MiaMily HIPSTER Baby Carrier

It has been a long time since I had reviewed a carrier. However, I couldn't resist trying out the MiaMily Hipster, which has been tested and approved by The International Hip Dysplasia Institute and Baby Carrier Industry Alliance as a hip healthy product. I've often gotten feedback that Hip Carriers are not good for baby's hips so this intrigued me to give it a try.

MiaMily Hipster
(Retail price: S$199)

Swiss brand MiaMily's 2-in-1 Baby Hip Carrier

I was given the ruby red, which was really striking and great for carrying both boys and girls.

The MiaMily Hipster, laid out horizontally

The hip seat, which can be attached to the double shoulder strap

Small pocket on the waist belt for putting tiny stuff

Inner portion of the waist belt is well cushioned for your comfort

Front pocket of the double shoulder strap
(it'll be better if the pocket has a zip on top though otherwise things such as cards or phones might drop out)

The pocket can be removed to give your child greater ventilation
(but that would mean no pocket for your things)

A simple white hood for projecting your child's head

These white strap pads aren't the prettiest but they get the job down by protecting your straps from a teething baby or giving you additional support on your shoulders should you need it.
Would be better if they were of a nicer colour or design though.

The MiaMily Hipster comes with a foldable bag to put your carrier when you don't need it and folds up when you do. I thought that this was something very useful that other hip seat carriers do not come with.

This is not my first time using a hip seat carrier so I'm quite familiar with all the different ways that you can carry your child with it. There are 9 different ways you can carry your child with a MiaMily Hipster but these are my favourites:

1) Front Face-to-Face

Carrying my boy at Koh Samui International Airport while waiting to clear immigration

2) Front-Facing

I know this position isn't the best for his hips but my super active boy loves it as he gets to see things other than my chin.
I try to limit carrying him in this position for short periods of time.

3) Back

Carrying him like a backpack.
Great on the shoulders for me but not so comfortable for him because my hair keeps flying into his face
(you can tell he's not really happy about it)

When using the MiaMily Hipster, I did notice that it does provide more support for my boy's legs as compared to my other hip seat carrier (which causes my boy's legs to droop more). However, I also acknowledged that the support is still less than other cloth carriers so do weigh the pros and cons when deciding between the different types of carriers. Do also note that hip seat carriers are not suitable for very young babies who are not able to sit up by themselves.

Well as you can see, all my favourite positions require the shoulder straps as I prefer to go hands-free. However, you may prefer to use it without the straps as some kids don't like to be strapped in.

With my boy getting more and more active and climbing out of our strollers even though we had strapped him in, it's useful to strap him tightly into a carrier so that he can't get away (this is especially useful if you're shopping in a store full of breakables and you don't want your hyperactive toddler to destroy anything). One of the reasons why I still put my boy in a carrier even though he's getting almost too big for it.

The other reason is that I really love having him so close to me! I really miss the days when he used to breastfeed and sleep in the carrier! Nowadays he's only in it when we need to restraint him. Ah well, at least I can still carry him in the MiaMily Hipster. I think that I will really cry when I can no longer carry my boy in a carrier any more. They really grow up too fast!! *sigh*

P.S: Follow My Baby Carrier Reviews as I personally put various baby carriers to the ultimate test! Do also keep yourself informed of Babywearing Safety tips when buying or using baby carriers =)

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Disclosure: A complimentary baby carrier was received from MiaMily for the purposes of this review. No monetary compensation was received; all opinions are my own.

Todbi Air Motion Hipseat Carrier

I have tried several carriers this year but I have not tried a hipseat carrier. Hence when Todbi launched their range of Todbi hipseat carriers (all made in Korea) in Singapore, I was excited to give one a try!

The box that it came in is classically white with light blue accents

Todbi Air Motion Hipseat Carrier
(Comes with an instruction manual, dustbag, teething pads and air pump)

The folks at Todbi were very kind to have provided me with a cute pink one as they knew my favourite colour is pink (even though I was also ok with the other colours as I would be carrying a boy anyway). Of course when it arrived I changed my mind because I love the pink! I had always had dull black or blue carriers so pink was a nice change :D

I was very intrigued by the hipseat as I had not touched or used one before. I was very curious, wondering how it would work.

Hipseat front view

Hipseat top view
(Generous space for little butts)

I unzipped the hipseat to find a light styrofoam and an inflatable plastic thingy (which you can pump with air every time it deflates after use)

The instruction manual (yes, I'm the kind of person that reads instruction manuals!) said that the air provided greater support for your abdomen such that even mothers who had a C-section can use it with ease.

"Wow, that's cool." I thought to myself. "But I wouldn't know until I try it out!"

And so I did. Please note that you must wrap the strap around your waist and not your hips as you strap on the hipseat. Don't forget to secure with the belt to provide greater security. Unlike other carriers, hipseats are designed to be used on its own if you find bringing a full carrier out to be a hassle.

Three postions that you can wear the hipseat (left to right):
1) Face-to-face, 2) Front-facing, 3) Side

The downside of these positions is that at least one of your hands must be constantly supporting your baby so you can't be completely hands-free. Nevertheless, it is still useful for short distances when you just need to run a short errand with your baby but don't want to strap on a full carrier.

If you need to be hands-free or if baby needs to sleep, simply attach the top half of the carrier to the hipseat.

Top half of the carrier

Attach by zipping up the top and bottom (hipseat) and attaching the clasps for greater security and support

Then all you need to do it put it on like you would for an ordinary carrier.

Place baby on the seat first before putting on the shoulder straps and securing the back strap in place
(Side note: my baby loves to bite on the grey mesh in front so put a cloth there if you don't want your carrier to be dirty)

There are also 3 positions available for the full carrier: 1) Face-to-face, 2) Front-facing, 3) Back.

Front-facing (left) and back (right)

I think hipseat carriers are one of the few in the market that allows you to safely carry your baby Front-facing. Baby Boy loves this position as he can do his people-watching thing while we shop.

For the Back position, I love how the thicker waist strap was wide enough to cover all the "baby-fat" on my tummy unlike my other carriers that usually made me look like crap. Baby Boy doesn't really like this position, although I suspect it's because my hair kept sweeping into his face! Haha.

Face-to-face
(front and back view)

The most common position for all the carriers I have is the Face-to-face. Baby Boy looked quite comfortable in this position and had space to wiggle around, unlike my other carriers where he was stuck literally to me and had no space to breathe. Now that he is older and needing his space (sigh), he definitely prefers this carrier.

Close up of the hipseat (sideview);
Love that the wide belt provides more support for my hips

Compared to my other carriers, this one also had the most additional features which included a front pocket and hood to protect the baby from the sun and the rain.

I love this cute little pocket at the side for storing the hood and other little things like pacifiers

The front pocket can be unzipped and rolled up to reveal a mesh underneath for better air circulation for your sleeping baby so that he does not overheat
(Perfect for hot countries like Singapore!)

Rolled up front pocket

Hood for covering the baby's head

Love the removable buttons that allow you to remove the hood when it's not needed (unlike Ergobaby carriers)

We thought the hood could be a little bigger though as my boy doesn't like it wrapped too much over his head (he doesn't like anything over his head)

Teething pads that you can attach to the shoulder straps for your baby to bite on
(They should probably have teething pads for the front of the carrier as well cos my boy keeps biting on it!!)

As usual, I did my usual side-by-side comparison of the Todbi Air Motion Hipseat Carrier with my other carriers (see my detailed review of my Baby Bjorn & Ergobaby here).

Comparison table

Although the Todbi carrier was the most expensive, it also had the most positions and additional features; hence I think it is very value for money. I particularly love the many positions to choose from! This is going to be the carrier of choice for my travels overseas :D

GIVEAWAY!

If you're interested to try one, great news; we are giving away 1 Todbi Air Motion Hipseat Carrier (worth S$299) to ONE lucky winner!

Sponsored by Global Outsource Solutions Pte Ltd, the exclusive distributor of Todbi

Simply follow these steps to qualify:

(1) Leave a comment on this blog post on your baby's age and why Todbi Air Motion Hipseat Carrier will be good for both baby and parent

(2) Share this blog post on your personal Facebook page and tell your friends why you think Todbi Air Motion carrier is great PLUS Tag MadPsychMum and 1 friend (keep the post public so that I can see it!)

The best answer will be picked by the folks at Todbi. Good luck! =)

Terms and Conditions of this giveaway:
a) This giveaway ends on 21th December 2014 (Sunday) and is only open to readers living in Singapore.
b) Participants must complete the entries above in order to qualify. Incomplete entries will be disqualified without notice.
c) The winner will be chosen by the sponsor and must respond within 3 days after being contacted by me otherwise another winner will be drawn.


UPDATE: The winner has been chosen and it is none other than Joydinyeo! Thanks to all for participating! =)


Disclosure: A complimentary carrier was received from Global Outsource Solutions Pte Ltd for the purposes of this review and giveaway. No monetary compensation was received; all opinions are my own.

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P.S: Follow My Baby Carrier Reviews as I personally put various baby carriers to the ultimate test! Do also keep yourself informed of Babywearing Safety tips.

Suppori Baby Sling

When I was first introduced to the Suppori Baby Sling, I was amazed at how small it was. "Are you sure this little thing can support a full grown baby?" I thought. Hence, I was really excited to try it out and couldn't wait for my boy to be old enough (the baby must be strong enough to sit up on their own for short periods of time in order for you to use this sling).

There are a few sizes of the sling and I was given L because, well, these hips don't lie (plus I'm slightly taller). It takes some practice to learn how to get your baby in and position him right, especially if you are doing it for the first time.

It is easier to put the baby in from the front and then shift him to rest on your hips

Left = Correct position;
Right = Wrong position (baby looks like he's going to fall out!)

Took me a day to figure out how to carry my baby correctly but after many tries, it was really easy to use. I love how the sling is handy for going out for a short breakfast or shopping trip as it is easy to put him in and take him out as compared to full carriers like the SidePlus All Mesh. It is also lighter, more compact and fits nicely into your diaper bag or stroller bag.

Small enough to fit into the palm of your hand =)

The sling clings to the edge of your shoulders where the bones are rather than near the neck so as to give you more support and prevent neck and shoulder aches.

Greater support for your shoulders

It is also made of a really strong material that is both cooling and lightweight. The sling is so compact that I can simply wear it (when my baby is being carried by the hubby) while walking around and it looks perfectly ok =)

Wearing the sling to the toilet because I was too lazy to take it off

You'll of course still need the full carrier if you're going to be carrying your baby for longer periods of time, especially if your baby needs to sleep along the way. Your baby might not be too comfortable sleeping in a sling.

Baby Boy doesn't seem to mind though as he's sleeping a lot less in the carrier now that he's older! He loves to look at everything as we walk so being carried at the side is great for him. He doesn't care which carrier he's in, he just loves to be close to me. I love the bond I share with him as he goes everywhere with me, literally stuck to my hips! *laughs*


GIVEAWAY!
If you're keen to try one, we are giving away a Suppori Sling to ONE lucky reader!

Simply follow ALL of these steps to qualify:

(1) Leave a comment on this blog post on your baby's age and what you like about the Suppori sling

(2) Like both MadPsychMum and MummyToon on Facebook

(3) Enter all THREE of the above entries into the Rafflecopter widget below (don't forget to do this as we'll be using the widget to pick the winner!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The other entries are optional but you may enter them for more chances of winning! Good luck! =)

Terms and Conditions of this giveaway:
a) This giveaway ends on 9th July 2014 (Wed) and is only open to readers living in Singapore.
b) Participants must complete all three entries and enter them into Rafflecopter in order to qualify (i.e. if you said that you've commented, make sure that you do. I do check). Incomplete entries will be disqualified.
c) The winner will be drawn randomly via Rafflecopter and must respond within 3 days after being contacted by me otherwise another winner will be drawn.


Disclosure: Complimentary Suppori Baby Sling was received from MummyToon for the purposes of this review and giveaway. No monetary compensation was received; all opinions are my own.

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P.S: Follow My Baby Carrier Reviews as I personally put various baby carriers to the ultimate test! Do also keep yourself informed of Babywearing Safety tips.

SidePlus All Mesh Carrier

Originating from Japan, the SidePlus All Mesh Carrier was a mix of both my Baby Bjorn and Ergobaby carriers (see my detailed review of my Baby Bjorn & Ergobaby). It had the safety support seat like a Bjorn but the soft material of the Ergobaby.

Photo Credit: Suppori

To test it out, I carried the Baby Boy in the SidePlus All Mesh Carrier when we were shopping for about 2 hours.

Baby boy in the front face-to-face position

Close up of the waist belt

The padded shoulder straps and waist belt were very comfortable and I had no pain in my back even after carrying my baby for quite a while. I had expected the boy to feel a little strange in it (as it wasn't his usual carrier) but he didn't and even fell fast asleep.

The carrier allows you to carry your baby in 3 positions: Underarm, Front face-to-face and Back.

Photo Credit: Suppori

I couldn't test out the back-carrying position as Baby Boy is not big enough and my girl is too heavy for it. However, I did try out the underarm position, which is the most unique aspect of this carrier, as it was suitable for babies under 4 months.

Adjusting the straps can be quite complicated though if you're doing it for the first time (or are not in the habit of reading instruction manuals!). There are two rings for the two different carrying positions as seen in the illustration below:

Photo Credit: Suppori

Make sure you've got the shoulder straps hooked to the right ring otherwise it will not be secure!

Next, the Head and Back Support Board is inserted into the carrier to ensure the weak heads of newborn babies would be adequately supported. The board can also be inserted for the back-carrying position so that the back of the child is supported. I thought this was very useful as I remembered that my girl's back was arched when being carried in the Ergobaby (back-carrying position).

Photo Credit: Suppori

All Mesh Head and Back Support Board

Place the board into the big pocket of the carrier and secure it in place

Both the board and carrier are made of the All Mesh material, which is stretchy and allowed for better airflow so that both the baby and the wearer would be comfortable in our hot climate. I also liked that the carrier had pockets for storing the ring and waist belt when not in used.

Left: Pocket to store ring when not used for front- and back-carrying positions
Right: Pockets to store the waist belt when not used for the underarm position

After inserting the board, place the baby on the carrier inside the safety support and straddle both shoulder straps over your head.

My baby is getting too big for this position! *gasp*

Carrying my 3.5 month old Baby Boy in the Underarm position

I think this position is great for tiny, fragile babies with very little neck support. Not so much for my giant Baby Boy who was causing my neck to ache a little in the 15 minutes that I carried him in this position! *laughs* As you can probably guess, this is not a suitable carrier for heavier babies or toddlers as the maximum weight is only 15kg.

To give you an idea on how the SidePlus All Mesh carrier measures up to my two other carriers, here's my summary table:

My Comparison Summary Table

Overall, I liked that this carrier is versatile, affordable and value for money. Although the designs are simple, there are a few colours that you can choose from.

Available in the above colours

And now for the GIVEAWAY!
We are giving away one SidePlus All Mesh Carrier to ONE lucky reader!

Simply follow all of these steps to qualify:

(1) Leave a comment on this blog post on where you will bring your child in a carrier

(2) Like both MadPsychMum and MummyToon on Facebook

(3) Enter all THREE of the above entries into the Rafflecopter widget below
(Don't forget to do this as we'll be using the widget to pick the winner!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The other entries are optional but you may enter them for more chances of winning! Good luck! =)

Terms and Conditions of this giveaway:
a) This giveaway ends on 25th April 2014 (Fri) and is only open to readers living in Singapore.
b) Participants must enter all 3 entries into Rafflecopter in order to qualify.
c) The winner will be drawn randomly via Rafflecopter and must respond within 3 days after being contacted by me otherwise another winner will be drawn.


Disclosure: Complimentary carrier was received from MummyToon for the purposes of this review and giveaway. No monetary compensation was received; all opinions are my own.

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P.S: Follow My Baby Carrier Reviews as I personally put various baby carriers to the ultimate test! Do also keep yourself informed of Babywearing Safety tips.