Lead
The baby carrier has become close to essential infrastructure for modern parenting. Carriers for newborns, carriers for hip support, carriers that convert to back carries. The options have multiplied year by year, and social media is saturated with comparative reviews.
What is strange is that despite how ubiquitous carriers have become, the evidence base for "which one should I choose" is surprisingly thin. Meanwhile, on a different set of questions, the evidence is considerably thicker than many parents expect. This article maps the carrier conversation by separating the claims where evidence is strong from those where it is weak. The goal is not to arrive at a product recommendation but to clarify what can and cannot be supported by research — and where that leaves the practical decision.