Me and DP are looking at having another baby. We've got DD (13mths) and aiming for when shes around two.
We weren't really prepared for her, so I have been going out of my way to prepare for another. My biggest concern is having enough hands free for a toddler.
The suggestions ive been given is a capsule with its ability to move a sleeping baby without too much fuss from house to car to house to upstairs to playgroup etc.
But Ive also been told about the Hugabub, and it looks really amazing. And it has the benefit of close contact and also complete hands free.
I was just wondering what kind of pro's and cons you guys who've used them have. Ive used neither and can probably only afford one. So what would you guys suggest?
I actually have a sns unity capsule and also use mai tai carriers and ergo. The capsule is great for the in and out of house to car and school pickups and quick visits to friends and the carriers are great for cleaning, shopping going out to lunch etc, though I put bub on my back alot. If you are keen on baby wearing google babycarriers down under, as they have a for sale or trade thread where you can often get carriers second hand for cheap.
It depends how much you have to drive - getting bubs in and out of the HAB without waking it takes a bit fo practice, and obviously you can't drive without them being in the capsule.
I had a Maya wrap (identical to HAB in style). It's amazing. We used it until she was 13 months, when i made a meitai out of static material because the stretch of the Maya left her "dangling" after a bit and because she was getting too heavy to front or hip carry and getting a baby in to a HAB on your back is tricky if you're alone.
For the early months DD went EVERYWHERE in her wrap on my or XP's tummy. She was in her pram ONCE in the first 6 months of her life!!! Next time i am not even buying a pram, it was THAT great.
hun, check out the close carriers (link in my sig, go through to baby carriers under gifts)....
essentially it carries baby as a wrap style carrier does, however its a two piece and it just slides over your head, no need to learn how to wrap, best bit is it doesnt touch the ground when you put it on (think car park floor etc)......
i also have a catbirdbaby mei tai which i love................
I found my DD doesn't sleep in a capsule but she sleeps in a HAB. If I tried to leave her in a capsule I would very soon have a crying baby to deal with. She needs lots of movement to help her settle and loves being near me so the HAB is perfect because she moves with me and the HAB leaves my hands free to clean, use computer, shop, etc. HTH
I love the HAB. DS hated the pram/car until he was 4 months - so we used the HAB a lot! Having said that, DS was born in summer & the HAB was hot - he got heat rash a few times from being in there on hot days. So, I ended up using it in air-con (at home, at the shops, etc), or in the cooler part of the day. But, I loved wearing him so much that we are planning to have the next bub in autumn/winter so there is no problem with the HAB being too hot!
Also, if you are looking to cut costs, the HAB is really just a long strip of semi-stretchy material - the trick is how you tie it. You could make your own (or I've seen imitation ones on ebay).
I used both depending on the day, place etc. Initially I used the capsule when shopping. DD1 would go into the seat of the trolley and bub would stay in the capsule on top of the trolley. DD2 was not overly fussed on the capsule from 8 wks on. I then got a HAB and for the most part she lived in it. However it was tricky to put on and get bub in there in the right position at first..or when bub was really upset. I also found it hard to transfer her from sling to cot, carseat etc when she was asleep. In saying this she is a light sleeper and even clicking the capsule into the car would wake her.
I really, really like the idea of wearing my baby, but DP seems a bit hesitant.
He's not had alot to do with babies, so he doesn't see how the carrier would get used.
He's pushing the capsule idea. It's hard to justify/explain something when you've never used it. hehe. He sort of just views it as me carrying the bub around all the time - not in a negative don't carry them too much, more a ow your back kind of thing.
I have a few months to mull it over - but I guess I'm in a situation where I want both! And I can't decide which would be the better for money value.
Re the back issue - the HAB is actually really comfortable. I was carrying DS quite comfortably until he was 10kg. I continued to use it until he was about 11kg - then it did get a bit heavy.
We have a Bubzilla sling, which was great for a newborn and then moved up to a Piccolo - -its a mei tei style but with buckles instead of tying wraps - so totally man friendly. My DH quite often prefers to use either of the slings, and I find it great for the supermarket shop. Wrigglebots, which is run by one of the members on here (can't remember her username tho!) stock them (or at least they did).
Have you thought about hiring a capsule? In SA, don't know about else where, but you can hire capsules through the red cross - the older style Safe n Sound ones. I think there are private companies (hire 4 baby, I think?) that may hire out the newer, more padded ones. We hired the older style one from the Red Cross, and I'm glad we did, because DD refused to go in it after about 7 weeks - she would just scream and scream - we took it back and bought a reversible, which she loved.
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Hugabub and capsule
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