Is portable | No |
| Item Weight | 2.16 pounds |
