Monday, August 27, 2012

I am finally a "true" babywearer! (+ Low Entry Giveaway)

When little J.T. was first born, he had REALLY bad colic. It was so bad that he would only sleep 2-3 hours a day. The lack of sleep was a complete shock for a recovering mom (ME) who took a week long $50,000 vacation trip to the hospital! 

All my son wanted to do was be held for those other 20 hours! EXHAUSTING. So I grabbed the only carrier I had...*cough* Baby Bjorn. Don't judge, I didn't know any better. All I knew was what I had been told by Babies R' Us and other mom's. And like magic, it worked. The carrier was the only way I could get little J.T. to sleep and get things done around the house.

But as I started to research this phenomena called "babywearing" I was intrigued...I mean I was "babywearing" wasn't I? The answer was YES. But was I babywearing safely?

Boy did I have a lot to learn! Here are some of the dangers of the popular baby bjorn, and and other "crotch dangling carriers" - meaning the baby is being supported mostly by their spine!
  • Uncomfortable (killed my back)
  • Not great for babies spine development
  • Tend to be super expensive (can be a danger to your wallet)
When I realized all of these negative effects, and read an article put out by a Chiropractor, I knew I had to find a different carrier! That is when I discovered the Boba Carrier. My eyes were opened to a whole new world...which I am going to share with you.

 Benefits of the Boba Carrier:
  • You can nurse in it
  • Super cute prints/patterns
  • Fits a wide height range (5'0"-6'3") for the carriers
  • Fits a wide weight range (7-45lbs) for the person carrying
  • 3 pockets to store your crap, I mean stuff:-)
  • Foot straps for older children
  • Canopy to cover babies head while nursing, sleeping, or to protect from the sun
  • Made of 100% Cotton
  • Safe carrier for front or back carrying
  • Super comfortable for you and baby
  • Purse/Diaper Bag strap holder on shoulder
  • 3 Hold Positions (Newborn, Front, Back)

Different Holds:
  1. Newborn (7-15 lbs) perfect for a close hold when your baby needs lots of skin to skin contact
  2. Front (15-30 lbs) great for keeping the baby close, but giving a little less support as baby grows
  3. Back (20-45 lbs) awesome for a growing toddler ready to see the world from a new perspective
My Thoughts:
I know this sounds so cliche, but I really LOVE this carrier! I never knew how comfortable babywearing could be! Having used a Baby Bjorn for so long, this carrier is a breath of fresh, clean, and healthy air. 

You should see the looks and questions I get about the "contraption" that my baby is in. People are so curious...and then even more curious when I tell them how bad the popular baby carriers are. Yes, I am that girl. Of course I do it in a nice way!

Back to the Boba. I really like that it has multiple pockets to store things in as well as the detachable hood and foot straps. This carrier is very versatile and can be used for newborn babies all the way through toddlers! The Boba is an investment that will stand the test of time and can be used for all of your children. Why invest practically the same amount of money for something that can potentially hurt your baby?

The Boba's construction is high quality and very sturdy. The lower belt buckle is military grade. Very impressive. Although the Boba may look a little overwhelming or confusing at first, it truly is very simple after trying it on (way easier than the Bjorn too). The Boba comes with a large color booklet to help you understand both visually and written with specific instructions for everything you will need!
Check out some of my pictures below :
1) Super comfortable shoulder pads that do not leave red marks or dig into you
2) Upper buckle that is easily grasped with your hands
3) Lower (heavy duty) military grade buckle
4) Adjustable straps everywhere for customization to your size
1) Another pocket which stores the detachable hood. Can be used for phone or keys
2) The detachable hood
3) Adjustable strap with snaps to anchor hood
1) Snap where hood attaches to
2) Diaper bag/purse holder strap; this allows you to attach your bag without worrying about it falling off your shoulder while using the carrier

The Boba also comes in different editions, prints, and colors. Their latest and greatest is the 3G. Check out the comparison chart below to see all the features as well as some of their cute print options:

Some Things to Think About:
  • I recommending practicing a few times with the carrier to get comfortable with it. The back carry can be a little tricky at first, especially with a squirmy baby
  • As mentioned before, the buckles are military grade, so they may be a little challenging at first to get used to the strength of them. This by no means bothers me because I can feel secure in knowing that my baby is strapped on safely and securely. 
  • I have the black carrier and I love it because it matches everything, however, it is a lint magnet. I found that I have to  use a lint brush every once in awhile depending on the type of clothing I am wearing that sheds onto the carrier.
Overall, this carrier is AWESOME. I love everything about it and would most certainly recommend it to all my friends and moms alike. 

To learn more about the Boba, check out some of these links:
Best part...Boba is giving away a Carrier and not 1 but 2 wraps!! Be sure to get your entries in!!
Boba provided me with this product for the purpose of this review only. I was not compensated for this post. All of the opinions are my own.

17 comments:

  1. Soft Structured Carriers are awesome! I have a Boba too and I LOVE it! :)

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  2. I've been desperately hoping to win one of these!!!

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  3. Don't worry, I had a Bjorn too. It's all I knew:) I have since gotten a used Scootababy and just got an Action Baby Carrier to review so I feel much better about wearing baby in those! I have two little ones so I have to wear one of them when we go out to the store (to stay sane). Yay for babywearing correctly!

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  4. I had a Bjorn too. That's all I knew :) I got a used Scootababy when I found out about hip dysplasia and just got an Action Baby Carrier to review. I have to wear one of my 2 little ones when we go out to the store (to stay sane) so these both have worked great for me!

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  5. loved my boba wrap, but now little man is a bit too heavy, so hoping for a ssc win :)

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    1. When I have my next one, I want to try the wrap:-)

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  6. Awesome giveaway!!! I've been saving my pennies for a SSC, but winning one would be awesome :D

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    1. Boba does a lot of giveaways, so keep looking around!

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  7. Thanks for an awesome giveaway. Been wanting to try one and been saving so we could get one, but this is an awesome opportunity to win one.

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  8. I had an infantino - I thought I was "babywearing." It's so frustrating that big retailers only offer the crotch dangler ones. This Boba 3G looks awesome though - I love it can go from infant to toddler in one pack.

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    1. It is very frustrating that retailers only promote the crotch dangler ones. Although I was very pleased to see the Ergo at Target and Babies R Us! Boba is sooooo comfy! I look forward to wearing it as opposed to the bjorn which I dreaded...nevermind trying to get that thing on...lol...it was a project every time!

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  9. I so hope I win this! I'd love to try the Boba. I have an ergo but could really use two now. The boba seems really great!

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