Which is the best front carrier for you and your baby? babyworld asked
parents to test eight popular carriers and give us their verdict.
What is a front carrier?
A front carrier is used for carrying a small baby close to your body. The carrier is
strapped to your body and the baby is positioned securely inside it to allow you to move
around with your arms free. They are suitable from birth until you find the weight too
great a strain on your back.
Do I need it?
Front carriers allow you to maintain the comfort a baby gets from being carried by its
mother, yet lets your hands remain free so you can get on with other things. They can be
useful if you go walking a lot in areas that are unsuitable for pushchairs or if you have
an older child who is still in a pushchair. Front carriers are especially useful for
babies that do not settle easily and seem to want to be carried constantly. Some carriers
also provide discreet cover for breastfeeding which may prove an added bonus.
What to look for
Some front carriers are adjustable so that the baby can either face its parent or face
forward. Newborn babies should always face the parent but, once the baby can support its
own head and becomes more interested in the outside world, a forward-facing carrier
becomes more useful. Some front carriers can be converted to back carriers, which adds to
their versatility and prolongs their useful life.
A top priority in looking for a suitable front carrier is comfort – to be a
success the carrier must be comfortable, for both you and your baby.
For the baby to be comfortable the carrier should give good support to his head, neck
and back and should ideally be adjustable so support is maintained as he grows. Leg holes
should be well padded.
For you to be comfortable the carrier should have wide, well padded shoulder and back
straps which distribute weight evenly and do not dig in. It should be easy to put on and
take off, and to adjust – and you should consider whether you will be able to put it
on and take it off easily without assistance. Avoid very fiddly fastenings – but
don’t be put off by the number of straps and fastenings when you first look at carriers,
they all have quite a number and, once you are familiar with the way they work, you will
usually find that they are quite straightforward.
Test results in brief
- Tomy Cuddle-Up
- Tomy Turn-a-Round Carrier
- Babies-R-Us Deluxe Two-Way Baby
Carrier - Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier
- Mothercare Turnabout Carrier
- Kids in Comfort Sling-Easy
- Kipling Baby Heartbeat Bis
- The Wilkinet Baby Carrier
| Manufacturer | Tomy |
| Price | £20.99 |
| Age guide | Suitable until baby weighs 12kg |
| Features | Cushioned leg and arm holes, integral head padding, removable bib, storage pocket, soother/toy holder, padded shoulder straps, internal zip to allow easy access for feeding. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | Good value, well made carrier with some useful features, but can only be used with the baby facing the parent. |
| Score | 8/10 |
| Manufacturer | Tomy |
| Price | £20 |
| Age guide | Suitable until baby weighs 9.5kg |
| Features | Padded shoulder straps, adjustable seat depth, partly cushioned leg holes, storage pocket, detachable bib. Internal zip allows easy access for feeding. Can be used with baby forward-facing or parent-facing. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | Well priced, lightweight carrier which can be used forward-facing or parent-facing and allows for discreet feeding. Fairly basic as a parent-facing carrier, but snug and effective forward-facing. |
| Score | 7/10 |
| Manufacturer | Babies-R-Us |
| Price | £19.99 |
| Age guide | Suitable until baby is about nine months old |
| Features | Cushioned leg holes, detachable head hugger, zipped storage pocket, padded shoulder and waist straps, adjustable seat size, can be used with baby facing the parent or facing forwards. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | Versatile carrier which works well both parent-facing and forward-facing. Excellent price for a carrier with some useful added features. We especially liked the head hugger for added support. |
| Score | 9/10 |
| Manufacturer | Baby Bjorn |
| Price | £44.90 |
| Age guide | Suitable until baby is about 10 months old |
| Features | Padded, entirely detachable seat which clips onto wide shoulder and waist straps, adjustable seat size. Can be used with the baby parent-facing or forward-facing. Instructions printed on the carrier. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | Excellent, good quality product, well designed for fuss-free use. Practical and straightforward for the parent, snug and comfortable for the baby. We liked the detachable seat which allows you to remove a sleeping baby without waking it. Only negative is the relatively high price. |
| Score | 9/10 |
| Manufacturer | Mothercare |
| Price | £14.99 |
| Age guide | Suitable until baby is about nine months old or 9kg. |
| Features | Cushioned leg holes, padded shoulder straps and back support, detachable bib, storage pocket, internal zip to allow easy access for feeding. Can be used with baby parent-facing or forward-facing. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | The cheapest carrier we tested and excellent value. Versatile, easy to use and with some useful added features despite the low price. Not the most plush, but it functions effectively both forward-facing and parent-facing. |
| Score | 9/10 |
| Manufacturer | Kids In Comfort |
| Price | £26.99 to £36.99, depending on size and fabric choice. |
| Age guide | Suitable until child is about three years old or 16kg. |
| Features | Large swathe of fabric with padded edges and integral padded support cushion, two-ringed securing buckle. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | No fiddly straps and fastenings but rather an alternative, ethnic design which you will either love or hate. Those who use these from an early age swear by them, but they are quite different and you have to like the style to use it comfortably. |
| Score | 7/10 |
| Manufacturer | Kipling Baby |
| Price | £59.99 |
| Age guide | Suitable until child is about 18 months old. |
| Features | Padded shoulder straps and well-padded seat with integral head cushioning. Seat size is adjustable. Storage pocket and Kipling mascot monkey toy. Can be worn with baby facing forwards or facing towards the parent and can also be worn on the back. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | One for the style-conscious. Stylish-looking carrier that is quite bulky but works well and is versatile enough to see you through several stages of your child’s development. Major negative point is the price. |
| Score | 9/10 |
| Manufacturer | Wilkinet |
| Price | £36.95 |
| Age guide | Suitable until child weighs about 14kg |
| Features | Well padded shoulder straps and seat tied onto parent with supporting cloth ties. Can be worn in four positions. Optional showerproof cape. Washable. |
| babyworld verdict | This is a little daunting at first because it has a lot of cloth ties but, once mastered, it is a versatile, comfortable and supportive carrier. Designed by a mother of eight, it has the benefits of a sling but in a more traditional carrier style. |
| Score | 9/10 |
December 1999
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