Hug a bub carrier

Hi :)

I've always loved the idea of the Hug a bub sling, but have a few queries I'm hoping someone can help me with.

Firstly, are they worth it? I mean this in terms of money, comfort, ease of use etc.

Secondly, do they come in different sizes? If so, could my husband get away with using one that is 'my size' for the times he uses the sling? He has indicated he'd prefer the pram and baby bjorn (which I told him is fine after a few months) but when Ookie is newborn he'd have to use the HAB (or just carry Ookie I suppose).

Lastly, I've read that you can breastfeed a baby in the HAB and carry him/her in a horizontal position. I haven't seen a photo of a baby in this position and am wondering if it really is possible, or is it too uncomfortable, fiddly etc. Do you tie it differently to carry a baby in this position?

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help! :D

I love my hug a bub, but I didn't have to pay for it (gift from my mum). We had a baby bjorn with ds1 and I hated it, it just hurt my back too much. The hab though I can use all day without it hurting.

I haven't tried the feeding position personally, but have seen pics of it - have you looked at the hug-a-bub website? It has a photo gallery on it.

As for sizes, it's pretty much one size fits all as you adjust it's tightness as you put it on. There is a larger size but I think they say that's for size 18+.

The only thing I don't like about it is that it does take a while to get used to tying it. I tried 3 times at home before being brave enough to put ds2 in it. Now I'm really good at it and can tie it quite quickly, so it just takes practice.

It is very, very worth it. It's such a snug hold that our baby always snoozes in it so it makes life very easy! And it's very comfy- we have a big baby and he feels weightless in it.
I haven't tried feeding in it as you would have to retie it so I find it easier to take it off to feed then put it back on.

Alrighty ... here comes Diva's blunt-no holds bar-brutal-honesty.

Are they worth it? ... In all honesty? Not by a longshot. Wander down to any fabric store, grab 4.5m of cotton knit fabric, cut a third of it lengthwise so you've got a 4.5m strip approx 50cm wide and that's your hug-a-bub. Don't even need to sew the edges. Sure there's a cutie pocket on the front that let's you know where the middle is, but in all essence that's your hug-a-bub. Google mamatoto and there will be a heap of instructions including videos about how to tie it.

How comfortable are they? Heavenly. Supreme support, even the most nervous nellies will feel confident carrying their bub's in this. You can bend, crawl, pick things up, wander around and bub is staying put. Great for them sleeping too, tuck their little head in and it will even shield them from the sun/wind as well.

Ease of use? Middle of the range. It IS a little fiddly ... and if bub is having a tanty you'll have to put up with them screaming for a bit whilst you get yourself "strapped in". But the beauty of it is you can pull them in and out of it as many times as you like once you've strapped them in once.

Multisized? The 4.5m of fabric does me (size 18) and my hubby who's carrying more of a carton than a six pack :P . If you're worried about it not being enough, buy 5m and just chop off the rest.

Breastfeeding in a HAB? I personally haven't done it ...but once again google mamatoto and there's videos on how to do that too.

I don't mind the HAB ... but personally I find it too fiddly (I'm a wham, bam, thank you mam kinda gal ;) ) I'm hoping the ergo is a little quicker to put on and off ... but if it doesn't offer the support of the HAB, I'll be back to it in a heartbeat.

Hope that helps.

diva that was a great help! awesome thread btw.
i looked up the hug a bub and found it was out of my price range and i did see someone mention they were making a hug a bub sling but that was it..

I second diva'n dan's comments. I bought 4m of cotton jersey, cut it down the middle and voila - two 'hug a bubs' for just $12. i used the instructions on the hug a bub website to learn how to tie it, and it's fantastically comfortable (especially compared to the baby bjorn, which i'm convinced those scandinavians designed to torture us!). my ds won't use it though - he uses the bjorn, and then complains about his sore back :rolleyes:.

go buy yourself some fabric and try it out - well worth the $12 and chances are your baby will love it. If you have a sewing machine you could even sew a pocket on the front - this would be useful to help you find the middle without folding the length in half each time.

i could not have survived without my hab for the first 3 months of ds's life. since then it's been sitting in a cupboard.
it is fantastic, comfy and great for getting your bubs to sleep in.
i have never breastfed in it, i have, however, breastfed in my ergo.
if i were you, i would check on ebay for a second hand hab.

I bought one before DD was born and neither DP nor I could tie it. Way, way too fiddly and $120 for a piece of fabric, come on, that's ridiculous.

We swapped it for a Baby Bjorn. Equally overpriced but far easier and quicker to get on and I didn't have to watch a stupid DVD to work it out.

Thanks everyone for your honesty :). When there's so much to buy and prepare it's nice to have some honest opinions.

OK- so I'm going to get some material and give it a go- much cheaper and will get my sister to try it out with her baby for me. This is going to sound crazy and I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I am clueless when it comes to fabrics etc. Cotton jersey is like stretchy T-shirt material- am I right?

Thanks again everyone! Am about to check out the website Diva- thanks so much! :D

peekay - I am going to make a HAB and a Mei Tei - I figure for the same amount as either I can get both! Cotton jersey is the stretchy fabric - from memory you don't want anything too stretchy though, something with a little stretch is fine. If you are interested in the Mei Teis, or DIY pages HEREis a link to my recent post also! One of my baby buddies made a HAB and they are literally a long piece of material so you can make them very cheaply. Its all in the wrapping!

I liked the HAB and I used it alot until DS was six months old.
Once you get the hang of tying it (and it's not really hard, just like tying a very big shoelace lol) you can do it really easily.

I never got the hang of breastfeeding in the "recommended position" but we were able to feed in it with me popping a boob out the top of my top (summer - was wearing loose tank tops mainly) and pulling a strap to one side and he just latched on. I walked around Coles doing the grocery shopping feeding him like that a few times lol.

Comfort wise, can't go past it. I could wear mine for hours and they're so, so comfy. Much more comfortable for long periods than a structured carrier.

He's too big for me to use it comfortably now so but it still gets lots of use, I loan it out to my clients with new babes now and most of them like it. HAB's do seem to be a love em or hate em thing though, and sometimes baby hates them so if you can loan one to try that's always good. Or go the cheap fabric option at least to test it out.

peekay - Yeppers, it's T-shirt material. Don't get caught up in weave, stretchiness, yada, yada, yada ... as long as it isn't shiny (and therefor slippery), it'll be fine.

My HAB is made from reject T-shirt material ... bought in a "seconds" store for $2 a metre. I've "made" them for others out of better quality stuff and they all work beautifully.

Just ask the shop keeper to show you the "cotton jersey knit" and you won't go wrong ;)

Thanks for the info Diva! :) I had heard if its too stretchy it gets too loose but maybe that isn't true?!!

If it's too stretchy, you just have to wrap it around yourself tighter, if it's not as stretchy, you just wrap it loose.

I even tied Tyler HAB style in some swimwear lycra once just for a bit of fun ... it was lovely and sparkly ... as long as I tied it up tight he wasn't sagging around my knees! :lol: !

The most important thing is the knot at the back ... always remember to tie right over left, then left over right (or the other way) ... that way it can't come undone accidently.

I too thought it was a bit fiddly to put on, but once I'd done it a few times..I found it easy peasy and quick as.

Making one sounds like a brilliant idea.

I bought a Moby because it was cheaper and I got a pretty one LOL!

If you have a look on You Tube there are lots of videos how to tie it, I was having trouble until I looked on there, now I'm a pro!

I also 'made' mine, if chopping 5m of material in thirds constitutes making? I have used it a lot. It is brilliant for my bub to sleep in especially as he is going through an anti-cot thing for day sleeps. I was hesitant about spending the $120 on something I wasn't even sure I would use, with the plan that I would buy an ergo when he was bigger if I liked it. I think I spent about $30 on my material but has been so worth it.

I was given a hand-me down Baby bjorn from my SIL. It was good for the first little while, he is now 5.6kg and it really pulls on my shoulders. I used it for shopping and when out of the house as it was easier to put on. I have ordered a pikkolo which is sort of similiar but much much better, and can be used for longer. Plus they are prettier, that being said I did order the plain black one (still funky though) - I figured there would be more chance of my DH wearing it.

Good luck

I love the pocket on the HAB. If you make one I'd persoanlly sew a pocket on it- makes short walks around the block so much easier with somewhere to put the house keys.