Baby Sling Carriers - Streamwood,IL

The Ergo is hands down the best baby carrier out there! I have had various slings and back pack carriers, etc and the Ergo is my absolute favorite and has served us very well.

As far as the warnings, they were geared to moms of infants who do not have head control. Obviously if you're using the cradle hold in a sling with an infant who can't control his/her own head, there is a risk of suffocation. With a 7 month old baby you should be fine. The baby won't like the cradle hold unless he is nursing and he has head control by this point so suffocation shouldn't be an issue.
The mayawrap is definitely one of the easiest to use. There are many out there to choose from. Since you want easy I would recommend one that doesn't require a lot of adjusting/folding. They all take some getting used to, but because it's not a traditional baby carrier with a bunch of straps and belts they are actually very easy to put baby into. Go into a store that sells them, bring baby, and find a clerk to show you how to use them. Some of them even come with instruction videos to show you the different holds.
Hope that helps!

I've tried 'em ALL so here's my two cents.

Maya wraps are awesome for newborns, but not "strong" enough in my opinion for older babies. (they sag and don't stay tight) I tried a ring sling but thought it was a pain and could never get it comfortable. Baby bjorn is way simple to use and i have one of those too but it made my back hurt after the kids got bigger. I really did like my Mei Tai baby carrier - not difficult to use and pretty comfortable.

The BEST MONEY i ever spent was on a "backpack" (it's older so i don't know the brand name) and way simpler to use than a sling or hip carrier AND frees up your hands/arms so you can do virtually anything when your baby is in the backpack. You put your kid in the "seat" (I put the backpack on the table then lowered the kid in) then turn around, slip your arms in the straps and buckle it on. VERY comfortable, very easy, and my kids loved being up high behind me were they could see what was going on. There's a strap system to make sure they don't get out of the backpack and as long as you don't bend over too far they're perfectly safe. So as soon as my kids had head control, out came the backpack! And it holds a lot of weight - i used it until they were well past 1 year old. Some of the newer ones are not as comfortable so try one on before you buy it, some are expensive but i've seen several at second hand stores for cheap! good luck!!

I'd also recommend the Ergo. They distribute the weight over 2 shoulders and are more comfortable than a sling with a heavy baby. There is a way to connect the straps that will allow you to use it on your hip. Can also be used to put your child on your back. Love mine!

First of all the death risk is for slings that are worn like a messanger bag or baby purse such as the infanito sling.
I would highly recommend the Ergo. It can be used on your front, back, or hip. It can be used up to 40 lbs and is very comfortably for both mom and baby!

I have a Mayawrap and love it! Best money I ever spent. I think it can go up to 35lbs as you can carry toddlers on your back. Check out the website mayawrap.com There is a video on there showing all the different ways you can wear baby but the basic way to wear/get it on & off is the same. Very simple. The trick is to have it on correctly. If you have it on right you can wear your baby all day. I carried my then 10 month old around sea world all day and my arms, shoulder, back all felt just fine.

Check out www.thebabywearer.com (go to the forum section). It is a great site all about baby wearing. There are much better options out there than just the standard box stores sell. MUCH better. Our first carrier I could not even wear it was so uncomfortable. Pure torture. My current one I can easily carry my 45lb 4yo without a problem.

If you are looking for just a hip carry then I would suggest getting a pocket carrier like a hotsling (not adjustable) or a ring sling (adjustable). I carried a my DD in a ring sling until she was 2 1/2 and about 30lbs. I could have carried her longer but she was looking to be more independent and not wanting up as much anymore.

You may find that a one shoulder carrier will not be very comfortable with a large baby though. There are other carriers out there that are also super easy to use but you can put the child on your back and have the weight distributed on both shoulders or on your shoulders and chest.

There are also wrap carriers that have the largest learning curve but are the most versatile in my opinion. You can use them to achieve a hip, back or a front carrier. This is what I'm using now and I absolutely love it. I can carry both my 16lb 4 month old and my 30lb 3 1/2 year old with no problem.

You can learn all about the different carriers our there by visiting www.thebabywearer.com. There is tons of information there about every kind of carrier on the market as well as the pros and cons of each.

In response to the poster that commented about the dangers of some carriers. It is only one style of carrier that is dangerous and even deadly. It is the bag style carrier like the snugrider. They are nothing like the carriers I have suggested to you and should have been removed from the market a very, very long time ago. The other carriers I mentioned, when used properly, are safe to use from day one with even a tiny NB.

Be very careful when selecting one. Reports came out last week about the death risk of many of these slings. This site isn't letting me post a link, but if you do a Google search, you'll bring up tons of articles about the CPSC report.