Pooky’s been sick a lot since starting daycare a month ago. She caught her first cold two weeks in, and we’re now battling with a second cold. It hasn’t been fun. She wants to be held a lot when she’s sick, especially in the late afternoons and evenings when she’s feeling worse. I’m so grateful for baby carriers at times like these. Putting her right next to mommy or daddy in a carrier always soothes her and keeps us from going nuts because we still have our hands free to do what we need to do.

Ellaroo makes Chinese-style Mei Tai Carriers that are comfortable for both the baby and the babywearer. If you’re not familiar with mei tais, they’re basically a piece of cloth with waist straps and long shoulder straps that you can tie in various ways to hold your baby securely next to you on your front or back.

The shoulder straps on the Ellaroo Deluxe Mei Tai are very lightly padded which I think I prefer over others that have more padding because it’s not bulky at all and still feels comfortable. I do find that it’s most comfortable when the straps are pulled away from my neck and as far to the edge of my shoulders as possible. The Deluxe has a convenient headrest built in that’s great for sleeping babies, and it can be folded over when not in use. The body of the carrier is also lightly padded which makes it very supportive. They come in various fabric designs that reverses to solid organic canvas, and I love that their black straps don’t attract lint. This is definitely one of the most comfortable baby carriers we’ve tried. Price: $89 at most online stores.