Which beco should I get?

[sb518]

I need some kind of carrier that is easy to put on/take off but that doesn't kill my back and shoulders. I'm thinking about a Beco but there are different styles and I'm clueless. I have bad upper back pain so anything that takes the stress off of back/shoulders would be great. Is there such a thing? TIA.

 

[zactayaus]

Beco Butterfly II. it! And no back or shoulder pain with my 20 1/2 lb kiddo.

I put it on like a shirt, buckle the waist, slip kiddo in, and buckle his shoulder straps. Takes only a minute or so to do.

 

[Shanora]

yep, and the Beco seem more woman friendly compared to the Ergo. I'm going to bre ordering an Olives and Applesauce (O&A) carrier here shortly, which is the same type of carrier (SSC).

 

[sb518]

just ordered the grace beco butterfly2 from albee with 15% off. $119 shipped

 

[ZephyrBlue]

awesome price, tumble! :thumbsup:

which pattern did you get?

i agonized over buying another ergo (sold my last one when we were "done" having babies ) or trying a becoII. wound up w/another ergo, but i would love to test drive a beco, too. the reviews are fantastic. hope it's perfect for you

eta- saw that you got grace- it's so pretty!

 

[BeBo's Mama]

Good luck -- I love both my Ergo and Beco!!!!

 

[seamonkeys]

just ordered the grace beco butterfly2 from albee with 15% off. $119 shipped

That's the same print I have! I love it! But there weren't any good deals when I did and had to pay full price.

 

[aisraeltax]

i have the Ergo and Beco 4th generation (NOT the butterfly one). I love both.

 

[canadiangie]

I was going to say 4th Gen Beco, but they are super hard to find now, so the next best thing is probably an Ergo, but a II works as well I guess. In all honesty I can't imagine having to use an insert for back carrying, which is why I adore my 4th Gen (and will never sell it), and prefer the Ergo as the next best (and most mainstream easy to find) carrier.

You have to use the insert on the II, correct??

 

[InternationalMama]

In all honesty I can't imagine having to use an insert for back carrying

You have to use the insert on the II, correct??

It's not really an insert. I mean, it's just a piece of fabric that goes in front of the baby. You can't remove it. Why would that make it harder to use as a back carry? (I've never used any other structured carrier so it's a genuine question.) I actually like the design for back carry because you can put it on your front and then switch it to your back. Or you can put it on yourself and then switch it to someone else's back, rather than have them try to figure out how to get the carrier on and the baby in on their back if they're not very familiar with baby carriers.

 

[zactayaus]

In all honesty I can't imagine having to use an insert for back carrying...

You have to use the insert on the II, correct??

There is no insert for back carry. There is a small piece of fabric that is permanent that is between you and baby, but that is part of the reason why I love it so much. You can actually put the baby in it like a back pack and swing them up onto your back and even pass baby from one person to another without worrying about baby falling out or disturbing a sleeping baby too much.

Here's a pic I took for someone else here that shows the fabric between you and baby:

 

[canadiangie]

So to back carry my 3y/o I'd have to first slip her into that piece of fabric?

Hmmmm.

I've been back carrying my youngest since she was 6mos old with no piece of fabric and never worried about her falling. How could she fall if the waist strap is tight on my waist?

If you have to slip the child into the fabric piece before you put it on your back, where do you do this when you're at your vehicle? Do you lay the child on the floor of the vehicle? Cargo area? Have them stand and step into it??


//confused.


ETA: So right now I get out of the vehicle, put the Beco on (I back carry 99% of the time these days), grab dd, put her on my hip, lean forward a smidge, shimmy her onto my back, fling the Beco up and buckle. Takes less than 20 seconds. When I wear little dd on my front (I still do when it's just her and I shopping, while oldest dd is at school) I put the Beco on, grab dd, bring the Beco up and buckle.

With a II I'd have to slip them down into that piece of fabric each time?? How does this work with shoes/boots? Thicker clothing? Like a one piece fleece suit with snowboots.

 

[crunchierthanthou]

So to back carry my 3y/o I'd have to first slip her into that piece of fabric?

Hmmmm.

no. You'd only do that with a baby (and only if you're by yourself or aren't comfortable buckling the baby directly on our back). To back carry a toddler you just put the Beco on with the main panel down. Put the child on your back, pull the panel up and do the buckles.

 

[canadiangie]

So the extra little piece is optional? (not removeable, but optional)? I have a 4th Gen btw.

 

[crunchierthanthou]

the butterfly always has a layer of fabric between you and the child, but you don't have to put them in it before you put it on. It's hard to demonstrate without a child, but do these help at all?

beco butterfly buckled

unbuckled with main panel hanging down

so the 4th Gen you can just buckle the waist, put the child on your back and pull up the straps and panel together (if the panel is buckled to the shoulders straps). With this one you put the shoulder straps on before the child, and don't buckle the panel until the she is in place. If that's how you always do the 4th gen, then it's really no different.

 

[InternationalMama]

The pictures show it well. The piece of fabric is flat against your back once you have the carrier on, so it's really no different then if there wasn't a piece of fabric there. But then if you wanted to take the carrier off you could pass the carrier and baby to someone else without taking the baby out. :thumbsup:

 

[zactayaus]

For an older toddler/child you can have them just step into it before you have it on, do up their shoulder buckles and swing them up onto your back like a back pack.

 

[canadiangie]

Yup, those pics are super helpful.

I now understand why I read about some people 'converting' their II's to 4th Gens. I can see why having no panels or inserts would be easier with an older child.

Thanks for the pics.

ETA: coming back here cause I don't want to seem rude. The reason I'm so curious about the II vs 4th Gen is because I know personally two moms who have converted their II's to the more simple design of the 4th Gen. One did it herself (with much time, effort and patience) and the other paid a seamstress to convert hers over. I bought my 4th Gen just before everything got changed. Then 6mos ago I was at a family fair and came upon a babywearing booth. They had every last kind of baby wearing device and of course I stopped and oogled all of the fabric, etc. At one point one of the women came up to me and asked if I'd ever babyweared (I had the girls in the e3). I responded that yes I have a 4th Gen and the look on her face...!? She asked me if I was "sure" I owned a 4th Gen or if it was a Butterfly. I told her it was indeed a 4th Gen and that I loved it. She then explained how rare they are... and how the simple design is what makes other carriers so popular (I played dumb but knew she was referring to the Ergo, etc).

 

[northernmommy]

How does one tell what kind they have? Mine is really simple...a waist strap, the big back flap, and the shoulder straps...

 

[crunchierthanthou]

How does one tell what kind they have? Mine is really simple...a waist strap, the big back flap, and the shoulder straps...

It's not a butterfly version. Those both have the panel between the straps like my photo above. It might be a 4th gen. I would assume there were previous models, but I honestly have no idea.