I wear my children for two reasons…attachment and convenience.  In those sweet, blissful newborn days, babies need to be next to their mamas.  The gentle sway, warmth, and sounds of her heartbeat mimic that what is experienced in utero.  And, if I’m being honest, it’s much more convenient to have a baby secured to me while I’m running after my preschooler.

Over the past four years, I’ve tried a number of different carriers…wraps, slings, pouches, and structured carriers.  I’ve not had great success with wraps and slings and prefer a soft, structured carrier that can be used from infancy through toddlerhood.

Two weeks ago, Britax partnered with Baby Buggy hosted an event in LA to celebrate the launch of their new baby carrier.  Britax is best known for it’s innovation in the development of child safety seats.  The company recently expanded their product line to include a soft structured baby carrier, which I used while chasing after a 3 1/2 year old little boy at a miniature golf course.

When I was in the market for a baby carrier, comfort (both mine and my children’s) topped the list of must-haves.  The Britax Baby Carrier features the CarryLong System, a combination of a padded waist belt and padded shoulder pads to provide maximum comfort for extended periods of time. The system works to reduce back and shoulder strain by distributing weight across the shoulders, back, and hips.  My 18 month old daughter weighs in at nearly 20 pounds and I was able to “wear” her without feeling any discomfort.

Apart from comfort, ease of use (rather, lack of) is the main reason I have not had success with complicated carriers like wraps.  I don’t have time to figure something complex out while trying to get my wiggly daughter positioned properly and ensuring my son doesn’t run off.  Britax’s Baby Carrier is simple and straightforward.  Here is a short video describing the carrier and it’s use:

The carrier simply slips on (like putting on a shirt) and baby can then be positioned and secured.  The harness and straps are all adjustable to ensure maximum comfort.  You can wear your infant or toddler (8-32 pounds) facing inward or outward.  The only downside to this carrier is that a child cannot be worn on your back.

With two accessories offered by Britax, this is the only carrier you need until your child is walking running.  The removable Infant Insert (which comes with the carrier) is used to ensure babies from 8-14 pounds are seated comfortably in a natural sitting position and height.  The removable Seat Extender Insert (which is sold separately), provides a wider seating area and enables your child to wrap his/her legs around your waist when facing inward.

For more information about the carrier and it’s availability, just visit Britax.

One of the great things about Britax is the fact that they give back. Attendees brought books to donate to Baby Buggy, an organization founded by Jessica Seinfeld which provides families in need with children’s gear, clothing, and services.  Britax presented the non-profit with new baby carriers, strollers, and car seats totaling nearly $20,000. Here are some photos from the event:

No compensation was received for this post.  I was invited to the launch event and received a carrier for review.

If you are a regular reader of my site, you know that I’ve tried several types of baby carriers (many which have now been donated).  I truly feel that certain baby carriers are best for certain stages in your child’s life.  For example, slings and wraps are really ideal for newborns, as opposed to more structured, framed carriers which are perfect for older babies and tots.

As part of Infantino’s ambassador program, I had an opportunity to try the EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier (which isn’t even on the market yet!).  This is a Mei Tai carrier who’s design is based on traditional Asian baby carriers.  The appeal is that a baby/toddler can be worn on both the front (facing inward or outward) and the back. The carrier features a two-shouldered design to distribute the baby’s weight.

While the carrier appears a bit daunting when you first take it out of the package, it’s actually quite simple to use.  This is coming from someone who is not a fan of carriers with fabric twice my height that I can never get to stay tied tight enough.  It feels secure when it’s on and I can get the ties rather tight without a lot of effort.  It’s also quick to put on (a must when I have a toddler who’s ready to bolt).  The site offers several informative videos which I highly recommend watching before attempting to use the carrier.

The EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier offers flexibility both for babies, toddlers, and the moms (or dads) who wear them.  You could very well use the carrier from infancy (8 pounds) through toddlerhood (35 pounds) and the straps allow parents to customize the fit to their body.  I really like it’s modern, stylish design…including it’s intricacies, such as the protective hood to shield baby from the sun and other weather elements and a mesh bag for laundering.  The carrier is soft and doesn’t have belts or buckles.  It’s supportive, even for the tiniest of babes, due to the built-in headrest. It’s relatively comfortable, but after wearing my 8 month old daughter in the carrier at Disneyland for half the day, I was ready to put her down.  The only question I haven’t totally cleared up is why it has “eco” in the name.  When I get an answer, I’ll update this post.

The EcoSash Wrap & Tie Carrier is available at Babies R Us stores for $59.99.  Right now they’re offering $10 off both the EcoSash and Balance carriers through September 21st.

To keep up on the latest with Infantino, just visit them on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for Infantino and have received various Infantino products as part of my participation.

Babywearing is easier than it sounds and provides many mutual benefits.  My daughter likes to be held.  My son likes to play and go places.  Wearing my daughter in a carrier makes both of them happy and leaves me relatively hands-free.  But beyond practicality, babywearing enables direct contact with me (which is calming to babies), gives my daughter motion stimulus (which mimics the womb and pacifies/calms), reduces crying, promotes bonding, and enables learning and development.

I’ve tried numerous carriers.  And I’ve found that those that are the easiest to put on work best for us.  Belle Baby Carriers are soft, ergonomic, eco-friendly, and user-friendly.  I was actually surprised at how little fabric was used to create the carrier.  The goal is to enable direct contact with your baby, a feature not characteristic of many carriers on the market.

Belle Baby Carriers recently released their Organic Earth Carrier, which has an outside layer made from 100% undyed Romanian hemp and an organic cotton/hemp blended inside liner.  I really like the soft, fuzzy inside liner because it’s cozy for babies.  The waistbelt, shoulder straps, and seat are lightly padded for an additional layer of comfort.

The carrier is relatively easy to use.  I can get my daughter in and out of it without assistance.  You simply secure the main strap around your waist, then click the two padded shoulder straps.  With all of the concern about the safety of baby carriers, it’s comforting to know that the buckles utilized on this carrier resemble those used on high-end outdoor backpacks and the waistbelt rings are made from stainless steel.

Belle Baby Carriers can be worn with infants and children 8-30 pounds.  You can simply detach the head support when your baby is fully supporting his/her head (I still like to use it as my daughter sleeps in the carrier).  The carrier tucks nicely into a diaper bag (as opposed to bulkier carriers) and can be machine washed.

The Organic Earth Carrier retails for $119.95 and is available on their site.  Their carriers are made by local artisans in Boulder and Denver Colorado.

No compensation was received for this post.  A product sample was provided to facilitate this review.

Awhile back, I reviewed a Sleepy Wrap to review.  I “wore” my son until he was about a year and half or so.  He loves to be carried and I’m certain he would have enjoyed being close to mommy and daddy for longer, but when I found out I was pregnant with number 2, I had to stop (because of my previous high-risk pregnancy).  We’re anxiously awaiting and planning for our second baby and I have every intention of wearing him or her as well.  So along with preparing my son for all of the changes he will soon experience (divided attention, breastfeeding, etc.), he will also be adjusting to mommy carrying another baby.

The creators of the Sleepy Wrap have designed the very first stuffed toy designed to promote babywearing.  Thanks to Parent Reviewers, we received an organic cotton Sleepy Bear to review.  The “mama” bear has her “baby” wrapped in a Sleepy Wrap.  Not only is it soft and eco-friendly, it’s a great way to introduce my son to this concept.  I’ve started talking to my son about how mommies wear or carry their babies close to them.  I also told him that when he was a baby, I wore him close to me, just like the mama bear is wearing her baby bear.  He’s still too young to actually “wrap” the baby bear himself, but the foundation is being laid.  My hope is that his exposure to babywearing (via the bear), will help prepare him for the time when baby number 2 arrives and he or she is carried close to me.  I want to help my son adjust and avoid jealousy and I think this toy is an excellent way to teach my son the concept of babywearing.

The Sleepy Bear has her baby wrapped in an Organic Khaki wrap.  It’s available in full size for moms on the site.  It’s designed for children over three, however, my almost 2 1/2 half year old loves it.  I feel very comfortable letting him play with it since there are no removable parts that could pose a choking hazard.

The Sleepy Bear is not actually available for purchase on the Sleepy Wrap site.  It is exclusively available for purchase at the following retailers (approximate retail value is $30):

Tadpoles & Butterflies
Sherwood Park, Alberta CANADA
info@tadpoles.ca
www.tadpoles.ca
1.888.312.6554

Supermommy’s Superstore
2411 Ring Road, Suite 105
Elizabethtown, KY
accounts@supermommyssuperstore.com
www.SupermommysSuperstore.com
270.769.6693

Sweet Infant
1007 S. Country Club Rd.
Lovington, NM
support@sweetinfant.com
www.sweetinfant.com
575.441.3005

Nurtured Family
8525 Jackrabbit Rd., Suite B
Houston, TX
support@nurturedfamily.com
www.nurturedfamily.com
832.239.5140

Heavenly Hold
510 Briarfield Crossing
Marietta, GA
amber@heavenlyhold.com
www.heavenlyhold.com
404.849.5394

Baby Carriers-n-More
265 W Cimmarron Way
Erda, UT
robyn@babycarriersnmore.com
www.babycarriersnmore.com
801.671.5740

Attached to Baby
Seattle, WA
sara@attachedtobaby.com
www.attachedtobaby.com
800.887.1461

Profuse thanks to Parent Reviewers for this review opportunity!

My one year old baby boy still loves and needs to be carried and the use of a carrier allows me to get things done while keeping him happy. There are two things I look for in a baby carrier: safety and comfort. Everything else is frosting! I’ve tried soft front carriers, a sling, and a couple of wraps and I have found that wraps offer much in the way of versatility.

We recently tried The Sleepy Wrap and I have to say that I wish I had this when my son was a baby. The Sleepy Wrap is made from a cotton knit called French Terry which is 95% cotton and 5% spandex making it super soft and comfy for both moms and babes. More importantly, the material is durable and I never feel like my son is going to wiggle out. Over the years, my work as a nurse has subjected me to minor back strains and I have to be particularly careful to use the proper body mechanics and carrier when wearing my son. My son weighs approximately twenty pounds and I have not experienced back, neck, or shoulder pain while using this wrap. Unlike most carriers, wraps tend to conform to both the mom’s shape and the baby’s body for a secure and comfy fit. If you’ve tried the other popular wrap on the market you may have noticed some striking similarities. Having tried both wraps, I have to say I prefer The Sleepy Wrap for the following reasons:

I don’t have to guess how much room I’m going to need for my son (with the inevitable tying and retying that goes along with that)

I don’t have to worry about the wrap getting loose

I don’t have to retie the wrap to take him in and out

Both my husband and I can use the wrap without having to adjust it

It will accommodate my tot until he asserts his independence and no longer wants to be held

According to the manufacturer, The Sleepy Wrap provides adequate support for infants head, neck, hips, and legs. As a NICU nurse, I appreciate the fact that this wrap is suitable for premature babies and promotes kangaroo care. The Sleepy Wrap is a comfortable, secure, affordable way to wear your baby. I’ve compiled a short list of some of the things I’ve been able to accomplish while “wearing” my son.

Traveling – While I did not have the wrap when we took our trip to Nashville this past spring, traveling hands-free minus a stroller already makes the trip that much easier.

Nursing – Hands-free, discrete nursing? If I had only known how easy it could be. Check out the manufacturer’s tips here.

Light Housework – When my son wants to be held and I need to get something done, in the wrap he goes. When he was younger he used to fall asleep with my movement which was delightful.

Leisure and Errands – I keep my wrap with me wherever I go. It is so much more convenient than lugging a bulky stroller in and out of the trunk. I keep it tied around me and pop my son in and out of it as I do errands or stroll the mall.

Mastering the wrapping technique comes quickly once you’ve done it a few times. If you’ve never used a wrap or are a little nervous, I suggest practicing with a doll until you’re comfortable with the technique of placing the baby in the wrap. One suggestion I would make is to tie it snugly. This will ensure that your baby is close and secure and allows for the natural “give” inherent in the fabric.

The Sleepy Wrap is available in 12 different colors and retails for $33.95. Be sure to check out their articles on babywearing, attachment parenting, and breastfeeding.