I have to admit, it was Simon who pioneered the way in our house with baby wearing, insisting he wanted a "pousse" in which to carry the baby. I wasn't that interested at first but, as I began to research baby wearing and different slings and carriers, I was quickly won over. I learnt a lot about the benefits of baby wearing (see here, here and here) and some of the "dos and don'ts" of baby wearing. I also learnt that apart from the "normal" high street carriers you see, such as the well known Baby Bjorn, there are wraps, slings, Mei Tais, stretchies...the list seems almost endless. And let's not even get started on brands!
A few things were important to me when choosing carrier for our baby
1. It had to be suitable from birth until toddlerhood. I don't know how long we'll use it, but just in case
2. It needed to fit both myself and Simon (we aren't hugely dissimilar in height and build luckily)
3. It needed to keep our baby in the correct 'froggy' and M position, and should not offer the option of facing outwards (read why here)
All of this research led me to know that I wanted a soft structured carrier (SSC), and further research led me to the Boba Carrier 3G. This met all the requirements I had set and, unlike similar carriers, can be used from birth without an additional insert. I bought mine from a reputable, Boba certified, retailer on Amazon for £90. I was able to register my carrier with Boba, to give me peace of mind.
When our Boba arrived I was impressed from the outset. Along with the carrier body, we got a hood which can be used to pop over little one when they fall asleep - or to help them get there - and protect them from the sun. Also included were foot straps, which aren't something I had seen with other brands I looked into. The instructions it came with were easy to understand, and explained the different ways to carry a baby from (almost) birth using the newborn setting, the 'regular' front carry, and the back carry. There are numerous little touches which show the Boba 3G is well planned and a lot of thought has gone into how it will be used. Everything from a strap for handbags, to a pocket for your phone, and adjustable straps for easy nursing (something I am yet to master!). It also comes in a variety of colours and prints, and I now really wish I'd gone for one of these instead of the plainer black!
The Boba is very quick and easy for me to put on. I fasten the waist belt firstly - which I have adjusted to my setting, and then hold Isabelle on my front, before slipping the shoulder straps up and clipping the 'chest strap' behind my back and tightening it. I always give Izzy a quick wiggle to make sure she it in evenly, and off we go! With practise, I am getting much quicker at putting it on and tightening up the straps, with the only issue being my long hair getting caught in the chest strap when I try to tighten it!
We have carried Isabelle in two different ways so far, both using the Boba on the newborn setting i.e. with the bottom of the carrier 'poppered' up to create a smaller, snugger pouch. At first, and following the instructions from Boba, we carried her 'legs in'. Once she reached 10.5lbs, we changed to carrying her legs out.
Newborn setting, with legs tucked in - suitable to 10.5lbs
Isabelle always seems comfy in the carrier, and falls asleep immediately. For myself, the first few times I used it I found the Boba hurt my back, but I think now it was more to do with how I was walking (very stiff!) than the carrier itself, and now it's as comfy as anything! The straps are all very well padded, and I don't feel any weight from Isabelle, as strange as that may sound. I also don't feel the carrier ever pulling on any part of my back, waist or shoulders.
There are a few things which I don't love so much about the Boba. Firstly, when I carry Izzy 'legs out' in the newborn setting, the poppers refuse to stay popped. As soon as her legs are in the correct position, the poppers are out and if I try to get them in, it obviously makes Izzy uncomfy and she groans or even cries. The second thing I'm not convinced about is the sizing. According to Boba, the carrier fits adults from 5ft to 6ft 3. I am 5ft 8in, and have all the straps on their tightest settings. I can't see how this would then work for someone 8inches smaller than I am. And lastly, the elastic band straps which are supposed to help keep the straps neat just don't seem to work. Once I roll up the straps, I find the bands very difficult to access and use, so my straps just dangle down. That could just be a 'me problem' though!
Overall, I absolutely love the Boba 3G. I was very smug at a local cloth nappy meet when asked what carrier I have and when I answered the Boba, another mom told me how jealous she was. So I give it extra points for being so coveted and cool! If you're looking for an SSC to last from birth until baby is much bigger, I would definitely recommend the Boba 3G carrier.
No pictures of me using the carrier, but here is one of Isabelle and Simon at a local agricultural show when she was just five weeks old. We felt so smug as we watched people (including my dad with our nephew!) struggle to push their prams through the shingle!
