The best baby carriers that are practical and stylish, all road-tested by GLAMOUR mums

Finding the best baby carriers can be a game-changer for parents because they allow you to actually live your life (hands-free!), whilst keeping your precious cargo close by.

After you’ve shopped for the best changing bag, best maternity leggings and the best breast pads, choosing the perfect baby carrier for you and your child is any parents’ next port of call.

Baby carriers are the go-to for fussy newborns who won’t be put down, active parents who don’t want to lug the buggy around, and those with a brood of children who need their hands at all times. They’re also ideal for wearing when you have household chores to complete, meals to cook and, in my experience, trips to the toilet to contend with. Once the little one is strapped (or wrapped) in, some of that precious parental equilibrium is restored. Apart from hands-free mobility, wearing a baby carrier is a great way to revisit that sweet skin-to-skin contact from early-infancy days and studies have in fact shown that babywearing promotes deeper attachment and caretaker responsiveness.

As Rachel FitzD, a specialist infant feeding midwife, baby and parenting expert and writer, who speaks at The Baby Show, explains: ‘The transition from ‘womb life’ to ‘room life’ is gentler for babies and parents if babies are kept in arms for most of the fourth trimester and a good sling can provide the safest and easiest way to achieve this. Slings and carriers can be used from birth up until your child becomes simply too big to carry. Being carried in arms for the first three months of life has been shown to build greater long-term confidence, sociability and independence in babies.”

There’s a plethora of styles on the market that allow you to carry your baby on your front, side or back. There’s also some designed for newborns and others made for toddlers so whilst most parents only use a baby carrier for the first 18 months of their child’s life, some people carry their kids in them up to the age of three or four, making a baby carrier a pretty sound investment.

But finding the best baby carrier can be among the toughest of baby gear purchases (or newborn baby gifts) because there are just so many – and they’re all geared for different lifestyles and baby carrying preferences. Luckily baby carriers are becoming more and more stylish and some (hey, Artipoppe) are basically an extension of your outfit. It can be a minefield tracking down the best baby carrier that ticks all the boxes, so we’ve enlisted the help of an expert for tips on how to find the right one for you and your mini-me.

Please remember that whichever baby carrier you choose is really up to you, your preferences, and your budget. If you’re looking for a good place to start, Karen Reardanz, baby products and registry expert at Babylist, says Babybjörn and Ergobaby offer the most popular structured carriers, while Boba and the Solly Baby x Babylist are the most popular wraps.