This review of the Peekaru fleece was kindly sent to us by Hannah, babywearing mum of one.

One of my big problems with babywearing was what to wear to keep both of us warm on winter walks without ending up with lots of difficult layers and looking like a Michellin man.

I bought a Peekaru fleece to try out and loved it – basically it’s a fleece vest with a hole for your head and a smaller hole for your little one’s head. You pop on your sling in either a front or back carry, pop in the baby and then put it over the two of you and zip up the side.

It keeps you both warm – your little one just needs a hat and their normal clothes underneath and you both benefit from the shared bodyheat..  Its very easy to put on, has a convenient pocket in one corner for house keys and is warm enough for early autumn but also will go under a non-baby wearing coat for colder days.

The only downside is the looks some people give you when they see a disembodied head on your front / back and the fact it doesn’t really work with a hip carry – otherwise its great!

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1. Babywearing in Winter
2. Mamajacket Babywearing Coat Review
3. Ergo Review

We were very pleased to have been sent this review of the Mamajacket babywearing coat, by Hannah, who was keen to share her find with you. Thanks Hannah!

I spent a lot of time looking for a coat that I could sling with – something that didn’t look too much like an anorak but would still let me front and back carry.

The Mamajacket isn’t cheap but it is made of nice woollen fabric and cut well.  It has a knitted insert you either zip into the front which has a gap for your little one’s head, or a zip at the back which lets you expand the back to put the insert in there for back carries.  You can also buy a pregnancy insert which is basically a panel to put on the front to accommodate your bump!

I love the fact it’s a lot smarter than most babywearing covers, it looks like a normal coat but with the ability to zip it over your baby (and fits on the shoulders and arms unlike having to wear a larger sized coat) and it will last for ages because of the way you can change it from front to back use.

The big downside is the cost – at around £125, its not cheap but I reckon a good investment if you’ll be using it regularly and don’t want to wear something that looks like an anorak.

If you would like to submit a review of any babywearing item, please do contact us

Related posts:

1. Babywearing in Winter
2. Peekaru Fleece Review
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This review of a Close Baby Carrier was sent to us by Holly, and her 20 week old son.

We use a Close Baby Carrier regularly, and it is the first sling we have used. I find it quite comfortable, although it does tend to need tightening after a little while of wearing. My son seems very comfortable in it, particularly when I am sitting down, or when he is asleep. We can use it for a couple of hours in one go, and it would be more if it weren’t for my back, rather than the sling.

The Close Baby Carrier is definately good value for money, and it is very convenient, thanks to it’s ease of use. You pop it on like a t-shirt, and then tighten the rings. It’s idiot-proof, and far easier than wrapping endless yards of fabric.

I especially love that it’s great for breastfeeding discreetly and on the go, and there isn’t really anything that I don’t like about it. The only way it could be improved if it had a bit more funky fabric!

Overall 9/10

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This review of a BabyHawk mei tai carrier was sent to us by Cathy, mum to Maddie and 5 month  old Gabriel.

I bought my BabyHawk once my daughter had become too heavy for our stretchy wrap. I do have a few slings, and use them about four or five times a week.

I can use the BabyHawk for either my daughter, who is 26 months, or my son, 5 months, and my husband is happy to wear it aswell! We both  find it really comfortable. The children both find it comfy too – they are guaranteed to fall asleep in it! We chose a minki fleece lined one, which means it is extra cosy in the winter.We can use it for a good few hours; providing you tie it nice and high, and tight, it’s a very comfortable sling.

BabyHawks provide good value for money, and they have a good resale value too if I can ever bear to part with it!

It’s very convenient as it folds fairly small. It is easy to put on, although the long straps do sometimes end up in puddles if I’m not careful!

The best thing about a BabyHawk are it’s easy to use, comfortable and looks great! The only downside is that now my daughter is older she needs a sleephood to support her neck while she’s sleeping, however Babyhawk do a Toddlerhawk which is taller and overcomes this problem.

Overall 10/10. I love it, it’s a great carrier.

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We  were sent this review of a Moby wrap by Jo, who has two children. and uses a Moby to carry her youngest.

I had a Tomy Baby carrier with my first son.  I found it very uncomfortable (I have a bad back) and difficult to get him in/out of, so I was adamant that I didn’t want to use it for my 2nd child. We’ve also got a ring sling, unfortunately it’s too big for me so my husband uses it. I bought a Moby wrap to use with my second son. I use it very regularly, particularly  if I’m out and about with my two children – I sling my youngest so I’ve got both hands free for holding my eldest hand.

I’ve found the Moby wrap really comfortable, so much so that I almost forget that I’m wearing it! My son also finds it very comfortable. Every time he’s gone in it he’s always fallen asleep within minutes. The longest I’ve worn it for so far has been three hours and it was absolutely fine.

The Moby is definately very good value for money.  I bought a second hand one, so it was even better value for money.

It takes a few attempts to get used to wrapping it, but once you’ve mastered it you can get it tied and the baby in within minutes. It’s very versatile (front and back carries) and can be used for quite a long time.  I also love the fact that it’s machine washable (which is always a good option when you have a tiny baby who’s sick on it).

There isn’t anything I don’t like about it but I could see the amount of material and wrapping putting people off of it. I absolutely LOVE IT and wished I had one when my first was a born.

Overall – 10/10

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We have been sent a review of a selection of woven wraps, by Cathy, mum to Madeleine, 26 months, and Gabriel, 5 months.Here’s what she had to say…

I have several woven wraps, specifically, Storchenwiege Inka and Ulli, and Didymos Indio Koralle are the ones I’ve tried in various lengths. I often wear my children – my husband claims we havea sling for every occasion! I find woven wraps the comfiest by far in my sling collection – they are definately my favourite.

My 5 month old loves this sling. He’s content to be suggled in it for hours and often falls asleep before I’ve finished putting it on!I helped out at our local NCT nearly new sale, and wore my 5 month old for over 4 hours. He slept soundly, I got lots of compliments and not a single ache.

I bought all my wraps second hand, which has meant they’ve all been well broken in and I can sell them on when we’ve finished with them – and of course, this makes them even better value for money.

I love it for long trips or when I need my kids to sleep, but it’s not a good sling for putting on at a moments notice, although it’s great putting it on in public as passers by wonder what on earth you’re doing with 4 metres of fabric!

I especially like that it’s very comfortable, and spreads the weight incredibly well. The fabric is super soft, and there are no hard buckles. It’s also very versatile and has been used as a picnic blanket and pram blanket before! There is a knack to getting it tied right, however, and my husband refuses to wear them, as they’re a little too “hippy” for his tastes!

In my opinion, a good wrap really is worth it’s weight in gold, but it’s important to tie it well. Either consult a friend who uses woven wraps, find demo videos on Youtube or go along to a Slingmeet for advice. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you won’t look back.

Overall  – 11/10!

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This review of an ERGObaby baby carrier was sent to us by Becki, who uses it to carry her 7 month old daughter, Kerenza. She has also used a wrap sling and a mei tai, before moving on to this Soft Structured Carrier.

We bought an Ergo New Generation Baby Carrier for our 7 month old baby Kerenza, before setting off for 6 weeks travelling in New Zealand and knowing we wouldn’t want to lug a buggy around everywhere. It is my 3^rd (and final?…) sling. I started with a Close carrier when Kerenza was tiny, then when she started to feel heavy in that I bought a BabyHawk, which I loved but my husband wouldn’t give the tying a proper go, so I knew if I was going to share the babywearing it was worth trying something a bit more structured.

I use it all the time, way more than a pushchair, especially since she’s walking, as its easier on public transport, and I can wear it empty and have both hands free to guide her when she  wants to walk rather than also having to push the buggy, and with the buckle fastening its really quick to get her in and out.

Kerenza is now 16 months (and about 11kg), and still comfy to carry on my front as well as the back as the weight feels well spread across my shoulders, back and waist. She seems very comfy in it, and wriggles far less than when she’s in my arms and knows she might be able to get down and scamper around, and is usually happy in it for longer than she is in a pushchair. If she’s in it for a long walk she will often sleep (unlike her buggy), and the hood is good to support her head then or when its windy or raining.

When she was 8 months I took her in the Ergo for a 2 hour hike through a New Zealand rainforest  on my front. I got a bit warm, but she was calm and happy throughout, and slept  for about 30 minutes of that too. Haven’t had need to sling her for that long recently, but often do more than 30mins on my front or back.

Not super-cheap at around £89.00 new, but brilliant value for money from our point of view, far better than the lightweight stroller we got for our trip.

Its the best of all the slings I’ve tried for convenience, as it fastens like a rucksack with just a buckle at the waist and chest, rather than having yards of material, or ties to wrap and knot. The fact that my husband will happily use it too is a massive bonus!

My favourite aspects of the sling are the comfort and closeness it offers, looks nice and is Daddy-friendly, and above all holds the baby/child in a healthy and natural position unlike carriers like the BabyBjorn which put a lot of stress through the baby’s pelvis and lumbar spine by hanging them facing outwards from their crotch.

Only down side is that I have taken a while to get used to getting Kerenza straight into a back carry on my own, but I think that is partly as I enjoy the interaction of having her on my front still and haven’t yet been bothered to apply myself to practicing!!

We also bought the rucksack attachment, which was fab for days out while we were travelling, but I tend not to use it so much now that we are out for shorter periods, or with the car nearby. The sling alone has a couple of handy pockets that we keep an emergency nappy and few wipes so there are times we can go without anything else in hand which is heavenly!

Overall 10/10 – Love it!!

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We have been sent this review of a Connecta SSC by Laura, and her 11 week old daughter, Ellen. She regularly carries Ellen in the Connecta,  also uses a Moby wrap

I find the Connecta really comfortable, as long as I have the straps adjusted evenly. Ellen falls asleep within five minutes of being placed in it, so I guess she’s pretty comfy too! I can happily carry her all day.

I feel the Connecta is brilliant value for money, and they sell on for a great price too if we ever wanted to part with it. It’s also hugely convenient – can be put on in bat of an eye and folds up small enough to carry around.  We keep it in the buggy bag so can carry her if she gets fed up of buggy.

With the Connecta, I particularly like that it is easy to use, comfortable, the design, and the fact that my husband is happy to wear her in it too.

The only thing I am not so keen on is that the inside and straps attracts fluff!

Overall 9/10

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1. BabyHawk Review
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3. “Sling Slut Does Buggy” Diary – Day Two

Jenny sent us this review of a Kari-Me wrap sling, which she uses to carry her daughter, Matilda, who is now 4 months old.

This was the first sling that I bought, I got it a few weeks before Matilda was born and I use it several times a week. She is now 4 months old and I still love it, and can wear it comfortably for over 5 hours. The wrap spreads the weight over my whole back, and so she seems almost weightless; the material is soft and moulds to her body, so it seems very comfortable for my daughter too. I have also breastfed her in the sling, which is very useful when looking after other children. I have found that I have used the sling more than the rather expensive travel system that we bought, so I’d say it was the best £40 I spent on baby products! It does take a few tries to get used to tying the sling but there is only one basic wrap that isn’t really any harder than tying a shoelace once you have practiced.

The only negative things I could say about this sling is that it doesn’t come in any pretty patterns (but the turquoise green colour that I have does go with most of my clothes) and that I think it will only last until Matilda is perhaps 9 months old because it just isn’t supportive enough for a heavier baby (I tried it with my friend’s 1 year old and it became uncomfortable after half an hour or so because he was able to lean away from me due to the stretch in the sling)

Overall I would say it’s the perfect sling for a newborn, but don’t expect it to last forever! I’d give it 8 out of 10.

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We were sent this review by Natasha, mum to 17 month old Elizabeth. She has previously used a Coorie pouch sling, but changed to an Ergo once Elizabeth became to heavy for the pouch.

I use my Ergo when I go out walking, and need to go off road a bit. It’s also handy for going around airports! I find the Ergo extremely comfortable – the shoulder straps are well padded as is the waistband. My daughter loves it too – the first time I used it, she fell asleep. At the moment I can use it for 2-3 hours comfortably, and my daughter is around 34lbs so not light by any means. I spent around £70, but the alternative would’ve been an off-road buggy, which would have been a lot more expensive. It’s small, so easy to store and easy to use.

I like that I could do a forward carry when she was younger, and then as she got older, and heavier, I can carry her comfortably on my back. It is easy to adjust and there is no need to fiddle with tying the straps – it’s easy with the buckles. I like wearing my daughter close to me, and I love having my hands free – was especially useful when taking the dog out for a walk.

There isn’t anything specifically about the sling I didn’t like, although there are one or two things I find difficult now my daughter is a bit older. As she sees a lot of the back of my head, she can get a bit annoyed! I found it tricky to do a back carry with the sling, my daughter didn’t stand until around 15 months and was heavy so it was difficult to try and get her onto my back when I wasn’t leaving from the house, and was able to sit on the edge of her bed to strap her in. It took a while to get the hang of it but it’s fine know I can do it.

Overall 9/10

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3. Connecta Review