Pic courtesy of lovey duds
Like every other parent out there, I was told that the Baby Bjorn carrier was the best thing out there for hands free holding of my kid. However, when she hit 13 pounds at three months of age, my back was dying - and she was in no mind to quit growing, or demanding to be carried around 24/7.
I don't even remember anymore how I heard about or saw the baby wraps, and though I'm about as anti-granola of a mom as it gets, I was desperate, and I purchased a Moby Wrap. All I can really say about this purchase, is BOY do I wish I'd done it sooner. Putting it on was tricky the first time or two, I'm not going to lie. Once you get the hang of it, you're golden, but my strongest advisement is to make sure you practice 2-3 times AT HOME because you will want to readjust it a few times at first.
Because you adjust the thick fabric across your shoulders, it evenly distributes the baby's weight, and this was comfortable and easy for me to carry my daughter at 18 months and 28 pounds, though her legs were a little gangly. It supported her sleeping until she was over a year old, so I could bring her virtually anywhere. I just tied it on at home, and left it on so I could just throw her in it and away we'd go.
Airports, the zoo, the beach, the museum, cooking dinner... about the only place it wasn't worn was in the water. They come with a booklet, and I believe a dvd. I got mine at http://www.mobywrap.com/, but there's also one I've discovered since on etsy that I would say is fabulous... http://www.etsy.com/shop/loveyduds. They are about the same price as the basic moby, but have the fabric panel as the designer moby, PLUS they're all done on organic cotton.
