Post Category - Family LifeFamily Life
Mamas, buying kit for our kids can be seriously confusing. Apart from the fact that there are a million brands of stroller, bottles, things for sleeping in, lounging on and swinging in, there are also those things that you’re not really sure if you need – but you buy anyway just in case or because they’re pretty (you know, the wipe-warming machine – probably actually quite useful if you live in the Arctic, or the teeny pair of designer shoes – yes they’re cute but really?!). Well mamas, there’s one piece of kit that is, in our humble opinion, an absolute must. The baby carrier – quite possibly the one thing I just couldn’t have lived without. My refluxy first born was soothed in a babybjorn, strapped to my front as I went about my daily chores, I carried my second through his evening colic sessions, standing at the kitchen table with my hands free to eat dinner while I bounced and comforted him – and my third – well frankly I just needed to be buggy free and with the use of both hands to be able to chase after her two older brothers! Baby carriers are a must for any mama – but with so many to choose from it’s hard to know where to start. We test drove two of the latest models for you mamas, The Boba 4G for all day carrying and the Phil & Teds Airlight – ideal for travel. The only decision you’ll need to make is what colour to go for!
Boba Baby Carrier 4G
My little girl – aged 17 months – is on the heavy side (and I love her for it – but sometimes my back doesn’t.) Carrying her in the new model Boba 4G was an absolute breeze – to the point that I would sometimes forget she was there – until I got a little finger in my ear! Suitable for babies from 3kg up to toddlers of 20 kg, the Boba 4G proved useful for all of my kids, the eldest of whom is 4 (he did have a go at being carried but was quick to remind me that he’s not a baby and would rather walk.) We bought the Boba specifically for our summer holiday – and more specifically for traipsing through the airport with all the paraphernalia that comes with little ones!
To start with, the carrier was an absolute life saviour on the aircraft, allowing me to get my daughter to sleep by carrying her on my front (and also keeping her from wanting to run up and down the aisles). At the airport itself, all of the kids had a go at walking and being carried depending on how tired they were and the front or back wearing possibility meant that the eldest felt like he was just getting an assisted piggy-back ride while the younger two loved having a cuddle style carry. The Boba 4G made our holiday so much easier – from supermarket shopping to family walks, it allowed us to not have to take a buggy everywhere we went plus kept my youngest two happy – able to take turns with walking and being carried.
My husband also used it as a ‘baby backpack’ for all of our 3, enabling each of them to have a rest when they got tired and keeping our hands free! The carrier has plenty of features that make it perfect for teenies – the new Infant Integrated Insert – an insert that, when snapped together, can allow a newborn to comfortably sit in the fetal-tuck, froggy style – is perfect for letting baby be carried in a natural position. There’s also a removable sleeping hood that not only supports a child’s head when asleep but also provides protection from the elements (as we found out on a rainy walk!). For mamas who like to keep their phones close, the waistband of the carrier has a smartphone pocket – and for anyone who’s breastfeeding, the breastfeeding buckle supports discreet feeding with a simple adjustment. With no hard metal or plastic parts, the 4G folds softly and easily – perfect for tucking into a handbag during family outings – plus making it fully machine washable (and we all know how valuable that is when kids are involved!). I honestly couldn’t recommend this carrier highly enough mamas – one of the best baby buys I’ve made in a long time – guaranteed to be the most used piece of kit in our household!
Available for AED 495 from Baby Souk
Phil & Teds Airlight
I wanted to try the airlight as soon as I heard that one of its USP’s is that it folds into a pouch and fits perfectly in your handbag – they haven’t been released yet anywhere else in the world so when phil&teds Middle East said they would love me to trial and review before its official release, I was very happy to do so! This carrier was exactly what I needed for traveling abroad with 3 kids in tow. I decided to try it out with one of my twins – albeit the lighter one of the two – Sienna. She is 18 months and weighs 10kg.
I was surprised with what I read on the packaging – light, compact & stored within its own padded belt. Hip Click and Zip. I’m not necessarily into bum bags but worth a try for an easy life!
So I attached the carrier to my waist, pulled it out of the bag, clicked it in front of me, popped Sienna inside and zipped up the carrier. Three easy steps! And believe it or not it does exactly what it says on the tin (or packaging!)
The carrier is so incredibly light and is made from mesh fabric so my little girl didn’t get hot while we were walking around Thailand. I bought a black colour but it’s available in a range of bright colours and well worth AED 185. It’s only meant for short trips and as it’s so light doesn’t have much padding, so I wouldn’t use it as my main carrier but a perfect handbag addition.
The Phil & Teds Airlight will be released later this month and will be available for purchase for its launch through Phil & Teds or Baby Souk
