Hopp tye

I have always marveled at the wrappers of the baby wearing community. How beautiful they looked, how snug the babies looked and how versatile wraps were.Now I can not remember how many times I have tried to wrap my babies, neither of them seemed happy and I definitely found it a fuss and a struggle to get the baby on properly. Then I was shown the wonderful invention of  the wrap conversion. There are many types and brands, ranging widely on the cost scale. Some sling makers will even take your favourite wrap and convert it for you with all sorts of swanky extras like hoods, padding in straps and lots more. I chose to go with a hop tye as they are very pretty, nice and soft and I was most comfortable in it.

(not my picture, but wanted to show the wrap)

Colour: Pink pune, lovely feathery pattern. Very bright, not for the colour shy, but perfect for me.
Texture: Its a nice soft wrap. I didn't need to wear it in like many wraps need.

Dimensions: (hop tye website quote)
The classic “mei tai” is often described as suitable for carrying babies from the age of 4 to 6 months onwards, depending on the width of the square fabric. 

The HOP-TYE® can already be adapted for very young infants due to its adjustable base of 20 to 40 cm in width.Support: Even though the website says 4 months, because of the adjustable base the carrier can be used from birth onward in my opinion and as recommended to me. Its soft body allows the baby to be carried as in a wrap in the correct position with the c curve in the spine so it does not strain or  put baby in an unnatural position. The straps are nice and wide on the shoulders for mum which means they can cup the shoulders or be moved to look more like a rucksack strap. Across mums back the straps are wide and when opened up give the feel of a comforting hug. The waist belt is slightly padded which softens the belt enough to be comfortable with heavier babies. As baby grows widen the base to keep good knee to knee support. A small added extra is the ability to tighten and loosen the neck area too which helps with smaller babies.
Sleepy test: I have had many snugly moments with baby in this carrier as it really does make baby feel comforted, snug, supported and close to mum. The sleep hood is soft and easy to use and rolls up nicely as a neck support for a smaller baby.
Recommend: This carrier is definitely worth buying if you are looking for a comfortable, beautiful, birth to 18 month / 2yrs (in my case) wrap style carrier. Its easy to get to know, well received by many ( 2 of my friends bought and love it too) and will last. The only tricky thing I'm am finding at the moment is back carries. Will keep trying.



This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recommend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

sling review: connecta

This pretty carrier has a great following and is very popular. Its simple, pretty and very versatile and when the company was recently in hand over there were many grumbles from women who were desperate to get their hands on one.
Colour:I love the pattern choices and colours of the connecta, I tried the carnival pattern above.
Texture: Its a nice soft strong cotton all over.

Dimensions and support: The connecta is based on the mei tai but has been turned into a ssc. For lovers of the mei tai this is a great quick alternative. It has a nice waist strap which can now also be padded with a separate belt. It is also a lumbar support to make it more comfortable for an extended wear. It has good, slightly padded shoulder straps which are nice and wide and spread the weight nicely. I felt the straps were supportive and the main body was a good shape, but when I tightened the carrier it was not comfortable. It felt like my son was pushed against me with a very straight back. I tried the back carry and this was even more uncomfortable.
Sleep test: Even though the front carry wasn't greatly comfortable my son did fall asleep in it, so maybe he was more comfortable than I was.
Recommend: Some mothers swear by this carrier and so I do believe it works for many, but maybe the fact that my little man is nice and chunky and I don't like feeling restricted means that this carrier just wasn't for us.

This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recommend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

sling review: African baby carrier (ssc)

My Deluxe African baby carrier arrived. The first carrier Ive bought in a while with no try out first.
My local sling library had not heard of it before so I researched myself and found this lovely website and facebook page with pictures and satisfied customer comments. The UK agent was very friendly and helpful in helping me to decide whether the carrier was for me.

www.africanbabycarrier.co.za
http://www.facebook.com/pages/UK-SA-Front-and-Back-African-Baby-Carrier/207521155953216

I was not disappointed. As soon as I got it out I could see how beautiful it was.
Colour: My carrier is green with a lovely brown striped accented pocket and sleep hood and hood straps.
Texture: Its a nice cotton canvas style material which is strong and durable yet soft. The body is not padded so nice and soft on the baby's body.
Dimensions: This is one of my favourite as many carriers are either too narrow, too wide, too short or too high. The body on this carrier is just the right height for my big 6 month old AND there is a fab zip at the base of the body which will allow me to extend it when he gets even bigger. Another fab part is the width as it goes nicely from knee to knee on my son and has soft cuffs to protect his legs. The belt looked very big in pictures but it is close to perfect. I have tried many padded waist belts on carriers and some have buckled under my baby or sat uncomfortably on the unpadded part but the wide belt on this carrier is very snug and comfy. The straps are long enough to be adjusted for male, female and different body sizes. The hood is nicely shaped to hug baby's head and can be adjusted to suit baby's height which I have not seen before in this way. Its lovely. The shoulder straps are in fixed rucksack position.
Support:If you were to use it with a little baby I would look into getting an insert like the one used for the ergo. Ive not tried it but I would investigate whether it would work. For my 6 month old however it is just right. The padded shoulder straps protect me nicely from his weight and the belt seems to help spread the weight well across my hips making my son seem very light, especially in front carry. He is well supported as the seat is deep enough and to make him snug the un-padded part of the shoulder straps can also be tightened.
Sleepy test: He soon fell asleep in the carrier and the hood was perfect to stop his head falling back. The hood straps are nice and long so can be reached easily when doing a back carry.
Recommend: This carrier is definitely worth buying if you are looking for a comfortable, beautiful, 3 months to toddler carrier. It is currently a small company in South Africa with an agent in the UK, but I believe if they traded here they would sell like hot cakes as they have all the good elements from other ssc's put into one.



This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recommend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

sling review: JPMBB

The stretchy sling you CAN wear with bigger children. When I was looking at wraps I went for a woven one to try as my little man is quite heavy, but then a lovely mama I know introduced me to this stretchy as I think stretchy is still more comfortable. I tried it and was amazed.
Colour: It comes in lovely colours, bright summery or more nuetral. The main part is one colour and the pocket has a lovely accentted colour.
Texture: because it is stretchy its nice and soft on both the wearer and baby. It molds nicely around both bodies unlike a woven which can feel a little stiff at first.
Dimensions: the wrap comes in 3 sizes, long, short and one for dollies ( I love that) Its nice and wide and covers the baby's body wonderfully. It also stretches width ways allowing tightening of the carry on the shoulder (as in the picture)
Support: this is what made me a fan. My big baby was well supported and he felt so light! I had to have one. There are many different carries all supporting well as the cloth is nice and wide.
Sleepy test: this sling has not been tried untill sleepy as I have preferred to unbuckle him to put him down and I haven't worked out how to unwrap him from my back without waking him, but I am sure he would sleep.
UPDATE: We have had a great double hammock back carry this morning and had a nice long nap in it. Comfy for both of us.
Website: (an added one for this carrier) The website is fab! I love the video entrance and tutorial guides. It is clear, fun, funky and very easy to use with google translate (its French)
Recommend: I would and I have recommended this carrier for new wrappers and ones who thought stretchy is only for newborns. If I am blessed with another I will definitely enjoy this sling inshaallah.

This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recomend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

sling review: chunei

When I started baby wearing I looked at everything, the benefits, the disadvantages, colours, padding etc. I found a great website called ihosausa.com and it was selling some lovely looking baby carriers which seemed old and timeless in design but new in style. Its a jacket style and spreads the weight comfortably through the whole carrier and not just over the shoulders. It is designed for the child to sit in a deep pocket seat and is supported with a strap. It can fit small baby, very snuggled and would probably need extra padding up to bigger children.

Colour: lovely prints both feminine and  masculine.
Texture: I have bought a jean style carrier so its a soft jean and wears comfortable and is a nice colour.
Dimensions: its a broad and snuggly carrier, nicer for colder weather or like us for the snuggly times. The shoulder straps are comfortable even though they are not padded. The adjustments are a little tricky, but once you have set them its great.
Support: Although there are no funky buckles and straps the sling is well supporting and makes my chubby little man feel very light. Its comfortable on my front and since he has grown I've worn him comfortable on my back too.
Sleepy test: This is definitely my go to carrier for a snuggle before bedtime. When he falls asleep I unbuckle and then slide the shoulder straps down leaving me to move him to bed.
Recommend: I would definitely recommend it as it comes in different sizes to suit different bodies, there are so many patterns that I'm sure there is something for everyone and its very comfortable for baby and the wearer.

 Update: This is a great sling to wear when you are pregnant as the belt can sit nicely above the bump and still feel very supportive.

This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recomend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

sling review: manduca

will come soon inshaallah

sling review: ergo

will come soon inshaallah

Sling review: Beco butterfly duo

While I was pregnant I had all sorts of ideas about what type of mommy I wanted to be. All natural,re-usable nappy using,baby wearing, full time breast feeding hippy mum. That was how I wanted it. I tried to give my baby a good start by eating healthily but honestly, that was way hard. All I wanted was chocolate. salty crisps and ice cream! I had the odd olive craving but unless I reminded myself it was easier to eat for two!
I did find have my heart set on baby wearing as I had read about all the benefits for baby and parent and a close friend recommended this beautiful beco butterfly duo. I read reviews as its not mere pocket money I would be spending and the majority were positive so I made my mind up.
When little man was a few weeks old I bought it and loved it.
Colour: The beco carriers all have fabulous prints and there is something for everyone.
Texture: It is soft and durable cotton. Most straps are over padded areas so shouldn't bother the carrier.
Dimensions: The carrier is nice and slim, not too bulky which helps when you want to do the washing up when carrying on your front. The straps are wide enough and well padded. However my baby is rather chunky and his weight at 5 months put more pressure on the padding which meant I felt the buckle on my shoulder which wasn't comfortable. The waist strap was great, padded and supportive,but I would recommend trying before buying as I have noticed with myself and other mamas that some carriers buckle on some and not on others. The beco ended up buckling on me. It has an extra piece of material which means you can tuck in either a cloth,sleep hood or a spare baby hat as you would with a pocket. It has a fantastic sleep hood, the best one I have experienced so far. Easy to attach,use front and back and doesn't smother baby's head. Buckles are easily adjustable and have an extra safety button on the waist buckle.
Support: This is the carrier which has made me fall in love with buckle carriers. Its easy to use and supports very well. The extra newborn insert secures small babies without undue stress to them and the larger internal harness means you can take baby on and of without taking him out of the carrier. This is great for anyone new to baby wearing as it gives added security and it means you can swap between wearers with ease. I am prone to backache,but never had it with the beco.
Sleepy test: My little man would only sleep in the beco and often fall asleep as I was still buckling up.
Recommend: I would definitely recommend this carrier to anyone,but would say that the size of your baby might affect comfort when the get bigger. It can be worn untill they are toddlers,but I can't say I have tried it as little man was already 20lbs at 5 months so sadly had to stop using it. Ive had to find something a little more padded on the straps and a bigger main body. It is great for both mom and dad as my hubbi wore little man quite happily and he has cronic back problems. He even said the pain seemed to be less while wearing him!

This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recomend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

Sling review: Napsack mei tai

The wonderful world of mei tai's is vast and there are so many styles,shapes and prints. The napsack is one of them and little man and I gave it a try.
Colour: Black with no pretty patterns, good for men.
Texture: A strong cotton feels durable and sturdy.
Dimensions: The body is a unique hour glass shape which gives a good rounded shape for the baby to sit with the natural curvature of the spine. The body is quite large so smaller babies are quite hidden,even my little man who is not small felt he had to peek over the top to be able to view the world. The straps are nice and wide and long enough to wrap around comfortably. Good neck support for when baby get a little bigger,this part can be folded over when baby is a little smaller.The larger body also needs tightening against the body to it smoothly so good if your baby like to be snug.
Support: I likes the waist strap as its sturdy and wide so felt well supported. The broader straps carried his weight well but as he wasn't comfortable with the difficulty he had to view his surrounding he wriggled which made it less comfortable around the waist.
Sleepy test: Unfortunately we didn't wear it long enough as we weren't that comfortable together,he likes to see more and be less snug.
Recommendation: Its a strong well made sling great for men and bigger babies and babies who like to nice and snug against the body. Maybe good as a winter carrier.

This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recomend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.

Sling review: Maya tie mei tai

As my son is happiest when he is viewing the world as his mama views it we need a nice comfy baby sling to help carry his chunky botty. This week we are trying the maya tie mai tie. Its a mei tai with broader straps which cup the shoulders comfortably and spread nicely across your back. The waist strap is slightly sturdy on the front and there is a handy pocket on the body. I wore it on my front. It is recommended for older children on your back.
Colour: A nice cadbury purple
Texture: Although its 100% cotton it still feels a little rough to touch and wearing it with a strappy top was not greatly comfy on my shoulders. I like softer materials. It does however feel nice and durable and not too hot.
Dimentions: The pannel is broad and the head rest is nice and supportive. The straps comfortably hugged my shoulders which added to the supported feeling of the sling. This too however made moving my arms up (to put cups away) a little uncomfortable.
Support: It was supportive and little mans weight was spread nicely across the wide straps.
Sleepy baby test: The real test is if little man falls asleep. He was comfortable and once we got the straps comfortable under his bottom he fell asleep and napped for a long time so thumbs up from him.
Recommendation: I would recommend it if you like wraps and your baby is over 6 months as the main body is quite large and I would not be comfortable putting a little baby in there. Although you could roll up the waist strap and make the main body a bit smaller in height.

This is my personal opinion and every carrier is different for different people depending on body shape and baby shape and size. So I would always recomend seeking out a sling library to try before you buy.