Baby carriers are a great part of any Dad's parenting toolkit!

Many Dads of young children get the feeling that Mom is the only one who can comfort the baby. This is particularly true in families where the baby is breastfeeding and/or where Mom is staying home with the children. Baby carriers, especially slings and wraps, are seen by many men as Mommy gear. We often hear Dads saying they might consider using "a baby backpack or something," but only if their arms got too tired to carry the baby. This is certainly a good time to use a carrier, but Dads shouldn't overlook the benefits they, too, can reap from babywearing at other times.

I was a skeptical, slow-adopter of baby wearing. With my first child, I did use the most basic carriers: Bjorns and hard-framed backpacks. I did enjoy both of those. My son had a great time going for a ride as I went for long hikes, and he looked adorable in the Bjorn for the first 6 months when he'd be smiling at people and I had a fun feeling like the character in Total Recall (the one that has a smaller, independent human growing out of his chest). But the Bjorn tended to leave my chest a sweaty mess, and my son feeling so wet that I couldn't tell if we'd had a freak diaper malfunction. And the hard-framed backpack always felt like overkill to strap just for a trip to the grocery store. While these devices filled a niche, they made my son feel like an appendage.

With the arrival of our second child, the household dynamics changed and with it, our approach to parenting. It was no longer “who wants the baby,” but man-on-man defense: “do you want to change our son's diaper, or nurse our daughter? Hmmm… let me guess.” Life really changed, and that's when my wife dragged me, skeptically, into “real” baby wearing. Logic and comfort prevailed. My favorite quickly became a stylish black fleece sling. It soothed my daughter through chronic ear infections, kept her cozy on lengthy grocery shopping and Home Depot trips, and asleep through cocktail parties. Best yet, it lasted longer then the 6 months with the Bjorn – she, and my son, clamored for the comfort of the sling for years. I found it super convenient for me and extremely comforting to the kids.  Now I recommend slings to my friends.  

Holding a baby in arms certainly works, too, but cloth baby carriers (especially pouches, slings and wraps) mimic the warm and snug comfort of the womb. These carriers soothe a baby in way that carrying in-arms may not.

Other reasons for Dads (and other men) to wear babies:

• Hold the baby while getting stuff done around the house or town
• Get lots of positive attention while out and about with your baby
• Carry your child for as long as you like without the discomfort and immobility of carrying in-arms
• Connect with your child! The more time you spend with your child, the more you will feel bonded and connected to them. Baby carriers can help.

Carriers Men Love

It may go without saying, but men can certainly wear any baby carrier on the market! There are no rules about certain types or styles of carriers that mark them Women Only. Men around the US and the world wear wraps, mei tais, buckle carriers, ring slings and pouches.

Our number one seller for men is the ERGO baby carrier followed closely by the Kangaroo Korner Adjustable Fleece Pouch.

Other popular options for Dads are:

• the Pikkolo baby carrier - can be used as a front carrier or a baby backpack as well as a hip carrier.
  
• the Scootababy hip carrier
  
• Kozy carrier mei tai carrier - can be used as a front, backpack and as a hip carrier.