It’s no secret that we’re baby-wearers around here. We’ve told you about some great babywearing options in the past and will continue to do so. I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to tell you about the wrap that finally converted me to a wrapper.

The CuddlyWrap™ from Canadian based family company Peapod Creations is an incredibly long piece of awesomely soft organic cotton that I first tied on when my youngest child was just a few days old. I had watched the accompanying DVD which took a lot of the fear away, but it was still slightly intimidating at first. Once I did it once, though, my little girl lived in that thing. With a tiny little newbie it was my most comfortable option. She was snug as a bug in there and was completely supported. I got many compliments on wearing my baby in a wrap and just as many questions. Most of them were either “Is it comfortable?” or “Is it hard to tie?” In a word, yes and no. My standard answer to the former question was “It feels like I’m wearing a t-shirt with a baby inside it” and that’s the truth. For a young baby I have never worn a more comfortable carrier. There was no pressure anywhere. The CuddlyWrap is designed for use from birth to 30+ lbs but it was most comfortable for me from birth to about 15 lbs. After that the fabric started to sag a bit and needed to be retied and washed a little more often. Not a big deal, but when I can easily throw on an Ergo for a larger baby I probably will do that rather than wrapping. As for the ease of tying, there’s really nothing to it once you either watch the DVD, have a seasoned pro show you the ropes or check out one of the many online wrapping tutorials.

I’m not much of a pouch sling user myself - I’ve just never found that they work great with gigantic nursing boobs. The few that I do use I chose because they fit me perfectly, and that means they don’t fit anyone else. If your baby loves to be worn and you’re not exactly the same size as your husband, mother and babysitter you’re going to end up with a few different carriers. (Not that there’s a problem with that - I love my collection.)

If you’re a pouch person and you’d rather invest in one fab sling that will fit everyone, I suggest you make the investment in an amazingly gorgeous Baby Bee Sling™ from Honeywear, a company founded upon the nurturing of children and the environment, our two most important and precious resources.

Made from the most pure and exquisite all natural fabrics and lined with soft organic cotton, the Baby Bee Sling is truly one size fits all and offers complete adjustability for many different holds. It’s created with an innovative quick release buckle and a toggle tightening system unlike anything else on the market.

At $120, it is an investment, but one that you’ll find well worth it when you open the box and see the beauty. A Baby Bee Sling doesn’t need to match your outfit - it IS the outfit. Nobody’s going to notice what’s underneath.

Win it! We’re giving away an organic cotton sateen Baby Bee Sling in the eyes of the world pattern. (Value: $120.) To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us which of the other ten fabrics available you like best. Contest closes at noon MST on May 23, 2008.

Additional entries available. See contest entry information and rules.

CONTEST CLOSED

I’m a baby wearer. (Is there an echo in here? I wonder how many times I’ve typed those words.)

It’s definitely an addiction. I love the closeness and the hands-free parenting while still parenting, and am always excited to find more great carriers to share with you.

Not every carrier works for every parent, but I love the wrap style carrier for the comfort level. It’s like sticking your child inside a t-shirt. The wrapping takes a few tries to become easy, but once you’ve got it, it’s like riding a bike. I am loving the baby wrap carrier from Picara. It’s the only one I’ve seen that’s made from ribbed cotton so it only stretches one way - comfortable, but it never sags! I was in shock when I clicked through from the reader email recommending it and it was only $45. That’s a steal, even without a discount! (But you get a discount, because you’re special.)

Save 15% at Picara when you shop through this link.

If you read TOP regularly (and why wouldn’t you?) you know we’re all dedicated child wearers. There’s no shortage of great carriers out there, and each one serves it purpose and different carriers work for different people.

For the last few days I’ve been wearing my new Scootababy and have fallen in love. So has my 2 year old son. When it arrived, my baby was sleeping and he, who hasn’t been worn in almost a year because he’s refused since he learned to walk and became Mr. Independent, insisted in hopping right in. For being a 35 pound kid, he was surprisingly easy to carry! And it’s a good thing because he now considers it his so I haven’t had a chance to try it with my little one yet. When I want to wear her, she’s in the Ergo because he’s staked his claim on the new one.

The Scootababy, designed by babywearing mama Audra Meng, has a very comfortable padded waist strap that places most of the child’s weight on your hips and an easily adjustable shoulder strap with a fleece insert on the section that’s actually on your shoulder so there aren’t any of the usual pressure points that you often feel with a one sided carrier. It was notably easy to get on. Simply fasten the waist belt, pick up your child in their natural position at your hip and flip the body of the carrier up behind them. The shoulder strap then pops over their head and yours, and you can easily adjust it to support your child and be comfortable for both of you. Nothing to it!

It’s made of sturdy black denim, with your choice of a fleece or cotton liner, matches any outfit (like that matters when you’re that comfortable) and is machine washable.

I especially like the comfortable side carry position. It feels very natural and yet takes no effort to carry even a large child. I have other carriers, such as the Ergo, which allow for a side carry position but it takes so much work to adjust the straps that I never bother. It’s front, back, or not at all. Sometimes, though, the back isn’t ideal and you need the space in front of your belly for other things (and, honestly, once they hit a certain weight they don’t feel great centered in the front). With the Scootababy, it’s just like picking up your child as you always would, but they’re infinitely lighter and your hands are free. I love it!

Win it! Audra is giving one lucky TOP reader their very own Scootababy carrier, valued at $107! The winner will have their choice of the fleece or cotton jellybean lining. To enter, leave a comment on this post telling us why you want it. Contest closes April 14, 2008.

Get up to two additional entries into this contest!

1. Blog about this contest using one of the top three images found here.

2. Leave a comment with the direct link to your post (not to your main page, and in a separate comment from your other entry).

AND/OR

Subscribe to our RSS feed. Leave an additional comment to let us know that you did this for your extra entry. Be sure to leave a valid email address so we can confirm your new subscription.

Maximum three entries total per person.

CONTEST CLOSED

Long time T.O.P. readers know how we feel about wearing babies. We love it, and many of us are carrier connoisseurs and collectors.

We’ve featured and will continue to feature some fabulous standard carriers, but today we bring you one of the coolest and comfiest carriers we’ve seen in a long time.

My Baby Nest is a soft cotton carrier featuring the comfort of a wrap without any of the actual wrapping and tying - the very two features that often scare parents away from the fabulous wrap carrier.

My Baby Nest consists of two large cotton loops and an easy buckle belt, and is incredibly easy to wear in five different positions, with or without the accompanying belt. It’s incredibly easy to nurse in and is comfortable to carry children from newborn up to and beyond my big two year old. Each Baby Nest comes with a matching carry bag to keep it clean and convenient. The carrier is currently available in four colours, with four more available for pre-order.

If you’ve always wanted to try a wrap carrier but are a little or a lot scared of the actual wrapping, My Baby Nest is made for you.

My Baby Nest is available in several retail and online locations or directly from their online store.

Save 10% on your own Baby Nest with the code opinion.

You’ll find My Baby Nest in the TOP Shops!

As an avid baby wearer and a baby carrier collector, I’ve become very - ahem - opinionated when it comes to the devices that I’ll recommend to parents wanting to carry their offspring. And while it would be nice if we all had a third arm, we don’t and wearing your baby is the next best (better?) option.

Professionally sewn with two layers of lusciously thick fabric and smart reversibility, Chic Papoose pouch slings are definitely on my “yes list.” They’re pre-washed to prevent shrinkage and are sized to fit pretty much anyone with petite, regular and plus sizes available. Every design has one print side and one solid side to match pretty much any outfit.

Owner and work at home mom Holly Nelson has great policies too - returns or exchanges within 30 days and always free gift wrapping!

I’ve told you before about EcoBaby Canada and nothing has changed in regard to how excited I am that they exist. Naturally. In Alberta. It’s awesome!

I also directed you once before to the great selection of slings available from Ecobaby Canada and now am so excited to share with you the Child Size Hotsling! Available on the pouch sling page for just $18, your child can carry their own dolls, toys or a random selection of items from your back yard in their very own sling with the perfect fit. Kids love to copy their parents and kids also often get jealous of the attention that a young baby gets. When you’re slinging or nursing your own baby, how great would it be if your older children could simulate doing the same thing with their “babies?” This is a product that makes it easy and fun to do. Truly fabulous!

EcoBaby Canada is giving away a child size hotsling in the colour of your choice to one lucky Canuck T.O.P reader! (Please note that this one’s only open to Canadian readers.) To enter, send an email to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com before midnight MST on 1/10/08 with EcoBaby Kid Sling in the subject line and include which of the four available colours you’d choose for your prize as well as your full name and mailing address. Incomplete entries will not be eligible. Congratulations Angie!

An important note to all readers: Please remember to copy the subject line for our contests correctly as these are filtered automatically and if you make up your own title or submit a typo you may not be entered correctly.

By Chelle

I love wearing my babies. My firstborn was so tiny and cute and cuddly, I never wanted to put her down. Carrying her everywhere was getting tougher with every pound she gained. I was introduced to the art of babywearing when she was about three months old.

I wore that girl until she was just over two, when I got pregnant with her brother. I have had the opportunity to try a few different carriers, and definitely have my preferences depending on the age of the baby. When I got the opportunity to try out the Premaxx carrier from JJ Cole USA for T.O.P., I was totally excited!

Along came baby number two. Not too tiny, just right. Already an avid babywearer, our little boy was in a carrier by the second day! I have to admit that I have never been any good at the cradle carry. Our first was already beyond that stage and well once you have things figured out one way it is hard to change.

This is where I ran into difficulties with the Premaxx. The design is truly amazing. They took in every consideration when making this carrier. However, it takes some time to get used to it, especially if you have used other baby carriers. I was unable to wear our son in it cradle carry, but note I am unable to do so in any carrier (I have four different styles!) Once his head control was good the Premaxx has been wonderful for outings!

I wear our four month old in the front and off to the side a tad. I can store all my essentials in the pockets, so that my husband can take off with the diaper bag (that normally acts as my purse as well). The carrier itself is comfortable to wear, styling and our son does not fuss in it.

I am more of a traditional baby carrier mom. I adore my ring sling for quick outings, my mei tai for hikes and my Ergo for older toddlers. Yet there is definitely a spot for the Premaxx in my addiction to baby carriers. Once my husband perfects it, he too will wear my son more often (he is not one to wear a sling unless absolutely necessary!) and I really like the sporty look to the Premaxx. I would totally recommend the Premaxx to a parent that is not totally convinced that baby wearing is for them, or the parent that fears the soft carriers like the sling are not sturdy enough.

The Premaxx is a styling, comfortable and sturdy way of keeping your baby close, a parenting style I truly advocate.

The Premaxx Baby Carrier (as seen on Grey’s Anatomy!) is intended for use from birth to 18 months. Use it as a sling from 0-5 months and as a hip carrier from 5-18 months. There are several convenient pockets for a diaper, your wallet and other necessities. The wide strap adjusts to fit both mom and dad and the sides are easily adjustable with simple drawstrings. It’s machine washable (very important!) and comes in sporty black/grey and burgundy/orange colour combinations.

Check the JJ Cole USA store locator to find retailers in Canada, the US and online in both countries.

Win it! We’ve got the black and grey Premaxx up for grabs. Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Premaxx in the subject line and tell us one of the “essentials” products available from JJ Cole. Contest closes 8/30/07 at midnight MST. Congratulations Lisa!

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Guest review by T.O.P. reader Heather.

I never felt a need for a baby sling until I was pregnant with baby #3. I knew I didn’t want to stop going out and doing all the fun stuff I took the boys to because I had my hands too full with a 3rd baby. So I looked at all the many choices and decided on buying a Hotsling. I shopped around and got one that was a little cheaper on a website I can’t remember now (it was a discontinued pattern but I liked the polka dots and its reversible). They’re also available from Amazon. It still seemed very pricey for a seemingly simple piece of fabric but it may have been the best baby item I’ve purchased. I love that its easy to put on and has no clips, snaps or adjustments to make (instead they come in sizes). It is so easy to fold up small and put in my bag. Jamie loved it as a newborn and at 13 months and 21 lbs she still goes in it happily. I bring it everywhere. If she gets tired of sitting in the shopping cart I put her in it while I grocery shop. I just took her blueberry picking in it and she loved being able to reach the berries from it. We both REALLY do love it! I would HIGHLY recommend one of these slings to anyone but especially moms with a 3rd baby. How else could I go to the playground and simultaneously push the 2 boys on the swings while holding the baby!

Ed. Note:
Huge thanks to everyone who helped out during this crazy moving week with guest reviews. Keep ‘em coming and we’ll keep them on hand for “one of those days” that are happening way too often now. You know how it is, right? We’ll be back with more reviews & contests next week!

The Opinionated Parents are strong believers in baby wearing and we all do it. Mom of two, Rachel Panush, is the same. She began making slings for herself before the arrival of her first child, and she never stopped. She decided to turn her hobby into a web business and Posh Papoose was born.

Rachel’s aim is to make well made, useful, user-friendly, fun, and stylish slings to encourage baby wearing by all. She has definitely succeeded in all respects. Her selection of gorgeous prints and limited edition fabrics is very impressive. Each sling is made from three yards of limited edition highest quality cotton, making them comfortable, easy to maneuver and extremely functional. I started out my mothering life with a custom made ring sling that I thought was fine until I tried a Posh Papoose Ultra. Not only was it much more stylish but so much more practical. It has a long tail that I have used as both a nursing cover and a sunshade, and the tail has two very large pockets for essentials like diapers, a wipes case and…lipstick! There are two matching strings on the tail that are intended to allow it to be tied up shorter, which is great, but it also works to tie the handle of a water bottle, a pacifier or a treasured lightweight toy to the sling to prevent the dreaded ‘floor drop.’ I put my keys in my pocket, everything else in the sling pocket and off I went, hands free to play with and cuddle my son.

Posh Papoose offers your choice of padded, semi padded and unpadded slings and they match the rings to the fabric. Speaking of rings, the Posh Papoose was WAY easier to adjust than my previous sling. They feature the largest available sling rings that have passed an impact test and a 250 lb pull test. I’ll wear out long before my Posh Papoose does!

TOP readers save 10% at Posh Papoose with the code OP407.
You’ll find Posh Papoose in the TOP Shops,
where we feature permanent discounts exclusively for TOP readers.
When you’re bitten by the shopping bug, always check the TOP Shops first!

Do you think Posh Papoose slings are as great as I do? Then enter to win the sling of your choice! Send an email to theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Posh Papoose in the subject line, and tell us the one non-sling item available at Rachel’s site. Get your entries in by midnight MST on 4/30/07. Congratulations Harry!

I’m a fairly dedicated wearer of the child, but up here in the great white north it gets a little chilly at times. The very awesome Nori Peekaru Vest designed by par.entrepreneur Melissa Radcliffe & her company Together Be is a great solution.

The Peekaru is a fleece vest that zips over a soft baby carrier to keep you and your child warm. It fits comfortably over all carriers, including Baby Bjorns, Hotslings, Ergos, Mei Tais, and Wraps. We tested the Peekaru with a Bjorn, a ring sling & a mei tai and it worked perfectly over all of them. Available in five colours, the Nori Peekaru is a perfect accessory for the baby wearing crowd. It’s made of comfortable stretchy fleece (which I noticed makes it easy for the squirmy child to squirm comfortably) and has a hole for baby’s entire head or face to peek out of. The Peekaru can be worn with the carrier on your front or back. It can be worn with a coat over top (undone) to add warmth, and even in Canada I’ve found that an open coat is enough because the Peekaru did such a great job of keeping both mine and my baby’s body heat in.
It hugs the body in a rather flattering way (if I do say so myself *ahem*) and covers even my tall toddler’s long legs if he wraps them around me. I also love the small pocket - just big enough for a phone & keys.

Putting on the vest is pretty simple. It feels a little awkward at first but it gets easier every time. Simply place your child securely in your carrier of choice, pull the vest on, with your head and your baby’s head going through separate holes. The left side of the vest is completely open. Next, close the left side of the vest with a zipper and pull a drawstring at your child’s feet for a little more warmth if you like. My only suggestion would be an adjustable head opening for the child - perhaps a zipper or some soft Velcro to make it a little easier to pull over their head or to leave loose for those kids who don’t like things around their necks. It’s minor - I still love the Peekaru - but it would be a nice addition.

Enter to win a grey Nori Peekaru Vest in your own size. Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Peekaru in the subject line and the correct answer to the question What are the five available colours of the Peekaru? Contest closes 4/23/07 @ midnight MST. Congratulations, Katalin!

At TOP we, as you may have gathered, LOVE babywearing and all that it represents. We also love trying out new carriers and supporting those we love, even if it means we each have a collection large enough to carry a whole brood.

Ellaroo is a great mother-run company that produces all sorts of carriers - wraps, ring slings, podaegis, mei tais and their trademarked mei hip carrier.

We’ve been reviewing the Ellaroo Mei Tai deluxe carrier. Having never used a mei tai myself, I and three other new-ish mothers all blindly gave it a shot. Without fail, we were all sold on the Ellaroo mei tai deluxe within minutes for several reasons.

If you hadn’t already guessed, this is a TOP highly recommended carrier!

Ellaroo products can be purchased from any of their retailers around the world.

Want to see if you like it as much as we do? Enter to win a Ellaroo Mei Tai Deluxe in the good n’ plenty print (shown - reverses to black) by emailing theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Ellaroo in the subject line and tell us the one non-carrier item that Ellaroo sells. Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/9/07. Congratulations Glennia!

The Opinionated Parents are exuberant baby wearing advocates and we’re always on the lookout for fashionable and functional ways keep baby close.

Sweet Fletcher is a mom owned and run company. Ashley Waldvogel Gaddy started Sweet Fletcher Designs after the birth of her son in 2003. She launched the company with her simple & stylish pouch style slings and has since expanded into several other great products.

Everything at Sweet Fletcher is sewn to perfection from their stylish signature fabrics and their slings are no exception.

Large enough to be supportive, sleek enough to not add unnecessary bulk and stylish enough to be completely embarrassment free in public, Sweet Fletcher slings are a great accessory for the new mom. They wash up beautifully and the cotton fabrics are lively and light. The last thing you want is a sweaty baby plastered against a sweaty mommy. My two favourite things about them? The perfectly rounded seam which is comfortable for any child from a newborn right up to, and probably well over, my 25 pounder and the reversible design. Every funky sling reverses to a solid colour to match pretty much any outfit.

Babywearing is one of the best things you can do to help with colic, bonding and so much more. Why not look stylish at the same time?

Enter to win a Sweet Fletcher sling in the summer planets fabric (pictured, size extra small for a petite woman 5′2″ & under). Simply email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with Sweet Fletcher in the subject line and tell us the name of one other fabric that Sweet Fletcher slings are available in. Contest closes at midnight MST on 4/5/07. Congratulations Louise!