Which carrier should I get?

[Arimeh]

Or I should say - convince DH we NEED to buy

I'm looking at the BabyHawk mei tai or the Catbirdbaby Pikkolo. I'm leaning towards the Pikkolo because I'm not that fond of long straps, I'm a bit unco and takes me a bit to get them into position, so they go on the ground and get dirty etc etc - plus I like the fact that pikkolo can be used facing out.

I already have *cough cough* an Ergo, a Close Carrier, a Silly Goose Baby mei tai and getting a hotsling coming to me. (addicted much?)

So I'll be selling the close carrier soon because DD2 is getting too long for it (I have a really short midsection and the top of her head squishes right under my jaw when she is sitting in there and its starting to get uncomfy..)

So anyway - I'll have carriers that can do everything but the front carry out - and I'd like this when we go to markets, or the city park (where there are monkeys) so eden can see the animals and stuff, and then get turned around again for sleep.

Sooo.... any opinions on which is better out of the babyhawk and the pikkolo? Or reasons NOT to get them? I'm a lard arse as well so they have to be built for fat people lol

[tk1999]

Subscribing as I am of the opinion one can never have too many carriers... will be interesting to see what people say

[suse]

You might want to look into the babyhawk Oh Snap - which is the SSC version of the babyhawk mei tai (designed from about 7kg to toddler).

Haven't used either, but have used a catbirdbaby mei tai, which is of a similar body shape etc to the pikkolo. The CBB carriers are shorter bodied with a narrow strap angle on the shoulder straps - they are in their element with smaller/younger babies and narrow shouldered or petite wearers. You can also get the CBB support belt which allows the carrier to be worn non-apron style (like an Ergo), which gives more support for heavier babies/toddlers as well as extending the body length. To the best of my knowledge though, you cannot use the support belt when forward facing, as you can't cinch the waist in whilst using the belt. (I've used the support belt on other mei tais and it is comparable with an Ergo waist for support).

I would say that an Oh Snap is going to give you greater longevity, especially as E gets older. Are you particularly keen to do forward facing carries, or are you just finding inward facing carries a bit limiting now that E wants to look around? Depending on how heavy E is, you might find that you don't get much use out of a carrier capable of forward facing. Personally I find that they are not very comfortable for the wearer in any carrier, as the baby's weight is not distributed evenly. As a baby gets older I find back or hip carries much more comfortable, they still allow the baby to look around but in a more natural carrying position, and they can still turn in to snuggle when they want to. I used (and still use) a Scootababy for DS - it's a toddler suitable SSC/dedicated hip carrier and is probably the most comfortable one on the market. I've worn him all day (as in, for nearly eight hours straight) in it and that was when he was nearly 13kg. If you are finding that an Ergo is not suitable yet for back carries because E is sitting too low on your back to be able to see, something like an Oh Snap or Pikkolo can be worn higher on the waist than an Ergo, which is generally worn on the hips.

So you might find that your hotsling is more useful for the looking around stage - as you can carry in a hip carry or a buddha carry. And it's pretty light and portable, so you could always have the hotsling for 'visible' carries and pack a meitai or SSC for sleeping.

Just something to consider, but if you are really keen to have a carrier capable of forward facing, then the pikkolo is your best bet. It may not be the best choice in terms of longevity though.

ETA: if E is looking like she's going to be tall, an Ergo is a relatively short bodied carrier so although it's supportive enough for toddlers, some people (including myself) don't find it tall enough in the body for tall toddlers. This is where a babyhawk MT would be a good option.

HTH!

[Baby14]

Camme-Lot, I hope you don't mind but I am subscribing so I can get some more useful info on slings...thanks suse! What a wealth of information you are on carriers

Someone just suggested in a thread I posted that i try carrying DS in a sling to sleep but even though he is only 4 and a half months he is heavy (8.5kgs) so I didn't think I would be able to get one that he could sleep in but some of the ones that suse suggested for you sound like they might do the job...I am off to google

[Trillian]

Camme, I got a Baby Hawk toddler mei tei from Mel and it was awesome for a taller toddler but yeah, if you aren't fussed on tying straps etc then it probably wont be ideal for what you want. I know Maz is using the Oh Snap for Mini Me and Tank, so ask her what she thinks?

[Arimeh]

Thanks for all that suse, i looked more into it last night, and noticed that the forward carry doesn't really allow for much use - you can't use it when they get really heavy anyway, so hip carry would probably be what I would do.

I love my ergo, and DH wears it with DD1 as well, so its just something that I would use. I don't think I have narrow shoulders - I don't think they are particularly wide either though? I wear the ergo with ease though, not a problem comfort wise there.

I did like the look of the Oh Snap - just worried that because it is relatively new on the market, they might not have ironed all the kinks out yet?

Is the oh snap comparable to the ergo in terms of shoulder comfort do you know?

Hell - maybe I'll get both and sell my Close and mei tai...lol

Oh - but you are right - Eden has a very long body and she will be tall - just like the other two. I love that I can still carry Aricyn on my back in the ergo - so won't be getting rid of that.

Trill - thanks - will quiz her

[maz]

I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEe my oh snap-o.

I got a custom from Melbel when she had them and I was worried like you...their a big out lay for starters and having no luck with other carriers bar my ella roo hip buckle I said bugger it and did it.

I am so glad I did.

Im still a bit unco about getting them on my back but they are so easy. I carried Tank around for 1 1/2 hours the first time we went out and he loved it. My back was alittle sore towards the end onf it but he is 17kg and I have a pretty bad back. Mini me wants to get in to and cracks it.
They have alot of support on your back, hips and shoulders...no digging in on the straps nothing. Beinga big chick to I was worried but I could put on another 20kg and it would still fit me.

Im lazy to.....to hard to wrap bloody straps around me to hold it up..blah bugger that snaps for me and they dont bite your hands either when you put them on

The carrier itsself isnt very heavy and its realy comfortable.

Dame that I dont live closer hon cause Id let ya lend mine to try.
Look at wrigglesbots FB page..I put a pic up but here's alink to my FB pic of it http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...8&id=659478766
you can see how supportive it is...doesnt dig into my fat and has great padding and support for my shoulders!!

LOVE IT!!!

[Nelle]

I have a Pikkolo and a BabyHawk MT.

If you're slender, the Pikkolo can be a pain, in that the buckles end up in a harder place to adjust.

If you're going to use it for more than one child, I'd actually suggest the BabyHawk, because you don't need to re-adjust the buckles for each child. I thought the straps would be tricky, but they're a piece of cake, you'll get good at it in no time at all. My boys love the BabyHawk. Plus they're pretty. (and it can be used inside facing out if DH is too manly for your pattern.

They're both good. Si lived in the Pikkolo as a newborn. If I have to chuck someone up there and I'm on my own, I'll use the BabyHawk (because of the buckle positioning for me). If I'm out with Dh though, I might use the Pikkolo and get him to help with the straps.

I find both the carriers comfy.

[Arimeh]

At the moment I'm trying to convince DH to let me buy BOTH (hahahahaha) so I can try them both, and if I don't like one, I'll just sell it (thats what the maternity payment from the Gov is for isn't it?)

So pikkolo is good for fat people as well as the babyhawk... when thats not helping me any!! LOL

Thanks Maz - and Nellatron *sniggers*

[maz]

Man...you gotta change your user name cause I look at it and read come alot and dirty thoughts enter my mind

[Arimeh]

Man...you gotta change your user name cause I look at it and read come alot and dirty thoughts enter my mind

PMSL.. you know I'm keeping it forever now just for that reason? No reason to change it anymore - no more kids.. LOL

[SammyRo]

We have a piccolo here, and it looks very similar to the one Maz has - although the waistband on the piccolo is narrower ( I might have to look into the support belt that Suse mentioned) and Maz's is prettier!
We used it with DD from around 4months, and on occasions, had her facing forward- at the zoo and markets, same reasons you're looking at it really. As Suse said, you can't wear them for too long forward but it was enough for her to be able to see whilst she was awake and then we jsut swapped her round once she was over it. DH is still wearing her on his back occasionally and she is a long toddler, I probably would have except for being pg. I was looking at an ergo this time around, but decided to stick with the piccolo as I liked it (and after buying a new pram and a HAB, DH would go mad!)

Don't know if I've been much help really!

[Arimeh]

Haha!! Thanks! I've decided to get both and get rid of my close carrier, and possibly my ergo and mei tai as well...

[Party-of-five]

Hey can i jump in an ask where to buy a babyhawk from? i googled them last night and love the look but it was an american web site

[Arimeh]

Mel sells them - wrigglebots (MPM here)

[Party-of-five]

Thanks

[melbel]

I am with Suse....I would probably recommend the OH Snap! for you instead of the pikkolo. It is more suited to larger persons than the pikkolo. Do your chilkdren tend to be towards the tall end of the scale? If so definitely go the Oh Snap.....if you have shortarse kidlets the pikkolo would be okay but the lifepsan of it will not be as long as the bigger bodied Oh Snap. Especially seeing as your youngest is no longer a newborn I would tend to go for the carrier that is going to last trhe longest. I also got an Oh Snap in the order and I am very impressed with them so far....obviously Connor is too small for yet but the trials of it I have done have impressed me. The pikkolo is great for me at the moment as I am only 5' 2" and Connor is a newborn still but I can see it is going to be limited body length wise as he grows.

The babyhawk meitai is also good as the straps allow you to get the weight distribution right where you want it across the back...another meitai I would recommend for you is the Kozy MeiTai...have a look at them...they are great for people who are taller and/or a bit larger or broad shoulders and have a very generous body size to the carriers which suits older babies.

If it were me and I was your size with babies of your ages and I was going to get two carriers I would be going for a Kozy Mei Tai and an Oh Snap! SSC....just my two cents worth...

partyof five...I sell babyhawks.....you can also get them from upplease....we tend to have different designs so thsoe two sites should give a few to choose from....

[Arimeh]

Mel - thanks for your input. So the pikkolo is really a no go then? All my kids have super long bodies (lucky DD1 with a long body and long legs!) and I've only got a short 5 foot 5 body.. haha

Maybe I should just get the oh snap then.... I'm not that fond of mei tais, just cos I have to tie it, and it always gets loose and it seems like I'm forever tightening it...