Baby Wearin' & Stroller Struttin'

Before getting pregnant, the only baby wearing I knew about was the Baby Bjorn (**see side note about this carrier below) ala The Hangover! But thanks to the hand-me-down from my sister, I am now the proud owner and wearer of the Mei Tai wrap, which I love love LOVE!! I also got one from her similar to the Moby, and was able to get a small teddy bear in there after some practice but never was able to get my actual baby in there!! Might give it another go now that he's a bit older (much sturdier) and I'm not so afraid to break him! hehe

During Kenzo's first two months, I mostly wore him for the simple fact that our stroller with bassinet attachment was quite heavy and difficult for me to lug up and down the mere 2 steps at the entrance of our apartment building! Now that I've taken the bassinet off, I can roll/bump the stroller up and down those 2 steps and it's no hassle at all. For short trips to the neighborhood drug store or grocery store I usually wear him in the Mei Tai, and for long walks or ventures that we'll need to bring his diaper bag and other essentials along, I usually go with the stroller.

This Saturday I have to head into the city by myself for half of the day. I'll need the stroller unfortunately, so I am dreading having to deal with the 2 flights of stairs at our subway station for the first time by myself! I think I can kind of roll/bump the stroller down, but I'm pretty sure I'll have to wait for someone to help me carry it up. I'm terrified that someone will help but will accidentally drop his/her part of the stroller, or trip on the step and fall down with the stroller, etc. I guess I'll just have to be sure Kenzo is buckled in nice and tight!

Here are my pros/cons list for wearing your baby and pushing your baby -

BABY WEARING:

Pros:
* Wonderful bonding time for you and baby
* In winter, you are both warm and cozy
* Stairs? No problemo!!
* Depending on which carrier you have, you can go right into a regular bathroom stall and do your business without having to take baby off and not having to worry about fitting your stroller in the handicapped stall or have it unattended outside.
* Can wear your baby around the house as you do house-work or work-work
* Great in crowded spaces

Cons:
* In summer, might be a bit hot and sweaty
* Can get heavy on your shoulders and/or back, especially if you also have to lug around a diaper bag
* Could be dangerous in ice/snow

Stroller

Pros:
* Can lug around stuff other than baby, i.e. diaper bag, groceries, etc.
* Baby can sleep uninterrupted in the restaurant or anywhere while you relax and do your thing nearby
* Can provide an easy & clean place to change a diaper and take care of other needs

Cons:
* Stairs can be a big obstacle and you'll rely on your superhuman strength or kindness of strangers
* Crowded areas such as subway cars during rush hour, boutique shops, etc. are tough and you may get the evil eye from strangers
* Not great in ice or snow
* Difficult to use an umbrella, cell phone, or anything else requiring one hand/arm

**From what I've read the Bjorn is a terrible carrier because it puts all of baby's weight on his/her spine which is not built to support the whole body - you should use a carrier that distributes supports through at least to mid-thigh and brings the knees up parallel or above the bum; side note, infant's legs should be tucked into the carrier froggy style, which is a natural position for them).