Sprout or Lark? How to Pick the Right hope&plum Buckle Carrier
When you're doing the hope&plum buckle carrier comparison, you'll find that both the Sprout Newborn Carrier and the Lark Baby Carrier are wonderful options to snuggle your little one. Choose the Sprout if your baby is 2 months or younger, or is on the smaller side. Babies don’t typically fit in the Lark until they’re in size 3-6 month clothes for length. Choose the Baby Lark if your baby is average size and 3 months or older.
Pro-tip: Only start considering the Kid Lark for your toddler who’s over 24 months and wearing (or close to wearing) size 3T for length. Read on to see an in-depth comparison of the Sprout and Baby Lark, including some key differences in the details. You can read our full buckle carrier guide if you’re wondering about the Kid Lark, too!
TL;DR
The Sprout Newborn Carrier and the Lark Baby Carrier are similar, but have some key differences.
They both have wide, crossback straps in a front carry designed to evenly distribute weight across the wearer’s back.
They also both have light padding in the waistband and come in similar solid and print fabrics.
They have different weight ranges and panel sizes, types of padding, shoulder strap fabric length, and position options.
Most of these differences are because The Sprout is designed specifically for newborns.
We recommend starting with the Sprout and then moving up to the Lark when your baby can safely fit the Lark or has outgrown the Sprout.
Table of Contents
How are the Sprout and the Lark the Same?
hope&plum designed both the Sprout Newborn Carrier and the Lark Baby Carrier with ease, comfort, and style in mind. Both carriers have cross-back straps in a front carry, allowing caregivers to easily get a good fit without fussing with hard-to-reach back clips or buckles. Both carriers have wide shoulder straps that are designed to spread out over the wearer’s back, distributing weight comfortably and evenly. Both carriers also have light padding in the waistband, helping with weight distribution but also still allowing wearers to easily and comfortably bend and sit. Both carriers are offered in two caregiver sizes, designed to be comfortable for a wide range of bodies. Finally, both carriers come in a variety of beautiful and stylish colors and patterns, made from our organic woven fabrics. There’s something for everyone, and no one has to sacrifice style for safety and comfort.
How are the Sprout and Lark Different?
The Sprout Newborn Carrier was inspired by all of the features our community loves about the Baby Lark, but there are some key differences. We designed the Sprout to be a true newborn carrier, so many of its features are intended to support a newborn’s individual needs. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between the Sprout and Lark.
Weight Range and Panel Size
The weight range for the Sprout is 7-24 lbs. This means most newborns can be worn from birth! If your baby is under 7 lbs, we recommend checking with your healthcare provider before babywearing in any of our carriers. On the other hand, the weight range for the Baby Lark is 10-45 lbs. Remember that the weight range is a required safety standard. Just because your baby is 10 lbs doesn’t mean they’ll fit safely in the Baby Lark. It just means you cannot even try to fit your baby who is less than 10 lbs in the Baby Lark.
Since the Sprout is designed for newborns, you would assume the panel would be smaller. And you’d be right - for the most part. The Sprout panel height is about 13.5”, compared to the Baby Lark at 17”. This allows for our tiniest babies to fit in the Sprout safely with their earlobes above the top of the panel. This is also why your baby, even if they’re 10 lbs or more, probably won’t fit in the Lark until they’re in 3-6 month clothes for length - they are just too short to be safely above the top of the panel. The panel width, however, on the Sprout can adjust from 5” to 15.25”, while the Baby Lark can adjust from 5” to 14.5”. While this may seem a little strange at first glance, we’ll explain why in the next section where we talk about padding.
Padding
The Baby Lark has lightweight padding in the panel, shoulder straps, and waistband. The Sprout only has lightweight padding in the waistband. We knew we could tweak this detail in the Sprout since it’s designed to support lighter babies, and we loved the other differences we could include:
Because the Sprout has no padding in the panel, it can stretch a little wider than the Baby Lark at the bottom of the panel along the waistband. That additional width allows tiny babies to have a better C-curve to their spines and a deeper seat for the curled up legs. So while the Sprout can measure wider than the Baby Lark, that “extra” fabric is really taken up under baby’s bottom and not spread from knee to knee.
Shoulder Strap Fabric
The Sprout shoulder straps are wider and have a longer fabric section than the Baby Lark. Once again, this is due to the deliberate choice to reduce the padding in the Sprout. The Sprout shoulder straps can lie flatter on the wearer’s back and wrap around them a bit more, allowing even better weight distribution. This was important since we took out almost all of the padding in the Sprout. It still feels like wearing a cloud, even without the padding, due to the wide and long shoulder strap fabric.
The Baby Lark shoulder straps, on the other hand, are padded, darted at the top so they can’t spread as wide, and they’re shorter. These features, though, are due to another key difference between the two baby buckle carriers, described in the next section.
Positions for Baby
The Baby Lark allows for a front and a back carry, while the Sprout can only be worn in a front carry. Since the Sprout is specifically designed for newborns, we designed this carrier for optimal newborn positioning: on your front, facing you. We recommend waiting until baby is sitting unassisted to back carry safely.
The Baby Lark, on the other hand, is designed for babies up through young toddlers, well into the world of back carrying. When in a back carry, the shoulder straps are backpack or H-back style. They don’t need to be as wide, so we designed the Baby Lark straps to fold in half, providing more padding and a better shoulder fit in a back carry. The fabric on the Baby Lark shoulder straps also needs to be shorter so they can be tightened even more in a back carry.
Buckle Carrier Comparison Chart
Feature |
||
Waistband |
Apron Style |
Apron Style |
Shoulder Straps in a Front Carry |
Crossback, optimal spread |
Crossback |
Panel Height |
13.5” |
17" |
Seat Width |
Adjustable from 5” to 15.25” |
Adjustable from 5" to 14.5" |
Caregiver Sizing |
Short: 23"-45" (best fits sizes XXS-L) Long: 30"-65" (best fits sizes XL-6X) |
Short: 23"-45" waistband (best fits sizes XXS-L) Long: 30"-65" waistband (best fits sizes XL-6X) |
Weight Range |
7-24 lbs |
10-45 lbs |
Fabric |
Natural fibers, lightweight padding in the waistband only |
Natural fibers with lightweight padding in the panel, shoulder straps, and waistband |
After the Buckle Carrier Comparison: Our Recommendation
We put a lot of thought and intention into designing both the Sprout Newborn Carrier and the Baby Lark. So you should be intentional when shopping!
If you’re looking for a carrier for a baby still in utero or under 2 months, we recommend starting with the Sprout. You’ll be able to wear that baby for safe and comfy snuggles right from birth and for the first few months. Then, get the Baby Lark by the time your baby is about 6 months old. This will allow you to gently transition and start back carries.
If you’re looking for a carrier for a baby who’s 3-6 months, consider the baby’s size. Average size babies who are in (or almost in) size 3-6 month clothes for length will fit in the Baby Lark, so go with that. If your baby is on the smaller side and you don’t mind sizing up in the next few months, go with the Sprout.
If your baby is older than 6 months, you will almost definitely want a Baby Lark. Your baby may not even fit safely in the Sprout anymore. Remember - we always want the top of the panel to come to at least baby’s armpits!
And if your baby is actually a toddler who is over 2.5 years, take a look at our Kid Lark. You may be fitting it sooner than you think! You can read more in our full buckle carrier guide.
Buckle Carrier Comparison FAQ
What is the best buckle carrier for a newborn?
For newborns, the Sprout is the best buckle carrier. It’s designed specifically for babies starting at 7 lbs, offering proper support, fit, and safety right from birth
When should I switch from the Sprout to the Lark Baby Carrier?
You can start thinking about the Lark Baby Carrier once your baby is over 10 lbs and filling out size 3–6 month clothes for length. Many families continue using the Sprout alongside the Lark during this transition.
Can I skip the Sprout and start with the Lark Baby Carrier?
Yes – if your baby is already at least 3 months old, over 10 lbs, and filling out size 3–6 month clothing, the Lark Baby Carrier is likely the best buckle carrier choice for you.
How do I know if my baby has outgrown the Sprout?
It’s time to size up if your baby is over 24 lbs or the top of the panel no longer reaches their armpits. These are important safety cues. Your Sprout is still safe, but may not be as comfortable if the seat no longer supports baby knee-to-knee.
Can I use more than one buckle carrier as my baby grows?
Absolutely! Our best recommendation is to start with the Sprout Newborn Carrier, move to the Lark Baby Carrier, and later add the Lark Kid Carrier. This approach ensures the best fit, comfort, and safety at every stage.
What are the key differences between the Sprout Newborn Carrier and the Lark Baby Carrier?
The Sprout Newborn Carrier fits most babies from newborn through 6-12 months, with a shorter panel and weight range of 7-24 lbs. It has less padding than the Baby Lark, longer and wider shoulder strap fabric, and only can do front carry. The Lark fits most babies from 3-5 months through 24-36 months, with a longer panel and weight range of 10-45 lbs. In addition to the other differences between the two carriers, the Baby Lark can also do a back carry.
Inspired by the Baby Lark, the Sprout Newborn Carrier has a few differences designed with newborns in mind. With so many options, hope&plum makes it easy to make the right choice for your baby’s needs. Check out our full collection now and read more in our full buckle carrier guide!
Meet the Author
Jenn Tolisano
Jenn Tolisano has been a babywearing educator for over ten years. Working as a high school teacher before entering the world of motherhood, she has brought her passion for education to all things baby carriers. Babywearing has been such an essential parenting tool in her household that she wants to spread the babywearing love to all families. Jenn believes that every caregiver deserves to have a baby carrier they love and feel comfortable and confident in. She hopes that her fit checks and blog-writing with hope&plum help to achieve that goal!
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