Is Baby Bjorn Bad??

There have been some suggestions that the position that the Bjorn seats baby in can be bad for the development of their hips and spine, but nothing has been proven and as others have said- it should be fine in moderation. I chose to use other (wider bottomed) carriers for my child's comfort- I certainly wouldn't be comfortable being supported by my crotch, so I don't know why I would expect them to be.

Just my $.02

I used a Baby Bjorn for both of my kids. With my daughter I was able to use it up until she was 8 months, my son 5 months (he was much bigger). Both of my children have perfect hips and spines. They both walked at a young age without any problems... I am not saying that I do not believe that the Bjorns couldn't cause problems, but I'm just saying that both of my kids are fine, and if I ever had a third I'd use it again.

hey Wendy,
you got plenty of responses...the whole carrier thing is very personal for you and baby (and daddy if he uses it as well). I found the bjorn to be highly straining on my upper back and didn't like the idea of her hips hanging like that. I like the Ergo, but our daughter's daddy can not figure out how to use it :) I really wanted to use a wrap/sling, but it always felt like it was slipping off and my baby didn't really like feeling quite so squished. she loves reaching out of the ergo and grabbing at things. anyway, unfortunately, its quite costly to keep buying a new carrier, but you'll have to find what works for you. you can usually find them slightly used (from people like myself who changed their mind several times) on craigslist or even freecycle. Good luck!

That's news to me! I have an infantino carrier and I use it for my son quite often. I am not a fan of the slings, I have used them before but always feared the baby would fall out or would suffocate. Plus it just doesn't seem to me like they would be comfortable.

We are going on vacation in a couple weeks to Myrtle Beach for bike week and I plan to use my carrier more than the stroller because of all the walking in and out of stores, bike shows, etc...they just aren't very accomodating to a giant stroller.

Here is an interesting article that I found in my research about baby carriers. Note the intro - this article is about 10 years old, but it does give helpful advice about what position is/is not best for baby.

http://www.continuum-concept.org/reading/spinalStress.html

It sounds to me like a Bjorn is not a great idea for an infant, but as other mothers have said - in moderation, it's likely not going to do any harm.

If you carry your child a lot, I would recommend a Moby wrap or an Ergo. I have both and absolutely love them. The Moby allows you to carry small infants in the cradle position and larger infants against your chest with the legs tucked under in the frog position as is recommended in the article. For small infants, the Ergo lets you carry your child in an inclined/cradle like position, and as they grow they are in a seated position. Interestingly, my google search for "baby carrier spine hip development" brought up numerous references to the Ergo and its proper positioning of infants. Anyway, my two cents...

Hi Wendy,

I am not a fan of the Baby Bjorn and I prefer the Ergo baby carrier. I am a physical therapist and I can vouch that the Baby Bjorn is not optimal for the baby's body. But the biggest problem is with the position it puts their hips in - because it keeps their hips in a distracted position - with the weight of their legs pulling their hip from having maximal joint congruency with the hip ball and socket. The ergo places their hips in the ideal posture for hip socket development with hip abduction and external rotation. I have always felt this way and then I read an article about the Baby Bjorn validating my own opinion. Just get an ergo - they are a bit pricey but well worth it and you can often find them used. THe ergo is better for YOUR back too.

I have 4 kids and carried all of them in a baby bjorn. As a stay at home mom it has always been the best on the market for strength, comfort and durability. My oldest is 14 and I used one for him as well. Definately do some more research on that because I have never heard anything like that and my youngest is 3. I have had plenty of other baby carriers and they were all inferior to my bjorn.

I bought a ergo baby carrier becuase the bjorn was uncomfortable. I have large babies (11 lbs at birth) so they didn't fit well in the bjorn. When I bought the ergo the sales person said the bjorn positioned the baby to hang which puts pressure on their spine whereas the ergo had them in a sitting position and was more natural. Although this could just be a sales pitch to lean me towards buying the ergo. I honestly believe if the bjorn caused problems for children it would have been taken off the market. If you want to check out the ergos...here is there website.... http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/

I've never heard that the Bjorn is bad for babies. I used it and the New Native sling for my boys. They loved them both and they are both happy and healthy at 4 years old and 1 1/2 years old.

You have to use your own judgement, but if it were me, I'd continue using the Baby Bjorn. It's soooo handy and easier than toting a stroller around. I think you want to keep the straps tight enough to make sure the baby isn't slouched too much, but not too tight. At four months, your baby is getting more out of a fresh morning walk than sitting at home, more than likely, and is able to keep upright better and better every day.

I researched and tried many other carriers, wraps and slings and for me the Moby Wrap was ideal when my now 13 month old was 6 months or smaller, and now I use an Ergo only. I used the Baby Bjorn with both of them (the oldest now 3) and it was good but hard on my shoulders. My daughter is more content in them as well, I think she is more comfortable. She still falls asleep in the Ergo all the time.
I agree with the moderation comment. They are good for short trips, not so good for many hours of baby-wearing.

I used it with all 4 of my kids, no problems here.

there are many reasons why the BB is inferior to many other baby carriers on the market.

babies are born with only one curve in their spine (as opposed to the adult 4). the baby bjorn is a poorly designed carrier that allows all of babies weight to hang from his/her pelvis which puts undue stress and pressure on the pelvis and spine. better carriers are mei teis, slings, wraps, and other soft structured carriers (SSCs) like the beco and ergo. these are much more comfortable for the wearer too.

as you baby gets bigger, back wearing will be better for YOUR spine, and you can't do that with a bb. check out babywearer.com for everything you ever wanted to know about carriers, reviews, forums, how tos, for sale/trade, etc. there are so many beautiful, and far more comfortable carriers on the market that give you way more for your money's worth.

Hi, Wendy.

Bjorns are not great for babies, because babies' spines are not developed, and the vertical position just squooshes them. Obviously, there's a more technical term for it, but I don't remember it.

Slings are great for babies and toddlers. I wore my baby for 3.5 years in it. Not all the time, but I'd bring it with me to the zoo or on trolley rides into Philly, and I'd stick him in it for a few minutes when he was just exhausted. It's a lovely way to stay close to your baby without crunching their spines out of whack.

My favorite sites are KangarooKorner, Mama's Milk, Attached to Baby. There are a LOT of sling-type options (mei tie, didymos....). I have four different ones, and I've always found my ring sling and hotsling to be my go-to ones.

Good luck!

Wendy - I agree with Erin's comments about moderation and why its considered bad. If you are considering other options, I found that baby slings are the best. They are easy to use, comfortable for the baby, and some can even be used when they are toddlers to support them when you are carrying them on your hips. I bought one from Peanut Shell and loved. It was especially useful when we were traveling without a stroller.

Well just speaking from what the physical therapists have told me, it's not great for them. I don't think it causes damage, but may inhibit development if they already have a problem. If there is no developmental problem, I wouldn't worry about it.

(I just read Erin's response, she's dead on.)

I have heard that it is bad for a baby's hips, but I could see the potential issue with the spine. The issue is that the carrier suspended the baby by its crotch. The baby is too little to sit up on its own and support its own weight.

I had a carrier similar to the Babybjorn and wasn't really concerned. I switched to a different carrier solely because my daughter didn't like the other carrier.

I think like exersaucers or anything else, the issue is moderation. If the baby were to spend all of its time in the carrier, it likely wouldn't be good for it.

Wendy, I have never been able to afford a baby bjorn so I have always used sling style carriers or with my third I used wraps and a mei tai that I had made myself.

I read about hte spine and hipd developement issues with my second and decided that I could do without the bjorn. I once used a friends and i didn't like it near as much as my Moby wrap or her Ella Roo wrap. I absolutely adore my mei tai. I am still carrying my 19 month old arround comfortable while at five months pregnant with number four.

I highly recommend Ergo because of all of the research that i have done and the testamonials I have heard from parents that have had chiropratic problems who love it.

HI. Everyone is correct. There have been studies that show bjorns are not good for babies spines and hip joints. I would highly recomend getting a sasha wrap. I have used it with both of my kids and its been a life saver. I can use it by my self with no help and its really comfortable. Plus its really versutile and can be used through the toddler years. If your interested in one check out my website.
gigglemybaby.com We are in the process of updated so you can not purchase off the site. But you can see all the details and colors. Email me if you have more questions or would like to purchase one. ____@____.com

I have used the Bjorn with all three of my kids. The all loved it and no one has any spine/hip issues. But I only used it when I needed to, like when we went out, and when they were BABIES. I am not a baby wearer and certainly not a toddler wearer, and do not keep my babies attached to me all day for years. If that is the case, of course any baby would have developmental problems simply because babies are supposed to be down on the ground, moving, crawling walking, etc. If you are more likely to use a carrier 24/7, you should think about getting one with more support for you and your baby.
In short, Bjorns are fine when used properly, and they do not cause you to loose mobility with your arms like a lot of slings do. Plus, they distribute the weight of the baby evenly on the parent's back instead of pulling on one side or the other. They only hold up to 25 pounds safely, so they are designed for babies, not tots.