I have around 20
So here are my reasonings.
My Ocah Hybrid wrap conversion mei tai is the most comfortable thing ever - I can't feel her weight!
So obviously I need that. I use this if I will be carrying for a while.
I also got and Ocah Clippee with duo straps as it will rock for back carries and was being sold for an amazing price.
I sold my other mei tais as they were inferior to these ones so never worm.
I have an awful lot of size 6 wraps. After all, I don't always wear the same jumper, so why would I wear the same wrap? I have different colours and love them all though if I were forced to choose one and one only it would be my Leo Storchenwiege in natural as it is so comfy, suportive and indistructable. I find wraps easier for popping in and out of so if we are going to drive to a cafe for example I'd choose a wrap (out in the car, in to get to cafe and find seats, out once we get a highchair, in to pay and leave, out in car...)
I have a Bara Barn which is a wrap 275cm long. I use it for a rebozo hip carry. It goes in the wash sometimes so last night OH and I ordered another one in black. It is perfect for first thing in the morning when she is still in her sleeping bag as other carriers won't work unless we free her legs. Once she is toddling it will be perfect for those days when they want to walk but want up for a carry for 10mins every so often. It can be worn as a shawl or scarf (a long one admittedly) so look more subtle when not wearing. And our new black one will be happily worn by OH.
I have a stretchy wrap. I didn't use it with this baby as it was too warm for summer and I won't use it with the next as I would use my calin bleu wrap as it is more supportive yet perfect for newborn snuggles. Or I would use my silk indio or one of my many other wraps. So really I should sell the stretchy.
Lastly we have a selection of soft structured carriers (not bjorns, ones that are genuinely suitable to be used from birth to 3 year old or so). We have a pikkolo that we never use, either I will sell it or we will keep it to use for back carries, and we have several Connectas. I sold one as mostly we use the one in aubergine cord as it is soooo snuggly. If it is too hot for cord we use the solarweave one. The cord Connecta is used by OH every day.
I had a pouch and sold it as I couldn't get it right and using a short wrap with a rebozo slip knot is far ore adjustable. I have another pouch I won't part with as we used it for the first few days in hospital but we won't be using it again either.
So, why have have more than one? Look is a feature as you have said. Different carriers are useful for different situations (though until I got the Ocah I didn't think you could beat a wrap for supportiveness). OH prefers to use buckle carriers, I prefer to tie to exactly how I want it. Could you conprimise? Would he prefer a buckle carrier? Connecta comes in lovely designs (though like I say, for us, you just can't beat the aubergine cord!) and you could choose one that would be OH friendly. Because there are no really long straps it is possible to swap from one person to another while out and about without trailing on the ground. And lastly, you NEED to have a carrier so that you have something to carry her in while your wrap is in the wash
It woked for me, aided by the fact that the wrap I wanted to buy was black with a blue stripe. And OH is very well aware of how many carriers I have!
