Review and Giveaway! Bunny Baby Carrier

I was really excited last month to be asked to try out a Bunny Baby baby carrier and report my thoughts to you lovely people.

Bunny Baby is run by a lovely Irish mummy, who makes custom carriers, baby wearing bags, doll carriers and beautiful clothes for little people. Helen sent us a gorgeous baby sized buckles carrier, with a colourful owl print, and a spotty sleep hood. The print on our carrier was so bright and colourful, it was lovely and Simon was thrilled to see that it wasn't "too girly" as he has a bit of an issue with our other carriers not being manly enough.

As with most buckle carriers, this has a structured and adjustable waistband, padded and adjustable shoulder straps, and a chest strap which is also adjustable. All the straps on our carrier were black, and the padding in the shoulder straps felt really soft and squidgy, and it made the shoulder straps so comfy to wear - much better than our previous SSC. One of the first things I noticed when I tried it out was that the chest strap wasn't fixed into position - it is moveable. I think that is a great idea as I find it comfy to have it high up, but I know Simon likes it further down, so we can adjust the strap to our own position easily each time one of us wears the carrier.

Unlike with the previous buckle carrier we owned, it also has a sleep hood with poppers, perfect for slipping up over Isabelle to help her fall asleep, or to help keep her asleep. I did find the poppers a little difficult to 'pop' in, but once they were in, the hood stayed put and is a great size to keep the light out while Isabelle snoozes.


I was amazed to find that the carrier we received is the 'standard' carrier - Bunny Baby can also offer you a carrier with:

*lockable dual adjust shoulder straps

* lockable single adjust waistband buckles

*extra padding at waist or shoulder

* extra length webbing

* Legs out padding

* arms out padding

*flat or pixie hood

* fold away hood

* fabric tie over buckle on waistband

Of course we had to road test the carrier. I gave it a whirl around the house and found it really comfy - but the true test was to use it out and about. I was so confident that it would be comfy and it was so easy to use, I used it for my first ever back carry in public, and it didn't disappoint. Simon's turn for a road test came when we took the dogs up a local mountain, and wanted to go off road. It's the first time he has worn Isabelle in a while, and first time ever on his back. We walked for more than an hour and Simon said he found it comfortable the whole time. Isabelle was so happy she chatted for half an hour before promptly drifting off to sleep, snuggled up to daddy - so she was clearly very happy and very comfy in there.

Overall, I am really impressed with the Bunny Baby carrier. It's well made, strong and sturdy, yet incredibly comfy for us to wear, and for Isabelle to travel in. Of course, it should go without saying that this is an ergonomic carrier which keeps Isabelle in the correct 'knee-to-knee' position - which is no doubt why she was so comfy. This carrier has only been with us for a short time, but is much loved by the Jay family, and we will be so sorry to see it go!

Because leave us it must...and make it's way to one of you lucky readers instead! Along with Bunny Baby, I am offering you the chance to win this gorgeous carrier (if you can pry it from my back!). All you have to do is enter using the Rafflecopter below, and you could soon be toting your little one around in this fabulous carrier! Good luck!!
Please make sure you read the T&C before entering.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Babywearing - what's on offer?

Ever since we had Isabelle and delved into the world of babywearing, I've noticed other people wearing their babies pretty much everywhere I look! I previously posted about the Boba 3G carrier we got before Isabelle was born, and the dos and don'ts of baby wearing 'safely'.

I think when a lot of people are thinking of babywearing they look to high street retailers for answers. However, as I discussed in my previous posts, the common high street carriers don't keep your baby in an optimum position, and quite often aren't very comfy for parent or baby. I'm part of several babywearing groups on Facebook and one of the most common things I see from new posters is "I have had a high street carrier but it's so uncomfy to use for long periods - is there anything else I can try?" Unfortunately, many parents who want to babywear may not know about other options available to them. That said, ANY babywearing is a bonus for babies and parents!

So this is my quick guide to what else might be on offer for you if you want to regularly babywear, and are looking for something more ergonomic, and something comfier, than a high street carrier. Thank you so much to the wonderful babywearing mummies and daddies of Northern Ireland who let me use their pictures to show off the different types of carriers!



1// Soft structured carriers (aka SSCs or 'buckles'):
The Boba 3G we used is an example. These are very similar to 'normal' high street carriers in that they have straps, buckles and a structured waist and area against baby's back. They are good for getting on pretty quickly, and can be adjusted to be used with different people. Buckles are normally used on the front or back, but some can be used for hip carries too.
(Keep your eye out for the chance to win a beautiful SSC in the next few weeks!)





2// Ring slings:
These are quite common, and can be used for carrying your little from birth until toddlerhood. They are especially great for quick trips - I use mine if Isabelle and I are just nipping into the supermarket for one or two things, for example. They are easy to adjust, but it can take a while to get to grips with exactly how to position it for maximum comfort. They are usually used on the hip, but can be used on the front and back too.

3// Woven wraps:
Katie Hopkins takes a pretty dim view of these! These are a long piece of woven fabric which you wrap around yourself and baby in different ways to create different carries. They have a learning curve, and can be confusing to start with, but they are really supportive and a great option to carry any size of little person. They have the added bonus of coming in a massive range of colours, designs and sizes, as well as different price ranges.








4// Stretchies:
These are very similar to wraps, but are made of stretchier fabric, and are most suitable for carrying tiny babies up to about 6 months. They can be pre-tied and you can pop your newborn in and out when needed. Many mummies start with stretchies and then move on when their little one gets too heavy. (Check out me wearing Isaac last week - lovely baby cuddles!)

5// Mei Tais:
In my mind, these are a hybrid between an SSC and a wrap. They have a structured panel similar to an SSC, but long straps which you wrap and tie around you instead of buckles. They are easier to get to grips with than wraps, and I find our mei tai is really easy to use on my back with Isabelle.





If you are really interested in babywearing, try and get along to your local sling meet to try out a few options before you buy. In Northern Ireland, Sling Library NI are a wonderful bunch of very knowledgable ladies who want to share the babywearing love. There are sling meets all around the country, and Facebook is a great place to find your local meet.

There you have it - babywearing wrapped up in a nutshell. I'll leave you with some more pictures of babywearing goodness! Including some bear/doll/dog-wearing by some of the little people!

School of babywearing..

Since my post on baby wearing using my Boba 3G, several people have enquired about my third reason for choosing the Boba which was:

"3. It needed to keep our baby in the correct 'froggy' and M position, and should not offer the option of facing outwards"

I've been asked what this means, and why it's important enough to influence my choice of a carrier, so I thought I would share some of the important "rules" of baby wearing, and how to safely wear your baby.

As I mentioned before, I'm pretty new to baby wearing, but everything I've read stresses these points as important. That's not to say that if you use a high street carrier every once in a while that its anything awful, or that if your baby faces forward occasionally their hips will fall to pieces! At the end of the day ANY baby wearing is better than none! But if you plan to baby wear more than occasionally, it's important to know how to do so safely, and what you should look out for in a carrier.

The T.I.C.K.S. Rules: 

These tell you how things should look once your baby is in the carrier.

T- tight. Your sling, wrap or carrier should hold your baby tightly against your chest or back. This will be most comfortable for you both, and won't allow baby to slump down. There shouldn't be a gap between you and your baby's chest at any time.

I - in view at all times. You need to be able to see your baby without having to move any fabric, especially in a sling. You should be able to see your baby's face just by glancing down.

C - close enough to kiss. You should be able to tilt your head down and kiss your baby. This means your baby is being carried high enough. I love testing this out by kissing Izzy all over, and even nibbling her ears at times!

K - keep the chin off the chest. If the baby's chin is on their chest, their airway can be restricted. You should be ale to fit a finger under baby's chin, and their nose should be parallel to the floor to ensure they can breathe easily. 

S - supported back. Your baby's back needs to be well supported to stop the, slumping, which can restrict their airway and is bad for their back. This ties in with keeping them tight. If your baby is tightly against your chest or back (no big gap, their chest should be touching yours at all times in an upright carry) you should be able to push their back, and they shouldn't move forward.

Baby's leg position

I wrote in my last post that I wanted a carrier to keep my baby in a froggy, M leg position. I should have also said that I wanted it to carry them knee to knee. All of this is to ensure that the baby is kept in a favourable hip position. Traditional high street carriers support baby under their crotch (leading to the derogatory term "crotch danglers" by many baby wearing aficionados), and allow their legs to dangle down freely. This means their hips are left in a position which can contribute to hip dysplasia. However, carriers such as the Boba, Ergo and many other brands (including slings, wraps and stretchies) support the baby from the crook of one knee, under the bum, and to the crook of the other knee. This actually holds their knees slightly higher than their bottom, in an M shape. This position is much better for babies hips, holding them in a more natural position.

Similarly, many carriers/wraps will advise carrying baby with their "legs in" in a froggy position while they are newborn. There is some controversy over this at the minute, but the premise is the same - keeping their knees higher than their legs in a babies natural hip position. (Try it out with a newborn - hold them against your chest and they will almost certainly curl their knees up towards their chest). The Boba 3G instructions advised legs in, so I followed this advice, making sure Izzy was always in a froggy, M position. The picture below gives a good idea of how a baby's legs should look in a correct carry (however this baby wouldn't be close enough to kiss!)

Never facing out

The two points outlined above link into why it's not a great idea to face your baby outwards. Firstly, if they face outwards, they aren't being held tightly to your body, as their natural instinct is to curl up forwards and therefore away from your body. This isn't great for your back, as it throws their weight forward, and puts more strain on your back.
Secondly, if you wear baby facing outwards, it's unlikely that their legs will be supported knee to knee.

If you are planning on baby wearing frequently, look for a wrap, sling or carrier which will allow you to carry baby closely, and supported in the M position from knee to knee. Again, any baby wearing is better than none, so if you do wear your little one in a high street carrier (and let's face it, they are so readily available that many people do!) or forward facing occasionally I won't be calling social services anytime soon!

If you're interested in baby wearing on a more regular basis, check out some of the links below to brands of carriers, and to information on the benefits of babywearing and how to babywear safely.
Ergo Baby
Monkey Mei Tai
Rose and Rebellion
Moby Wrap

Baby Hawk

Wrap Your Baby
School of Babywearing
Babywearing UK

Baby wearing with the Boba 3G

Another one of the 'crunchy' parenting ways we have is baby wearing. According to Wikipedia "Babywearing is the practise of wearing or carrying a baby in a sling or in another form of carrier." 

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 mum 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!