Gone are the days when baby carriers were a drab-coloured accessory people used when they hadn’t got a pushchair yet, or because they were ‘earth parents’ trying to make a statement. These days you can match your baby carrier to your outfit, have your baby lying completely horizontal and still be able to walk around, or use a baby sling to carry your bundle of joy, and feed her too.
With so much choice, even I was confused when I asked people to send me their latest products to test. Hopefully this product review will make things a lot simpler.
The revolutionary
The Cybex i.GO, (www.mamasandpapas.co.uk)
This is one of those carriers that will definitely turn heads. Not because it looks good, that goes without saying, but because you can lie your newborn completely flat on her back.
The i.GO comes in a range of colours, and unlike other traditional baby carriers, you lie your baby down to get her in the carrier before attaching it to yourself.
What’s very reassuring about this carrier is that it’s been made with the baby’s spine in mind, so it has a hard surface at the back (that’s why the baby can lie horizontally), and this is even used with the baby is in the upward rear-facing position.
Hipseat, Hippychick (www.hippychick.com)
Kids don’t stay featherlight forever- even the really skinny ones, and during their early years you’ll probably get through a lot of carrying on the hip. And the natural urge is to stand in that awkward position where it looks like the top half of your body belongs to someone else. In time it really does damage your back and your balance, which is why I loved the idea of the Hipseat before I’d even tried it. One I’d tried it, it more than lived up to it’s name, is very comfortable to use and still lets you snuggle in to you child.
Traditional carriers
With the traditional baby carriers reviewed here, you’ll probably know what to expect in the main, but they have come a long way – even since I had my first child four years ago! These days you can slip them on with ease, feel comfortable and even colour coordinate it with your wardrobe!
Cybex 2.GO (www.mamasandpapas.com)
This baby carrier let’s your baby ‘sit’ rather than dangle, so it feels extra safe. This carrier is very easy to wear, and it gives added support around the hips, so you don’t feel the extra weight of carrying your baby so much. There are five positions you can use, including carrying your baby on your side and on your back, piggy back style, so you more than get your money’s worth with this.
Another added benefit is that this baby carrier has been designed with children who have hip dysplasia in mind, so the sitting position, which helps to lift the baby also supports her hips.
Babybjorn Spirit (www.babybjorn.com)
This is a very snug and comfortable fitting baby carrier. We like it because it comes in eight colours, so you can literally match it to every outfit in your wardrobe – or just choose your favourite colour.
Tomy baby carriers (www.tomy.co.uk)
I tested out the Freestyle Premier, Freestyle Premier Detachable and the Freestyle All Seasons. What’s great about the Tomy baby carriers is that they are very easy to use – you could probably figure it out without the instructions if you needed to because instead of fidley bickes, Tomy carriers use what it calls the ‘S-lock’ system, which basically means that you click the locks into place and release them just as easily. Also, all the carriers feel very stable and secure, so you feel confident not holding onto your baby all the time, which is great if you have chores to do or bags to carry. Another plus is that all the carriers come with a dribble bib attached, and are machine washable.
Freestyle Premier Detachable
If you’ve ever had the privilege of trying to fiddle around with the buckles on a baby carrier when your child is screaming to be released, you’ll appreciate the Freestyle Premier Detachable.
Freestyle All Seasons
Just looking at how unpredictable summer has been already is proof that you need a baby carrier that can handle all all seasons – and this is the one for using in summer, autumn, winter and spring! It comes with a separate cover that has detachable hood, all of which you can store in a little pouch for when the weather is actually decent.
Close Baby (www.closeparent.com)
This is a great baby carrier to try if you want to have something like a sling but like the comfort of having straps for extra support while carrying your baby.
I particularly like this carrier because the designers have really thought about the design, and have packaged it with an instruction DVD, which is very easy to follow, and a great idea because you can go back and watch it when your child is ready to move on to a different stage of carrying. The DVD gave me a chance to keep trying out just the ‘wearing’ of the carrier before I mustered up the courage to put my newborn into it, and at that stage I could copy what was being done on the screen (with a real child I might add), and within no time I was confident enough to use it on my own.
Tesco Baby Carrier (www.tesco.com)
This is a very basic carrier, which does the job well. There are no frills, but considering most people don’t use baby carriers for that long it’s an ideal purchase for short-term use. The straps are the easy to fit and the buckles are like those you’d get with a rucksack, so they are simple enough to use.
Tippitoes baby carrier (www.tippitoes.com)
This is a traditional baby carrier, that comes in the standard red, grey and balck colours. It is fairly comfy to carry, and has an integrated dribble bi, which is always a plus! At a bargain price of ?17.99, it’s a what you see is what you get buy that will last, too.
Baby slings
I have to admit that I was sceptical about trying these out. Being used to seeing baby carriers with buckles galore, I felt that these would not be the strongest or safest way to transport a baby, so being proved wrong was a welcome surprise.
Kari me (www.kari-me.com)
If you’re feeling confident, the Kari me baby carrier is a great one to try.The instructions that come with it are easy to follow. I like the fact that once you learn the basic ‘cuddle me’ position, the other positions (five in total) seem to be a slight tweak of it.
This carrier has no buckles or straps – it’s made of 100% cotton fabric – but to my surprise it felt more secure than some carriers I have tried in the past that have buckles, so that says it all!
Baba Sling (www.babaslings.com)
The Baba Sling is like the cloth carrier, but has a buckle. You can use it different positions, and like a lot of baby slings on the market it comes in a world of different colours, patterns and embroidery. It fits snugly and has padding where your baby’s body comes into contact with the sling, giving them a more comfortable ride.
