Baby carrier or buggy - which will you take on your next holiday or break away? Catering for a baby and all its equipment means plenty of forward planning and trying to juggle several things at once. It also means a mountain of trappings that should cover every baby-related eventuality. A trip away will mean finding space in the car for luggage, refreshments, overcoats and, of course, the baby – together with all the paraphernalia required for a stay overnight. Travel cots, clothes, nappies and that bulky buggy, which needs folding up and putting in the boot along with the rest of the luggage - all essential baby equipment.

Using public transport can be even harder. A buggy needs to be easily collapsible, and quickly reassembled to avoid delays at stations and when boarding trains and buses. Once the buggy is ready for its little passenger, you have to consider how you are going to carry other hand luggage and bags. Hooking bags to the handles of the buggy can make it very unstable and likely to tip up, potentially injuring its precious passenger. Then comes the difficulty of actually boarding a train with a fully loaded buggy and luggage. The buggy that seemed such a practical solution now proves itself to be unwieldy and awkward to use.

There is a solution. The baby carrier allows you to carry your baby safely and securely, whilst leaving your hands and arms free for your luggage. Its practicality alone is a huge advantage when travelling, together with all the added benefits for the baby.

Your baby is happiest when he or she is in a parent or carer's arms; secure in the knowledge that person they identify with is close. If you choose to use a baby carrier that places the baby facing you, the baby can see you at all times. If the child is placed in a posterior position, they can still feel your warmth, the vibrations from your voice and hear your heart beat; which is the most familiar sound that a baby knows.

There are so many different varieties of baby carriers out there, each with its individual advantages. Forward facing ones are ideal for the older baby, allowing your child a good view of the world. There are other baby carriers that support the baby on your back, providing you with excellent freedom of movement when picking up or carrying heavy bags. Other designs of baby carriers enable you to carry the baby over your hip, or sideways, across your body (enabling you to breast feed the baby with very little disruption) giving the baby the ideal position to fall asleep, just like it did in the womb.

In a baby carrier, the baby has a higher vantage point, enabling them to see more of the world, and see more from the same angle as the wearer of the baby carrier. This increases the amount of visual stimulation the child receives, which contributes to their development in communication and language.

Of course, there are circumstances where a pram or a buggy is a very useful tool - for a long walk or to use as a bed for the baby. But in many cases, the right baby carriers is just as useful and above all, extremely comfortable and comforting for the baby and the wearer, as well as an excellent way to keep the parent fit and healthy.