 |
Close Baby Carrier Natural
by Sweetpeauk
I was looking for a new sling for my new baby girl as she did not like the baby bjorn carrier so i started to shop around and upon recommendation from a lady at playgroup I purchased the caboo sling, I got mine in the jungle colour which is like a light khaki green, it comes in various neutral colours and now a new burgandy colour ( i ... wanted to get it in the more funky bergundy colour but darling husband said no too feminine for him to wear).
It is a lovely sling very soft and tactile as well as being made from 100% cotton and machine washable. When I first slipped Maya in she instantly fell asleep and it was amazing how warm and cosy she got.
(Be warned you and baby can get too warm so don't overdress baby, your bodyheat is sufficient enough)
At first I got a bit confused on how to put the sling on, it is advisable to watch the videos on how to put it on as this makes it much simpler. Once you get the hang of it it's amazingly simple.
It's great to keep your hands free and to get out and about but....there are a few issues I have although I love this sling, Maya at 5.5 kilos at 5 weeks old will soon be too heavy for me to carry in this way as i am already starting to feel the strain. This maybe because of the way I am positioning the sling which asks you to have the logo at the back of the sling to be positioned at your lower back to offer support but as a bigger lady this is not always possible because as you tighten the sling the logo rises up, which doesn't happen when my slimmer husband wears the sling.
And on that same vein the metal rings which you use to tighten to support the baby began to dig into your sides and this is also happening to my husband.
Caboo have rectified this I think with the more daddy friendly looking version which has clips rather than metal rings used for adjustment but this is much more expensive at £95 and the original sling priced at £49.99 at Babi Pur.
Would I recommend this sling, yes I would but only to a slimmer yummy mummy which doesn't seem to be me :( I will keep using it though but for short trips around the shops or until Maya is too big for it.
Read the complete review |
 |
Premaxx Adventure Sling
by ghoti
I got one of these slings after trying out a friend;s for a while... they come up cheap on ebay often, and I figured it was worth a try. My son was six months old and 20lb when I bought it, not a tiny newborn, and likes to be upright, whether he's awake or asleep.
The sling itself is uncomfortable to wear when carrying, but ... can be made more comfortable by putting a hand under baby's bottom. It's not, for me, a hands free sling at all. However, for short amounts of standing it's quite convenient, and crucially, there are pockets easily available. I bought this sling for a long train journey, and that's exactly what it's good for, as it holds purse and ticket readily available for me but not for thieves!
Apart from being sure to keep baby safe by following the TICK list - a baby in a sling should be tight, in sight, close enough to kiss, and keep their chin up - a sling should not put baby in harm's way from passersby who haven't noticed them. As shown in the picture, a newborn baby can not be held in accordance with safe principles, but also their fragile head is held in just the right place for someone to swing a bag into it without ever even seeing baby.
An older child, however, can easily be held in a sitting position on the parent's hip, or an upright position against the parent's chest. This makes them more visible as well as giving more room for breathing.
Similarly, the sling is easy to use when those principles are remembered, and my son was quite happy in the sling.
It is very easy to wash - another reviewer mentioned it shrinking in the tumble dryer, but I didn't find that problem. A simple wash at 40degC and cool tumble worked fine for me.
Read the complete review |
 |
Tomy Freestyle Classic Baby Carrier
by MsTricia
To be honest when I was expecting my daughter, having a carrier didn't even cross my mind. With all the excitement of shopping for a pram and other baby accessories I really didn't think of the practicality. As when my daughter was first born I hadn't yet passed my driving test so when dad was busy at work, it meant I had to get public ... transport to and from places and my space ship of a pram sometimes was awkward to get on and off the bus! Not only this, when trying to do things around the home like dishes and cooking and cleaning it meant I was constantly moving around the flat and so for ease and peace of mind I decided to get this carrier from my beloved website kiddicare.com and I think I paid about £25 for it, but have now seen it on that site for £32.99.
After reading some good reviews about it, I figured it wouldn't disappoint and it didn't! I bought it perhaps when my daughter was 3 months or so (in hindsight I should have got it from birth really!) and it was really easy to use. At first go it was quite fiddly, as there are a lot of straps and it seems quite complicated! However, once you have it on once it's pretty straightforward and you remember how it goes on.
*** How To Use ***
It is a front carrier only, meaning it cannot be positioned on the back (like giving baby a piggy back!) but can be used so baby is inwards facing or forward facing (advised from 3 months +). Personally I always used it with my daughter inward facing as most of the time she was in this, she was asleep!
It came with a picture diagram to explain how it goes on, as it has velcro straps to secure around my waist to make it adjustable for people of different sizes and shoulder straps which are to hold baby in place. The front compartment is for baby and has clips around baby's side to hold them in and then 2 hooks on the shoulder to hold baby up. The most practical way to use this is to put it on first simply over the head and secure at the waist, and adjust the straps to preferred suitability and then put baby in last.
*** My Opinion ***
There are both good and bad aspects to this carrier. Not one to end on a bad note I'll do the con's first!
1. It says it is designed for 0 - 12 months however, once my daughter reached 6 months using this just wasn't practical as she was far too heavy and giving me back ache! As it is only a front carrier, it probably would have been great to use for a 1 year old on my back but on my front she weighed me down and it was not comfortable at this stage at all.
2. It only comes in beige which isn't the most attractive of colours, I would have preferred it in black to be honest.
3. Where baby does go forward facing, there is a flap under baby's chin which never seems to actually stay down and folded. This isn't such a problem when baby is in the carrier facing me as this flat is actually just shielding the back of my daughter's head but having her facing outwards she found it annoying and of course just screeched her little head off!
Pros's - of which there are more!
1. It really is comfortable to use and makes getting around with a little one much easier, which to be honest is the entire reason I bought it, and for this it was great.
2. It's machine washable so easy to clean and although a neutral colour it washes well.
3. The adjustable straps are easy to use and customise, so both me and my partner had great ease using this and taking turns carrying our daughter out in it. It may arrive looking like a bundle of straps and you may wonder where to start, but once you put it on once you realise how straightforward it is!
4. The straps are also thick and secure, and although I was hesitant about velcro being the attachment holding my baby onto me rather than the floor it actually was really strong, and after 3 months consistent use the quality didn't wain and so it is quite long lasting.
5. It allows you to be much closer to your baby, and if you are out in public transport you will save time and hassle from trying to battle the other mothers and their prams on the bus/train!
*** Overview ***
Overall, this is actually a really great carrier and I would definitely recommend it. I haven't used any others to be able to make comparisons, but I had only minor problems with this one, and should I pop another one out I will definitely be using a carrier the majority of the time from birth! Even though I drive now, going to supermarkets etc these are so much easier to use, as you can be hands free and do more things like normal whilst still maintaining a close bond with your new baby :)
The Tomy Freestyle Classic Carrier has easy to use clips for quick fitting and adjusting, 2 carrying positions allowing baby to be carried facing inwards or outwards (from 3 months) and is machine washable, 100% cotton for natural softness, durability and easy care.
Read the complete review |
