Reddit mentions: The best soft baby carriers

Look for a babywearing group in your area. You'll find lots of different carriers to try out and find something that is best for him. I find some of the carriers difficult to get on on my own, but there are tricks to each of them that you can learn at a meet-up. Also, YouTube is great for how-to videos. I would suggest something other than a Baby Bjorn. Boba, Beco, Tula, Ergo are just a few. I also love the ease of a padded ring sling (specifically I have a Maya Wrap ring sling). He might find the adjustments on a buckle carrier too much. But the ring sling is beautifully simple! And it is good from newborn through toddler.

I would imagine a number of ways to put baby down that are higher up (than the floor) would be helpful, like a Rock n Play sleeper

You might look for a car seat that is extra light to carry. The Maxi Cosi Micro is the lightest one that you can get.

And check out a good stroller. Whatever you do- get one that you can push with one hand! If you have a "baby boutique" type store nearby, you can go and check them out and see what will be best for your family. I suggest a higher end store than a Babies R Us because they can be extremely helpful in finding one that is a good fit and pointing out features that might be useful. Even if you don't buy one there, you can get ideas of things that might be helpful to look for. Some strollers have a more complicated folding system that require 2 hands while others are super easy and just require you to pull a strap.

I am 5'6", and a 16/18 pre-pregnancy. F or G cup pre-pregnancy as well.

The most comfortable maternity/early postpartum stuff I got was from Old Navy. Their roll-panel maternity yoga pants were the most comfortable things ever. I ordered XL, but probably would have been okay with L if I wore my pants tighter. Their basic maternity T-shirts were good (XL fit fine, not too tight). Their nursing camis were okay, but gave zero support from the built in bra. The nursing camis and tops from H&M were much better, although I was definitely at the top of the size range. Honestly, the best nursing tanks with the best support were the ones I bought from Walmart when DD was born (2013).

For bras, this one was the best fitting (go up 2 or 3 cup sizes...) - expensive, but worth it. Try Walmart or Target - I know the Walmart ones worked well a couple years ago.

Baby carriers - for soft carriers, we have a K'tan. They are sized, so I can use it but my husband (6'2") can't. He uses a Baby Bjorn. We also have an Onya Outback. Again, pricey but worth it. I actually got mine from Buy Buy Baby - I stacked some coupons and got it for just under $100. I like it because it will hold kiddos all the way through toddlerhood - up to 75 pounds, I think. There's an infant insert that you can buy separately, but you can also use a blanket or towel instead.

Good luck!!

First of all...

Realize that you are entitled to ask for help if you need it. If you need a little break for a couple of hours after work for yourself (and if you can afford it), then I recommend spending that time at the gym, and that you get a babysitter to come and cover for just a couple of hours. I know you feel obligated to be there to care for your son, and you are obligated to participate in his care. But you are also obligated to take care of yourself for your own sanity and health, and taking a little bit of time for exercise is going to benefit your son as much as it does you. If you get off work in time to take care of him, have a babysitter come during that time instead. Head straight to the gym or the track and get a vigorous workout in, then come home and send the babysitter on his/her way and take care of your son for the rest of the evening.

See, exercise is not only good for your body, it's also good for your mind. And most of us with ADHD here can attest that a good workout is just as essential and effective for clarity of thought and mental focus as a dose of medication is. You will control your symptoms better if you get regular exercise. So if you do anything to "pawn him off", it should be that.

I know from experience that this can be a hard thing to do as a parent. But my non-ADHD partner has insisted on getting child care (from grandmothers and paid babysitters) so that I have time to exercise during the day at some point. He wants me healthy and functional, and if we have to spend a little money to do that, it's worth it because I operate so much better. Still, the guilt gets to me. Just gotta get over that and realize that, as dedicated you are to your child, you must also be dedicated to yourself in order to give that child the best parenting possible.

Otherwise, here are other tips:

• If you can't get away to the gym, pop that baby in his stroller and get out there for a walk together. He'll love it and it'll help clear your head after the work day so that you can come home and get things done. Make a routine out of it and soon both of you will look forward to the bonding time on your walks. You can talk to him and show him the world, and it will create special memories for the two of you while ensuring your sanity.
  
  
• Set a timer each night for 15 minutes and spend that 15 minutes cleaning. Put Little Man in the backpack so he doesn't cry. Get one like this if you don't have one already. For the 15 minutes you dedicate to it, you can get a lot done. Sweep through a room or two and just pick things up, dust, return things to their rightful places, put away some laundry, whatever. 15 minutes a day and you'll have a clean house before you know it.
  
  
• Don't let him have too many toys. Seriously. We've got a "One in, One out" rule. Every time a new toy comes in, one old one goes away. They end up not playing with most of them anyway, and they blow up everywhere and just end up getting broken. If he gets used to not having a ton of toys, he really won't know what he's missing.
  
  
• This seems like a trivial one, but it helps anyway: store your food storage containers with the lids on. Makes organization easier, even though it takes up some more space. I know you'd love to have your lids and containers all nicely stacked and filed, but fuck it. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. Keep the lids and containers together and you won't end up with the godawful mess that the container cabinet always turns into.
  
  
• Make sure you keep a routine at all times. It's good for you and it's good for him. Kids need structure, but ADHD brains need structure just as much. Get into a routine so that the same things happen at the same time every evening. "Get home, go for walk, come home and read a book, holding time on the couch while you close your eyes for 10 minutes, get up, put him in the backpack and clean for 15 minutes, prepare dinner (also with baby in backpack), eat dinner, bath, massage him with lotion to relax him, read another story, bottle, cuddles, bed by 8." That's just an example of a possible routine, but you get the idea. If you get him into a set bedtime routine, then you can use the time after bed to do stuff for yourself.
  
  
• Sometimes babies won't stop crying. Remember that crying won't hurt him. If all his needs are met (food, sleep, diaper, physical comfort, etc), and he's still crying because he wants to be picked up, you can either carry him on your back wherever you go, or you can learn to tune it out and let him learn to self-soothe. Those moments when you feel like you're going to toss him out the window if he doesn't stop crying? That's a moment when you go put him in his crib where he can't get hurt, turn on the monitor, and close the door behind you as you leave the room. It's better to take time to cool off than it is to get increasingly frustrated with a screaming baby.
  
  
• Set up a safe play area that's large enough for him to move around, but is fenced off so he can't escape. Don't worry too much about the effin' mess in there. Let there be pillows and blankets and toys and all that, and keep all that stuff in that one area. Don't let it extend to the rest of the house.
  
  
• Keep his clothes in bins instead of a dresser. Baby clothes are a bitch to fold. Don't bother. Just separate them and toss them into those square baskets you can put on shelves or something. Saves on laundry time so much.
  
  
• Get a big toy box and just toss all the toys in there. Just like the clothes, it's pointless trying to keep them organized on shelves.
  
  
• Remember that this stage will pass and other new joys and nightmares will take its place. He won't scream when he's put down for 2 minutes forever.
  
  
• Keep a lot of teething rings in the freezer.
  
  That's all I got for now. Good luck! You can do this!

Congrats! You're going to have a great time. In my observation restaurants and even bars are very child-friendly here. There's something of a cult-of-the-child too, so your bambino will be cooed and fussed over and welcomed in most places, even late at night.

You've picked a great spot to stay, too - Monti is great and you'll find plenty of places that will welcome you and your baby in there, and all over the city too. Perhaps not cocktail bars and birrerie in the middle of Trastevere (or some of the more booze-oriented pubs where you're staying) but most everywhere else will be fine.

Most restaurants will have a high chair if you ask. However while eating with English-speaking friends and their babies here, I have noticed that the word "highchair" is not very well understood.

Therefore the Italian term is "seggiolone". "Is there a highchair?" = "C'è un seggiolone?" (CHEY oon sedge-oh-LOAN-eh?) The only issue you may encounter may be that there may only be one available, and it may already be in use by another little one.

Finally, a couple of places go go: there is a wonderful kids' area in Villa Borghese near the Pincio balcony (it's even called Viale dei Bambini). Maybe yours will be a little young to appreciate it, but it's a relaxing place for the parents with plenty of balloons to buy and fun stuff to look at, including family bikes (Flintstone cars) you can ride around the park with a child basket up front. There's also a zoo on the northern side of the park.

Another personal recommendation is La Limonaia in Villa Torlonia. This is a mostly outdoor restaurant in a lovely park a little bit outside the city centre, which has a kids' play area (the park not the restaurant) and because there's a kids' science museum next door, is very child friendly.

The only drawback to your visit is going to be trying to use a buggy on the cobbled streets and between the badly parked cars. You might find a marsupio (not sure what they're called in English) is going to be more useful than a buggy, in the centre at least.

We are expecting our first in August so will be more authoritative in answering this question next time. :)

Edit: speaking as an Airbnb host, do ensure you've informed yours about your baby.

We have an infant seat and two bases (one for each car), plus the stroller it snaps into. Two seats is unnecessary for sure. The stroller is nice, but not essential.

As for wraps/slings... We have a Moby, a Snugli, and an Ergo. I like them all for different reasons.

The Moby I use mostly at home because it's complicated to wrap and a bit hot. But it's fantastic if your baby wants to be held and you need to get stuff done. I used it a lot when he was under a month old so he could snuggle up and sleep while I did dishes and such.

The Snugli is great for little babies who hate the Ergo insert (as ours did). we used it on our first outing at a week old and I just supported his head with my hand. It is easy to put on and take off and getting baby into it is a cinch. Once they start getting heavier (over 10lbs) it starts to get a little less comfortable for the wearer. I can only wear him about an hour in the Snugli before my back and shoulders start to complain.

The Ergo we use for long wears and if I'm going to need to nurse with him in the pack. It is especially good for an all day outing. I have successfully breastfed with him in the Ergo and me sitting down. (I saw a woman once doing it standing up with an older baby who had good head control.)

My husband happily wears both the carriers and is quite comfortable in them. My tall sister has a Maya wrap and loves it. I found it hard to use with my short torso.

:( That does sound hectic. My registry is kinda all over the place because I've already bought a ton of stuff, but just some suggestions of some things (FTM so no idea really if these are good or not, some were recommendations from friends, some were recommendations from various online resources).

• car seat, extra base if you have more than one car, and stroller
  
• baby carrier - I got the ergobaby 360 with infant insert but the Lillebaby 360 is also super popular.
  
• swaddles - aden & anais seem to be hugely popular.
  
• bathing supplies - washcloths, bathtub
  
• first aid kit supplies - NoseFrida, nail clipper, thermometer
  
• feeding - bottles, sterilizer (some people told me I had to have it, some said it was totally unnecessary), bottle cleaner brush, drying rack (seems like everyone else loves the Boon grass, but I don't have the counter space!) You can get a pump through your insurance if you plan to breastfeed, I ordered mine through Aeroflow. I ultimately chose the Spectra S2 over the Medela PISA because it's a closed system, which apparently means less chances of bacteria getting into the system and thus easier cleaning.
  
• burp clothes - I was told to just get a ton of cloth diapers to use as burp clothes, and to have them everywhere.
  
• diaper pail - I have two friends who say this is good enough, so I went with it. They also said to use doggie poop bags to contain the smelly diapers.
  
• humidifier
  
• Boppy for nursing
  
• Backpack style diaper bag
  
• baby may need a more convenient place to be set down other than the crib, something you can have near you in the kitchen, shower, whatever. Popular options are the rock n play, Boppy lounger, or a pack 'n play. I plan on getting the Chicco FastAsleep pack 'n play because the crib/dresser/changing station is on our 2nd floor, so I figured this could double as a changing station/napper on the first floor.
  
  Lucie's List is probably the best resource I found online.

Full disclosure: I don't have a baby yet, so all of my "it will totally work" is positive thinking. That being said, it sounds like we have the same Pack-N-Play! (Or at least with the same functionality.)

It sounds like we're in the same boat registry-wise. We opted for the Fisher Price Rock-N-Play, my girlfriends' kids like it, so hopefully baby girl will too. I initially wanted the Puj, but a friend got me something else, and it seems like it'll work just fine. It collapses nicely and fits under our sink. We have the Baby Jogger City Lite Stroller, and the Britax Roundabout Convertible Carseat. Some of our friends surprised us with a BoB running stroller, so my husband is pumped to take the kiddo out on the lake shore path.

I want a carrier, but I'm holding off on buying one until I have a baby to put in it. I liked the Baby Bjorn and the Baby K'tan. I've heard great things about the Ergo, though, so that's another reason why I'm holding off.

Again, we don't have a baby yet, but I don't anticipate adding too much stuff. It'll be some time till baby comes home, so I'll know in about 4-5 weeks whether my plan worked. :) Best of luck to you and your family!

• Diapers Sensitive skin runs in our family and the regular brands made her break out something awful but cloth, babyganics and [up & ups] (http://www.target.com/p/diapers-bulk-plus-pack-select-size-up/-/A-15121671 ) worked great. Pull Ups for older ones.
  
  
• Potty Training We have [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C431NRE/ref=twister_B01E930B16?_encoding=UTF8&th=1) and [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F667QS2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1)
  
  
• High Chair like this
  
  
• [Stroller] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H8MQBFQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1) its well padded and is comfy for even the older kids.
  
  
• Carrier We have [This one] (https://www.amazon.com/Carrying-Positions-Carrier-Detachable-Included/dp/B01IUS08FK/ref=sr_1_4_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1478452855&sr=8-4&keywords=mei+tai) and a ring sling that I still use but I wish we had bought one like [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Infantino-Cuddle-Ergonomic-Hoodie-Carrier/dp/B01B45KW0C/ref=sr_1_6_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478453079&sr=1-6&keywords=carrier) It would be easier to put on.
  
  
• [Nursing pillows] (https://www.amazon.com/Boppy-Nursing-Pillow-Positioner-Peaceful/dp/B00HMGBJCS/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478458541&sr=1-4&keywords=nursing+pillow) my husband used it all the time and this is her favorite spot to cuddle up still
  
  
• Pack n Play
  
  
  
• Bouncer chair I believe ours was the previous model.
  
  
• [Swing] (https://www.amazon.com/4moms-rockaRoo-Baby-Swing-Classic/dp/B00I0BVQFO/ref=sr_1_27_s_it?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1478452147&sr=1-27&keywords=swing&th=1) We have one similar to it the other ones tend to be a pain to move around.
  
  
• Some sort of walker This or [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Bright-Starts-Around-Activity-Zippity/dp/B00OC8B1IQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478454444&sr=1-6&keywords=activity+jumper) or [This] (https://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-ExerSaucer-Learn-Jumper-Jungle/dp/B006PB2H4A/ref=sr_1_7?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1478454444&sr=1-7&keywords=activity%2Bjumper&th=1)
  
  
• Some sort of activity toys like This, This,
  
  Comfy rocking chair
  
  When it comes to cribs, pack n plays, rock n plays, bouncers and swings its upto the childs taste. Out of my nieces and nephews 1 always napped in a rock n play, 1 in the swing, 1 would sleeps anywhere, 1 would sleep on mommy or a boppy, 1 in the crib and my daughter would only sleep in the carrier or being held. She never used the rock n play, crib or pack n play but loved the bouncer and occasionally accepted sitting in the boppy or swing. They are all so different. With our little girl her reflux was so bad that if she was laid flat she would immediately throw up.
  
  
  (I will edit to add more when I get a minute)

Hello! Thanks for the cute contest and congrats on your baby.

I have two little men, Monster #1 is 4 years old and an avid gamer. Which is great, because mommy and daddy are gamers too. Monster #2 is 2 years old and enjoys cuddles and acting like he has all the energy in the world. I swear, #2 never rests. Never.

They are just like mommy and daddy in their interests, thought. #1 loves gaming (both), #2 loves drawing and crafting (mommy), and they both love reading (well being read to) and learning.

I have a list just for them on the left of my main wishlist and I know that they would love a new Pete the Cat book.

Birth advice- get the drugs. Omg. Get the drugs. You think you can make it, and you try to make it, but once you get up there, it hurts so bad. If you don't get the drugs, good for you and I wish you the best of luck. But remember, after 5 cm, they can't give you the drugs.

Newborn advice- hold that baby as much as you want, don't let anyone tell you that you will spoil it. Because one day that baby will not want to be held anymore. They will push you away and reject your kisses. Cherish each and every stage.

Something cute for your nursery. Well, not really for your nursery, but it was a life saver when my kids were smaller. Baby carrier.

Hahaha, went through the same thing some time ago. A couple bits of advice:

• In general, turn-based games will be your best bet, but by no means does this constrain you to RPGs (at the moment I'm playing Dungeons of Dredmor, which can be done entirely with the mouse). I did well with some titles like Gratuitous Space Battles and Dwarf Fortress (which although realtime, can be paused at any time and controlled by just the keyboard).
  
  
• Consider puzzle or puzzle-like games
  
  
• I seem to recall a few DS / 3DS games having alternate button presets specifically designed to allow the game to be played with just one hand, but can't remember off the top of my head which ones...
  
  
• Also, macros/hotkeys can be very useful. Something like Auto Hotkey / X-Mouse Button Control combined with either a cheap gaming mouse with multiple buttons, or a keyboard-heavy game can allow you to map all the keyboard commands to the mouse, or map any complicated commands to one chunk of the keyboard.
  
  
• In TF2 I can confirm from experience that it is possible to play Sniper, run up to a Sniping Spot by alternating between the mouse and keyboard, then just camp out using only the mouse. Obviously wouldn't work for competitive stuff, but on pubs it went surprisingly well. For extra credit, copy to your clipboard some text like, "You just got sniped by someone holding a baby" and hit Ctrl-V + Enter after every kill :D
  
  
• Something I didn't discover for a very long time: any product similar to a Baby Bjorn is an absolute gamechanger. Hours at a time, with both hands free!

Mine didn't space her feedings out until 10-ish weeks and even then, cluster fed frequently either during the day or at night. Prior to 10 weeks, she fed ALL day, EVERY day. It's exhausting. It's so exhausting, the word "exhausting" does not do it justice; it needs its own word.

I have EBF my almost 1-year-old; she has never had a bottle of formula. If I were to do it all again, I might (might) choose to do part (or, f-k it, all) formula just because BF is so much harder on momma's mind and body. She's teething now, and wants to nurse literally all night long... You'd think we'd be past that stage, coming in on her birthday, but we are not. I think I want to have another someday, but I can't imagine going through this last year over again and surviving, while also taking care of an older child.

One thing that saved my sanity was figuring out how to feed while baby wearing. It is... literally the best thing ever. Nobody can see that your boob is out (I have done it at work, at church, and while running errands, and nobody has ever noticed). You get both of your hands back (!!!) and can do whatever you were wanting to do, as long as you move slowly and don't have to bend (dishes, yes; loading the dishwasher, no... folding laundry, yes; doing laundry, no). You have a lot of cluster feeding, growth spurts, and sleep regressions in your future, so it might be worth a try! (Favie for babywearing and feeding is the Lille: https://www.amazon.com/LILLEbaby-ESSENTIALS-Baby-Carrier-Chevron/dp/B015NG1NKG)

I have flown several times with my now one year old, and have 3 more trips planned in the next couple months.
My suggestion is to definitely bring the car seat (checked free by almost all airlines). Depending on how you pack (I'm not the best), but I would not bring a stroller. It was just one more thing to have. BUT I would definitely suggest bringing a baby carrier if you have one instead. I would have a very hard time without my awesome Boba carrier. (It's a lot like the popular Ergo. I have both, but like the Boba better because it is a lot easier to clip together in back, than on the side.)
Good luck!

We loved the Fisher Price Rock and Play sleeper, and our FP Space-Saver high chair has been awesome. When he was smaller, I could strap him in and he could watch me make dinner; now it goes to Grandma's with us no problem and is so nice and non-bulky.

A Boppy pillow is awesome whether you're nursing or not, and Sandra Boynton is our house's favorite author. We especially love "Hippos Go Beserk" and "But Not The Hippopotamus."

Sling-wise, if you haven't already, I'd recommend going to a store or a baby-wearing group (or your childbirth class might have this, ours did) where you can try on several styles and see what suits you. I have worn our son since birth (and still do) but ring slings make me want to throw things. Other moms I know have no problem with them, but I never could figure out how they worked. The Mei Tai style (not this particular carrier), on the other hand, was really intuitive, and my husband liked the Moby wrap when he was really little. I am currently using the Ergo performance carrier now that he is big and heavy, because I love the way it distributes baby's weight on your hips, not back.

Good luck with your registry! Don't worry about having to buy too much gear -- remember babies survived and thrived for thousands of years before Graco came along! (nothing but love for Graco, btw, we have had 2 of their carseats, a pack-n-play, stroller, and swing frame for carseat #1. All good quality, all durable, no complaints anywhere.)

I love mine. It totally lessens my neck and shoulder from strain and supports the weight on my hips instead, almost like a third arm just still supporting my baby's bottom while using my actual arm to support her back occasionally. Not as hands free as a proper wrap or a more structured carrier but it is quick and I can flip her to face out or in really quick depending on her mood. I carry my 22 pound, 11 month old around the house and when I run errands when she isn't in the mood for the shopping cart seat. We also have a K'tan which was nice when she was smaller and a lillébaby for walks but the hip seat is nice when she wants to get up and turn around a lot.

I have this one which does not have that shoulder support strap. A lot of them use a solid piece of styrofoam for support but this one uses an aluminum frame that leaves you pocket space; I use it for shopping bags, wallet, hand sanitizer, burp cloth, sometimes a bottle or diaper too.

Oh OP, I'm sorry for the loss of your sister, truely I am. Everything must be a whirlwind atm for you and your family, my sincere condolences.

Your poor, poor parents. It's going to be rough parenting a child without being able to pick them up all the time, both for your parents and your neice. Could they afford a nanny or live in help, do you think? You could also look into day care. There are heaps of kids in 9 - 5 day care. There might be some that do pick up / drop offs which would benefit your parents. One of the hardest things is getting a kid in and out of a car seat. Do they drive at all?

Get them a baby carrier for right now. Something like this Makes it heaps easier to carry the child. Easier on your back and arms and babies love them.

Good luck, OP, I hope you're doing okay.

Noodles!!
Heres my little man looking super handsome 😍
Happy 1st to your baby ! So stinking cute!! My son was afraid of his cake so i didnt get good bday pics haha

http://imgur.com/a/QkdWRNi - ❤
Thank you for the contest

House Hubby Clothes Organizer Closet Bundled Shirt Folding Board Fold Pants Adult Child Kid Sizes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H9TH4KX/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_pkgDCbF2XXR9X

Or

Infantino Carry On Carrier, Grey, One Size https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9C52TV/ref=cm_sw_r_fm_apa_i_tlgDCb7DWX8YY

Products:

• A baby monitor. Doesn't have to be a fancy device with an AESA radar, full-spectrum IRST, and a high fidelity data link transmitting the information back to the command post. A [simple audio-only set] (http://www.amazon.in/Motorola-MBP10S-Digital-Audio-Monitor/dp/B002KV14VG/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1464371126&sr=1-1&keywords=monitor) can be had on the cheap on Amazon, and is immensely useful.
  
  
• Quality diapers and wipes. I cannot stress this enough. a little extra cash spent on good diapers is going to make everyone's life happier.
  
  
• A sealed garbage bin to dispose of dirty diapers. Do not throw them in your regular kachra, or they'll stink up the house double quick. You ideally need something like the Diaper Genie.
  
  
• A good quality baby harness. It needs to support the baby around the buttocks, and not on the crotch. I won't comment on the long-term health benefits, but it's discernibly more comfortable for the kid. BAsically something like the Ergobaby 360. It's twice as expensive as a conventional harness, but I'm sure you could find a cheaper alternative if you do your research.
  
  
• Some good books. Little Blue Truck is one of my favourites! When they're young enough, though, you can read them practically anything. They just need to hear your voice as often as they can. I read mine a history of the Battle of Britain :-/
  
  
• A Kindle. Mothers get bored while breastfeeding for the first few months. They can get some good reading done in that time.
  
  
• If you're in the US, get a maid to clean your place every couple of weeks. Believe me, it will take a huge load off your back.
  
  General Tips:
  
  
• I cannot stress this enough, but talk and sing to the baby as much as you can. Do not just play music on your phone or tablet ... the child needs to be exposed to real human voices in order to learn how to speak early and effectively.
  
  
• Avoid speaking in low voices or muting your TV when the baby sleeps. It needs to get used to sleeping through everyday noises.
  
  
• This is a personal opinion, but do not go overboard in keeping your baby "safe" and "protected". Let it explore the world. Let it fall, let it hurt itself (within reason, of course), let it take ill, allow it to fail at tasks, etc. etc. Babies are hardy as hell; they recover from these things quickly, become tougher, and learn a few important lessons along the way. I even stopped using hand sanitiser before handling my kid after she turned six months old. Washing your hands frequently with soap and water is good enough.
  
  Hope this helps for now. Will keep adding to this list if I think of anything else.

awesome news, pops! I just had my first one last December. I wish you and your wife the best and safest of journeys into parent hood.

father tip: Get a Moby or something similar. Best ~$25 i've ever spent.

http://smile.amazon.com/Moby-Wrap-Original-Cotton-Carrier/dp/B007ZT99K6/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1409017490&sr=1-1&keywords=moby+wrap

edit: they have gone up in price, i see. still well worth it.

I agree with you on the Baby Bjorn. My wife and I both love it and it's especially great for me as a guy. I carried my nephew around in one for a few hours at the park and he slept almost the entire time. It's definitely one of the more comfortable carriers that I've used. If anyone is looking to get one, I'd check online for more information and prices. Amazon is the cheapest I've found.

congrats!

Name suggestion would be Catalina.

Having a 7-month-old, my advice is to buy an Ergo Baby Carrier and fit it for yourself. If you can get that thing to work like I did with naps, you'll get in a couple hours of uninterrupted Madden with your wife free to do whatever she wants for a few hours.

Plus, everybody looks sweet with a baby attachment.

Everybody wins!!!!

This is the model I have, but I went to a babywearing meet-up group today (we get together to see other carriers, try them out, buy/sell, and borrow) and there were women doing it in mei tai style carriers and kinderpacks, any type of carrier like those make it pretty easy. My little one is just shy of 3 weeks old! It's a little difficult with him because he is so little. I tried it again and was successful, but he unlatched a little more often that time. Not too bad though.

One of the moms at the meetup group showed us this awesome trick! She breastfeeds her daughter in a ring sling and she bought a bunch of 3 dollar tanks at old navy cut the straps and sewed them into a loop that goes over a nursing bra. This website explains it. So she wears either the same color or a coordinating color and when she puts her daughter in her carrier just lifts her shirt up so it's already ready, but her tank covers her torso. Then she just pulls down the tank top and feeds her. It was the coolest trick I've seen. I'm so glad I went to the group just for that tip alone!

We got a 600 dollar crib (it was a gift from my grandmother) that looks nice and converts into a twin bed,

An even more expensive matching dresser (A gift from my FIL)

A MamaRoo (A gift from my mother),

A LilleBaby All Seasons (A gift from my brother.)

I haven't had a chance to use any of them (except the dresser) because the larva is still tucked away in her womb apartment.

As he gets older, you may want to buy a carrier like an Ergo. It's super comfy (can be worn on front, side or back when baby is older). It's great when he's fussy and wants to be held but you need to heat a bottle or cook dinner, vacuum, grocery shop, etc. Gives you both hands free. I use it still with my 16 month old who weights 24lbs. It was $$$$ but worth it in my opinion. And you can always resell it when you are done with it and prob get half of what you paid. ERGObaby Original Baby Carrier, Black/Camel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JZU8O8/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_2tq-tb0DC8FN9

Yes but only when there was something NEW for us both to see and interact with. This frontpack was the most personally valuable thing I owned for a solid 2 years through both of my kids. We would go out on the town for hours and hours and then take a nap. Seriously one of the best times of my life.

They have sales on open boxes. Right now this is what they have https://www.lillebaby.com/sale


Amazon has sales occasionally in the range of $90, but right now https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q3I25NI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_m33RybHX22XQH is the least expensive.

It is certainly true that you have to be willin to settle for plain colors usually. But i prefer it. Works with more clothing options and for the SO to wear as well without worrying about being seen with certain patterns.

I never use Zulily because they don't take returns (be warned!) but the resale value is great (in case we don't like it), I see them used all over the place on Craigslist (for more than this one costs new) and they're still 129.99 on Amazon. The reviews are good, and it's not supposed to have problems with hip dysplasia like the Baby Bjorn (which is what we were going to get).

So the Baby Bjorn original ($50) is a newborn carrier with great built in head support that you can start when baby is 8 pounds. It does not distribute weight well in the parent's back, however, so I used it up until baby weighed 17 pounds, and then it became too difficult for me to to keep using it, though you can still go up to 25 pounds.

The Ergo original needs a newborn insert for it to work for the newborns, and I've heard a lot of complaints that the insert makes it too hot and is not as well designed as the Baby Bjorn built-in head support. So that's why I switched to Ergo Original only after I couldn't use Bjorn anymore (after baby weighed more than 17 pounds).

The newer Baby Bjorn One (on sale for $100) is supposed to distribute weight better on a parent's back so I'd imagine you can use it well past 17 pounds. I actually just purchased this after I made my post to you, as I'm due again in 2 months. I preferred Bjorn over all the others I tried (I was very active while babywearing, bending down and twisting down to clean, wearing it many hours inside and out) so I'm hoping this newer version solves the past problems and I can use it the entire time through.

Look at the top review on the newer Baby Bjorn One, and they say that it is very similar to the newer Ergo 360, main difference being the Ergo has a loud velcro belt. Sounds like both of these choices solve a lot of the earlier problems and could be your one stop shop for a soft structured carrier throughout babyhood. My knowledge is a few years old - I wish I had experience with the upgraded carriers for you but they will know all about these in /r/babywearing so you may want to check out that sub too!

I use this one with my son up until he was 3 years old cause he hit the maximum weight. He didnt like it at first cause he liked walking but he got use to it the more we used it. Plus he liked hanging out with me while I cleaned vs hanging out in the other room.

https://www.amazon.com/Ergobaby-Original-Performance-Ergonomic-Multi-Position/dp/B005WGP2Y6

This thing is nice too cause it's all mesh and is really breathable. We use it to take him hiking too cause it comes with a rain shield and there is a cold weather cover that bundles them and covers their feet lol.

One of my wife's coworkers got her a Baby Bjorn, so we do plan on using that a lot, although not exclusively.

I'm not sure why, but it's incredibly rare for me to see anyone using something like the Bjorn around the city. It seems like such an easy thing to do, especially if you're just going out for a walk or quick errand, that I can't really figure out why it isn't more commonplace.

I second that- look at the baby bjorn. or a carseat they will greatly appreciate it in 6 months- it's a win, trust me.

I've been using these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OF8V5W/ref=oh_o02_s00_i00_details
with glass carboys to help make carrying easier (and eliminate some dropping risk)
Don't know much about the other differences, but if you decide to go glass, get something like these :)

This is what I was going to recommend. I know the last thing you need is more expensive baby products right now OP, but this or this could help your GF immensely (if she's got the back muscles to bear it).

Infants often sleep better when worn, and even when they're awake it'll at least free up your GF's arms so she can do other things.

Excellent suggestions. Well written. As far as getting stuff in and out of a chest freezer, most kegs have handles so that's take care of. But for getting carboys in and out these work fine.

For about the same price you can get http://www.amazon.com/The-Brew-Hauler-Carboy-Carrier/dp/B000OF8V5W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331790769&sr=8-1 yes there is shipping added that too. BTW i made my own as well, but it comes pretty close that price.

You should try those 'carboy carriers', like this. I have some for my plastic carboys and they work great.

Glass carboy supporter here. I use the nylon brew straps whenever moving my glass. Next to my wort chiller, it's probably the best tool I have in my arsenal.

>I am bigger then he is, I use a Baby Bjorn, specifically this one:
Baby Carrier.

It has the added bonus of looking like storm trooper armor. Additionally the moment I put my daughter in it she falls asleep.

Ergo Carriers or something similar can be very helpful. I also second the person who said get a swing. As others have said, you just need to experiment a bit. Have you tried a white noise machine? Have you tried making sure they're in a very dark room? Also, how much caffeine do you drink? If you're breastfeeding and drinking a bunch of coffee, that'll transfer to your kido.

my husband evens wears the Ergo performance, I NEVER thoguht that would happen! Wow it's even 30 dollars cheaper than when I bought it a year ago! http://www.amazon.com/ERGO-Baby-Carrier-Performance-Grey/dp/B003VTM6IG/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1348343521&sr=1-1&keywords=ergo+performance+carrier

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: This


|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|UK|amazon.co.uk|
|Spain|amazon.es|
|France|amazon.fr|
|Germany|amazon.de|
|Japan|amazon.co.jp|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
|Italy|amazon.it|
|China|amazon.cn|




This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

Those things make the neck snap off if any liquid is inside. You really want one of the strap-based carriers instead, like this:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/the-brew-hauler

or

http://www.amazon.com/Home-Brew-Stuff-5307-Carrier/dp/B000OF8V5W

If people are paying $US8 for this then I imagine that there's a market for a carboy carrier/cover/insulator. It's a neat idea if nothing else.

If you're careful and don't use one of those carboy handles, you'll be fine. This is the carrier you want.

I have a small chest freezer that fits one 6.5 gallon carboy with a couple inches on all sides, and a little step for holding a pitcher of sanitizer for the blow-off tube. Just get one large enough to fit your fermentation vessel with some room to spare. Also, for chest freezers, CarboyCarriers are a must.

Lillebaby carriers are up to 55% off on Amazon right now! I snagged the Lillebaby complete all seasons for $76 (normally $140)!

It was one like this, with a plastic buckle. The stitching was fine, but give the plastic buckle enough pressure, at it unbuckles itself. After that one incident, it immediately went in the trash as I realized how bad of an idea it was.

As long as they're quality, the netting ones look safe. Definitely don't try to use the carboy handles when it's full. That's not what they were meant for, and I've experienced it slipping off, no matter how tight I made it.

Still, nothing can go wrong in a keg in a bathtub (right?), so that's my preferred fermenter now.

As /u/BrewN00b suggested I use the "Brew Hauler". You can get them on Amazon for ~$11 (I get mine from my LHBS for ~$13). It makes the PITA of carboy hauling easyer and more importantly safer.


http://www.amazon.com/Brewcraft-The-Carboy-Carrier/dp/B000OF8V5W

Your cost: $14.99 plus labor

Brew Hauler on Amazon: $8.69 + $4.85 (shipping) = $13.54

I congratulate you on your DIY, but you're not saving money with this, I'm sorry to say...

This one is 55% off, down to $54 from $119. Not bad!

Brew haulers work just fine with full carboys.

Amazon has had them on sale for around $5/each for a few weeks.

carboy carrier on amazon

To be clear, this is the one we have: Infantino Flip 4-in-1 Convertible Carrier https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M0DWQYI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZlF3CbV8YTKVJ
The snaps in the front are snapped closed and it says “narrow seat 8-15lb” and when the snaps come apart it says “wide seat 15-32lb”

This is the new one we got, no snaps and only wide seating.
Infantino Cuddle Up Ergonomic Hoodie Baby Carrier, Grey https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B45KW0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JnF3Cb9QCK0AJ

I think this is a front facing baby carrier, similar to a baby bjorn.

Does it seem to be on the right scale for that?

You'll never catch me on my weekly frolic through the woods with my PS4 without using one of these.

They are inexpensive and essential for glass carboys.

You can get one at Amazon if your brew store doesn't have one.

It's not quite as nice as the one I used to have (like 15 years ago), but it gets the job done.

I noticed your carboy handle in the first picture, figure I'd add that my LHBS told me to avoid those. They stress the neck way too much, especially if you pick it up by it. They recommended I get one of these for moving mine around.

Holy shitsnacks! I've had one slip the collar of standard carboy handle before but the worst that happened there was some minor cuts (and of course 5 gallons of beer that was ready to ferment going everywhere). I double checked afterwards and the handle was screwed tight and the appropriate size, so now I use carboy carrier straps exclusively: http://www.amazon.com/Brewcraft-The-Carboy-Carrier/dp/B000OF8V5W/ref=pd_sim_indust_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1934A1CQXTEE58ZZAJQN

Get well soon man.