Looking for cheap baby carriers? Can’t imagine spending $150 on a baby carrier? While there are many luxury baby carriers out there, you don’t need to spend over a hundred dollars to get a wonderful baby carrier! While we don’t love the the word “cheap” we do know that parents on a budget need to look for carriers that are a good value and let you get the most bang for your buck.
Baby Carriers with the best value: Mei Tais and Woven Wraps
We don’t recommend a cheap baby carrier, since you want to make sure that the carrier you buy meets safety standards ! That being said, the absolute best value you can get in a baby carrier is one carrier that will take you from birth to toddlerhood (and beyond), will fit wearers of different sizes (so both parents can share), is versatile and can be worn comfortably in a variety of positions.
Our recommendations: Mei tais and woven wraps. Both types of carriers can be worn in a huge variety of positions, are almost infinitely adjustable, can carry infants and older children and can be shared by most wearers, even of different sizes. Both carriers provide comfortable two-shouldered support as your child grows.
At $93, the Wrapsody Breeze Wraps are an incredible bargain, since they can be used comfortably from birth through toddlerhood and in pretty much any position imaginable!
Also, check out our Kozy Carrier mei tais. Mei tais can also be used from birth through toddlerhood, can be shared between mom and and are a great value. Bonus: Kozy carriers are all reversible, so that you can choose the pattern you love but also have a solid black or natural side – double the value in one carrier.
Least Expensive: Stretchy Wraps, Pouches and Ring Slings
Stretchy Wraps, pouches and ring slings are the least expensive carriers, due to the simplicity of their design. Ring slings have the edge over pouches in value, because they can be shared between users of different sizes. Keep in mind though, that while a pouch or ring sling requires a smaller outlay of cash up front, they may become uncomfortable for very long carries as the baby gets older due to being one-shouldered. Most people find that they need another carrier as their child grows.
The most economical baby carriers available at Carry Me Away are:
- Stretchy wrap like the Moby Wrap (good for newborns -4 months)
- Woven Wrap: Wrapsody Breeze wraps
- Pouch: Hotslings Pouches
- Mei Tai: Kozy Carrier
- Buckle Carrier: the ERGO Baby Carrier.
Why the Baby Carriers at Carry Me Away May Be More Expensive than the Ones at Your Local Big Box Store.
Many people are surprised at the price of the baby carriers sold here at Carry Me Away. Jan Andrea of Sleeping Baby.net has written a great piece explaining why baby carriers made by WAHM (work-at-home-mother) businesses are priced the way they are. You can read it here.
Making Your Own Baby Carriers
If you are an excellent seamstress, making your own baby carrier can be a great way to get a good carrier for the cost of materials plus the cost of your time making the carrier.
Since we are not seamstresses here at Carry Me Away, we humbly defer to others for advice on making your own baby carrier. Jan Andrea of SleepingBaby.net (again!) has collected many of the best ones (as well as patterns for other baby and natural parenting related items) at her site.
A note on buying carriers on EBay, Etsy or other similar venues:
Many sellers on EBay and Etsy offer homemade baby carriers at a reduced rate. It is important to be sure before you buy that these carriers have undergone testing and research to be sure that they are safe. Ask the seller questions about testing and safety prior to buying! We cannot recommend or condone buying carriers from sellers who have not subjected their carriers to strict testing, as outlined in the CPSIA Baby Carrier Compliance Standards.
