Papa Products has introduced 1Z, a baby carrier cover designed to fit over leading brands of baby carriers. It’s a neat way to customize your baby carrier to fit your personality. The 1Z also protects your baby carrier from baby drool or spit-up, and is machine washable. The 1Z is patent pending. Right now, three styles are available for purchase on mbeans.com: Basic, Peace Sign, or 09 Imprint, priced from $24.99 to $29.99.

Recently I found this unique, upscale baby carrier in suede and leather by Ramalama. Based in Australia, Ramalama carries baby carriers, luxury diaper bags, and eco-friendly maternity and baby clothing. Calling itself a company that produces baby items that possess “functional luxury,” the Ramalama baby carrier is designed to be easy to use and fun and fashionable to wear. The carrier is designed for babies 5 months and older. While I wasn’t able to find a US retailer that carries Ramalama online, I did find one in the UK: monstersandmunchkins.com currently has the Ramalama suede/leather baby carrier available for 129 GBP (approx $196 USD). They do offer world wide shipping as well.

This Boys Striped Pullover by Catimini Labo looks like a perfect shirt for the first day of school. The colors look great together (blue, green, and yellow) and the knit weight would be just right for the weather in our part of the country around the time school starts. If you pair them with the Catimini Labo Brown Elastic Waist Pants also available, what a sharp outift that makes! The pullover is available in sizes from 18 months to 6, and the pants from 12 months to 3. Sadly, my son won’t be wearing this outfit, as the pullover costs $79 and the pants $64 at WestVillageKids.com. (That is, unless I can find it selling for a cheaper price gently used on ebay!)

Once your baby is old enough to keep her head steady, a hip carry is one of the most practical holds around. It feels natural, it distributes weight well, and it seems to please little ones to no end. While I have several different carriers that offer a hip carry as one of several options, I often find them difficult to use. I’m therefore intrigued by this Scootababy Carrier, which is designed expressly for that purpose. Made for babies and toddlers from 5 months up to 40 pounds, this carrier is sturdy and attractive. It also allows for easy nursing. You can purchase one for $119 at heavenlyhold.com. Shipping is free. It would make a very generous gift for new parents.

Here is an imaginative, mom-designed product that can replace a number of bulky items cluttering your home and car. The Tendatot, available in a number of fun prints such as this “Russian Stack Dolls” model, functions as a diaper bag, shopping cart cover, carrier, and more. Each bag comes with a changing pad, a matching bib, ties for attaching toys or a binky, and pockets for holding all the necessities of life on the go with a baby or toddler. The product is made in the USA.

You can see how this innovative product works and purchase one for $379.99 at TendATot.com. While the price may seem steep, it isn’t bad if you consider all that it can replace. With small children around, the reduction in clutter alone is worth a little extra cost.

These days the Sleep Wrap Baby Carrier seems to be the wrap of choice for moms in an online community I belong to. Available in a number of fun colors, the wrap was developed by parents who wanted a sturdy way to carry their little one. It is made from a thicker fabric than many other wraps on the market, so it won’t stretch out and loosen up as you move. One size fits all, so you can use it from birth through the toddler years to keep your little one close and your hands free. You can purchase one for $38.95 at SleepyWrap.com.

 
The fourth item on my list of necessities for baby is a stroller. If you’re not into pushing your baby around in a buggy and you travel by foot as often as I do, I think a carrier of some sort is in order. You’ve got to have your hands free (and save your back and arms) at some point in time and for that, I have a Mei Tai. However, I also have Evenflo Congo Journey Travel System. We have dragged this thing through mud, muck, rain, snow, gravel and whatever else dares to cross our paths for over 3 years and it is still in good shape. The front tires had to be reinforced but otherwise, nothing is awry.

My favorite features are the bug net, relatively simple folding system, and smooth steering. It is rather bulky but great for long treks and durable (we’re on our second son.) The front piece lifts, making getting your child in and out simpler, and there’s even a detachable piece that stores away underneath to keep legs and feet protected until they’re too big to be kept in. The car seat attaches to the top and is a handy carrier and travel rocking chair for baby. It comes with a canopy and head cushions to keep baby’s head steady. We paid much more than the $129.99 price tag on Amazon.com but, happily, it was worth it.  

We have a heavy frame hiking backpack for our little ones, but I would very much like to have the option of back-wearing without quite so much weight. I haven’t yet ventured into the world of Mei Tais, but I am thinking that might be the way to go. I know my sister and several friends speak very positively of this style of carrier. I have been shopping around to see what is out there, and I really like this carrier from CatBird. Not only is it extremely functional, but the fabric options are gorgeous. I loved this Oasobi print, but there are many other options as well.

The carrier is made from 100% cotton and features an adjustable strap and a hideaway sleep hood which can be used to form a headrest. It can be used for newborns or older infants/toddlers. This is a carrier that will definitely grow with your child. You can purchase one for $89 at CatBirdBaby.com. Baby carriers also make great gifts.

Are you going to add a baby to the family soon or do you tote your baby all over town in a Moby wrap? If you wear your baby a lot and have a toddler who would like to carry his/her dolls in the same fashion (but you don’t sew), there’s always the Moby Mini Baby Carrier. It come in vivid Red, simple Natural, lovely Lilac, or deep Indigo with ample space for a favorite dolly. We use a Mei Tei at our house and I think it would be adorable to have a toddler carrying a doll or stuffed animal in a mini carrier right behind us. It’s important for little ones to learn how to nurture and to feel like they are participating in the daily events of the household, especially with a new baby in the picture. However, our son doesn’t show an interest in our Mei Tei and prefers traveling with his Kitty in a small backpack or leaving it home to wait for him. Otherwise, I’d jump on this Moby Mini Baby Carrier, on sale for $12.95 at HipMountainMama.com.

Apaprently, the Portamee Baby Carrier, which bills itself as the “Prada” of baby carriers, is becoming the new favorite of celebrity dads such as Tom Cruise.  It is also receiving a lot of media attention, and has been featured on the Today Show. 

What makes this carrier so special? One distinguishing feature is that it is made with high end fabrics and leather trim.  It is also designed to help eliminate back fatigue with a lumbar support.  Its simple design is made to appeal to dads on the go (although it works perfectly for moms too).  Not only is the appearance very masculine, but the carrier comes with built-in features such as pockets for keys, cell phones, wallets, and other gadgets in addition to baby essentials.

The carrier is intended for use with children from about 4 months of age up to 35 pounds.  An optional headrest allows you to use the carrier with a newborn as well. The cost of this carrier is higher than most, but if it suits your style and money is no object, you can purchase one for $180 at LaLaLing.com.

This First Pearls Cotton Mamma’s Milk Baby Sling has an unusual print that caught my eye. The other thing that caught my eye is the fact that it’s on sale at BarefootBella.net for just $20 (down from $50). It’s a good opportunity to buy a high-quality gift for that special baby shower. It also includes instructions on wearing a sling for those of us who’ve been wanting to master the art of the hands-free sling.

I recently stumbled upon this unique vest in Parenting magazine and just had to read more about it. The Peekaru Original Vest is a new way to “wear” your baby. Different from a baby sling, the Peekaroo  is a fleece vest that fits over any traditional baby sling or wrap and provides extra warmth for both you and your baby. It is supposed to fit comfortably over all brands of baby carriers. It’s made of 85% recycled Polartec fleece, with each Peekaru vest saving 25 plastic bottles from heading to the landfill. It is also Okeo-tex Standard 100, so you know it’s eco-friendly. The vest comes in black, blue, gray, green, or lavender, and in sizes appropriate for mommies and daddies. This seems like a must-have winter accessory to me, if you have a baby that you routinely carry in a sling. It costs $79.95 at TogetherBe.com.

This Bright Starts By Your Side Seat looks a little roomier, and more sturdy, than a bouncer. It also raises the child high enough so you can pay more careful attention to them. I like the basket/bin under the seat. That would be a good place to keep baby’s toys or favorite blanket. It also plays 10 melodies and has volume control (a feature for which parents are always grateful!)

Visit BrightStarts.com to view and purchase this item, which is priced at $69.99.

When I saw the Kemby Sidekick Diaper Bag/Infant carrier Combo, I knew that the makers were on to something.  If, like me, you carry around a giant diaper bag all the time, this product allows you to harness its usefulness in a whole new way.  The Sidekick combines a fully-functional diaper bag with an infant/toddler carrier.  The bag itself, available in either blue, green, or brown, is made from an easy to clean fabric.  It features handy pockets for diapers and wipes, a cell phone, bottles, etc.  It can be worn over the shoulder, around the waist, or across the shoulder/chest.

The innovative part of the design is a built-in baby carrier that allows an infant (up to 35 pounds) with good head control to sit on top of the bag, which provides a comfortable seat and helps distribute your child’s weight evenly.  I think this is a great idea for busy moms.  You can purchase one for $172 at MyBellySprout.com.

There is no shortage of slings on the market these days, as more and more parents are discovering their many benefits.  I have recently seen a lot of press for pouches from Kangaroo Korner.  They were recently featured in American Baby Magazine, and have previously been featured on parents.com and in Motehring Magazine.

Designed by a mom who couldn’t find exactly the right sling for her family, these pouches are avaialble in a number of attractive prints and in a wide range of fabrics–fleece, mesh, you name it.  There are even slings that are designed for use in water.  Organic fabrics are also available.  I really like this All Season Adjustable Pouch.  I was initially drawn to it because I love the fabric, but it offers some great features.  Designed for children from birth to 25 pounds, this pouch is adjustable, so it grows with your baby and your changing shape as you take off the baby weight.  I love that this pouch has some stretch to it.  That is my biggest complaint about my current sling.  It makes a huge difference.

You can purchase one of these slings, which costs $62, or browse the entire collection at KangarooKorner.com.