The Sling Lady

The Home Safety Council, a national nonprofit dedicated to preventing home-related injuries, recently released research results showing that many parents are unaware of basic steps they can take to keep their babies safe from injury in the home.  Among their recommendations: having a hands-free baby carrier on hand for use in case of a fire or other emergency.  If you have to crawl under smoke or use a safety ladder to get outside, a secure hands-free baby carrier can literally be a life-saver.  Read the full article.

I should have thought of this!  Honestly, even though I’ve been a babywearing educator for close to 7 years, it never even occurred to me that a baby carrier would be the essential item in your disaster toolkit.  I don’t generally dwell on this sort of thing too much, and before reading this article, if you’d asked me about an emergency situation, I probably would have answered that I’d grab my kids and run.  And certainly, there are some emergencies in which you wouldn’t have time (or the presence of mind) to find your carrier, but in many situations, you might have a few minutes for that extra protection.

For this kind of situation, the SlingLady recommends a secure, two-shouldered carrier that you can get on and off in a jiffy and which will allow you to move quickly as well as being truly hands free.  For this purpose, we like a front or back buckle carrier: the Beco Baby Carrier, the Pikkolo, and the ERGO baby carrier are all great options.

This article was a great reminder that it makes sense to take some time now to identify a carrier in your stash for this purpose and to always keep in a spot you’ll remember, even when it’s hard to think clearly.  And now, please excuse me while I grab my ERGO carrier and put it under my nightstand.

Meeting Gabby and Ruth from Beco was definitely an ABC highlight. Ruth is calm, cool and collected, which I knew from dealing with her via email, but I hadn’t realized she is also a Beco model! Gabby, owner and Beco designer, is a ball of energy, full of enthusiasm, funny, and totally adorable. She was kind enough to answer all of my questions about the newest Beco carrier, the Gemini. That’s Gabby on the right, showing off a new Beco Butterfly print for Fall called, appropriately enough, Panthers.

From what I can see, the Gemini is going to be huge. Gabby says she designed it to respond to fans seeking a carrier that can accommodate forward facing out carries, while still being able to grow with your child.  That’s it down there on the right.  Essentially, she’s bringing back the beloved 4th generation Beco, with the addition of snaps to narrow the base to six inches to make forward facing possible. It also features an extendable body, which can fold down for infants and forward carry and then up to provide great support fo an older child’s back.  At 20” length of the Gemini is even longer than 4th generation, and Gabby says it comes up to her 4 year old’s shoulder blades. The body is very padded and supportive so it will make a great carrier for newborns, too.  Some people will miss the safety harness and infant insert on the Butterfly, but I personally find the harness a bit cumbersome for use with my older toddler, so the Gemini will be my choice for the older child and especially for the experienced babywearer when doing back carries.   Gabby says to look for the Gemini to debut in the spring, at the same price point as the Butterfly.  She’s still not sure about prints, but anticipates that both styles will have the same prints so that you can get the print you love in the carrier you want.  The carrier body in the picture is black but she did also show me a fabulous soft eggplant color (designed especially for Beco) which is absolutely gorgeous.  Hopefully we’ll see that soon!

So many people have been asking about the new ERGO Sport that it’s a no-brainer to post about it.   I was excited to get the new Sport in because one of my main complaints about the standard ERGO is that both me and DD can get sweaty on hot summer days here in Napa.  The thick canvas is super supportive (which I also love) but definitely not the most breathable fabric out there!

Enter the ERGO Sport.  It’s part polyester (vs. the 100% cotton of the standard and organic ERGOs), which gives it slight wicking properties.  Definitely more breathable!  What I love is that they have also put a vent in the carrier body – no question that air will be able to get through.  If you look carefully at the picture on the left, you can see a little of the baby’s shirt peeking out from the vent.   In getting the vent, you give up the zippered pocket, which I love.  So it’s a tradeoff, for sure.  You can always get a black front pouch, which has about the same amount of room as the pocket, and is more accessible in the back carry (since you can wear it on your front).

Another notable feature is the the hood on the Sport is detachable.  This makes sense when you more active, as the hood on the standard ERGO never stays in the little pouch and is usually dangling down, which my husband sometimes find irritating, especially when doing a front carry.   There is a little pouch (with snaps) on the body of the carrier for storing the hood when you’re not using it.

When I heard the Sport had wicking fabric, I expected it to be somewhat rougher or plasticky compared to the fabric of the standard ERGO, but in fact, it is super soft.  Even softer than the Organic, although only time will tell whether that lasts!

So why is the Sport cheaper than the standard and organic?  ERGO says it’s cheaper to make, and, holding both carriers in my hand, I believe it.  The Sport is much lighter and somehow feels less substantial than the standard.  Also, the standard has seat darting which the Sport does not.  This makes the seat of the Sport look a little less tidy than the standard, although Maddy claims she is equally comfortable in both.

Bottom line: the Sport is a cool addition to the ERGO line.  It makes a great second carrier and even comes with it’s own carrying pouch, which is handy.

I’ve created a comparison table for the Standard/Organic and Sport ERGO here.  Hope it helps!

Our offer (still ongoing, but ending soon!) of a babywearing support belt with your Pikkolo carrier has been super popular.  So much so that we keep running out of stock.  Oops.  Anyways, I’m glad to announce that Carry Me Away is once again stocked with fun Pikkolo prints.  Happy Shopping!

We love the Peek N Back mirror here at our house.  I first bought it before I discovered the Kozy and buckle carriers, back when I was using a frame backpack with my son.  Once I found the love with other carriers, I was so excited to be able to quickly and easily switch our Peek N Back mirror to my favorite Kozy mei tai or Pikkolo carrier.

Anyone who has ever carried a child on your back knows how nice it is to be able to see what’s going on back there.  Is my little one asleep yet?  Does she look comfortable?  Is the Kozy supporting his head properly?  I’ve even used it to check positioning when strapping Maddy on my back in an Ellaroo wrap in the Target parking lot.

For a limited time (and while supplies last), Carry Me Away is offering a free PeekNBack mirror with the purchase of a new ERGO.  This is a great deal since we don’t put ERGOs on sale.   Add both to your cart, then use the code PEEK at checkout for your discount.  FREE shipping still applies on all orders over $100.

Here’s your excuse to try the new Dark Chocolate ERGO or the ERGO Sport!

More and more, we are seeing baby carriers featured in mainstream magazines, as a growing population of parents realizes how essential a good sling or pack carrier is to modern parenting.  The March 2009 issue of Pregnancy Magazine article “Away We Go” features Hotslings and the ERGO baby carrier as top picks in the baby carrier category, and I say: “right on!”  Both of these carriers are fantastic choices for moms and dads looking for the best options out there.

For a limited time only, CMA is offering a free support belt with the purchase of any Pikkolo carrier.  No need for any code or voucher, simply purchase a Pikkolo and the support belt will be included.

The support belt really makes the pikkolo a carrier that can work for all stages of your child’s life, from infancy to toddlerhood.  Use it for back carries and when your child is heavier for additional support.  Leave it off for additional flexibility in positioning and to make the body of your carrier shorter for younger babies. 

 Shop Pikkolos now!