Zak loves to be held. For weeks, we’ve tried to put him down in various boxes, baskets and beds, but his go-to spot is always on one of us. He loves tucking his head under my chin, in particular!
Before Zak was born, I was always a bit sceptical of slings, baby carriers and the like, thinking that they were for baby-wearing hippies. Needless to say, I had no real intention of using one.
But then real life slapped me in the face. Zak didn’t want to be put down. He would only settle when he was in our arms or on my chest. The old-fashioned school of thought would say that we’re “spoiling” him, but there’s plenty of research to prove that you can’t really “spoil” a newborn by doing this. The problem was that our arms were always in use and we couldn’t really do much apart from getting lots of lovely newborn cuddles!
Luckily BabyBjörn got in touch just at the right time. They wanted to know if I would like to try out their new Baby Carrier Mini, which is launching soon in the UK. This couldn’t have come at a better time!
The first thing I thought when I opened the box was how soft the material was. We were sent a BabyBjörn Baby Carrier Mini in a light grey 3D Jersey, which is really soft to the touch. Plus, BabyBjörn seemed to know all about my love of the colour grey! This material is great for newborn babies as it contains no allergenic substances. Zak has had his fair share of little rashes since he was born, so I was really pleased to read this.
Putting on the carrier was so easy. It’s made up of two sections – the straps and the baby carrier itself. The carrier then clips onto the straps at the front so that you can take off your baby easily, especially when they’re sleeping. The straps were really easy to put on – they’re basically like putting on a backpack. Then with a few clips and clicks, the front was on and I was ready to “slot” Zak in.
I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to put him in myself without needing some assistance, but it was so easy. And as this carrier can be used with newborn babies, it’s just a case of adjusting the straps to secure him in.
Straight away, Zak settled in and there was barely a peep out of him! His head was in his favourite position – just under my chin, and the design of the carrier means that there is no material from the carrier between him and me. This way, he can easily get heat from me, as well as feeling my heartbeat. I haven’t tried this out yet, but skin-to-skin would definitely work with this carrier – the fabric is so soft.
With Zak in his carrier, I could do all the glamorous things around the house that I needed to do. Like washing and sterilising nipple shields. And tidying up all of his baby accessories from the living room. Ah, it’s a magical time, isn’t it?! But you know what? I didn’t. I just sat there with him in his carrier. I did walk around the house a bit, but we both enjoyed having some quiet time. We took it easy and relaxed. And my arms thanked me for it – Zak was cuddled in without my arms going numb!
It wasn’t long before we tried out the BabyBjörn Baby Carrier Mini when we were out and about. Baby carriers are ideal for when you’re walking over uneven surfaces, like when you go hiking and things. Now, the last time I went on a hike was when I did my Duke of Edinburgh Award. It was so horrific that I vowed to never hike again, so that’s not something I’d ever find myself doing.
Going to the beach, however, is something we do quite regularly. I wanted to walk on the sand, so taking Zak’s pushchair just wasn’t an option. So for his first trip to the seaside, Zak was snug against my chest and we were able to walk at the beach without worrying about his pushchair getting stuck.
I’ve been trying to think of any downsides to this carrier and I’m really struggling. It’s so comfortable for us both, and with it being adjustable, it will last us a long time. I haven’t washed it yet, so I don’t know how it’ll cope with that, but I really am struggling to think of any points for improvement. All in all, this is an excellent baby carrier. It’ll be available soon in the UK and this carrier will have an RRP of £79.99.
So, BabyBjörn has done it again – producing a fantastic product, maintaining the excellent reputation that they’ve been nurturing since 1973, and helping parents like me with day-to-day life.
Even if it does makes me a baby-wearing hippy!
BabyBjörn gifted me a Baby Carrier Mini so that I could write an honest review. All views are my own and BabyBjörn has had no editorial input.
The first photo in this blog post was taken by Fiona Saxton Photography.
